Technology - Kalakshar US

Ford may not resume production of the F-150 Lightning

The Wall Street Journal reported today that Ford may be on the verge of sunsetting the F-150 Lightning truck. The model is an electric pick-up truck, and the best-selling one in the US, but the publication cited Ford execs who said the company would consider halting production completely on the F-150 Lightning. We’ve reached out to Ford for comment and will update if we receive a statement.

The auto brand said it would cut back on production last January due to slowing demand for the vehicles. At the time, Ford shuffled several of the workers who had been building the F-150 Lightning to constructing other auto models. Then, a fire this October at an aluminum plant supplying Ford led the company to pause production of the Lightning trucks. In Ford’s third-quarter financial results, its Model e electric vehicle operation lost $1.4 billion, and has lost $3.6 billion over the first nine months of 2025. Rather than projects such as the F-150 Lightning, Ford has hinted that it will shift strategy to work on smaller, more affordable electric vehicles based on its Universal EV platform.

Ford may not be the only manufacturer to ramp down its EV plans in the US. A federal tax credit of $7,500 for purchasing EVs was abruptly ended in September under the current administration’s financial policies. After unveiling its latest EV models this week, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe spoke to Engadget about the potential long-term impact: “With the Trump administration in place, we have a sense that maybe the EV growth has been moved back out by maybe five years or so into the future.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/ford-may-not-resume-production-of-the-f-150-lightning-221903848.html?src=rss

Meta’s smart glasses have a new shortcut to call and text without saying ‘hey Meta’

One of the things that’s long irked me about Meta’s smart glasses is how often you have to say “hey Meta.” Even though the company’s AI assistant has gotten significantly more capable, there’s something a little cringey about using its voice commands in public spaces.

Now, the company has rolled out an update that makes you a little less dependent on voice commands for all its glasses. A new “quick connect” feature allows you to create a one-touch shortcut for “frequently used communication actions,” like making a phone call or sending a text to a specific contact. The update is out now as part of the 19.2 software update.

The idea of “quick connect” is similar to the functionality of the “action button” on the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, though it’s more limited in scope. The feature allows you to designate a specific contact that you can message, text or call just by holding down on the touchpad on the right side of the glasses. The Meta AI app will even let you choose your preferred method of reaching them, whether it’s WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger or your phone’s native calling or messaging app. The same one-touch press and hold shortcut can also be used to send photos and videos shot on the glasses right after you take them (also via your chosen app).

You can designate a specific contact and on which app you want to be able to contact them.

During its Connect event, Meta previewed some updates for third-party apps that appear to allow developers to set their own wake words for the glasses when using their services. So there is some hope that eventually the company will offer a bit more flexibility with its voice commands. Even so, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get away with never having to say “hey Meta,” but the quick connect update is a handy way to make messaging a bit more discreet.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/metas-smart-glasses-have-a-new-shortcut-to-call-and-text-without-saying-hey-meta-213303178.html?src=rss

Grand Theft Auto VI is delayed to November 19, 2026

Fans will have to wait a bit longer to return to Vice City. Rockstar Games has announced that Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed once again to November 19, 2026. The open world game was previously delayed from its 2025 launch window to May 26, 2026 earlier this year.

“We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve,” Rockstar said on its official X account. The new launch date delays the hotly anticipated game by a whole six months from its previous date.

Hi everyone,

Grand Theft Auto VI will now release on Thursday, November 19, 2026.

We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and… pic.twitter.com/yLX9KIiDzX

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) November 6, 2025

Take-Two, GTA VI’s publisher, does not appear particularly worried about the delay. “We said when we set the last date, if a game requires more polish to be the best possible version of itself, then we will give that game more time,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said in an interview with The Game Business. “We feel really good about this release date. It’s in the same fiscal year, it happens to be a great release window, and naturally we’re really supportive of Rockstar’s approach.”

Developing…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/grand-theft-auto-vi-is-delayed-to-november-19-2026-211848530.html?src=rss

Square Enix is laying off more developers in the UK and US as it refocuses on Japan

Square Enix is laying off developers in the UK and US as it reworks its game development structure to focus on its studios in Japan, Video Games Chronicle reports. The mass restructuring follows the publishers’ 2024 announcement that it planned to “aggressively” apply AI to its development process.

The total number of employees being laid off isn’t yet public, but Video Games Chronicle writes that over 100 developers in the UK could be impacted, possibly up to 140. The number of US developers caught in the layoffs is still unknown. In a slide deck for investors spotted by IGN, Square Enix characterizes its “Overseas Structural Reform” as part of its goal of “consolidating development functions in Japan.” The deck also notes that Square Enix is particularly interested in automating “70 percent of QA and debugging tasks in game development by the end of 2027” with artificial intelligence, which could be one reason it’s trying to eliminate roles.

Engadget has contacted Square Enix to confirm its restructuring plans. We’ll update this article if we hear back.

Square Enix has made an ongoing number of attempts to pull out of Western game development in the last decade. The publisher appeared to play some kind of role in project cancellations at developer People Can Fly earlier this year, and before that, it initiated mass layoffs in 2024. Even earlier in 2013, Square Enix made large cuts to its US and European divisions, including selling studios like Eidos-Montréal, Square Enix Montréal and Crystal Dynamics to Embracer Group.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/square-enix-is-laying-off-more-developers-in-the-uk-and-us-as-it-refocuses-on-japan-201907305.html?src=rss

Meta is making billions of dollars from scam ads on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, report says

Meta is making billions of dollars every year from ads marketing scams and illegal products on its platform, according to a new report from Reuters. The report details the staggering numbers behind scam ads on Meta’s platform, and raises fresh questions about why the company has failed to get the problem in check.

Last year, Meta estimated that scam ads could account for as much as 10 percent of its revenue, a total that would amount to about $16 billion, according to documents reported by Reuters. This includes ads for “fraudulent e-commerce and investment schemes, illegal online casinos, and the sale of banned medical products.” In fact, scams on Meta’s platform are so far-reaching that researchers at the company estimated that its apps “were involved in a third of all successful scams in the U.S.”

The report also outlines how Meta has at times made it harder for its own teams to fight such ads, and how its own processes allow for repeat offenders to continue buying ads. It says that a “small advertiser” caught “promoting financial fraud” wouldn’t be blocked until they were flagged “at least eight times.” Meta has been even more lenient with “bigger spenders,” which have reportedly been permitted to “accrue more than 500 strikes” without being removed from the platform.

That may sound shockingly permissive, particularly compared to Meta’s standards for users on its platform, but the Reuters report highlights how high the stakes are for Meta. The report notes that just four ad campaigns removed by Meta this year accounted for $67 million in revenue for the company. The report says that internally, executives have grappled with how to bring scam ads under control without adversely affecting the company’s bottom line. At one point, managers were reportedly told not to “take actions that could cost Meta more than 0.15% of the company’s total revenue.”

In response to the report, Meta told Reuters that the estimated 10 percent of revenue from scam ads was “rough and overly-inclusive,” but didn’t share an alternative figure. “Over the past 18 months, we have reduced user reports of scam ads globally by 58 percent and, so far in 2025, we’ve removed more than 134 million pieces of scam ad content,” spokesperson Andy Stone said.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-making-billions-of-dollars-from-scam-ads-on-facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-report-says-184128645.html?src=rss

The New York Times is letting you create your own Wordle puzzles

The Games section is one of the highlights of reading The New York Times, and Wordle has been one of the crowning successes for the team since acquiring it in 2022. Now, fans of the popular word game can create their own custom puzzles. The publication announced today that its All Access and Games subscribers have the option to make World challenges of their own to send to friends and family.

The custom puzzles must be four to seven letters long, and the creator can opt to include a clue. The puzzle will get a custom URL for sharing, and a subscription isn’t required for people to play an original Wordle challenge. Wordle creation is available on the Times’ mobile apps for both iOS and Android as well as in mobile web and desktop browsers. It’s a fun idea and a cute way for follow word nerds to entertain (and possibly torment) each other.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-new-york-times-is-letting-you-create-your-own-wordle-puzzles-185429249.html?src=rss

CRKD is making a drum controller for rhythm games

CRKD is expanding its lineup of rhythm game controllers. The gaming accessory maker previously released guitar controllers that are compatible with games like Fortnite Festival and open-source projects like Clone Hero, and based on a recent teaser video, it looks like it’s doing a drum kit controller next.

The teaser is brief, but CRKD appears to be covering all the basics that old Rock Band and Guitar Hero controllers did, with four separate colored pads, a pedal and cymbals. In a blog post, the company says that it plans to incorporate “the good lessons (and the bad)” from its previous controllers, mix them with customer feedback and hopefully make an even better controller when the drum controller is formally introduced in Q1 2026.

While rhythm games aren’t as big as they used to be, they never fully left the indie scene, and they could be primed for a bit of a comeback in 2026. Nintendo plans to release a new entry in its Rhythm Heaven series, Rhythm Heaven Groove, in 2026, and Epic Games continues to support Fortnite Festival with new songs. CRKD also happens to be owned by Embracer Freemode, the same parent company of the revived RedOctane Games, which is working on new rhythm games after helping to popularize the genre with the original Guitar Hero.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/crkd-is-making-a-drum-controller-for-rhythm-games-190154673.html?src=rss

A Ball x Pit animated short answers some key questions about our roguelite obsession

Devolver Digital had a lovely little surprise up its sleeve this fine Thursday. The publisher released an animated short for Ball x Pit, the roguelite mashup sensation that’s put a serious dent in the productivity levels of several of the Engadget crew. The funny four-minute clip, which comedy animation house Mashed created, clears up some key questions about the game.

To set things up, Ball x Pit is set after a cataclysmic event wipes out the city of Ballbylon. A pit is all that really remains, and hunters descend into it to find treasure and resources to build New Ballbylon. In the pit, you fire an array of balls (a bit like in Breakout) to destroy enemies that move incessantly toward you (like in Space Invaders). There are bosses and characters with special abilities and powerups you can merge and evolve to devastating effect. There’s a base-building side to the game too that sees you bouncing the hunters around New Ballbylon to obtain resources and build structures. It’s a very good video game.

The short features two residents of the town joking about some of these hunters during a celebration called Hero Day. The pair ribs the base character, The Warrior, for being a bit basic. When it comes to the second hero — the Itchy Finger — we find out just how the heroes fire the balls. Heads up: it’s a little gross.

One of the things I wished Ball x Pit had more of is lore, and I love that we get some of that here. This is a fun short that makes some lighthearted jabs at the game while describing some of its features and oh no I’m probably going to sucked back in to playing it again — even before developer Kenny Sun adds some extra stuff to it at some point.

Ball x Pit is out now on Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. It’s available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-ball-x-pit-animated-short-answers-some-key-questions-about-our-roguelite-obsession-180528272.html?src=rss

Former Anker employees launch new startup to build a hybrid RV trailer

A startup founded by former Anker employees plans to launch a hybrid RV next year. Evotrex “exists to transform how people experience the outdoors,” according to CEO Alex Xiao. On Thursday, the California-based company announced that it had secured $16 million in Pre-A funding. Among its backers are Anker’s founders (not Anker itself).

The RV trailer is designed to last for days far off the grid. To achieve that, its battery is supplemented by a gas engine. “Live rangelessly and focus on the adventure ahead instead of where to find the next charger,” its website reads. Another line: “Relax off-grid without ever needing to leave your base camp.” You get the picture: The idea is that the gas motor lets you venture farther from civilization for longer.

Evotrex’s founders told TechCrunch that the battery will power the RV’s cabin, electronics and electric motor. The gas motor is there to recharge the battery and extend its range. They claim that the gas engine is more eco-friendly than others. They say it’s quieter and more efficient, and that the RV trailer can use the motor’s excess heat to warm the cabin.

Inside of the Evotrex RV cabin. Rendering.

Evotrex

Evotrex is hardly alone in keeping gas engines around. EV sales have slowed, and the industry has responded in turn. According to Pew Research, 45 percent of Americans are likely to consider a hybrid vehicle. Only 33 percent said the same for an EV. So, we see automakers responding by delaying EVs or cutting production. This week, Honda’s CEO said the Trump administration has put US EV growth back by “five years or so.” (Meanwhile, the UN warned this week that the world is falling well short of crucial climate targets.)

Evotrex will fully reveal the RV trailer at CES 2026. The company will open reservations on January 6, and it plans to ship the first models by the end of next year. Apart from Anker’s founders, investors include Unity Ventures, Kylinhall Partners, Vision Plus Capital and Xstar Capital. You can learn more at the company’s website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/former-anker-employees-launch-new-startup-to-build-a-hybrid-rv-trailer-175423273.html?src=rss

Amazon is testing an AI tool that automatically translates books into other languages

Amazon just introduced an AI tool that will automatically translate books into other languages. The appropriately-named Kindle Translate is being advertised as a resource for authors that self publish on the platform.

The company says the tool can translate entire books between English and Spanish and German to English. Amazon promises that more languages are coming down the pike. It’s available right now in a beta form to select authors enrolled in the Kindle Direct Publishing platform. There’s a broader rollout planned for a later date.

Books that use this service will have a clear Kindle Translate label, which might serve as a warning to consumers. Translating a book isn’t a matter of just swapping out words. There’s a whole lot of nuance and intent behind those words and it’s unclear if the algorithm will be able to handle all of that. Major literary works often take years to get a decent translation out the door. Just ask Americans who often have to wait eons to gobble up the latest book by someone like Haruki Murakami.

This is a modern AI tool, so it’s worth considering potential hallucinations. Nothing ruins a read more than a nonsensical chapter that was completely made up by a bot. Amazon does say that “all translations are automatically evaluated for accuracy before publication.” Authors can preview the content before publishing it, but they are unlikely to know the language it’s being translated into. We’ll have to see how this all shakes out.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-is-testing-an-ai-tool-that-automatically-translates-books-into-other-languages-183056809.html?src=rss