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NordVPN has just released a new Linux VPN app with a full graphical user interface (GUI)A GUI Linux VPN app makes privacy more accessible for Linux users, thanks to rich visual elementsTo install the new GUI version, users need to modify the command of the previous Linux app

NordVPN has just unveiled a long-awaited upgrade for all Linux users – a full graphical user interface (GUI) for its VPN client.The updated Linux VPN app makes privacy more accessible for the Linux community, thanks to rich visual elements that promise to ease the use of advanced features."This launch is a natural progression of our mission to make cybersecurity accessible and seamless for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned Linux user or new to the OS, we believe this GUI will enhance your NordVPN experience," said NordVPN's CTO, Marijus Briedis.

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NordVPN new GUI Linux VPN

Briedis explains that the new GUI brings the simplicity of other NordVPN applications to Linux for the first time, all while preserving the reliability, speed, and security users expect from one of the best VPN providers on the market.This means that everyone using a Linux distro or Linux desktop device can now enjoy all the features offered by NordVPN, including Threat Protection, Double VPN, and a kill switch, within a couple of clicks – no matter if you're a VPN pro or beginner.NordVPN's GUI Linux VPN isn't a brand new application, the provider explains, but a significant upgrade of its seasoned CLI-based software.It's important to keep in mind, though, that at the time of writing, NordVPN's Meshnet and some other features remain accessible only via the CLI-based version, which continues to be supported in full.

The GUI for NordVPN Linux app comes with both dark and light modes, so that you can choose the version that suits you best. (Image credit: Nord Security)

"Linux users are an incredibly important part of our community, and we’re thrilled to make their experience even better," said Briedis.The new GUI version of the NordVPN Linux app also comes with support for post-quantum encryption – an upgrade the company released last October – and its latest censorship-resistant protocol, NordWhisper.NordVPN joins other popular providers offering a full GUI for their VPN client. These include Surfshark, which launched its GUI Linux VPN in 2022, ExpressVPN, offering this feature since March this year, and Private Internet Access (PIA).

How to upgrade to NordVPN GUI Linux app

NordVPN promises a quick installation that should be familiar to everyone who has installed the CLI version before. The steps are the same, in fact, except for one adjustment.You now need to specify the command to install the GUI version by typing this in the terminal: sh

Hiking app AllTrails has just released a new subscription tier with AI featuresWe asked AllTrails' Chief Technology Officer how AllTrails reconciles AI's environmental impact with the app's mission statement to help people enjoy the outdoorsHe says AllTrails takes steps to reduce energy cost and maximize efficiency when deploying AI features

Earlier this week we reported that hiking app AllTrails had launched a new subscription tier: Peak, a more expensive subscription plan which makes use of AI tools to enhance your outdoor experience.These tools include a Community Heatmap, a common feature on the best fitness apps such as AllTrails and contemporaries like Strava. The Heatmap shows where other users are often hiking, allowing you to sort trails by popularity.Other features include Outdoor Lens, which uses your phone's camera to identify plants, insects, and landmarks, and Trail Conditions, which provides up-to-date information on not just weather, but ground conditions, snowpack, and even mosquito activity on different parts of your trail.The AllTrails Peak subscription tier costs $79.99 / £79.99 (around AU$125) per year, likely due to the cost of the AI being used.It's well known that AI is an energy-intensive technology – one of the most popular statistics bandied about is that ChatGPT-4 uses the equivalent of 519ml of water, slightly more than an average bottle, per 100-word email generated. This stat comes from the University of California, Riverside, in a study produced in collaboration with the Washington Post.AI doesn't, therefore, appear to be an environmentally friendly technology to use at the moment, due to its energy and cooling requirements. AllTrails, however, says it's dedicated to preserving the great outdoors that its users love; the company is partnered with the Leave No Trace and One Tree Planted nonprofits, and contributes 1% of its annual revenue to environmental organizations.When I spoke to AllTrails' Chief Technology Officer, James Graham, about the new subscription tiers, I also asked him if AllTrails' use of AI was at odds with the company's environmental messaging.

Being careful about AI

(Image credit: AlLTrails)

"Great question. That's something we think about with every feature we build," Graham told me."Our data scientists take time to build features like this more efficiently... We think about the size of the model, and for many of our features, we don’t need to use the largest, highest-intensity model possible, so we don’t always use the top-of-the-line model which consumes the most energy. We’re very deliberate with how we use it."AllTrails, it seems, tries to mitigate the impact of AI's power consumption and enormous cooling requirements by using smaller, more efficient models specifically developed to implement its features with minimal impact. But Graham also thinks that as AI evolves, its demands will decrease, telling me, "As new technology comes out, we’re already seeing the energy cost of using AI is going down, and we believe that trend will continue,"While the energy demands for each individual instance of AI use may decrease, the increasing overall usage of AI could offset these savings. A January 2025 MIT report states that data centers already account for 1-2% of global energy usage: by 2030, this could reportedly reach up to 21% due to the demands placed on AI.If more developers used smaller models and more energy-efficient processes we might avert this dire prediction. However, while the AI tools used by AllTrails look impressive, and are designed to spur more people to spend more time outside, which can be to the benefit of environmental causes, concerns will persist about AI's wider usage, and what it really means to 'leave no trace'.

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It's almost time to look up again. A new trailer for James Gunn's Superman movie will be released very soon, and I couldn't be more excited to see more of one of this year's most anticipated new movies.As confirmed by Gunn on social media (see below), the DC Universe (DCU) film's official trailer will make its debut this Wednesday (May 14). The new teaser is expected to be shown during Warner Bros' Upfronts 2025 presentation first before being released online immediately after.

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)A photo posted by on

Story spoilers notwithstanding, there's plenty of new footage that Gunn could tease in Superman's next trailer. The DCU Chapter One flick reportedly has a runtime of around two and a half hours, so we should be treated to lots of new shots to pore over and theorize about.Ahead of its release, here are three things I want to see, plus something I think should be avoided in Superman's official trailer.

1. Speak up

Let's hear the likes of Lois Lane (left) talk in the next trailer (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Studios)

The first trailer for Gunn's Superman movie, which arrived last December, was full of great moments. However, aside from a couple of lines uttered by David Corenswet, who plays Clark Kent/the titular Kryptonian, we didn't hear any of the film's other cast members speak.Superman's next teaser should rectify this. Its initial batch of footage was also about setting up the tone and vibe that Gunn is aiming for with his latest feature flick.With that firmly established now, it's time that we heard what the likes of Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor sound like, including whether they've imbued their takes on these iconic characters with accents we might not have expected.

2. Less Superman, more Clark Kent

How much of Superman's everyday life will we see in his latest big-screen outing? (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Surprising no one, the first Superman teaser trailer largely comprised clips of Clark Kent performing superhero acts. We all want to see the eponymous hero doing good, after all.That said, some of the best Superman stories, literary or otherwise, have explored his civilian life as much as his heroic deeds. So, I'd like to see the film's next round of footage show us more of Clark's life outside of his superhero exploits.The first trailer suggested Gunn will lean into that everyday aspect of the character, including Clark's day job as a roving reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper and spending time at home with his adoptive human parents. However, it's unclear how much of his civilian life will be examined in Superman, so some new footage of this wouldn't go amiss in its next trailer.

3. Justice for the Justice League International

Metamorpho is one of many supporting characters who'll appear in Superman (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Ahead of the first trailer's release, we'd seen how some of Supes' fellow heroes would look in this flick. Indeed, leaked images of Edi Gathegi's Mister Terrific last June were followed by first-look snaps of Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion's Hal Jordan/Green Lantern a week or so later.Superman's inaugural trailer, though, was pretty light on giving us better looks at these characters and another superpowered being in Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho. In fact, apart from a couple of blink and you'll miss it shots, they were largely absent from said trailer.With this quartet set to play supporting roles – we're not sure how much they'll appear, mind you – in Superman, it would be nice if the movie's next trailer showed more of them in action and/or conversing with the Man of Steel himself. I certainly expect there to be some melodrama between this corporately managed super-team and Supes, so give us a taste of what that'll look like, please, Mister Gunn.

4. More Krypto

Who's a good boy!? Yes, you are! (Image credit: DC Studios)

Season 1 of Creature Commandos might have been the first DCU project to be released, but Superman is being positioned as the project that officially kickstarts the DCU when it's released this July.Gunn and company are labeling the build-up to the film's release as the 'Summer of Superman', too. But, while the Son of Krypton is the movie's lead, there's no denying that he was (and likely will continue to be) upstaged by his boisterous canine companion Krypto between now and launch day.We've known that Krypto would appear in Superman since leaked images of Mister Terrific tracking him down surfaced in July 2024. Krypto has won everyone's hearts since then, with Kent's most loyal friend stealing the show in Superman's first trailer and latest clip that revealed a jaw-dropping look at the Fortress of Solitude.Clearly, Krypto is one of Superman's most marketable assets, so it makes sense to put him front and center of any and all promotional materials ahead of the film's release. I fully expect, then, to see more of the unruly, overexcitable pup when trailer #2 drops online.

5. No rehashed footage

Please don't show us clips that we've seen previously... (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

As I mentioned earlier, Superman will seemingly clock in at around 150 minutes when it flies into theaters in less than two months' time. Sure, its runtime could change between now and then as Gunn locks in its final cut, but let's not worry ourselves about that right now.If one of the best superhero movies (potentially, anyway) of 2025 is that long, its latest trailer is a prime opportunity to show us plenty of new, non-spoiler-filled footage. It's my hope, then, that trailer #2 won't contain any prior clips or sequences we've seen in its predecessor or other marketing materials.That said, I expect a shot or two will be reused from the first trailer. It's a rarity for new teasers to be made up of completely new footage we haven't seen before, but it would make for a refreshing change if Superman's latest trailer didn't rehash footage from its forebear. You've got plenty of footage at your disposal, Mister Gunn, so use it!

Superman takes flight in theaters worldwide on Friday, July 11.

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LayerX says enterprises are using tens of extensions dailyMany are built by anonymous individuals Some have extensive permissions, putting sensitive data at risk

Browser extensions are increasing the attack surface, putting employees and businesses at risk. This is according to the 2025 Enterprise Browser Extension Security Report, a new paper published by LayerX, a cybersecurity company specializing in securing web browsing for enterprises.The document was drafted by combining data from public extension marketplaces and real-world enterprise usage telemetry, LayerX said.The improvements extensions bring to everyday browsing are undeniable, LayerX said, describing them as “ubiquitous”. Virtually all enterprises (99%) have at least one installed, and more than half of analyzed organizations (52%) are running more than ten extensions.

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Extensions add risk

Extensions are pieces of software that add features or functionality to web browsers. These can be anything from blocking ads, managing passwords, to enhancing productivity. They can be built by both companies and independent (and anonymous!) developers, and can be found in browser-specific stores like the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons site.However, the researchers also claim they are dangerous, since 53% of installed extensions in enterprise environments have ‘high’ or ‘critical’ risk permissions, allowing access to sensitive data. Also, more than 20% of enterprise employees are now using GenAI extensions, more than half (58%) of which also have ‘high’ or ‘critical’ permissions.Trouble is further compounded by the fact that the identity of the extension’s developer is, in many cases, unknown. More than half (54%) of extensions are published anonymously, and 79% of publishers have only released one extension, “making trust assessment extremely challenging”. Finally, 51% of extensions haven’t received an update in more than a year, while 26% are sideloaded, bypassing security vetting.To mitigate the threat, enterprises should audit all browser extensions, categorize them to understand their risk profiles, and enumerate and analyze their permissions “meticulously,” LayerX suggested. They should also perform comprehensive risk assessments and enforce adaptive, risk-based security policies.Via BleepingComputer

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Co-op is experiencing disruption following a cyberattackReports suggest that hackers may still have access to systemsThis follows a similarly destructive attack on fellow retailer M&S

British retail giant Co-op is still experiencing severe disruptions from a cyberattack, with some stores unable to restock selected products thanks to critical logistical systems being kept offline amid fears that the hackers may still have access to the company’s networks, The Record reports.Co-op has spent the last two weeks fending off attackers by shutting down IT systems - and there has been “significant disruption” to operations as a result. Co-op’s CEO confirmed that a “limited amount of customer data” was accessed by criminals, and that the organization is working to fully understand the impact of the attack.“As previously communicated, we have established that the cyber criminals were able to access a limited amount of member data. This is obviously extremely distressing for our colleagues and members, and I am very sorry this happened. We recognise the importance of data protection and take our obligations to you and our regulators seriously, particularly as a member-owned organisation,” she confirmed.

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Lingering hackers

Deliveries from Co-op’s large depots were reportedly well below 20% of their normal capacity, outlining the serious disruptions that these attacks can bring.“All our stores are open and trading and we are now making deliveries to all of our stores, flowing in an increased level of fresh, chilled and frozen products alongside cupboard essentials,” a spokesperson confirmed to The Record.“Some of our stores might not have all their usual products available and we are sorry if this is the case for our members’ and customers in their local store. We are working around the clock to reduce disruption and are pleased [to] have resumed delivery of stock to our shelves,” they added.The nature of the attack is yet to be revealed, although it comes alongside a similar incident for another retailer, M&S, who suffered an outage that is most likely linked to ScatteredSpider ransomware.

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Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa says the Switch 2's high price is a factor for the company's 15 million unit sales forecastFurukawa says that limits to hardware production capacity and US tariffs were not a factorNintendo also expects to sell 45 million units in Switch 2 software, excluding copies of Mario Kart World included in Switch 2 bundles

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has said the lower than expected sales prediction for the Nintendo Switch 2 is due to the console's high price point.Following its financial report last week, where Nintendo said it expected to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles during its launch window last week (via VGC), investors have since asked the company why it has predicted lower sales than some analysts were anticipating."We are forecasting Nintendo Switch 2 hardware sales of 15 million units for this fiscal year," Furukawa said in a new Q&A published today. "We set this figure with the aim of reaching the same level of sales we achieved with Nintendo Switch in the roughly 10-month period between its launch in March 2017 and December that year."Furukawa also said that the console's high cost of $449.99 / £395.99 is a key factor in its predictions, but that its backward compatibility and software bundles will increase sales before the end of the first fiscal year."Nintendo Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to Nintendo Switch, so we recognize that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption," the Nintendo president explained. "That being said, Nintendo Switch 2 can play compatible Nintendo Switch software, so there is continuity between the platforms. We are taking steps like bundling software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch."Furukawa continued, saying that limits to hardware production capacity "were not a factor" in its sales prediction, and that the recent rise in US tariffs or the possibility a recession "did not affect our sales volume forecast either"."In order to achieve sales of 15 million units, we will need to manufacture the hardware in quantities greater than that. Our first goal is to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch, and we are working to strengthen our production capacity so we can respond flexibly to demand," he added.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

After acknowledging the positive feedback from the Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on events around the world, before returning to the topic of the console's high price in comparison to the original Switch, saying that "even if there is momentum around the launch, we know it will not be easy to keep that momentum going over"."We have been working to ramp up Nintendo Switch 2 hardware production since even before we held the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events and began My Nintendo Store applications. Our sales volume forecast was not determined based on any limit to production capacity," he said.Nintendo also predicted that it sell 45 million units in Nintendo Switch 2 software, excluding the Mario Kart World copies included in Switch 2 bundles, which would surpass the 52 million units of software sold for the Switch in the 10 months after its launch.It was said that this is in part due to "a more robust line-up" of games from publishers and the availability of Switch 2 Edition titles.Furukawa was later asked to confirm the impact of expected US tariffs on the sales forecast after Nintendo was forced to raise the price of some of its upcoming accessories last month."Our financial projections were created based on the assumption of U.S. tariffs of 10% on products produced in Japan, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and 145% on China," he explained, but couldn't disclose the impact of tariffs on individual products, like some accessories and amiibo, that are produced in China."Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price," Furukawa added. "On the other hand, the fiscal year ending March 2026 is the launch period for our first new dedicated video game system in eight years. If the tariff assumptions change, we will consider how to handle the situation while keeping in mind the importance of platform momentum and growth of the hardware install base."The Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally on June 5, 2025. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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The Bear season 4 and Alien: Earth are arriving over the coming monthsAlien Earth arrives in June and The Bear arrives in AugustBoth shows are available on Hulu in the US, and Disney+ internationally

Hulu has just announced the release dates for two exciting new arrivals: both The Bear season 4 and Alien: Earth are coming to one of the best streaming services over the next few months.Fans eagerly awaiting both dramas will be pleased to hear that The Bear returns on June 26 and the new sci-fi series Alien: Earth arrives on August 13. So, whether you want stressful cooking or creepy xenomorphs, Hulu has got you covered. Both shows can be found on Disney+ in non-US territories.The Bear is already on our best Hulu shows round up, but could Alien: Earth join the list? So far, it seems promising, but the franchise has been hit and miss over the years so we'll have to wait and see.

What do we know about the new shows?

(Image credit: FX)

As release dates creep closer, Hulu has dropped some first look images to get fans excited for what's to come.Plot wise, season four of The Bear sees Carmy, Sydney, and Richie are determined not only to survive, but also to take The Bear to the next level. However, that's no easy task and there'll be challenges around every corner forcing them to think on their feet and decide what's worth holding onto.Meanwhile, Alien: Earth follows the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot as it crash-lands on Earth. It's set in the year 2120 where Earth is now governed by five corporations, one of which has uncovered a new dawn in the race for immortality; a hybrid prototype who encounters mysterious lifeforms with deadly consequences.While these shows are very different they seem to be connected by sounding stressful, as The Bear has often been regarded as one of the most stress-inducing comedy shows of all time, so both are guaranteed to get your pulse racing when they arrive later this year.

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Sony has launched the new Xperia 1 VII flagship smartphone Hardware improvements include a new ultra-wide camera, while software sees the introduction of Xperia IntelligenceThe phone costs £1,399 in the UK, with no US availability at the time of writing

Sony has launched the Xperia 1 VII smartphone, bringing a slew of hardware and software updates to the company’s creator-focused flagship handset.The Japanese tech giant is keen to emphasise the incorporation of technologies from its various tech brands in the new phone, specifically Alpha-branded photography tools, Bravia display tech, and Walkman-branded audio.It’s good to know that Sony has thrown the full weight of its tech talent at the Xperia 1 VII, especially considering the phone is no cheaper than its predecessors – at £1,399, it’s one of the most expensive flagships on the market.As well as sporting the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, the phone’s headline hardware features include a new ultra-wide camera, an upgraded headphone jack, and improved display calibration.Sony has given the Xperia 1 VII a new 48MP ultra-wide camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, up from a 12MP 1/2.5-inch camera on the previous generation Xperia 1 VI.In the official Xperia 1 VII product page, Sony states that the new ultra-wide camera can achieve "clear night shots equivalent to full-frame cameras", and while a larger sensor should increase low-light performance, this claim seems dubious given that full-frame sensors are more than twice the size of the Xperia 1 VII's ultra-wide sensor.This new ultra-wide sits alongside two cameras carried forward from last year’s Xperia 1 VI – a 48MP main camera and 12MP telephoto camera with continuous 3.5x-7.1x telephoto zoom. The camera system is controlled by a dedicated shutter button with half-press focus, the same as prior iterations.As mentioned, the Xperia 1 VII is one of the only phones on the market that still has a headphone jack – an elegant feature for a more civilized age. The phone has inherited components from Sony’s line of Walkman media players to enhance wired audio quality, while AI-enabled DSEE Ultimate processing can add clarity to compressed audio streams.And in collaboration with Sony Bravia, a light sensor has been added to the rear of the phone to assist with brightness and color calibration in indoor and outdoor conditions.Even bigger steps have been taken on the software side – the Xperia 1 VII is the launchpad for Xperia Intelligence, a suite of tastefully subtle AI tools centred around photography and filmmaking.For example, the AI Camera Work tool assists in keeping video footage stable, while the AI Auto Framing tool keeps a human subject in the center of the shot. That Auto Framing tool also allows users to film a second vertical close-up video of said subject while filming a wider horizontal shot.The phone also comes with Google Gemini installed, with access to tools like Circle to Search.The Sony Xperia 1 VII is out now in three colors – Moss Green, Slate Black, and the eye-catching Orchid Purple option. It’s likely to top our list of the best Sony phones, but let us know if you think this £1,399 handset will be worth its high price in the comments below.

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We finally have some actual footage of the upcoming Spider-Noir series, thanks to a teaser trailer. This is a real boon for fans of the original Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, as the show brings back Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man: Noir.

It's also live action, so we get to see a real-life Nic Cage kicking butt as a down-on-his-luck private detective that's bitten by a magical spider. You can likely guess what happens to him after that. Amazon says that the character will be "forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero."

This is a short trailer, but it's positively soaked in retro vibes. After all, the show's called Spider-Noir. The teaser is in black-and-white, but it's worth noting that the actual series will be available in both black-and-white and color. It's all up to personal preference, but I'm digging the black-and-white.

Spider-Noir will first air on MGM+ before heading to Prime Video the next day. We don't have a release date yet. In addition to Cage, the show stars Lamorne Morris, Brendan Gleeson, Li Jun Li and Karen Rodriguez, among others. Harry Bradbeer, who helmed most episodes of Fleabag, is directing the first two installments.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the pair behind the Spiderverse franchise, are on-hand as executive producers. The show's based on the comic book Spider-Man: Noir, which was first released back in 2009.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/watch-nicolas-cage-kick-black-and-white-butt-in-this-trailer-for-spider-noir-163332837.html?src=rss

Rockstar insider 'Tez2' says a Grand Theft Auto 4 port could be released later this year'Tez2' claims someone at Rockstar "hinted" at a GTA 4 port and "by now it should've gone up a year in development"The insider also says a possible Max Payne 3 remaster will be released next, after the GTA 4 port

Grand Theft Auto 4 is reportedly coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S later this year, followed by a possible Max Payne 3 remaster.As reported by Eurogamer, this latest rumor comes from Rockstar insider 'Tez2', who shared on the GTA Forum that someone at Rockstar Games "hinted" at a GTA 4 port for modern consoles and "by now it should've gone up a year in development".'Tez2' also said that "we may end up seeing it drop later this year" and that a port of the 2008 game is one of the reasons why the Liberty City Preservation Project, a fan-made GTA mod, was taken down by the studio earlier this year.It's also claimed that Rockstar is developing a Max Payne 3 port that will potentially release after the GTA 4 port."If they still follow their plan laid out from the pandemic days, they'll do an MP3 port after IV. So that is an opportunity to do a bundle or a Definitive Edition. Max Payne 1 & 2 remakes, and a Max Payne 3 port," 'Tez2' posted.Rockstar Games is notorious for keeping development projects quiet, and no announcements of a GTA 4 or Max Payne 3 remaster have been made at this time.The studio released Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition back in 2021, which contained GTA 3, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas, so it would make sense for it to want to port GTA 4 to modern consoles as well.A GTA 4 remaster would tide fans over while we wait for Grand Theft Auto 6, which was recently delayed from its original 2025 release and is now slated to launch on May 26, 2026.

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Disney isn't quite ready to reveal exactly when you'll be able to start using ESPN's long-awaited standalone streaming service, but it has announced some key details. For one thing, the company isn't rocking the boat in terms of branding. The service will simply be called ESPN.

That was the best and most obvious option, especially considering that the unlimited plan includes all of ESPN's offerings, albeit via the internet instead of satellite or cable. "As we thought about the name, we kept returning to the fact that, across every generation, ESPN is the most trusted, loved and recognized name in sports, and that we should keep it simple and double down on the power of ESPN," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement.

There are two plans that will be available through the revamped ESPN app: an unlimited subscription for $30 per month and a select plan for $12 per month. The former includes all of ESPN's linear networks. You'll be able to watch (deep breath) ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes live, as well as ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+ and ACCNX. ESPN's press release does not mention the inclusion of ESPN8 The Ocho, a free ad-supported streaming channel that features all kinds of strange and wonderful sports.

Along with studio shows and original programming like the 30 for 30 films, the unlimited plan offers access to 47,000 live events every year plus on-demand replays, ESPN says. That includes games from the big four North American sports leagues, along with the NWSL, PGA Tour, UFC, Big 12, the College Football Playoff, dozens of NCAA championships, major European soccer leagues, three of the tennis grand slam tournaments and much more. The select plan, meanwhile, is basically what ESPN+ is now.

There are other payment options available. An annual unlimited membership will run you $300. If you also use Disney+ and/or Hulu, though, a bundle will likely be the best way to go. Disney is trying to sweeten the deal for newcomers with a launch offer that includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN unlimited for $30 per month for 12 months. That effectively gets you Disney+ and Hulu for free for a year, but it'll be the ad-supported version of each. After that, the bundle will cost you $36 per month for a plan with ads on Disney+ and Hulu. To go ad-free on those services, you'll pay $45 per month for the bundle.

As for the select plan, that's $120 for an annual subscription. The bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN select will be $17 per month with ads on Disney+ and Hulu, and $27 to go ad-free. Bundle subscribers will be able to access ESPN content from the Disney+ app.

Current ESPN+ subscribers will be moved over to the ESPN service on the select plan (but expect a lot of attempts to upsell you on the unlimited offering). If you have a bundle with Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, you'll soon find yourself with the ESPN select bundle.

The transition will happen when the ESPN streaming service debuts sometime in early fall. Disney will announce more details, including the date when the service goes live, later this summer as the cable-ization of streaming TV continues.

The standalone ESPN service had been in the works for years, but it's not the only sports streaming platform Disney had been putting together. The company teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox with the intention to start a joint offering called Venu Sports, but that plan vaporized earlier this year amid legal challenges from competitors. Still, Fubo agreed to drop its case against Venu Sports after it reached a deal with Disney on a joint venture that combines FuboTV with Hulu + Live TV.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/espns-streaming-service-will-cost-up-to-30-per-month-and-be-called-espn-164532920.html?src=rss

Well, the leaks were right. Google is updating the look of Android and Wear OS to make its mobile and wearable operating systems more visually expressive and animated.

Google has dubbed its new design system Material 3 Expressive, and plans to introduce it when Android 16 and Wear OS 6 launch later this year. Material 3 Expressive builds on the Material You design changes Google made with the introduction of Android 12 by adding "more natural, springy animations," a greater sense of depth, updated "dynamic color themes" and "emphasized typography." If you're familiar with Apple's approach to animation in iOS, Google seems to be using a similar philosophy here, making software elements more reactive to each other and your input, and layering in haptics so you can feel them react, too.

Google

The company specifically calls out the way other notifications bounce and jiggle when you pull one out of a stack in the notification shade and the haptics you feel dismissing apps in the recent apps menu, but new animations should be noticeable throughout Android 16. That's along with what looks like an even more playful use of typography and color theming in Google's stock apps, and a tasteful blur in the background of contextual menus. For even more personalization options, Google says the Quick Settings menu can now be customized to fit more actions, not unlike iOS 18's Control Center. On the lock screen, apps will also have the option to display a live-updating notification, a feature Google calls "Live Updates" that is equivalent to Live Activities in iOS.

Google

Given the smaller screen real estate, Material 3 Expressive comes across as less of a major change on Wear OS, but there are still visual changes that should be noticeable once you update. That includes new animations when you scroll through lists and glances, dynamic color-theming that matches the rest of your watch to your watch face and tweaks to notifications that make them easier to interact with. That's on top of performance improvements that are supposed to give Wear OS 6 smartwatches up to 10 percent more battery life, according to Google.

Material 3 Expressive adds more of the quirky pizazz that has made the company's software stand out in the last few years, but Google claims these changes are backed up by research, too. Material 3 Expressive is "the most researched update to Google's design system, ever," according to the company. There's a blog digging into some of Google's findings, but of particular note is the idea that Material 3 Expressive apps are attractive to young people — the company claims up to 87 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds prefer expressive design — while being easier to understand for people over the age of 45.

It remains to be seen whether developers take these changes in stride, but at the very least Android 16 and Wear OS 6 will be more visually exciting than anything Google's released in years.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/google-gives-android-an-animated-makeover-with-material-3-expressive-170045667.html?src=rss

Android 16's new Advanced Protection feature simplifies the task of managing your phone's security settings.Google

This summer's Android 16 release will add several new and updated security measures that should make it more difficult for criminals to scam Android users or take advantage of stolen Android phones. After introducing AI features in March that detect fraudulent messages based on common language patterns, Google is working on teaching its models to recognize a wider range of text scams, such as those unpaid road toll scams you've probably seen this year. It's also adding faster pattern analysis to Google Play Protect so it can unmask malicious apps more quickly.

Starting in Android 16, it will be impossible to grant certain accessibility privileges while on a call with an unknown contact. Meanwhile, the new Key Verifier feature prevents scammers from co-opting your known contacts, letting you and a trusted contact swap public encryption keys to confirm each other's identities.

Android 16 also adds new ways to protect your phone against thieves. The Identity Check feature requires extra biometric verification to change sensitive settings outside user-designated safe locations. It launched on some Pixel and Galaxy devices in January, but Android 16 will widen the rollout. These upgrades should help protect against "shoulder surfing" device thefts and bank account breaches, in which thieves learn passcodes by watching targets unlock their phones, then steal and unlock the devices themselves. Such attacks have been vexing smartphone owners in bars and other crowded venues for years.

New anti-theft features include a security question for deactivating remote locks and more restrictions on what can be done to a device after a factory reset. If a phone running Android 16 is not unlocked or connected to Wi-Fi for a while, the lock screen will hide two-factor authentication codes received through texts.

Along with the new security features, Android 16 will centralize security under a single device-level feature called Advanced Protection. While the Advanced Protection switch is active, no feature under its umbrella can be turned off.

As a final complement to the Android 16 security updates, Google is expanding its Find My Device feature into Find Hub, a dashboard that can locate basically any object with smart capabilities or a bluetooth tag. Find Hub can use ultra-wide band (UWB) on compatible devices to narrow down more precise locations, and can also communicate via satellite so its features work outside cell range.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/android-16-adds-new-features-for-scam-detection-and-device-finding-170037778.html?src=rss

Google is bringing Gemini to more devices. During Tuesday's airing of The Android Show: I/O Edition, the company said its family of AI models would soon power the conversational experiences on Android Auto, Wear OS, Google TV and beyond. I know what you're thinking: don’t those platforms already come with Google Assistant? They do, but Google is promising Gemini will make every device it comes to more conversational.

For instance, once Gemini arrives on Wear OS, Google says you won't need to get the wording of your request just right for the software to understand you. Instead, you can say something like "Remember I’m using locker 43 today," and Gemini will know to set a reminder for you. Google is promising similar enhancements on Android Auto, where Google Assistant has been an important part of the experience for years.

"Soon, Gemini will upgrade that experience by understanding what you want while you're driving, through natural conversations," the company says. "So instead of focusing on the perfect prompt or tapping the right button, you can stay focused on the road ahead."

In practice, that means Gemini will be able to do things like summarize text messages for you and translate them into more than 40 languages. With its ability to "remember" things, you can do things like tell Gemini to always send messages to a specific friend in Spanish, even though you might not speak the language. Google will start rolling out Gemini to Android Auto in the coming months, with cars with Google built-in to follow later this year.

Elsewhere, Google is building Android XR from the ground up with Gemini built-in. "When the first headset from Samsung launches later this year, Gemini can help you do things like plan a vacation by surrounding you with videos, maps and local tips, creating an entire itinerary in minutes while providing a more realistic feel for the place you're researching," the company says.

In the coming months, Google will also bring Gemini to Google TV. As you can probably guess, here Gemini will augment recommendations. Specifically, you can expect better age-appropriate suggestions for your kids. The model will also give Google TV the capability to answer any questions your children might have about what they're watching.

Last but not least, Google says Sony and Samsung will bring Gemini to some of the new earbuds the two companies plan to release this year and into the future. No details yet on what to expect there, but like on Wear OS and Android Auto, presumably the addition of Gemini will help make those earbuds better at understanding what you say to them.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-bringing-gemini-to-wear-os-android-auto-and-more-170028033.html?src=rss

Amazon's robots handled 224 units/hour, compared with humans at 243 units/hourRobots are more consistent, but humans can be quicker in some casesFurther research is needed to prevent damages

After a series of robotics announcements over the past few years, including its latest Vulcan robot which has a sense of touch, Amazon is testing next-generation models named 'Stow' and 'Pick', and their names say it all – they're designed to assist in the stowing and picking processes at fulfilment centers.However, the company has acknowledged that current robot technology is in no place to replace human workers despite achieving promising results.According to its performance testing, humans averaged 243 units per hour compared with robots, at 224 units per hour. The difference is small, but Amazon also highlighted some nuances.

Amazon's robots are good, but not human good

Where the robots stand out is in consistency. "It was also found that humans had greater variation in stow rates: people can quickly stow many small items efficiently, but are slower with large items, crouching for lower bins, or when using a step ladder to reach the top bins," Amazon explained.The company also observed how humans can perform multiple tasks at once with two hands, such as pulling out a storage bin with one hand and stowing an item with the other – something that the current generation of robots fails to do.Still, the gap is closing, with Amazon's robots stowing at greater than 85% success at a similar stow rate to humans across more than half a million tests.That said, there are some challenges with implementing robotics across Amazon warehouses, including damages caused by dropping products, inserting products into stowage bins, and crushing lightweight boxes.As such, while full human replacement is not feasible yet, hybrid systems are proving to be highly effective, with more work needed on improving handling and reducing damages caused by robots."Deeper research into predicting complex item interaction may be required in scaling manipulation more general," Amazon's researchers added.

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Google I/O 2025 is still a week out, but Google shared a taste of the updates planned for Android and the larger Android Ecosystem it has in store this year in a separate event, dubbed The Android Show: I/O Edition.

Engadget followed along with the announcements as they happened in our liveblog, but for an overview, here are the changes Google has planned for Android, its visual design and Gemini.

Material 3 Expressive is making Android and Wear OS more fun

Google

Material Design, Google’s design language for Android and Android apps, has been slowly evolving for years at this point, but Material 3 Expressive should be the biggest departure yet, adding new animations, typography and colors.

Google believes these changes make Android and apps easier to understand, while making them more appealing to young people. Based on the screenshots and clips Google shared, using Material 3 Expressive on Android 16 and Wear OS 6 has made the OSes look bouncier, more playful and fun. On Android, that also comes with the ability to add more tools to Quick Settings and apps and widgets to your home screen app grid. How much of a difference the new design language actually makes in your day-to-day life will depend on how quickly developers adopt the new style.

Gemini is coming to even more places

Google

Google made Gemini the default assistant on Android and offered the multimodal generative AI's smarts on the web and iOS. Now the assistant is making the jump to even more of the surfaces Google already controls, including Wear OS, the wearable operating system used by Samsung’s Galaxy Watches and Google’s Pixel Watches, Google TV and Android Auto.

Gemini will be able to do all of the things Google Assistant could do, like setting timers or creating reminders, but with much more flexible, natural language interactions. In Android Auto and cars with Google Built-in, you’ll also be able to use Gemini Live, Google’s tool for having live conversations with the AI about whatever topic you choose.

Google TV will leverage Gemini for TV and movie recommendations across your favorite genres, along with the AI assistants basic ability to answer questions. You could ask it for recommendations for kid shows and get information about your favorite actor.

Android is getting new security features and the Find Hub

Google

A major component of each new version of Android is improved security features, and Google has a few new features planned for Android 16. The company says it's expanding its AI model for detecting spam texts and calls to account for new types of scams, like road toll scams.

The next version of Android will also make it possible to grant accessibility privileges on a call with an unknown contact, and a new Key Verifier tool makes it possible to swap encryption keys to verify the person you're talking to is who they say they are.

On top of those changes, Google is expanding its Find My Device network into the new Find Hub, which can track your Android devices, compatible accessories and trackers, all in one location. Devices in Find Hub will also be able to use your phone's satellite connectivity to make items findable even when you don't have cell service.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/everything-google-announced-at-the-android-show-174155773.html?src=rss