Suleman, who has 14 children, shared a photo of her first grandchild’s tiny foot on social media, referring to her as a “beautiful gift.” Learn more about the Octomom turned grandmother here.
Suleman, who has 14 children, shared a photo of her first grandchild’s tiny foot on social media, referring to her as a “beautiful gift.” Learn more about the Octomom turned grandmother here.
Tales of the Shire, a cozy life sim set in the world of Lord of the Rings, has gotten a new release date and a strange new name. It’s scheduled for release on March 25, 2025 and it’s now called Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, because apparently referencing the Shire wasn’t enough to clue in fans. LOTR diehards are well known for being ignorant about the franchise they love. That was extreme sarcasm.
Anyways, this information was served up during Private Division and Wētā Workshop’s Hobbit Day Showcase, which revealed a lot of new footage and included plenty of interviews with the game’s designers. Wētā Workshop is actually helping to develop the game, after making effects for all of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth films.
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game (that really rolls off the tongue) was supposed to come out in 2024, but it was delayed so the developers could iron out some bugs and present a fully realized version of their original vision. Here’s hoping that translates to a polished gameplay experience in March.
For the uninitiated, this is a cozy sim. There are elements of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and other games in the genre. There’s farming, fishing and a deep character interaction system. Of course, there’s also a big emphasis placed on cooking huge feasts. We all know how much hobbits love a good feast.
The game looks cute enough and, heck, I’m always down for a new cozy sim. However, the developers have confirmed that there will be no romance, despite the emphasis on cultivating relationships and friendships. The developers say that romance simply doesn’t fit the tone of the game. In any event, Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game will be released for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. It’s also coming to Netflix.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tales-of-the-shire-a-the-lord-of-the-rings-game-is-now-due-out-in-march-2025-180726777.html?src=rss
After Hurricane Helene develops in the Caribbean Sea, it will most likely impact most of Florida and the Gulf Coast.
After Hurricane Helene develops in the Caribbean Sea, it will most likely impact most of Florida and the Gulf Coast.
The BIGGER & WEIRDER 2025 Tour will feature ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic performing his iconic hits alongside some never-before-performed fan favorites.
The BIGGER & WEIRDER 2025 Tour will feature ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic performing his iconic hits alongside some never-before-performed fan favorites.
It’s Meta’s turn to step up to the plate and host a developer conference. This year’s Meta Connect takes place on September 25 and 26. While the bulk of the event will focus on how developers can get the most out of Meta’s products, most of the actual news is likely to come from the opening keynote and developer keynote, which run back to back on September 25 starting at 1PM ET.
You’ll be able to watch the keynote live on Facebook on the Meta for Developers page. There’s also the option to drink in the keynote in Horizon Worlds, in “a virtual experience inspired by the Meta campus in Menlo Park.” Meta has also shared the keynote on its YouTube channel in previous years, but only after Connect is over, so it’s unlikely to livestream the event there.
The Connect keynote will feature Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussing advancements in mixed reality, AI and wearables. The company is also promising a look at new products and features. Those may well include a pair of augmented reality glasses codenamed Orion that executives have been teasing for quite some time.
We’re also expecting to see a less-expensive version of the Quest 3, dubbed the Quest 3S. Leaks suggest that this could sell for $300, which is significantly less than the $500 Quest 3. The Quest 3S could make it easier for Meta to finally ditch the Quest 2, which debuted in 2020 and is significantly less powerful than the Quest 3.
Elsewhere, Meta may announce an update for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses at Connect. Meta and Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica recently renewed their partnership, so there’s more to come from that pact, either now or in the future.
In addition, there will likely be lots of talk about AI in the developer keynote starting at 2PM ET. It’s likely that we’ll learn more about how it’s being used across Meta’s headsets and smart glasses. As a result, the open-source Llama large language model is expected to be a topic of discussion.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/how-to-watch-meta-connect-2024-163643686.html?src=rss
Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov stated that the messaging app will now start handing over the IP addresses and phone numbers of users if prompted by legal requests. Bloomberg, which first reported the policy change, notes that Telegram has historically been “notoriously non-responsive to takedown requests” and “often ignored requests for information about suspected criminals.”
Accompanying this development is the implementation of some moderation. Telegram has started using AI, as well as a human moderation team, to remove “problematic” content from its search results, Durov said. Durov also asked users to report unsafe and illegal content to the team so they can remove it.
How much these changes will affect the popularity of Telegram with those engaged in illicit activities (or authorities’ ability to prosecute them) remains unknown. While IP addresses and phone numbers may be useful for triangulating users’ activities elsewhere, Telegram users can opt for several layers of anonymizing features, like disappearing messages, end-to-end encryption or the ability to use the service without a SIM card. The service’s FAQ continues to brag that “To this day, we have disclosed 0 bytes of user messages to third parties, including governments.”
Back in August, Durov was arrested in France for crimes committed on Telegram and ordered to remain there. He denies these charges.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/telegram-will-now-provide-ip-addresses-and-phone-numbers-in-response-to-legal-requests-170300911.html?src=rss
With the Tokyo Game Show taking place this week, major publishers have lined up showcases for the coming days. Sony is getting the jump on its rivals as it will run its next State of Play on September 24 at 6PM ET.
The company plans to shine the spotlight on more than 20 PS5 and PS VR2 games during the stream, which is set to run for over 30 minutes. You’ll be able to watch the showcase on YouTube and Twitch in English or Japanese.
It seems very likely that we’ll get a release date for Horizon Lego Adventures, the final first-party game that Sony currently has on its slate for the rest of the year. We’ll surely get another look at the Until Dawn and Silent Hill 2 remakes before they arrive in early October too. There’s also chatter that there are remasters of Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone on the way, so Sony might spill the beans on those. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Marvel’s Wolverine are among the other upcoming titles that could make an appearance.
Here’s hoping for a major surprise or two. Hardware news seems unlikely given that the PS5 Pro is coming soon. However, it’s a good opportunity for Sony to remind everyone about those dope PS1-style 30th anniversary editions of the PS5 consoles and controllers. (For what it’s worth, Sony may reveal the prices of those at the State of Play.)
Meanwhile, let’s not forget that September 26 is The Last of Us Day. If we don’t hear anything about that franchise at the State of Play, Sony will certainly have something to say about it then. A release date for the PC version of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is possible, though we should at least get an update on season two of the HBO adaptation.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sonys-next-state-of-play-stream-is-set-for-september-24-171708006.html?src=rss
Demi Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle in ‘The Substance,’ a satirical horror that focuses on the pressures of body standards.
Demi Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle in ‘The Substance,’ a satirical horror that focuses on the pressures of body standards.
Discover more about the cast of Netflix’s new series, Nobody Wants This.
Discover more about the cast of Netflix’s new series, Nobody Wants This.
Google’s A-series Pixel phones are an excellent option for those looking for an upgrade on an older device without breaking the bank. It’s a particularly good time to snap up the Google Pixel 8a as it’s on sale just ahead of Prime Day. The Android phone has dropped to $399, which is $100 off and a new record low price.
The Pixel 8a is actually our pick for the best midrange smartphone you can buy right now. We gave it a score of 90 in our review in May. It has some excellent hardware for a phone in this price range, including terrific cameras, a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and great battery life (it lasted for 20 and a half hours on our video rundown test).
What’s more, the Pixel 8a runs on the Tensor G3, which is the same chipset found in the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. As such, it can run the same AI features as the flagship handsets, including Magic Eraser and other camera trickery, web article summaries and narration via Google Assistant, wallpaper generation and faster Face Unlock.
Elsewhere, features like IP67 dust and water resistance are very welcome. On the downside, the bezels are a little thicker than some may like. Qi wireless charging is slow too at a rate of 7.5W. Still, those are minor quibbles for an otherwise great midrange phone.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-pixel-8a-falls-to-a-record-low-of-399-ahead-of-prime-day-144717038.html?src=rss
