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Battle Suit Aces, The Latest From Battle Chef Studio Trinket, Launches Its Mecha Card Battle Action This October
Game Updates

Battle Suit Aces, The Latest From Battle Chef Studio Trinket, Launches Its Mecha Card Battle Action This October

by admin September 9, 2025


It’s almost time to shuffle up and get in the robot. Game Informer can exclusively reveal that Battle Suit Aces, the new mecha card-battling game from Trinket Studios, will arrive on October 7 for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC.

Trinket Studios made a splash with 2017’s Battle Chef Brigade, which mixed side-scrolling action with a match-3 puzzle system to portray a fantasy cooking competition. Similarly, Battle Suit Aces also blends several genres and concepts; in a card-fighting RPG, you follow the USS Zephyr and its crew through a planet-hopping voyage across the stars to try and stop a looming, universe-endangering threat.

 

Card battles play out on a board, where you can deploy your team of mechs, pilots, and drones to combat the enemy, trying to strike through their lines and destroy their base before they do the same. Between missions, you’ll be able to recruit and get to know your crewmates, as well as upgrade their mech suits.

Trinket is planning numerous story missions driven by both the plot and your recruited cast of characters, as well as a story influenced by the factions you support and the relationships you build. Different Factions can also help you lean into your chosen playstyle, too, opting for specific methods of crushing your enemies with your small army of pilot pals and giant mecha.

No word on exact pricing just yet, but Trinket Studios has confirmed it will launch Battle Suit Aces on PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam.



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September 9, 2025 0 comments
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Gaming Gear

Tech Tanks in Latest Jobs Report As Most States Struggle to Keep Them

by admin September 7, 2025


Last week’s disappointing jobs report showed U.S. job growth stalled significantly in August, with just 22,000 new jobs added, and an unemployment rate that has risen to 4.3%.

It was the worst August report since the pandemic and the market treated it accordingly, welcoming it for the potential rate cuts it may herald but wary of the slower growth it may portend.

“The labor market is showing signs of cracking,” Heather Long, Navy Federal Credit Union senior economist, wrote in a note to investors on Thursday. “It’s not a red siren alarm yet, but the signs keep growing that businesses are starting to cut workers.”

Tech was not spared

Recent employment data confirms an increasingly uneven landscape within the technology sector, reflecting a shift away from the rapid job growth that characterized the early post-pandemic years.

According to a recent analysis by research think tank CompTIA, the sector has experienced a net decline of approximately 2,700 jobs over the past year, a 0.1% decrease.

This contrasts sharply with the period from late 2020 through 2022, when tech companies collectively added over 628,400 jobs across 29 months.

However, the last two years have seen almost 100,000 of those positions cut, indicating a recalibration amid the broader economic and geopolitical shifts.

“Unevenness in the data means acknowledging the employers and job seekers struggling with a multitude of challenges but also recognizing it is not all doom and gloom,” Tim Herbert, chief research officer, CompTIA, said. “Hiring intent data continues to show employers pursuing tech talent across a range of disciplines, from AI and data science to tech support and cloud engineering.”

The hottest spot for hiring was unsurprisingly in the AI skills job listings, which leapt 94% year-over-year according to CompTIA’s AI Hiring Intent Index.

For job postings themselves, 16% were for workers with eight or more years of experience; 21% for workers in the zero to three year range; and almost a third were for workers with four to seven years of experience.

Tech is booming in some surprising areas

Who is hiring and where is also an interesting standout.

Large tech companies showed signs of large hiring sprees: Software publishers like Microsoft and Oracle have collectively added 16,100 jobs in the past year, signaling ongoing strength in areas linked to cloud computing and enterprise software.

But other marquee-name companies like computer-systems designers such as IBM and Booz Allen Hamilton have shed 28,800 roles, reflecting a tilt toward automation and project-specific staffing.

“Only three states, Maine, Delaware and Idaho, saw tech job postings increase in August. In each instance, the increase was less than 100 new postings,” the report found.

“The story was similar at the metro level, with just four markets recording growth. San Jose saw an increase of 127 job postings, from 5,808 in July to 5,935 in August. Little Rock had the biggest percentage increase (+ 10%) in job postings, from 987 in July to 1,090 in August.”

Nancy Tengler, CEO of Laffer Tengler Investments, attributes this trend to increased corporate investment in technology infrastructure and automation rather than direct employment.

“Companies are investing in technology instead of human capital,” she notes in the report.

While some segments remain resilient, the disparate nature of job growth is clear.

The CompTIA analysis underscores the broader narrative of an industry undergoing structural transformation, shifting gears from hiring sprees to strategic investments in technology.

As firms prioritize capital over traditional labor, questions about the future of tech employment and how the workforce can adapt to these changes remain central for policymakers and industry leaders alike. For more details, consult the full report at Morningstar here.



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September 7, 2025 0 comments
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Product Reviews

Sonos’ latest sale knocks 20 percent off the Era 300 speaker

by admin September 7, 2025


No matter how old you get, the back-to-school season will always bring a desire to shop. So, sales at this time of year are always more than welcome — especially when they’re on some of our favorite devices. Such is the case with the 20 percent discount on the Sonos Era 300.

The spatial-audio speaker is on sale for $359 right now, down from $449. It’s part of a larger sale that’s both for Labor Day and back to school, discounting speakers, soundbars and more by up to 20 percent. The same price is available on Amazon, as are some more deals on Sonos products.

Sonos

Pick up the Era 300 speaker while it’s 20 percent off.

$359 at Sonos

Sonos debuted the Era 300 in 2023 as its main spatial audio offering, and we found it to have excellent sound quality, a simple setup process and Trueplay tuning that’s super easy to use. It works with basically any music streaming service you could have, and if you simply must have spatial audio support in your next speaker, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better option.

It’s worth mentioning that the Sonos Ace headphones are also on sale for $299, down from $399 — a 25 percent discount. The headphones have come a long way since they first launched, including the introduction of TrueCinema, which works with a Sonos soundbar to create the best spatial audio experience.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.





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September 7, 2025 0 comments
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Three Pixel 10 phones with the phrase "vs" between them on a colorful background.
Gaming Gear

Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 10 Pro vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL: How Google’s Latest Phones Compare

by admin September 6, 2025


Google’s new Pixel 10 phones are here, and they boast a handful of spec upgrades over their predecessors, as well as more AI features.

The three models look very similar to last year’s Pixel 9 phones. There’s a standard Pixel 10, a higher-spec Pixel 10 Pro and a large Pixel 10 Pro XL. 

There are still some differentiators between the baseline and Pro models, but that lead is shrinking with more top-level features trickling down. All in all, they’re powerful handsets that rank among the year’s best phones.

Pixel 10 price comparison

  • Pixel 10: $799. The Pixel 10 didn’t get a price increase from last year’s standard model despite getting more features.
  • Pixel 10 Pro: $999. The Pixel 10 Pro also kept its predecessor’s price, though it hasn’t changed much from the Pixel 9 Pro.
  • Pixel 10 Pro XL: $1,199. The top-end Pixel 10 Pro XL got a $100 price hike this year, with a handful of spec upgrades.

Both the Pixel 10 ($799) and Pixel 10 Pro ($999) retain the prices of their predecessors, keeping them in line with their equivalents from other brands, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 ($799) and Galaxy S25 Plus ($999). 

But the Pixel 10 Pro XL got slightly more expensive this year, getting a $100 price bump to $1,199 (up from the $1,099 Pixel 9 Pro XL with 128GB of storage), likely to account for the higher 256GB starting storage option. 

The Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Pixel 10 lineups’ design and display changes, compared

  • Pixel 10: Unchanged, but additional camera. The baseline model got an extra camera, widening the lens part of its camera bump, and the display is slightly brighter.
  • Pixel 10 Pro: Unchanged. The smaller Pro model looks almost exactly like its predecessor, and the display is slightly brighter.
  • Pixel 10 Pro XL: Unchanged. The larger Pro XL looks just like its predecessor, and the display is slightly brighter. 

The Pixel 10 lineup looks virtually the same as last year’s Pixel 9 phones, leaving most of the upgrades under the hood. 

All three phones retain the general design of last year’s phones: a metal back with a pill-shaped camera bump. The only major difference is that the glass on the Pixel 10’s camera bump is slightly wider, owing to the third, telephoto camera fit into it. All three models are ever-so-slightly heavier than their predecessors (from 6 grams on the Pixel 10 to 11 grams on the Pixel 10 Pro XL), possibly due to their nominal battery capacity increases. 

The standard Pixel 10 retains its predecessor’s 6.3-inch OLED display, though its maximum brightness has been increased to 3,000 nits (up from 2,700). Likewise, the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL inherit their 6.3-inch OLED and 6.8-inch OLED displays from their predecessors, but they also get maximum screen brightness increases to 3,300 nits (up from 3,000). 

The Pixel 10’s rear cameras.

Celso Bulgatti/CNET

Comparing Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL cameras

  • Pixel 10: Added rear camera, for a total of three. A 48-megapixel main, 13-megapixel ultrawide and new 10.8-megapixel telephoto make up the rear cameras, plus a 10.5-megapixel selfie camera.
  • Pixel 10 Pro: Same trio of rear cameras. A 50-megapixel main, 48-megapixel ultrawide and 48-megapixel telephoto make up the rear cameras, plus a 42-megapixel selfie camera.
  • Pixel 10 Pro XL: Same trio of rear cameras. A 50-megapixel main, 48-megapixel ultrawide and 48-megapixel telephoto make up the rear cameras, plus a 42-megapixel selfie camera.

As with other brands, Google has previously differentiated its standard and Pro models by reserving an extra zoom camera for its top-end phones. That changes this year, as the standard Pixel 10 gets a telephoto lens, shrinking the feature gap between the phone tiers.

The Pixel 10 packs a 48-megapixel main camera, though its 13-megapixel ultrawide is a slight downgrade from the 50-megapixel ultrawide shooter in the Pixel 9, which means the new phone may not take as sharp of photos when set to its widest capture settings. The trade-off is the addition of a 10.8-megapixel telephoto with 5x zoom that still adds a lot of functionality, even if it may not take as high-resolution photos as the zoom cameras on its Pro siblings.

The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL retain their predecessors’ trio of rear cameras: a 50-megapixel main, a 48-megapixel ultrawide and a 48-megapixel telephoto with 5x zoom. Ostensibly, not much has changed here, though they still take up to 8K video (better than the 4K video maximum on the Pixel 10).

The selfie cameras on all three phones are unchanged from last year, but represent a boost when going from the 10.5-megapixel front-facing camera on the Pixel 10 to the 42-megapixel selfie shooters on the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL with an Android logo.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

All Pixel 10 model specs, compared

  • Pixel 10: Better CPU, slightly bigger battery. The Pixel 10 gets the Google Tensor G5 chip, as well as a 4,970-mAh battery.
  • Pixel 10 Pro: Better CPU, slightly bigger battery. The Pixel 10 Pro gets similar spec upgrades, including the Google Tensor G5 chip, as well as a 4,870-mAh battery.
  • Pixel 10 Pro XL: Better CPU, slightly bigger battery. The Pixel 10 gets the Google Tensor G5 chip, as well as a 5,200-mAh battery.

This year’s Pixel 10 lineup got the usual set of incremental upgrades along with slight boosts to battery capacity, which could have an impact, however small, on increasing battery life.

Like the other models, the Pixel 10 gets the new Google Tensor G5 chip, which Google promises will perform better than its predecessor, last year’s Tensor G4. The new handset inherits the Pixel 9’s 12GB of RAM and baseline storage options of 128GB or 256GB. If you want more, you’ll have to use cloud options or pay more for a Pro or Pro XL model.

The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL also have the Tensor G5 chip, which helps power new AI features. Similar to the base model, the Pro versions inherit the same specs as their predecessors: 16GB of RAM and the options of 128GB (Pixel 10 Pro only), 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage.

Across the board, all models got slight battery capacity increases, though curiously, the Pixel 10 Pro has the least with 4,870-mAh (up from 4,700-mAh in the Pixel 9 Pro). The next largest is the standard Pixel 10, which got an increase to 4,970-mAh (up from 4,700-mAh in the Pixel 9). The Pixel 10 Pro XL has the largest battery with a 5,200-mAh capacity (up from 5,060mAh).

The Pixel 10 Pro XL also has the edge in juicing up its battery, with a maximum 45-watt wired charging, compared to 30 watts on the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro. All three support Qi2 wireless charging.

All three Pixel 10 phones receive Android 16 out of the box. It was released in June, a month after Google I/O 2025, far earlier than when it typically comes out (usually alongside that year’s Pixel phones). They also get a slew of new AI features like Magic Cue, which scrapes data from Gmail, Google Messages, Google Calendar and other information sources to surface timely details and events.  

Google Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 10 Pro vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL

Google Pixel 10Google Pixel 10 ProGoogle Pixel 10 Pro XLDisplay size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 6.3-inch OLED; 2,424×1,080 pixels; 60 to 120Hz variable refresh rate6.3-inch LTPO OLED; 2,856×1,280 pixels; 1 to 120Hz variable refresh rate6.8-inch LTPO OLED; 2,992×1,344 pixels; 1 to 120Hz variable refresh ratePixel density 422 ppi495 ppi486 ppiDimensions (inches) 6 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches6 x 2.8 x 0.3 in6.4 x 3 x 0.3 inDimensions (millimeters) 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mmWeight (grams, ounces) 204 g (7.2 oz)207 g (7.3 oz)232 g (8.2 oz)Mobile software Android 16Android 16Android 16Camera 48-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultrawide), 10.8-megapixel (5x telephoto)50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide), 48-megapixel (5x telephoto)50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide), 48-megapixel (5x telephoto)Front-facing camera 10.5-megapixel42-megapixel42-megapixelVideo capture 4K8K8KProcessor Google Tensor G5Google Tensor G5Google Tensor G5RAM + storage 12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB16GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB16GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB, 1TBExpandable storage NoneNoneNoneBattery 4,970 mAh4,870 mAh5,200 mAhFingerprint sensor Under displayUnder displayUnder displayConnector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneNoneSpecial features Gorilla Glass 2 Victus cover glass; 3,000 nits peak brightness; Satellite SOS; Dual-eSIM; Wi-Fi 6E; NFC; Bluetooth 6; 30W fast charging (wall charger not included); Qi2 15W wireless charging; support for PixelSnap magnetic accessories; Google VPN; Super Res Zoom up to 20x; Camera Coach; Add Me; Macro mode; Face Unblur; Auto Best Take; IP68 rating for dust and water resistance; 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates; Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 polished back with satin finish aluminum frameGorilla Glass 2 Victus cover glass; 3,300 nits peak brightness; Satellite SOS; Dual-eSIM; Wi-Fi 7; NFC; Bluetooth 6; 30W fast charging (wall charger not included); Qi2 15W wireless charging; support for PixelSnap magnetic accessories; Google VPN; Pro Res zoom up to 100x; Camera Coach; Add Me; Macro mode; Face Unblur; Auto Best Take; High-Res Portrait mode; IP68 rating for dust and water resistance; 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates; Corning Gorilla GlassVictus 2 silky matte back with polished finish aluminum frame; ultrawideband chipGorilla Glass 2 Victus cover glass; 3,300 nits peak brightness; Satellite SOS; Dual-eSIM; Wi-Fi 7; NFC; Bluetooth 6; 45W fast charging (wall charger not included); Qi2.2 25W wireless charging; support for PixelSnap magnetic accessories; Google VPN; Pro Res zoom up to 100x; Camera Coach; Add Me; Macro mode; Face Unblur; Auto Best Take; High-Res Portrait mode; IP68 rating for dust and water resistance; 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates; Corning Gorilla GlassVictus 2 silky matte back with polished finish aluminum frame; ultrawideband chipUS price starts at $799 (128GB)$999 (128GB)$1,199 (256GB)UK price starts at £799 (128GB)£999 (128GB)£1,199 (256GB)Australia price starts at AU$1,349 (128GB)AU$1,699 (128GB)AU$1,999 (256GB)

Watch this: The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL’s Camera Is So Smart, It Almost Took the Photos for Me

07:57



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September 6, 2025 0 comments
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Devolver boss calls GTA 6 an "AAAAA game" in latest attack on human dignity
Game Updates

Devolver boss calls GTA 6 an “AAAAA game” in latest attack on human dignity

by admin September 6, 2025



Not long before joining Rock Paper Shotgun, I wrote a feature for Edge magazine about the origins of the very silly term “AAA game”. The overall conclusion I came to is that “AAA game” is possibly a boardroom-level borrowing from the credit rating industry and Hollywood, and that it has little meaning beyond “most expensive/biggest”.


It’s a bauble casually excreted by pinstriped cats wallowing in jacuzzis sometime in the mid-90s, for the benefit of the investor class. But in much the same way that any fleck of dust can become a pearl, or at least a larger clump of dust, so the term has attracted additional meanings and significance over the ensuing years, partly because game journalists like myself keep taking it seriously.

My interviewees talked about triple-A’s association with the shift to polygonal 3D graphics, with certain genres such as the open world, with games like Shenmue 3 and Final Fantasy VII, and with exclusive hiring practices that require “triple-A experience” and thus have an unavoidable bias, given that “triple-A” studios have often been staffed predominantly by people of a certain race, gender and background.


These more specific developments aside, triple-A has shed an A to produce the retrospectively beloved genre of “AA games”, aka grainy noughties shooters with a gimmick, and also sprouted additional As. Concluding the Edge write-up, I touched briefly and humorously on Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot’s coining of “AAAA game” in a brazen attempt to mindfuck people complaining about the delayed release and pricing of Skull and Bones.


As sure as the sparrows fly south for winter, another executive has now gazumped Guillemot. Speaking to Ian Games (thanks Percy Gamer for spotting) about the dark art of competing with other publishers for release dates, Devolver co-founder Nigel Lowrie has described GTA 6 as an “AAAAA game”. Here’s the complete sentence:


“I mean, there are AAA games and then there’s AAAA games and I’d argue that Grand Theft Auto is potentially the AAAAA game, it’s just bigger than anything else both in the scope and scale of the game and the kind of cultural impact that it has and the attention it demands.”


Lowrie isn’t the first to try this, admittedly. CD Projekt Red’s investor relations VP Karolina Gnaś has already been there and bought the T-shirt. But Gnaś was poking fun at Ubisoft’s “AAAA game” claim at the time, whereas Lowrie seems to be in earnest.


Moreover, he seems to think that “AAAA game” is everyday parlance now. I, for one, was not consulted about this, but I can see why The Industry might be in a hurry to leave AAAA behind. To my knowledge, the only card-carrying AAAA games besides the ailing Skull and Bones are Beyond Good & Evil 2, the current record-holder for longest-serving vapourware, and Microsoft’s Perfect Dark reboot, which was recently cancelled. If AAA means “most expensive/biggest”, AAAA basically seems to mean “doomed”.


The whole circus is worth following inasmuch as it’s a crude illustration of the continuing drive to appease investors who are not content with the “maturation” of returns, and are always looking for the next Level Up. Still, I realise the advanced financial language may be confusing to ordinary humans, so I’ve put together this quick-and-dirty cheatsheet for both existing A-based videogame lifeforms and those likely to emerge the next time an executive joins an earnings call. Here you go:


AAA – GTA 3


AAAA – Skull and Bones


AAAAA – GTA 6


AAAAAA – GTA 6 on max settings


AAAAAAA – GTA 6 + Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy


AAAAAAAA – GTA 6 + GTA 3


AAAAAAAAA – GTA 6 + Skull and Bones


AAAAAAAAAA – GTA 6: Ultimate Whale’s Edition with fully operational Quantum Field simulation and digital rights management supplied by orbital self-guided “Blundershut & Custard” Clockwork Plasma Cannon array


AAAAAAAAAAA – GTA 6 + gravitational implosion of known universe


A – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Gabe, and the Word was Gabe. The same was in the beginning with Gabe. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

AA – [DESYNCHRONIZED]


AAA – GTA 3 again

PS. I’ve just noticed that Edge feature is on Gamesradar now, if you fancy a read.



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September 6, 2025 0 comments
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You're listening to Vatican radio, or at least you can with freshly DLCed Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's latest patch
Game Updates

You’re listening to Vatican radio, or at least you can with freshly DLCed Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s latest patch

by admin September 5, 2025


Oh, throw me in an ancient tomb and lob some snakes down there for good measure, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle got some DLC this week. I can’t imagine why that might have flown under the radar a bit. Anyway, the Order of Giants has brought with it a patch that makes a few noteworthy additions to the base game.

Watch on YouTube

Getting right into it, Indy update five adds a new “Very Light action experience” difficulty option aimed at folks who “prefer to be challenged by the exploration and puzzle solving, and prefer not to find the combat too challenging”. Tell your nan who likes visiting historical sites and doing crosswords, now’s her chance to whip some Nazis in a video game.

That’s one of these few additions, but the main one that’s piqued my attention’s this: “New Radio MCs have been added to the Jazz and Opera radio stations found on radio sets in Marshall College and the Vatican. You can also now tune the Vatican radio sets to hear news broadcasts that cover the events from around the game’s world.”

That’s a cool touch, being able to turn a knob and hear about what that knob Voss is doing from the 1940s Italian equivalent of those dorks on BBC radio four. Beyond that, Machine Games have whipped out some extra-swanky ray tracing for Indy’s hair, via support for RTX Hair on 50-series Nvidia RTX GPUs. “We recommend enabling this feature only on higher-end GPUs with 16GB of VRAM or more,” they wrote. That’s you told, no uber-luscious trim fidelity for those without top hardware.

The final new feature’s a little tweak to the inventory screen that’ll let you know which of your outfits will act as safe disguises for the area in which you’re standing, and which will instantly alert the guards that there’s a Harrison Ford sneaking around. For all the bug fixes and minor tweaks, you can check out update five’s full notes here.

Our Brendy wrote the following in his Indy review:

Machine Games have reproduced the experience of the Lucasfilm movies in a 99% accurate form. And they have done so in a manner only a megafunded Bethesda studio with a lot of Nazi-killing experience could. Yes, the video gamey seams stand out as you scarf down croissants for health and hear another bigot coughing behind a wall. But just as I’m not interested in Baker’s performance reaching some unobtainable ledge of authenticity, I also don’t want my adventure to abandon the language of games where it doesn’t make sense to do so. I’m happy for this to be exactly the kind of expensive, cinematic, blockbuster explorathon it seemed predestined to be. Sneeze away, little Nazi. I know where you are.

Oh wait. If I’ve got Vatican FM, the holy city’s haven for the hottest hymns and coolest choirs, turned up to max, will I still be able to hear the telltale bodily noises of Hitler’s goons?



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September 5, 2025 0 comments
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NFT Gaming

French Police Detain Seven Following Latest Crypto Kidnap Attempt

by admin September 5, 2025



In brief

  • French police have freed a 20-year-old Swiss citizen held hostage in Valence.
  • France has become Europe’s hotspot for violent crypto-related kidnappings, known as “wrench attacks.”
  • Similar incidents are on the rise worldwide.

French authorities have detained seven suspects following the kidnapping of a 20-year-old Swiss man, believed to be the latest case in France’s growing wave of cryptocurrency-related abductions.

The victim was rescued last Sunday in Valence during a special operation involving 150 gendarmes.

He was reportedly found tied up in a house near the city’s high-speed train station, according to regional newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré.

The case is the latest in a spate of so-called “wrench attacks” in France, in which kidnappers target wealthy crypto traders, executives or their families for ransom, often using violent methods to force the surrender of digital assets.

Security experts warn the country now leads Europe in such incidents, with analyst Jameson Lopp tracking at least 10 wrench attacks in France in 2025 alone, nearly a quarter of the 48 reported globally this year.

Crypto kidnappings around the world

David Sehyeon Baek, a cybercrime consultant, previously told Decrypt that the number of incidents is likely higher than reported.

“Many cases never reach the public eye because victims choose silence to protect their reputation or avoid becoming repeat targets,” he said.

Nevertheless, France has faced some of the most brutal recent cases. In January, kidnappers seized Ledger co-founder David Balland, severed his finger and demanded ransom before his release.

In May, the father of a Malta-based crypto executive was abducted in Paris. His finger was also cut off before a police raid freed him. And in June, police arrested alleged mastermind Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou in Morocco and charged 25 suspects in schemes that included an attack on Paymium CEO Pierre Noizat’s pregnant daughter.

The problem, however, extends far beyond France. Criminal groups worldwide are seizing on the anonymity and portability of cryptocurrencies to extort victims, making digital wealth a uniquely tempting target.

Victims include both those working in crypto and other wealthy individuals whom kidnappers demand pay their ransoms in crypto.

In March, Chinese-Filipino steel magnate Anson Que was killed after kidnappers demanded $20 million in crypto. In Hong Kong, a Turkish man was ambushed during a multimillion-euro crypto trade.

And in Brazil, a Spanish businessman was drugged and held for five days while criminals sought $50 million in ransom.

Daily Debrief Newsletter

Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.



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September 5, 2025 0 comments
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NFL Week 1 latest buzz, questions, news and fantasy tips
Esports

NFL Week 1 latest buzz, questions, news and fantasy tips

by admin September 5, 2025


  • Jeremy Fowler

    Close

    Jeremy Fowler

    senior NFL national reporter

      Jeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.
  • Dan Graziano

    Close

    Dan Graziano

    senior NFL national reporter

      Dan Graziano is a senior NFL national reporter for ESPN, covering the entire league and breaking news. Dan also contributes to Get Up, NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, Sunday NFL Countdown and Fantasy Football Now. He is a New Jersey native who joined ESPN in 2011, and he is also the author of two published novels.

Sep 4, 2025, 06:10 AM ET

Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season is finally here, and league insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano are breaking down the biggest questions, latest news and notable buzz heading into the season opener.

The top story of the past week was the Cowboys trading star edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Packers last Thursday. Now that the dust has settled a bit, where does that leave Dallas? Jeremy and Dan checked in with sources around the league.

But they have more ahead of Week 1. Our insiders also made picks for under-the-radar teams that could make the playoffs, predicted which players could break out in Week 1, pointed out coaching situations that need fast starts and even gave some fantasy football advice based on what they are hearing. It’s all here, as Dan and Jeremy answer big questions and empty their reporting notebooks with the latest heading into Week 1.

Jump to:
Post-Parsons Cowboys | Playoff sleepers
Breakout candidates | Coaching situations
Fantasy intel | More notes for Week 1

What are people in the league saying about the ceiling for this Parsons-less Dallas team in 2025?

Graziano: I think the offense is expected to be good as long as quarterback Dak Prescott stays healthy. The addition of wide receiver George Pickens makes the Cowboys potentially explosive in the passing game, and while their running back room might be uninspiring, they’ll run effectively if the offensive line performs.

There’s obviously curiosity about whether the Cowboys can generate a consistent pass rush post-Parsons, but Dallas coaches would point out that they had already begun building their defense without him in training camp, as he didn’t participate. The Cowboys believe their defense is in a good place in terms of learning the scheme. There’s skepticism around the league, but I don’t think anyone is writing them off completely. When Prescott has been healthy, they’ve generally been a playoff team.

Fowler: People inside the league are not as down on Dallas as fans and media seem to be right now. The loss of Parsons hurts, but the Cowboys have been a sneaky good drafting team over the past decade and have three former Day 2 edge rusher picks — Sam Williams, Marshawn Kneeland and Donovan Ezeiruaku — ready to go. The roster has talent. And the Pickens addition received attention around the league. Evaluators know how good he can be in 2025 in a contract year with a proven quarterback. Despite all that, Philadelphia and Washington are considered a cut above in the division, which seems right.

Graziano: And that’s fair. But it has been 21 years since a team repeated as NFC East champion, so that takes Philly out of the mix! And if Washington takes a step back, who knows? This could be one of those NFC East seasons where you don’t need 12 or 13 wins to take the title, which sets up well for the Cowboys.

play

2:16

Why Stephen A. is still baffled Jerry Jones let Micah Parsons leave

Stephen A. Smith details why the Micah Parsons trade was an egregious deal.

Fowler: Dallas’ schedule is manageable, too. If the Cowboys can somehow get past Philly on Thursday night, winnable games await in Weeks 2 and 3 (Giants at home, Bears on the road). Then it’s the Packers at home for the Parsons reunion.

Who’s your pick for an under-the-radar team that will make the playoffs?

Fowler: New England Patriots. Mike Vrabel’s presence has already paid off. Quarterback Drake Maye is poised for a Year 2 jump. The defensive tackle duo of Christian Barmore and Milton Williams has a chance to be special. Two of their AFC East rivals (Dolphins and Jets) appear to be in transition. Running back TreVeyon Henderson has the explosiveness to break off big runs. And Josh McDaniels is a proven playcaller.

Offensive line and wide receiver remain concerns, but New England has made efforts to address both spots. The Patriots haven’t produced a 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019. For this to work, someone — paging Stefon Diggs — needs to break that streak. A wild-card spot feels attainable.

Graziano: Arizona Cardinals. The NFC West teams could finish the season in any order and it wouldn’t surprise me. Arizona is in Year 3 with Jonathan Gannon as head coach and Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator, and the fact that they didn’t change any offensive personnel in the offseason indicates they believe they’re on track there. Quarterback Kyler Murray is another year removed from his knee injury and has one more offseason working in Petzing’s system. So if it doesn’t hum this season, you must wonder how long ownership will stick with the plan.

Defensively, they made some aggressive additions, signing away edge rusher Josh Sweat from the Super Bowl champs, using a second-round pick on cornerback Will Johnson (who slipped in the draft because of injury concerns) and bringing back the ageless Calais Campbell. It’s time for Arizona to show it can move beyond being a team that hovers around .500 and fades in December.

Which player is going to come out of nowhere in Week 1 — and make an impact all season?

Graziano: It could be Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten. I don’t know how the Jaguars’ running back room will shake out, and I’m not sure they do yet, either. Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby are the incumbents, but the Jags drafted Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen Jr., who profiles as a third-down back, in the seventh. The veterans might get the first shot, but the new front office and coaching staff drafted Tuten and Allen and have plans for them.

Tuten is the most explosive of the group — a “home run hitter” in the Jaguars’ eyes. If he’s able to pick up the offense and acclimate to the NFL quickly, that explosiveness could lead to greater opportunities sooner rather than later.

Editor’s Picks

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Fowler: Great pick. I’ll go with 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. The 49ers’ receiver room has been decimated by injury, with Brandon Aiyuk still recovering from last season’s knee injury and Jauan Jennings (calf) potentially needing time to ramp up after recently returning to the lineup. And word out of San Francisco is that Pearsall is poised for a Year 2 jump. The 49ers have been a top-five passing offense during Brock Purdy’s two full seasons as starting quarterback, so chances at chunk yardage will be there. Kyle Shanahan will make it so.

Another player to watch is rookie Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. He might be Washington’s RB4 right now, but every time I asked somebody there about their backfield plans, Croskey-Merritt was mentioned early and often. The Commanders are very high on him.

Graziano: I’m also curious to see what the Browns have planned for third-round rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. A ludicrously productive tight end in college, Fannin was used in a variety of ways at Bowling Green and the Browns say they believe they can deploy him all over the formation. He’s likely to team with David Njoku in the two-TE formations coach Kevin Stefanski loves to use. Fannin probably will stay on the field if he shows he can handle blocking responsibilities. And if he can consistently get open, that probably will earn him more targets from Joe Flacco or whomever else ends up playing QB for the Browns this season.

Fowler: Here’s a deep-cut sleeper for you … Cardinals edge rusher Jordan Burch. His name came up a few times when I’ve asked scouts for Rookie of the Year candidates, so don’t be surprised if the third-round pick makes an early impact. Arizona has some sneaky-good talent, so it’s up to some of the recent draft picks to flash greatness.

Which head coach most needs a strong start in September?

Fowler: The Giants’ Brian Daboll. Any coach with a 19-33-1 record through three seasons could use early momentum. Ownership has been patient with the Giants’ rebuild, and this was Daboll’s first offseason with a high-pedigree rookie quarterback to develop. The early returns on Jaxson Dart are very good, so I’m not labeling September some sort of win-this-month-or-else scenario.

But the schedule is tough. The first four opponents — Commanders, Cowboys, Chiefs and Chargers — won a combined 45 games last season. Setting a tone against that gauntlet would be useful. The Giants’ roster has improved, and the team has a defensive line good enough to dictate terms of victory.

Graziano: Hot-seat talk in early September is dicey, so I’ll start with the disclaimer that I have no inside information to make me think these guys are in any immediate trouble. But given the Bengals’ aspirations and their history of poor September starts under Zac Taylor, he could use a strong start if only for his own sanity.

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Fowler: For sure, a fast start would take the pressure off in Cincy. I’d also argue that Colts coach Shane Steichen fits the mold. Picking Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson Sr. at quarterback was a bold move, considering the franchise’s investment in Richardson as the No. 4 pick in 2023. But Steichen believes Jones gives the Colts the best chance to win. Proving that to be correct early would ease tension.

Graziano: One more. This team gives coaches a lot of runway, but the Cowboys’ hiring of Brian Schottenheimer was widely criticized outside of the building. It was well-received inside the building, where Schottenheimer is well-liked and respected. People are excited to see him get his chance. But to the extent that the Cowboys care about outside opinions, a Thursday night upset in Philadelphia and a fast start would go a long way toward making the Schottenheimer move look good.

What is one thing you heard this preseason that could help fantasy managers win their leagues?

Graziano: I’m drafting Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka everywhere I can. The Bucs loved him before picking in the first round in April, and they’ve grown to covet him even more since. They believe he can play any of the wide receiver positions in their offense, which is a good thing because Chris Godwin Jr. still isn’t back from last year’s gruesome season-ending injury and Jalen McMillan is out for a while because of a neck injury.

Expect the Bucs to use Egbuka in the slot and on the outside as needed. Given how mature and polished a player they already believe him to be, he could get a ton of targets in one of the league’s top offenses and hold onto a starting role even when Tampa’s receiver corps is back to full strength.

play

1:13

Will Emeka Egbuka be a top-25 fantasy WR this season?

Daniel Dopp breaks down Emeka Egbuka’s chances of becoming a top-25 fantasy WR.

Fowler: Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden should get a lot of targets, too. The Packers’ first-round pick has greatly impressed coaches so far. “Phenomenal,” one Packers source told me of Golden’s presence. “Makes a wow play every day.” Golden is listed as a starter already and the Packers aren’t hiding their affection for him. It’s not like one of those situations where you hear, “Oh, he’s a rookie, he’s coming along.” It’s, “No, this guy can play.” The Packers will utilize two-TE sets often and Romeo Doubs is still a prime option, but Golden’s talent looks undeniable.

Also, Panthers receiver Xavier Legette, a first-rounder from 2024, will be a factor in Carolina. Teammate Jaycee Horn told me Legette reminds him of A.J. Brown with his combination of physicality and speed.

What else are you hearing this week?

Graziano’s notes:

  • Based on everything I’ve been told this week, I would be shocked if Parsons doesn’t play in some fashion for the Packers against the Lions on Sunday. It’s too soon for Parsons to know the entire defense, and he probably isn’t in football shape yet since he didn’t practice in training camp. But the Packers should be able to draw up a play package that maximizes Parsons’ impact as an edge rusher in key situations, then continue ramping him up during the early weeks of the season.

  • The Chiefs are very excited by how rookie left tackle Josh Simmons has performed this summer. One person I spoke to mentioned Simmons’ ability to recover mid-play when he’s beaten off the snap. Coaches say he doesn’t make the same mistake twice, and though some growing pains should be expected, the Chiefs have a high degree of trust in their first-round pick’s ability to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side. With 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia moving inside to left guard, the Chiefs consider themselves more solid on the offensive line than they were last season, when they ended up having to play veteran guard Joe Thuney at left tackle during the postseason and were exposed against the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

  • One unresolved under-the-radar contract situation to watch is that of Steelers veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. Heyward adjusted his contract last year, and as a result his 2025 salary of $13.25 million is about half of what the top defensive tackles in the league earn. He has been practicing but also made it clear he wants a raise. This could get resolved before Sunday’s opener, and the relationship between the team and their 14-year veteran mainstay is strong enough that it’s hard to imagine him sitting out the game. But as with any player, his leverage only increases if he forces the team to confront life without him — especially with rookie first-rounder Derrick Harmon set to sit out Sunday’s game because of an injury. The Steelers probably could resolve this by adding some cash and reachable incentives. Until then, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

play

1:05

J.J. Watt to McAfee: Anticipation is building around Steelers

J.J. Watt tells Pat McAfee there’s growing anticipation around the Steelers’ offense and Aaron Rodgers.

  • If both offensive coordinators have their way, the Steelers-Jets game could be over in less than 2½ hours. Both teams want to run the ball and keep the other team’s offense off the field. The Steelers are putting an offense together around a young line and a 41-year-old quarterback in Aaron Rodgers who signed in June. It could take some time for it to come together. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith probably will design a conservative game plan against the tough Jets defense to put Rodgers in do-no-harm situations in an attempt to steal a road win.

  • As for the Jets, my understanding is that the offense plans to employ a run-heavy, keep-away style leaning on running backs Breece Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, along with quarterback Justin Fields’ running ability. The Jets hope to get early leads and lean on their strengths. At some point, Fields will have to make plays from the pocket in big third-down spots. If his ability to do that surpasses expectations, the Jets could maybe expand their offense from there. But in the meantime, expect them to run, run and run some more.

  • We mentioned above that the Cardinals’ offense remains mostly intact from what it was entering last season. The one new guy is right guard Isaiah Adams, who started the final five games of last season. But there was one key departure that people around the league noticed — offensive line coach Klayton Adams, who was hired as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator. Adams had a significant role in the design and implementation of the Cardinals’ run game the past two seasons; only the Ravens and Eagles have rushed for more yards in that span than Arizona. It also thinks highly of new offensive line coach Justin Frye, who held the same role for Ohio State last season, but this is Frye’s first NFL job after 18 years as a college assistant. The Cardinals did retain assistant offensive line coach Chris Cook, who came in with Gannon and Petzing in 2023, so there’s some continuity. But working with Jeff Saturday for the past half-decade or so has drilled into my mind the importance of the offensive line coach, so I have half an eye on this situation.

  • With no sense of when Joe Mixon might return from his injury, the Texans are piecing things together at running back. They kept five backs — Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale, British Brooks and fourth-round rookie Woody Marks. Chubb seems to be the starter for now, but he hasn’t shown the same explosiveness post-injury that he had earlier in his career, which could open the door for Pierce or Marks to take on a larger role. It’ll be interesting to see how many of these guys are active on game days, since Brooks and Pierce are too valuable on special teams to be inactive. But until someone steps up and shows more than they have so far, expect the Texans to use the run game to set up a passing game they believe will be more dynamic in C.J. Stroud’s third year than it was in a disappointing 2024 that led to the firing of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

Fowler’s notes:

  • Week 1 can create urgency for contract extensions that teams or players slow-played over the past four months. That happened in Tampa Bay on Tuesday, when the Bucs reached agreement on a four-year, $90 million extension with right tackle Luke Goedeke. The Bucs identified Goedeke as a player they’d like to keep long term, and a recent comp — the Packers’ Zach Tom at four years, $88 million — informed the right tackle market. With Goedeke extended, here are a handful of candidates I’m keeping my eye on: Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, Cowboys guard Tyler Smith, Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor, Rams safety Quentin Lake and Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

    Hutchinson will capitalize on the ballooning pass-rush market, and the Lions have begun discussions with him. Dallas wants to allocate some of the money saved by the Parsons trade for Smith, arguably the league’s best guard. Taylor and Lake are ascending defensive backs their teams value beyond this season. There’s a chance Las Vegas and Meyers, the Raiders’ de facto No. 1 receiver coming off a 1,000-yard season despite uneven quarterback play, could come to an agreement despite Meyers recently asking for a trade. And while cornerback Trent McDuffie and the Chiefs won’t reach a new deal by Week 1, via our Nate Taylor, McDuffie is the type of cornerstone player Kansas City would like to keep. This one has challenges — McDuffie is considered small as an outside corner — but many league evaluators consider him a top-five cornerback, and players of that caliber usually get paid.

Breaking News from Adam Schefter

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  • The Anthony Richardson situation is one I will watch closely throughout the season. Richardson’s agent, Deiric Jackson — who publicly questioned trust in the Colts to our Stephen Holder after Richardson lost the QB battle to Jones — met in person last week with Colts general manager Chris Ballard to clear the air. Jackson called the meeting “very constructive,” and just a chance for sides to “let feelings be known.” Though a trade was not requested, the topic was broached in this meeting. Ballard reinforced that Indy has no plans to trade Richardson and still believes in the quarterback.

    Richardson isn’t making any waves — he will remain professional, backing up Jones and maintaining his readiness. But part of his camp’s frustration is that all parties acknowledge patience would be required when Richardson was drafted. He entered the league with one year as a full-time high school starter and one year as a starter at Florida. He has admitted publicly that his leadership and maturity were not up to par in 2024, which contributed to his in-season benching. But despite that, Richardson is 8-7 as an NFL starter, including two fourth-quarter comebacks late last season. He also worked on improving his regimen, leadership, mechanics, diet and ability to layer short-to-intermediate throws, resulting in improvement in camp that ultimately wasn’t enough to win the job. But the Colts know Richardson has a chance to play this season. This situation feels far from settled — and raises questions about how franchises fail young quarterbacks along the way.

  • A few notes from the Parsons fallout. One team that inquired about Parsons’ availability but ultimately didn’t pursue aggressively was Carolina. The Panthers made a call but did not formally offer a trade package to Dallas. Carolina would have made sense because the Cowboys were looking for a premier defensive tackle, which Carolina has in Derrick Brown. … In our reporting, multiple team execs believed that Parsons was intrigued by several teams in the process, including the Ravens and Chiefs. This was moot — the Cowboys were focused on getting the best deal they could. And the Chiefs were never in it. But it’s noteworthy nonetheless. … Also, don’t be surprised if Green Bay eventually moves former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness inside in certain packages as Parsons gets acclimated. Van Ness’ frame (6-foot-5, 272 pounds) gives him some positional flexibility.

  • Chargers running back Najee Harris (eye) has jumped right back into the fray upon returning from his injury. He has practiced fully since returning to the lineup and was cleared for contact this past Friday. The Chargers have been pleased with his progress and the Chiefs have prepared with the assumption Harris will be in the lineup Friday. Rookie Omarion Hampton has impressed this camp, and I’m expecting enough carries to go around for both in Greg Roman’s offense.

  • Regarding the Chiefs, don’t be surprised if familiar faces Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster are factors in Brazil. Pacheco looks healthy and is running hard. And with Rashee Rice suspended for six games, the Chiefs trust Smith-Schuster in their three-receiver sets. Not sure how many targets he’ll get, but he’ll be a factor. And Mahomes looks ready to fire off some explosive plays. He is coming off one of his better camps, playing “fast, fun and free” as one team source said, and getting back to creatively trying difficult plays that only he can make. Perhaps that’s an experimental practice thing, but Kansas City believes Mahomes is close to hitting those explosive plays on a regular basis again.

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  • Now that we’re past the preseason, watch for the Bears to flash some creativity to maximize quarterback Caleb Williams. My sense from people in Chicago is that while head coach Ben Johnson would coach Williams relentlessly on the basics throughout camp, they would eventually play to Williams’ strengths, utilizing his mobility and off-platform throwing as an off-script playmaker. Bears fans could see more of that in the regular season.

  • Expect the Bengals’ offense to be ultra-aggressive to start Sunday’s game against the Browns. Despite a maligned defense, Taylor has challenged his offense to get off to faster starts so that the defense can aggressively pursue the quarterback while holding a lead. Quarterback Joe Burrow has taken to that sentiment, setting the tone with one of his best — and healthiest — training camps. Cincinnati also believes its defense will be better than fans and media do. The Bengals have worked on shoring up tackling issues and playing more as a unit.



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September 5, 2025 0 comments
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Product Reviews

Apple’s latest AI project may be a web search tool

by admin September 4, 2025


Apple continues to seek a foothold in the artificial intelligence race, and its next effort could bring the company into web search. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reports that Apple is building a search platform that it may incorporate into its AI-driven overhaul of Siri. Sources said the tool, internally called World Knowledge Answers, could also be added to the Safari web browser and the Spotlight smartphone search interface.

Apple’s efforts in AI have been under the microscope since the lackluster introduction of Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024. Since then, the company appears to still be foundering, with its revitalized and AI-empowered Siri now not due to arrive until 2026. This proposed search tool would be part of that planned Siri re-launch next spring.

Some core aspects of Siri are still up in the air. The company has reportedly trialed using Google’s Gemini to power a version of the AI assistant, although it hasn’t committed to using that approach. Considering an outside partnership for this critical feature is one path Apple could take to bolstering its AI offerings. CEO Tim Cook has also said the company is open to acquisitions to pursue its current roadmap. There were even rumors that the company had its eyes on snapping up Perplexity.

Apple has historically avoided getting involved in search, but this development could reflect how more of its potential customers are turning to AI chatbots to access information online. And particularly if the company brings an AI option to Safari, Apple might be able to compete more directly to other tech majors that offer their own-branded chatbots, such as Google with Gemini or Microsoft with Copilot. It could also draw closer to parity with AI companies that are entering the browser game, such as Perplexity and OpenAI.



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September 4, 2025 0 comments
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Fallout 76's latest update relaxes its building rules so you can try erecting a nuclear bunker in mid-air
Game Updates

Fallout 76’s latest update relaxes its building rules so you can try erecting a nuclear bunker in mid-air

by admin September 2, 2025


Fallout 76’s latest patch is following up the addition of fishing in the only way that’s natural. Bethesda have opted to revamp its base building mechanics in an effort to make thing easier for newbies and offer veterans some extra freedom to stick huge shacks full of stuff together in different ways.

For Patch 62, dubbed ‘C.A.M.P revamp’, menus have been rejigged and placement restrictions relaxed in an effort to have you spend 60 more hours slapping bits of wood into accomodation, rather than going off and ruining some super mutant’s day. Then again, I can’t imagine the green folks are too happy about the wasteland being turned into a showroom of properties that’d probably cost several million quid despite the fact they can barely keep the radiation out, such are modern house prices.

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The aspect of the patch – which drops today, September 2nd – that’s most caught my eye is the restriction loosening that the devs say will allow players to stick a number of items anywhere, “even in the air”. While this doesn’t apply to everything, with some stuff still demanding you set it down on the ground, the patch’s trailer shows off a number of houses built atop rocky outcrops that’d usually turn everything red outside of modded Fallout 4.

To paraphrase a British TV show, when it comes to houses it’s the whereabouts, whereabouts, whereabouts that can be key, and this looks to be making killer views much more accessible. Is it wise to build your house up high and out in the open if there are nukes flying around? Probably not, but hey, video game.

In line with that general restriction loosening, the need to snap home components directly together has also been relaxed. “Walls can also be built beneath the floor, and upper floors can be attached to walls without the need for a staircase,” Bethesda say. Yep, just get rid of your stairs and use a power armour jetpack to get upstairs. I’m sure that’ll end well if your fusion core runs dry and you’re bursting for the loo. Actually, I’m forgetting, this is a video game house. The very swanky and totally unnecessary downstairs commode was the second thing you built.

Finally, there’s the building menu revamp, which aims to make it easier to find the thing you’re looking for without as much rummaging through interface drawers. “We’ve arranged our thousands of items into main categories and subcategories. For example, our lighting main category now has multiple subcategories such as freestanding lights and wall-mounted lights.” There’s a quote you’d just as likely find in an email from your flat-pack furniture retailer of choice.

As you’d expect, Bethesda’s got a bunch of community building competitions planned for the rest of the year, with the first set to run from the revamp’s release to September 29th. Good luck beating out the loose collection of floor-walls with random clutter slapped onto it that I might submit.



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September 2, 2025 0 comments
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