Technology - Kalakshar US

Disney and Universal Studios file suit against Midjourney for copyright infringement

Disney and NBCUniversal have filed a joint suit against AI company Midjourney alleging copyright infringement on their various properties. The complaint, filed in federal district court in Los Angeles, includes images created by Midjourney that feature a wide variety of protected characters from each company’s various properties, including Star Wars, Shrek, The Simpsons, Despicable Me and others. The 110-page suit alleges that the AI company “helped itself to countless” copyrighted works when training its models that have been creating and disseminating “innumerable” copies of these characters via AI-generated images.

In the lawsuit Midjourney is described as “the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism.” Disney and NBCUniversal are the first major Hollywood players to enter the now crowded field of AI copyright infringement lawsuits; it comes against the backdrop of similar lawsuits against OpenAI, Meta and Perplexity AI.

The intersection of art and artificial intelligence continues to be battled out in court, though a suit brought by two of the largest names in media properties carries immense weight. “We are bullish on the promise of A.I. technology and optimistic about how it can be used responsibly as a tool to further human creativity,” said Horacio Gutierrez, Disney’s general counsel, in an email to The New York Times. “But piracy is piracy, and the fact that it’s done by an A.I. company does not make it any less infringing.”

In a separate email to The New York Times, Kim Harris, general counsel for NBCUniversal, said, “We are bringing this action today to protect the hard work of all the artists whose work entertains and inspires us and the significant investment we make in our content.”

We’ve reached out to Midjourney for comment and will update if we hear back.

Read the lawsuit below:

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-and-universal-studios-file-suit-against-midjourney-for-copyright-infringement-154206053.html?src=rss

Tesla will start offering public Robotaxi rides in Austin on June 22, says Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that Robotaxi service is “tentatively” set to begin in Austin, Texas on June 22. This comes after the company said last month that it had already begun testing driverless Model Ys in Austin. Shortly after that, Bloomberg reported that Tesla had internally discussed a launch date of June 12, though the only publicly shared timeline has been sometime in June.

The first Robotaxi Model Y operating without a person in the driver’s seat was spotted on South Congress in Austin yesterday. It sported a decal on the side of the vehicle that read “Robotaxi” in the same font as Tesla’s stylized version of Cybertruck. In the video, a person sitting in the passenger seat can be seen, though it’s unclear what their role is.

HOLY CRAP ITS A #ROBOTAXI!!@SawyerMerritt @WholeMarsBlog @DirtyTesLa @niccruzpatane pic.twitter.com/slfAsu0AQl

— Terrapin Terpene Col (@TerrapinTerpene) June 10, 2025

The driverless Model Y was followed closely behind by a Model Y with a driver, though again, their role and identity are unclear. Musk had previously said that Robotaxis will be remotely monitored at first and geofenced to areas of Austin that are the safest for the vehicles to navigate.

Musk, who has a history of playing fast and loose with timelines, had originally promised in 2019 that there would be one million Robotaxis on the road by 2020. He now says the company will start with about 10 taxis in Austin, before expanding rapidly.

Reuters recently attempted to gather more information on Tesla’s planned launch and vehicles from the City of Austin, but city officials were blocked from releasing any information by Tesla and the Texas Attorney General.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-will-start-offering-public-robotaxi-rides-in-austin-on-june-22-says-elon-musk-161801916.html?src=rss

Apple’s iOS 26 public beta is available next month

Apple’s WWDC is here and with it comes some of the company’s biggest operational developments — along with confirmation of when you can check them out in beta. This year’s WWDC brings the awaited news of a visual overhaul that is platform-wide, with changes like round icons on the home screen and Control Center.

The company has launched its first major redesign since iOS 7, calling it “our broadest design update ever.” The new uniform design across all devices includes a new material called liquid glass. This translucent design theme shows up across OSes on widgets, icons and even through a new all-clear mode, available alongside the light and dark modes.

Apple has further confirmed the rumors that it’s changing the names of its operating systems. So, instead of getting the iOS 19 this fall, it will be the iOS 26, representing Apple’s system for the year ahead. The same is true for all other devices’ operating systems, like the iPadOS 26, MacOS 26 and so on. However, Apple is sticking with its California-themed names for MacOS, naming the next version Tahoe.

WWDC has revealed a range of iOS 26 updates, including typing indicators for group chats and live translations on iMessage, FaceTime and calls, even if the other person doesn’t have an iPhone.

So, when can you see some of these changes for yourself? Betas for all of Apple’s platforms (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS and tvOS) are available today through the Apple Developer Program, while a public beta should roll our next month through the Apple Beta Software Program.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apples-ios-26-public-beta-is-available-next-month-180213623.html?src=rss

How to fix the Switch 2 battery indicator

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been in the wild for nearly a week and is selling like hotcakes, but some users have been complaining about an issue with their console’s battery indicator. A number of Switch 2 consoles appear to be displaying less remaining battery life than is accurate.

Battery life definitely is a mark against the Switch 2, with Engadget’s Sam Rutherford noting in his review that the console’s longevity is on the lower end of Nintendo’s estimates when playing more graphically demanding games such as Mario Kart World. But in some cases the issue might appear worse than it actually is. Nintendo has now offered a fix for when the amount of battery being displayed and actual remaining battery don’t match. Thankfully, the solution isn’t anything too dramatic, but it does involve putting the console into Recovery Mode.

According to Nintendo, these are the steps you need to take if you think your Switch 2 is affected. You’ll need the console, the correct AC adapter and internet access.

1. Confirm your console has the latest system update installed.

2. Power off the console.

3. Press and hold down the volume up (+) and volume down (-) buttons, then press the POWER button once, while continuing to hold the volume buttons until the Recovery Mode menu appears. This should reset the battery level meter.

4. Power off the console again by holding the POWER button until it turns off.

5. Power the console back on, and monitor the situation.

Nintendo says following these steps should correct the problem, but if you’re still having the same issues you may need to send your console in to be serviced. You can initiate a repair request by heading to Nintendo’s official Customer Support page.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-fix-the-switch-2-battery-indicator-144809855.html?src=rss

Pragmata is a satisfying sci-fi shooter with an intriguing double act

Capcom’s odd-couple sci-fi action game, Pragmata, is almost here. At SGF 2025, I finally got to steer Hugh (the human) lumbering around in a military spacesuit, with the adorable android, Diana piggybacking along.

First announced in 2020 during the PS5 reveal stream, Pragmata is set on a lunar base, where an industrial mishap turns security droids hostile, while lines of communication back to Earth have been severed. The USP here is how you fight your threats: by teaming up with a small synthetic girl who can hack into hostile robots while you shoot away at them with a collection of weapons.

Hugh starts off with a simple pistol with unlimited ammo but soon acquires additional firearms, including a shotgun-like energy gun that inflicts severe damage up close and restraining webbing to slow down multiple enemies, giving Diana more time to hack.

I was intrigued to see how Capcom would balance Pragmata’s gameplay premise of controlling and fighting with both characters. I thought it would involve a lot of tagging between each character, or worse, steering each with a different analog stick. Fortunately, Pragmata’s implementation is an elegant one.

The player primarily controls the human, Hugh. While he runs and guns, Diana’s powers involve locking onto an enemy and making hacking attacks by navigating a two-dimensional grid with the DualSense’s main buttons. Triangle for up, Circle for right .etc. While getting from point A to B inside this grid will ‘break’ a robot’s defenses, you’ll want to pass through other nodes on the way, increasing damage and even adding buffs. The limit here is ensuring Hugh remains out of danger long enough to focus on Diana’s efforts.

Thankfully, Hugh’s equipped with dodges and rocket dashes to keep his distance from enemies. Expect to use walls and structures as cover, too, especially when facing multiple enemies at once. It’s probably possible to take down enemies without hacking, but it will take a lot more time. Hacking also interrupts the robots’ attacks and movement — it’s mandatory in most confrontations in Pragmata.

The rest of the demo involved exploring the area, releasing multiple locks to progress further into the lunar base. Hugh can jump and boost himself for longer gaps or just some controlled hovering. Pick-ups between battles were mostly health boosts and secondary weapons. Most one-on-one encounters could be dealt with using the low-damage pistol, but when there are two, three, or five enemies, swapping between the slow-down weapons or the powerful shotgun was very much necessary. It’s a satisfying battle system, but I’m curious as to how deep this system will go. (Also, I wish I’d got to try some boss battles during the demo.)

Capcom

When Diana hacks and successfully breaks a robot’s defenses, certain parts and systems are highlighted in yellow, suggesting possible weak points. It’s a little similar to Horizon’s scanning mechanic, and while I couldn’t get an answer during my hands-on demo, it’ll be interesting to see whether that offers some more depth to combat. I’d appreciate the ability to focus on neutralizing a heavy-duty weapon or slowing an enemy down by aiming at their legs.

As the company teased in the latest trailer, Pragmata’s been a long time coming. Capcom is now aiming for a 2026 release.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pragmata-hands-on-demo-sgf-2025-150005007.html?src=rss

Onimusha: Way of the Sword brings Japanese cinematic royalty to the samurai fantasy series

While the surprise of a new Resident Evil might have been Capcom’s biggest story at SGF, it’s got other series – and other sequels – to show off, like Onimusha. Previously a banner PS2 series, Onimusha spanned four mainline games between 2001 and 2006. We’ve since seen remastered editions of the first two episodes.

Still, a true sequel was long overdue, especially after games like Sekiro and Ghost of Tsushima showed a renewed appetite for feudal Japan swordplay. Through a theater presentation during SGF 2025, I got a closer look at Onimusha: Way of the Sword, which features a new hero and a new setting. Also, no more static backgrounds.

Players will control Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary (but historically real) Japanese swordsman, artist and writer. This is interesting, but the more compelling wrinkle is that his face is modeled on the legendary (but historically real) actor Toshiro Mifune, who passed away in 1997. Mifune was a leading actor in several Akira Kurosawa movies in the 1950s and ‘60s, including Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. In short, he was arguably the most famous samurai actor there ever was. I’m not counting Tom Cruise. (Mifune, while alive, portrayed the same character, Musashi, in three separate movies.)

Several gameplay features have carried over to the latest edition of the Onimusha series. Once again, you’re equipped with the Oni gauntlet, now possessing its own sentient voice. The gauntlet is crucial to collecting different types of orbs from enemies. Some will repair health, while others add experience points, skill points and more. We were also shown some mild puzzle-solving, using the power of the Oni gauntlet to see invisible demons and unlock areas that were spiritually blocked. Absorbing sinister dark masses will let Musashi relive harrowing scenes from the past, powered by his cursed gauntlet.

The early gameplay demo focused on swordplay, mainly, with barely any mystical attacks and special moves. Like in previous games, you’ll have to balance attack, movement, guarding and counters. Once again, Issen attacks (both through interrupting sword strikes and well-timed guards) are key to applying major damage to waves of attacking demons. Musashi can also apply Issen attacks multiple times to finish off groups of enemies – if your timing is good enough. He can also parry arrows and send them back to where they came from.

Environmental damage can also prove useful against enemies, like fire. At times, you’ll even be able to wield objects for defense, like a raised tatami mat to block arrow fire. It seems we were only glimpsing the basics of Onimusha battle dynamics and attacks.

The guard system appears relatively forgiving, and I saw Musashi block light sword attacks from behind without even turning around. I’m intrigued to see how the game’s difficulty will scale in an era of Soulslikes.

Capcom

Fans of those games will be more intrigued with boss battles, in particular, ones where you face off against Ganryu, seen above. He appears to be Musashi’s swordsman rival – and one that’s been gifted his very own Oni gauntlet. The confrontation between the two was a valuable opportunity to demonstrate how Break Issen operates. After wearing down the guard gauge of enemies, you can perform a severe attack which can be channeled to specific areas or body parts. Do you go for the head to hit for maximum damage, or the sword arm to reduce damage going forward? I also love having an antagonist to face off against, each time upping the ante. Ganryu, who seems a bit of a dick, is that guy.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is scheduled for release in 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/onimusha-way-of-the-sword-gameplay-demo-cinematic-royalty-150007292.html?src=rss

Resident Evil Requiem has a third-person view for fewer cheap jump scares

The biggest surprise of SGF 2025 was the reveal of a new Resident Evil. The “ninth” game of the series broke cover on the first day of the gaming show. After a fake-out tease from Capcom executives halfway through SGF Live, the show closed with a brief trailer for the Resident Evil Requiem.

Resident Evil Requiem will center on a new character, Grace Ashcroft. Ahead of the hands-off gameplay presentation, game director Koshi Nakanishi outlined how Grace isn’t a combat-hardened soldier or survival expert of episodes past. In that way, she’s more exposed and under constant threat, at least judging from the early gameplay demo.

The audience collectively chuckled at Grace equipping herself with an empty medicine bottle. That is not likely to be enough. Apparently, though, her detective skills will come into use in the game, although we didn’t see that during Capcom’s presentation – she was mostly just trying not to die.

The gameplay demo starts with Grace, strapped to a hospital bed. She’s seemingly soaking wet, injured and to add insult to those injuries, she’s also upside down. As she struggles to escape her restraints, a sense of constant tension and stress builds – it feels like the whole place is a threat, and I kept a careful eye on the closed door of the room intently as she finally broke free. The demo then plays out from Grace’s first-person perspective, a la Resident Evil 7 and Village. Things remain tense as she cautiously explores the mystery locale.

The gameplay focused on simple object interaction, like Resident Evil series past. Survival horror staples, like screwdrivers, broken fuses and overly ornate keys are still here as Grace sculked and breathed heavily around what appeared to be a run-down hotel.

Capcom

Much of the demo involves the fear of being attacked rather than actual attacks. Dark hallways, light switches that didn’t work, and barely any hints or objects to give Grace context about where she’s ended up.

Eventually, an infected corpse fell out of a door onto Grace, momentarily relieving the tension. Finally, a threat! But the dead body isn’t really the threat: a giant creepy hand swings across to grab the corpse, and it’s attached to giant ogre woman-beast that bites the head clean off. Grace spent the remainder of the demo fleeing the creature, which managed to bite her shoulder. This creature could even destroy the ceiling to create new paths. The demo concluded with Grace seemingly facing her demise, armed only with the medicine bottle.

The game starts up again, but with a twist. The camera pans out to offer a ‘classic’ third-person perspective to Grace’s nightmare. The audience during my screening went wild. (A quick now that Resident Evil Village‘s expansion added its own third-person mode, so it’s not an entirely new shift.)

A Capcom spokesperson said you’d be able to transition between the views throughout Resident Evil Reqiuem, offering, if not a difficulty setting, more of a jump scare setting. My take is that a third-person view is a little less scary, so I’ll probably be using that.

Resident Evil Requiem is set to launch February 27, 2026.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/resident-evil-requiem-gameplay-demo-first–and-third-person-views-sgf-2025-150009510.html?src=rss

The USB-C Apple Pencil is on sale for $60 right now

The USB-C Apple Pencil is on sale via Woot for just $60. This is a discount of 24 percent and a record low price, as it typically costs $79. This serves as the company’s “budget” stylus and was originally released at the tail-end of 2023.

Despite being the most reasonably priced Apple Pencil, there’s still plenty to like here. It’s the only Pencil that’s compatible with nearly every iPad in Apple’s lineup. This includes the iPad Air (M2), iPad Pro (M4), iPad (10th gen) and iPad mini (6th gen). It even works with the older 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd-6th gen), 11-inch iPad Pro (1st-4th gen) and iPad Air (4th and 5th gen). Of course, it also integrates nicely with the recently-released iPad mini (7th gen.)

The model offers tilt sensitivity and will attach to the side of iPads with magnetic holders. This is a great option for casual users who just want a stylus for casual writing or for navigating around a device. This is especially true for owners of the iPad (10th gen.) That tablet doesn’t work with either of Apple’s higher-end stylus options.

However, there are some downgrades when compared to the Pencil Pro and the second-gen Pencil. The USB-C Apple Pencil can’t handle pressure sensitivity, which limits options for illustrators. It also won’t charge while magnetically attached. It charges via a USB-C cable. The accessory is slightly-shorter than the higher-end models and that could be an issue for those with large hands. Otherwise, this is a fine stylus for Apple devices.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-usb-c-apple-pencil-is-on-sale-for-60-right-now-151630786.html?src=rss

Hong Kong bans video game using national security laws

Hong Kong authorities have warned their residents against downloading a Taiwan-made game called Reversed Front: Bonfire, which they’re accusing of advocating for armed revolution and promoting “secessionist agendas, such as ‘Taiwan independence’ and ‘Hong Kong independence.'” As Bloomberg notes, this is the first time the special administrative region of China has invoked national security laws to ban a video game. The legislation, a national law from Beijing and a local security law passed in 2024, are supposed to address perceived threats and require internet service providers to comply with government mandate. Chinese authorities had previously ordered Google to block access to the protest song Glory to Hong Kong in the region.

Reversed Front: Bonfire was developed by a group known as ESC Taiwan, who are outspoken critics of the China’s Communist Party. The game disappeared from the Apple App Store in Hong Kong less than 24 hours after authorities issued the warning. Google already removed the game from the Play Store back in May, because players were using hate speech as part of their usernames. ESC Taiwan told The New York Times that that the game’s removal shows that apps like theirs are subject to censorship in mainland China. The group also thanked authorities for the free publicity on Facebook, as the game experienced a surge in Google searches.

The game uses anime-style illustrations and allows players to fight against China’s Communist Party by taking on the role of “propagandists, patrons, spies or guerrillas” from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, Mongolia and Xinjiang, which is home to ethnic minorities like the Uyghur. That said, they can also choose to play as government soldiers.

In its warning, Hong Kong Police said that anybody who shares or recommends the game on the internet may be committing several offenses, including “incitement to secession, “incitement to subversion” and “offenses in connection with seditious intention.” Anybody who has downloaded the game will be considered in “possession of a publication that has a seditious intention,” and anybody who provides financial assistance to it will be violating national security laws, as well. “Those who have downloaded the application should uninstall it immediately and must not attempt to defy the law,” the authorities wrote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hong-kong-bans-video-game-using-national-security-laws-124549944.html?src=rss

Nintendo sets record with 3.5 million Switch 2 units sold in four days

Nintendo has sold 3.5 million Switch 2s in four days, setting a company record for a new console launch. That puts Nintendo on track toward its goal to sell 15 million units by March 2026 if it can keep up on the production side. By comparison, it took the original Switch nearly a full month to hit 2.7 million units sold, even though it launched at a considerably lower price ($300 compared to $450 for the Switch 2).

To get a hold of one, fans entered lotteries to buy consoles directly from Nintendo, ordered online or simply lined up outside retailers like Game Stop when the Switch 2 went on sale last week. However, demand appeared to exceed the company’s expectations, so President Shuntaro Furukawa apologized to customers that failed to pick one up, Bloomberg reported. The company also asked suppliers to boost production.

With a successful launch under its belt, Nintendo’s goal is to maintain momentum. The company no doubt learned some lessons last time around as it had supply issues during the first few months after the original’s Switch’s launch that constrained sales. US tariffs could also bite. During an investor call last month, Furakawa explained that additional tariffs could necessitate a price increase in the US, causing demand to fall.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-sets-record-with-35-million-switch-2-units-sold-in-four-days-130050215.html?src=rss