Category: Technology

We called Neva a “grand achievement in emotional game design” in our June hands-on, and the latest trailer makes that clearer than ever. And now, thanks to the latest Nintendo Direct stream, we know it’ll arrive on October 15th on the Switch, alongside the PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X and S. Developed by Nomada Studio, the creators of the acclaimed Gris, Neva looks like it’ll deliver plenty of action alongside potential heartbreak.

“Neva chronicles the story of Alba, a young woman bound to a curious wolf cub following a traumatic encounter with dark forces,” the trailer’s description reads. “Together they embark on a perilous journey through a once-beautiful world as it slowly decays around them.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/neva-will-break-your-heart-on-october-15-143555144.html?src=rss 

French authorities have now shared the why behind the August 24 arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov. His arrest came in response to a series of charges, including complicity in “distributing, offering or making available pornographic images of minors, in an organized group.” The charges stem from a judicial investigation opened on July 8 against an unnamed individual.

The release, penned by Prosecutor of the Republic Laure Beccuau, details 12 charges in total, including money laundering, drug trafficking, fraud, running an online platform that allows illegal transactions and possessing child pornography. Durov can be held in custody until Wednesday, August 28.

The arrest has raised questions about how much leaders are responsible for what happens on their platforms. Telegram shared a post stating the company “abides by EU laws” and “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” There have also been outcries from individuals like Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), who posted “#FreePavel” on X, and NSA whistleblower and now Russian citizen Edward Snowden, who called it politically motivated. Telegram is especially popular in Russia and Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron responded on X (formerly Twitter) to “false information” that the arrest was politically motivated. “France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so,” Macron shared on August 26. “In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights. It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/telegram-ceo-charges-include-distributing-csam-and-money-laundering-125336547.html?src=rss 

It’s hard to believe that it was only in late 2021 that Wordle blew up. The social aspect of sharing results and stickiness of the one-round-per-day format proved to be a winning formula. So it’s little surprise that many other daily games have found success by going down this route. Some are as fun or even more enjoyable than Wordle. Others are actually educational, even helping you learn about the makeup of a country’s exports. Yet more will have you scratching your head as you try desperately to remember the title of a movie based on some stills. In any case, there are many, many daily online games out there. Since most are free to play, we’re here to help you figure out which of the best online games and puzzles are worth your time.

The best online games and puzzles for 2024

Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-online-games-puzzles-120059484.html?src=rss 

Indiegogo has just introduced a Shipping Guarantee program to assure buyers they’ll get their products. Previously, there was no guarantee that you would receive the product you backed, but things are now changing. The program will be open to companies that have a reliable track record on the crowdfunding platform. Having a history of successful campaigns will help increase the chances of being approved for the program. The program is a step up from the “Trust-Proven” badge from two years ago, which indicates consistent fulfillment, positive backer ratings and proof of exemplary campaign management.

According to Indiegogo’s Shipping Guarantee Program FAQ page, a campaign must be vetted by the platform’s Trust & Safety team to qualify. All products must also be in the “final manufacturing stages.”

The first campaign under this program is the HoverAIR X1 PRO and X1 PRO MAX flying action cameras. As seen on the campaign’s product page, there is a “Shipping Guarantee” badge. Those who back the project will get their money back if the drones don’t ship by October 31, 2024.

Note that backers are required to fill out surveys sent out by campaign owners to qualify for the protection program. So, don’t complain if you simply forgot to fill out your shipping information — you’ll be on your own unless customer service helps you.

I once backed the Status Audio Between Pro earbuds years ago, and while they arrived safely, the many stories of failed campaigns from over the years have kept me (and surely other potential buyers) wary. Since Indiegogo only ensures reliable companies have access to the Shipping Guaranteed program, backers could be more confident if a company misses its shipping goals.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/indiegogo-introduces-its-new-guaranteed-shipping-program-174706617.html?src=rss 

Sony refreshed its affordable earbud offering in 2021 when it debuted the $100 WF-C500. While that model delivered a refreshed design with 10 hours of battery life, support for 360 Reality Audio and more, budget-friendly sets have dropped well below the initial price of the C500. Now Sony is back with an even cheaper option, the WF-C510, that will be available for $70. 

The company tweaked the design once more for this budget-friendly pair, engineering earbuds that are 20 percent smaller and 15 percent lighter than the C500. In fact, Sony says this new model is its smallest design ever for closed-type buds. The C510 maintains its predecessor’s IPX4 rating, so they should still be okay to use during workouts, and the earbud housing and case are made with recycled plastic. Thankfully, Sony added ambient sound (transparency) mode even though the earbuds don’t have active noise cancellation (ANC). Ambient sound typically only comes on ANC sets, so the added convenience is notable here. The company also tacked on multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, which will bring another handy feature to the C510. 

Sony extended the battery life by an hour up to 11 on the earbuds themselves. Just like the previous model, the charging case provides enough juice for one additional full charge. What’s more, a quick-charge feature will give you up to one hour of use in just five minutes. The C510 will work with Sony’s headphones app to allow you to tweak settings, and both 360 Reality Audio and DSEE upscaling, a tool that recovers detail lost to compression, are on the spec sheet.

The WF-C510 are available for pre-order now in black, blue, white and yellow colors for $70, and are scheduled to ship in early September. While Amazon currently shows a $60 price, Sony has confirmed the C510 will cost $70. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sonys-new-budget-friendly-earbuds-have-a-transparency-mode-and-longer-battery-life-160018370.html?src=rss 

Are you looking to boost your iMac’s capabilities without having to do a complete overhaul? The Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip is quite a force to be reckoned with and it’s available for a record-low price of $1,150, down from $1,299, thanks to an eight percent discount and a $49 coupon you can click right on the product’s page. This model has 512GB and 8TB of storage but no AppleCare+. 

Apple released the Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip in early 2023. We gave it an 86 in our review thanks to its excellent performance (it has up to 12-core CPU and up to 19-core GPU). It also offers two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a headphone jack and gigabit Ethernet.

The look and experience of the Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip are solid. By the latter, we mean that it doesn’t really make any sound. Meanwhile, its sleek, compact design ensures you have room on your desk.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-mac-mini-with-the-m2-pro-chipset-is-150-off-right-now-144724475.html?src=rss 

Nintendo fans have a lot to look forward to, including the company’s new museum, a Donkey Kong theme park expansion coming to the US and, of course, the follow up to the Switch. But everything all boils back down to the games, and we’ll soon have a clearer idea of what’s coming to the Switch thanks to a double Nintendo Direct that the company has lined up for August 27. The stream will start at 10AM ET on YouTube with an Indie World showcase that will lead into a Nintendo Direct Partner presentation.

The two-for-one stream will run for around 40 minutes, but Nintendo stressed that there won’t be any news about its next console (it’s smart to manage expectations about that). Indie World presentations often feature a few games that suddenly arrive on the eShop that same day, so you’ll most likely have some new options to check out tomorrow.

The second showcase will include details on third-party games that are coming to the Switch. It’s interesting that Nintendo hasn’t divulged exactly which partner or partners it has lined up, perhaps indicating that it has a significant surprise in store. Yeah, yeah, we say this every single time that there’s a Nintendo Direct or Indie World, but if ever there was an ideal time for a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date reveal and a deep dive into the highly anticipated sequel, this feels like it. 

In any case, Team Engadget will be keeping a close eye out for any news from Team Cherry during the stream. We’ll keep you up to date with all of the notable announcements from the double showcase as well. You can watch the dual presentation here:

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/a-nintendo-direct-partner-showcase-and-indie-world-double-header-is-set-for-august-27-150333395.html?src=rss