N e w s C e n t r a l

Android 16 will protect users from fake cell towers and potential spying threats

It turns out that your smartphone could be an overlooked vulnerability that puts you at risk of being tracked. To combat this, Google is rolling out a new security feature in <a href="https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/cellular-security/mobile-network-security">Android 16</a> that will warn users if their device is using a fake or insecure mobile network or if that network requests identifying information about a connected device. However, these features likely won't be available until the next generation of Android devices, as first reported by <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-mobile-network-security-3571497/">Android Authority</a>. Since the current Android devices lack the hardware to support these features, the first compatible Android device we could see with this tech may be the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/pixelsnap-googles-belated-answer-to-magsafe-could-arrive-alongside-the-pixel-10-184527063.html">Pixel 10</a> that's expected to debut later this summer. This feature is designed to counteract cell site simulators, or devices that act like a cell tower and trick nearby devices into connecting to it. Once connected, these simulators can glean sensitive information, like the location of a smartphone. These cell site simulators are better known by their commercial nickname, Stingray, and have been <a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/ice-records-confirm-that-immigration-enforcement-agencies-are-using-invasive-cell-phone-surveillance-devices">reportedly used</a> by agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as Customs and Border Protection. The upcoming security features are rolling out as part of the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/android-16-is-out-complete-with-new-features-for-pixel-phones-including-live-notification-updates-170006935.html">latest Android OS update</a>, which was released earlier this month. Compatible devices will have the option to toggle "network notifications" on or off, which will warn you if your device connects to an unencrypted network or when the connected network requests your phone's unique identifiers. On top of that, there's another option that lets you turn on "2G network protection" to avoid the less secure mobile network type.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/android-16-will-protect-users-from-fake-cell-towers-and-potential-spying-threats-172337020.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Playdate Season 2 review: Tiny Turnip and Chance's Lucky Escape

It's hard to believe that Playdate Season Two is almost over already, but here we are in week five with just one more drop of new games left to go after this. In the latest batch, we got the climbing metroidvania, <a href="https://play.date/games/tiny-turnip/">Tiny Turnip</a>, and <a href="https://play.date/games/chances-lucky-escape/">Chance's Lucky Escape</a>, a short point-and-click adventure that leans into the absurd. In line with the rest of this season's games, which have consistently been really solid, they're both pretty damn fun. <h2 id="jump-link-tiny-turnip">Tiny Turnip</h2> <figure><img alt="A still from the Playdate game Tiny Turnip showing a turnip with arms and large hand clinging to a moving platform above a layer of spikes" src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-06/85255860-5505-11f0-9df9-f185dfb6833c" style="height: 1430px; width: 2388px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Luke Sanderson</div></figure> Tiny Turnip is one of the standouts of this season for me. It sits at the sweet spot of weird, a bit challenging and extremely engaging, and I could not put it down once I started playing. And the soundtrack absolutely rules. It's a metroidvania about an ambitious root vegetable who is reaching for the stars. Literally. The turnip makes a wish, sprouts arms and sets out climbing toward the sky. The subsequent adventure takes place across an unexpectedly huge map and requires a lot of precise, calculated movements as you navigate gaps, moving obstacles and environmental hazards, uncover hidden rooms and collect keys to access locked areas. Ultimately, the goal is to get the crystal vegetables that are scattered around the map so the little turnip's dreams can come true, but there are also stars to collect for the completionists among us. Getting around in this game is fun. For a normal climb, you use the crank to move the turnip's arms individually, pressing B to hold onto grabbable surfaces and switch hands. But as you progress, you pick up more abilities so the turnip can move in other ways too, like curling its arms in to roll, swimming, jumping, etc. These maneuvers generally involve launching the turnip in some way — out of water or slingshot-style between walls, for example — and it's awesome. I love the way this game uses the crank and it really is just a blast to play. <h2 id="jump-link-chances-lucky-escape">Chance's Lucky Escape</h2> <figure><img alt="A still from the Playdate game Chance's Lucky Escape showing an anthropomorphized dog standing next to a car in a parking lot, with text below that reads " src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-06/c38bc580-5505-11f0-affd-b687ae4069f1" style="height: 1426px; width: 2390px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Goloso Games/Julia Minamata</div></figure> There are a few things you need to know about Chance, "the luckiest dog in the world": 1) he's about as unlucky as he is lucky and 2) he's not a bad guy, he just steals cars and robs banks sometimes! He's also some sort of henchman for the dog mafia. In Chance's Lucky Escape — a super short, point-and-click puzzle adventure game that plays out over six chapters — you have to help Chance get out of bind after bind as he tries in vain to get to his meeting with The Boss, Snowball, while also evading police. The game is described as being "inspired by 80s cartoons and absurdist comedy films," and it definitely captures those vibes. Every scenario Chance ends up in is completely ridiculous. Figuring out how to get Chance out of the messes he's found himself in, like getting stuck in the sewers after falling into an open manhole or trying not to drown while tied to a chair underwater, requires a bit of thinking and creativity. But none of the puzzles are prohibitively hard, which keeps things feeling light and silly. At the very beginning, you're informed that you'll need to employ the crank, microphone and even the accelerometer at some points, which was handy knowledge in moments where I felt briefly stuck after clicking on every clickable item and still getting nowhere. When in doubt, just start trying weird things and something's likely to work (<a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playdate-season-2-review-the-whiteout-and-wheelsprung-130014285.html">The Whiteout, from a few weeks ago</a>, prepared me well for this). As I said earlier, this one's pretty short, but it's just the right length to pick up on your lunch break. I could totally see this being a series and would happily dive back into Chance's misadventures if ever new episodes in his saga were to be made.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playdate-season-2-review-tiny-turnip-and-chances-lucky-escape-164552263.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

One of our favorite Ninja air fryers is $50 off for Prime Day

For many, summer means it's time to grill outdoors. But cooking inside does at least mean you’re likely to deal with fewer bugs. It also makes it easier to try out new kitchen equipment, such as a Ninja air fryer that’s on sale ahead of Prime Day. The <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&itemId=amazon_B096X9LGJ1&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=3032a101-3141-436a-b948-214919ecf681&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Amazon&linkText=Ninja+Foodi+Dual-Zone+10-quart+air+fryer&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOTZYOUxHSjE_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzAzMmExMDEtMzE0MS00MzZhLWI5NDgtMjE0OTE5ZWNmNjgxIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOTZYOUxHSjEiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&signature=AQAAAYwVLhTtxcFdssoboThEFajTzB6fsnU3vVQP3RZKrhk7&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB096X9LGJ1">Ninja Foodi Dual-Zone 10-quart air fryer</a> is $50 off and down to $180. This is not a record low price for this model. However, it’s still a good price for this time of year, some five months away from Black Friday. The DZ401 is one of our favorite air fryers. In fact, it's our pick for the <a href="http://engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-air-fryers-133047180.html">best dual-zone air fryer</a>. It heats up quickly and runs quietly, but the real selling point here is the dual-basket setup. If you cook a lot or make meals for several people on a regular basis, the Ninja Foodi DZ401 could be a game changer. It's possible to use the two baskets to prepare entirely different foods at the same time with distinct cooking modes — you can't do that on a grill. You can also prepare food in both baskets in the same way with the Match Cook feature.  A very useful feature called Smart Finish can adjust cooking times automatically so that the food in both baskets (perhaps you have a protein in one and vegetables in the other) will be ready at the same time. That should help you avoid waiting for one basket to be down while the other gets cold. On the downside, this is a machine that will take up a considerable proportion of counter space, so it won't be ideal for small kitchens. If you can make room for it, though, the Ninja Foodi DZ401 could be a valuable addition to your setup.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-ninja-air-fryers-is-50-off-for-prime-day-131214407.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Runway now has its sights on the video game industry with its new generative AI platform

The AI startup Runway, which recently partnered with <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/amc-networks-is-teaming-up-with-ai-company-runway-141959898.html">AMC Networks</a>, is now trying to break into the gaming industry. The company has plans to launch its latest platform, called Game Worlds, next week, according to <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/694531/runway-ai-video-games-generate">The Verge</a>. The new tool lets Runway users create something akin to an interactive text-based game that can generate text and images from AI. Even though Game Worlds can only <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePulNCRDvz8">produce basic designs</a> for now, the company's CEO, Cristóbal Valenzuela, is hoping this will be the first step towards more AI use in the gaming industry. Valenzuela told The Verge that "generated video games are coming later this year," adding that Runway is looking to partner with video game companies, which will be able to use the company's AI tools, while it gets access to video game datasets to train its AI on. However, the use of AI in video games has already drawn a lot of criticism from industry professionals, even leading to the <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/video-game-performers-will-strike-over-ai-concerns-201733660.html">SAG-AFTRA union</a> striking against video game companies using its members' likenesses and voices to <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/video-game-performers-will-strike-over-ai-concerns-201733660.html">train AI</a>.  Runway has faced its <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/ai-video-startup-runway-reportedly-trained-on-thousands-of-youtube-videos-without-permission-182314160.html">own controversy</a> for reportedly training its AI on YouTube videos and pirated movies despite being against the video platform's terms. Still, Runway is looking to replicate the similar success it's had with major TV and film studios. In the AMC deal, the AI company would help create promotional materials and help "accelerate pre-visualization during development." Before AMC, Runway secured a partnership with Lionsgate to provide its AI for the studio's "pre-production and post-production process." As for the gaming world, Runway wouldn't be the first to introduce generative AI since the industry has seen other examples already, like Ubisoft using a tool called <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ubisofts-ghostwriter-ai-tool--automatically-generate-video-game-dialogue-103510366.html">Ghostwriter</a> to create video game dialogue.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/runway-now-has-its-sights-on-the-video-game-industry-with-its-new-generative-ai-platform-192350294.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Tesla shows off its first fully autonomous delivery to convince us its self-driving cars work well

Tesla's robotaxi service may have had some <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/transportation/teslas-first-robotaxi-rides-are-already-running-into-a-few-bumps-205308245.html">early hitches</a>, but the company said it just successfully delivered a car autonomously. Using the same robotaxi technology, Tesla showed the delivery process of a Model Y from its Gigafactory Texas in Austin to a customer with a roughly 30-minute journey as seen in a <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://x.com/Tesla/status/1938816477127418224">video posted on X</a>. Unlike the <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/transportation/teslas-first-robotaxi-rides-kick-off-in-austin-texas-100015076.html">robotaxi service launch</a> last week, the automated delivery had no <a href="https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-inaugural-robotaxi-rides-will-have-a-human-safety-monitor-on-board-161307639.html">safety monitor</a>, nor anyone behind the wheel. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, also <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1938682871105102254">posted on X</a> that the delivery didn't have any "remote operators in control at any point." <div id="e71894a55b0c4cc19292081e28c6dd82"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">World's first autonomous delivery of a car! This Tesla drove itself from Gigafactory Texas to its new owner's home ~30min away — crossing parking lots, highways & the city to reach its new owner <a href="https://t.co/WFSIaEU6Oq">pic.twitter.com/WFSIaEU6Oq</a>— Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1938816477127418224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2025</a></blockquote> </div> The trip covers navigating through everything from the Gigafactory Texas' parking lot to city streets, even managing to handle the highway without any incidents. This delivery comes just after Tesla's rollout of its robotaxi service in Austin, with <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1932591896939147494">Musk promising</a> that the "first Tesla that drives itself from factory end of line all the way to a customer house is June 28." While impressive, it's not the first time that a fully autonomous car has used the highway, since Waymo started allowing its employees access to <a href="https://x.com/Waymo/status/1884300282298773590">self-driving rides</a> on Los Angeles freeways earlier this year. Tesla's competing robotaxi service hasn't been without its hiccups. As seen in a <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://x.com/TeslaPodcast/status/1936922325808562343">10-mile trip</a> posted on X, the Model Y using the robotaxi software struggled to make a left turn and corrected its course by entering the other side of the road briefly. In another <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpARr8DVU2M">launch day video</a>, the robotaxi was seen braking hard twice after encountering police cars with their lights on, even though none of the emergency vehicles were on the road. The robotaxi pilot program has <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nhtsa-contacts-tesla-robotaxi-issues-seen-online-videos-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-06-23/">caught the attention</a> of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which said that it reached out to Tesla for more information about these incidents. On top of the robotaxi concerns, <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-blows-past-stopped-school-bus-and-hits-kid-sized-dummies-in-full-self-driving-tests-183756251.html">recent demonstrations</a> showed Tesla's Full Self-Driving software failing to stop for a school bus' flashing lights and stop signs, as well as for kid-sized mannequins who dart into the road.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-shows-off-its-first-fully-autonomous-delivery-to-convince-us-its-self-driving-cars-work-163805707.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Anker issues another recall for multiple power banks that pose fire safety risk

Anker has issued its second recall this month for several power bank models sold around the world, as <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/27/anker-power-bank-recall/">MacRumors</a> has reported. If you'll recall, its previous recall that launched earlier this month <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=aac3354f-048f-410b-ae8a-eb1da43ee6cf&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=68a485c2-50b3-4524-ade0-c27ba90e6288&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Anker&linkText=focused&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbmtlci5jb20vYTEyNjMtcmVjYWxsIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI2OGE0ODVjMi01MGIzLTQ1MjQtYWRlMC1jMjdiYTkwZTYyODgiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFua2VyLmNvbS9hMTI2My1yZWNhbGwifQ&signature=AQAAATsjCx31HjbSYbfyUMo5T6BRvRQDZkkJ2OCpMEMM52q-&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anker.com%2Fa1263-recall">focused</a> on the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/anker-recalls-over-a-million-power-banks-due-to-fire-and-burn-hazards-110017437.html">Anker PowerCore 10000</a> power bank model A1263, which were sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31st, 2022 in the United States. The company found that the lithium-ion battery it used for the model has a risk of overheating that could then lead to the power bank melting, producing smoke and, ultimately, catching fire.  Now, Anker has issued a global recall for multiple products sold in several markets around the world. Those products are the Anker Power Bank (10K, 22.5W) Model A1257, Anker Power Bank (20,000mAh, 22.5W, Built-In USB-C Cable) Model A1647, Anker MagGo Power Bank (10,000mAh, 7.5W) Model A1652, Anker Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C and Lightning Cable) Model A1681 and Anker Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C Cable) Model A1689.  The company said that it implemented a series of enhanced quality assurance protocols earlier this year, all of which were designed to detect manufacturing issues. It found that those particular models use lithium-ion battery cells from a single vendor, which are at risk of overheating and causing fire. The company said that the chances of malfunction are minimal, but it launched the recall out of an abundance of caution anyway and is advising customers to stop using affected models.  You can check if your device is affected on the <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=aac3354f-048f-410b-ae8a-eb1da43ee6cf&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=68a485c2-50b3-4524-ade0-c27ba90e6288&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Anker&linkText=recall%27s+official+page&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbmtlci5jb20vcmMyNTA2LWZvcm0iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjY4YTQ4NWMyLTUwYjMtNDUyNC1hZGUwLWMyN2JhOTBlNjI4OCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW5rZXIuY29tL3JjMjUwNi1mb3JtIn0&signature=AQAAAemjeOKXIsrU8ZELyQMjKzBlT4U0sj5WLMfqWCrzpH-i&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anker.com%2Frc2506-form">recall's official page</a> where you can enter its serial number. A proof of purchase will be required to be qualified for the program, but if you can provide the requirements needed, you can choose between a replacement or a gift card that you can use on Anker's website. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/anker-issues-another-recall-for-multiple-power-banks-that-pose-fire-safety-risk-160015082.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Facebook test uses Meta AI to process photos you've yet to upload

<a href="https://www.engadget.com/social-media/facebook-videos-are-all-just-going-to-be-reels-now-185807805.html">Facebook</a> has been showing some users a pop-up message asking them if they want to allow the social network to create collages, recaps and AI restylings using photos they've yet to upload from their camera roll. According to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/27/facebook-is-asking-to-use-meta-ai-on-photos-in-your-camera-roll-you-havent-yet-shared/">TechCrunch</a>, Facebook has been showing users the message when they upload a new Story on the app. It doesn't pop up for everyone, however, since we weren't able to replicate the event. In that notification, Meta wrote that in order to create ideas for users, it'll select media from their camera roll and upload it to the company's cloud "on an ongoing basis, based on info like time, location and themes." The message also said that the media won't be used for ads targeting, but its wording raised concerns about the possibility of Meta using people's camera roll files to train its artificial intelligence technology. Meta assued <a href="https://www.theverge.com/meta/694685/meta-ai-camera-roll">The Verge</a> that it's not "currently training [its] AI models with these photos." The company's comms manager, Maria Cubeta, told the publication that Meta "testing suggestions of ready-to-share and curated content from a person’s camera roll" as part of its efforts to explore ways to make content sharing easier. "These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you — unless you decide to share them — and can be turned off at any time. Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test," she said.  The test feature has a limited reach, but it has been ongoing for some time, seeing as some users have reported seeing it earlier this year. In fact, Facebook already has a <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=2d66651e-658e-4baa-bc4e-ded0c126e805&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=091efd15-4735-4282-b75d-cccd7aa0482b&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Portal+from+Facebook&linkText=Help+page&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vaGVscC8xMjQzNDU5NDA2OTk2ODY5Lz9oZWxwcmVmPXVmX3NoYXJlIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIwOTFlZmQxNS00NzM1LTQyODItYjc1ZC1jY2NkN2FhMDQ4MmIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZhY2Vib29rLmNvbS9oZWxwLzEyNDM0NTk0MDY5OTY4NjkvP2hlbHByZWY9dWZfc2hhcmUifQ&signature=AQAAAdVAniP4PhJec3Cj_hc6Drm-jf-JiW1JRlnG4vsGLb0O&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fhelp%2F1243459406996869%2F%3Fhelpref%3Duf_share">Help page</a> for it, giving users instructions on how to allow and disallow "creative ideas with camera roll cloud processing" on Facebook. For those who've previously clicked Allow when the message popped up for them, they can go to Settings and switch it off in the "Camera roll sharing suggestions" section under Preferences.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/facebook-test-uses-meta-ai-to-process-photos-youve-yet-to-upload-140021100.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

AI might undermine one of the better alternatives to the Kindle

Kobo, a Rakuten subsidiary that sells ebooks and ereaders, has built its name on being a more open and author-friendly version of Amazon Kindle. However, a recent change to the company's self-publishing business has some writers worried that reputation might change. Last month, the company updated its <a href="https://merch.kobobooks.com/writinglife/Kobo/en-EN/serviceAgreement.html"><ins>Terms of Service for Kobo Writing Life</ins></a>, its publishing platform, which opened the door to AI features on the platform. With that new contract language going into effect on June 28th, authors seem no clearer on what it will mean for their futures on Kobo. For authors who haven't broken into (or have opted out of) traditional publishing both <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=10b363e1-6abb-4fc0-b019-cb4ff191d49a&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=1b84a3f2-fabd-4885-9626-fb3f2f2666ea&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Kobo&linkText=Kobo+Writing+Life&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5rb2JvLmNvbS91cy9lbi9wL3dyaXRpbmdsaWZlIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIxYjg0YTNmMi1mYWJkLTQ4ODUtOTYyNi1mYjNmMmYyNjY2ZWEiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmtvYm8uY29tL3VzL2VuL3Avd3JpdGluZ2xpZmUifQ&signature=AQAAAWYRZu6M637caqxw1VXk78qngxh6SwAyv7OkWsW-3sFM&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kobo.com%2Fus%2Fen%2Fp%2Fwritinglife"><ins>Kobo Writing Life</ins></a> and <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=63045c63-8df1-46e8-bdd0-1716edf6ace5&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=1b84a3f2-fabd-4885-9626-fb3f2f2666ea&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Amazon+Canada&linkText=Kindle+Direct+Publishing&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkcC5hbWF6b24uY29tL2VuX1VTL2Jvb2tzaGVsZiIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMWI4NGEzZjItZmFiZC00ODg1LTk2MjYtZmIzZjJmMjY2NmVhIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkcC5hbWF6b24uY29tL2VuX1VTL2Jvb2tzaGVsZiJ9&signature=AQAAAUg23pbA9whOkH0vwhiTSMNy-MZgtB8vXUxyDbmJ7iLh&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fkdp.amazon.com%2Fen_US%2Fbookshelf"><ins>Kindle Direct Publishing</ins></a> offer a way to sell books without needing representation or a publishing deal. If they can provide their work and the information needed to make a store page — and have a willingness to serve as not only author but marketer — they have everything they need to sell their books. Agreeing to sell on one of these platforms comes with a list of conditions. The biggest is the split of sales. If an author sells their novel for $2.99 or more on Kobo Writing Life, they keep 70 percent of what they earn. On the considerably larger Kindle Direct Publishing platform, there are two royalty options — 35 percent and 70 percent — but both have a confusing <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=63045c63-8df1-46e8-bdd0-1716edf6ace5&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=1b84a3f2-fabd-4885-9626-fb3f2f2666ea&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Amazon+Canada&linkText=litany+of+compounding+factors&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkcC5hbWF6b24uY29tL2VuX1VTL2hlbHAvdG9waWMvRzIwMDYzNDUwMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMWI4NGEzZjItZmFiZC00ODg1LTk2MjYtZmIzZjJmMjY2NmVhIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkcC5hbWF6b24uY29tL2VuX1VTL2hlbHAvdG9waWMvRzIwMDYzNDUwMCJ9&signature=AQAAAV9XCeDLZtbLdbUETfZxWdvGv91_KfQGc-TZ7aG-cCvM&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fkdp.amazon.com%2Fen_US%2Fhelp%2Ftopic%2FG200634500"><ins>litany of compounding factors</ins></a>, some of which can significantly reduce authors' earnings. The calculus of fees vs. exposure makes authors develop strong preferences for the platform they choose. But the terms of service under which their work is published are also important — and apparently subject to change with little warning. Engadget spoke with three authors who were surprised by Kobo's decision to experiment with AI. All of them noticed the company had published new Terms of Service because of a simple banner notification in the Kobo Writing Life Dashboard. Even now, a month after the terms were changed, the company is unable to clarify how the new terms would apply to existing work. There also isn't a means for authors to opt out. If anyone on Kobo is adamantly against any amount of AI use, their best and only option is to stop publishing there, and probably to pull their existing work from the platform. The authors we spoke to were surprised that Kobo didn't reach out about the proposed changes in advance, but also that the company was choosing to work with AI at all. "I appreciate their transparency in being candid about their use of AI," Michelle Manus, a fantasy author on Kobo's platform, wrote to Engadget over email. "What I think they vastly underestimated was the extent to which their user base dislikes AI." Kobo's new terms are explicit in saying that the company does not plan to use authors' work to train generative AI. It does, however, reserve the right to use "artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning algorithms or similar technologies" to "read, analyze, and process" writing for a variety of non-training purposes, including: <ul> <li>"Enhancing the discoverability of Works" with tagging and targeted customer recommendations</li> <li>"Evaluating the suitability of Works" for sale in the Kobo store</li> <li>"Generating resources" like "creating keywords, promotional content, targeted advertisements, customer engagement strategies and other materials"</li> <li>"Providing recaps, reading assistance and accessibility features"</li> </ul> Authors have taken issue with the apparent lack of recourse provided to them. What happens if a work is incorrectly tagged as one genre when its author believes it more directly fits another? Or what if the "promotional material" Kobo generates includes some kind of hallucination? The biggest issue for the writers Engadget spoke to was the potential for Kobo to deploy AI-generated recaps. Amazon implemented <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-will-use-ai-to-generate-recaps-for-book-series-on-the-kindle-170018503.html"><ins>a recap tool on Kindle in April</ins></a>, using generative AI to help readers get back into a series or remember where they were in a novel, and some authors have already found examples of the company's AI <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/michellemanus.com/post/3lrvvnz3jzk2n"><ins>inaccurately summarizing stories.</ins></a> "We would have immediately gone, 'Ah, okay, we see what you're trying to do, but we don't think that the thing you're suggesting is going to work to address the problem that you're trying to address," Delilah Waan, a fantasy author and YouTube creator, told Engadget. Since self-published authors tend to be more responsive to their audience, these kinds of issues could actually jeopardize that relationship. "Authors frequently get pushback from readers about plot choices, and I can only imagine the levels to which that could rise if they are receiving incorrect recaps of what happened in a book," Manus wrote. All of the authors Engadget spoke to admired Kobo's attempts to address complaints in public. On Bluesky, the company's CEO Michael Tamblyn posted <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mtamblyn.bsky.social/post/3lqo34cfvgs2o"><ins>a long thread</ins></a> getting into the logic of including an AI clause in the company's terms. Essentially, Tamblyn wrote, Kobo is trying to make the job of connecting readers with authors easier, and streamlining the moderation process that goes into maintaining the Kobo Store, all while avoiding trampling over copyright. "We are completely uninterested in creating new content using authors' books, and don’t do anything that would allow us to do that," Tamblyn wrote. "And we don’t want anyone else to do it either because we are in the business of selling books and would like to be able to keep doing that." Agreeing to not train generative AI with an author's work is what all professional writers have been encouraged to demand from publishers by <a href="https://authorsguild.org/"><ins>The Authors Guild</ins></a>, a professional organization that advocates for writers and is currently participating in <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://authorsguild.org/news/ag-and-authors-file-class-action-suit-against-openai/">a lawsuit against OpenAI</a>. By choosing to not train generative AI on books, Kobo is starting on the right foot. The dubious nature of what material gets fed into an AI model still leaves many questions, though. "Keep in mind, all of the models right now are illegally trained, and I mean all of the big LLMs [Large Language Models]," Mary Rasenberg, the CEO of The Authors Guild, says. "So they may be using an AI system that's not one of the big LLMs, but whatever system they're using may be based on one of the big LLMs."  Kobo did not respond to a request for information about which LLM it plans to use. For work that might be misclassified or mislabelled, the company encouraged authors to contact them via its support email, which authors say has been responsive to complaints so far. The company says it has not begun testing what it describes as a "beta feature" for generating a "personalized recap" in the Kobo app. It notes that it's "not interested in doing whole summaries of books." Instead Kobo plans to make its recaps specific to each reader, around 150 words in length based on both the pages they read in their last reading session and the quotes they highlighted. Ebook platforms are taking a cautious approach to AI broadly. Authors who publish through the Apple Books platform can have <a href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-ai-audiobook-narration-service-131059426.html"><ins>AI-narrated audiobooks</ins></a> generated from their work, but doing so is completely optional. Barnes & Noble's Press platform doesn't currently offer AI products. Amazon's recaps are currently the most invasive use of AI across ebook markets, and authors <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=63045c63-8df1-46e8-bdd0-1716edf6ace5&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=1b84a3f2-fabd-4885-9626-fb3f2f2666ea&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Amazon+Canada&linkText=can%27t+opt+out&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkcC5hbWF6b24uY29tL2VuX1VTL2hlbHAvdG9waWMvR0hZOVlSSzVONlpRSlROSiIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMWI4NGEzZjItZmFiZC00ODg1LTk2MjYtZmIzZjJmMjY2NmVhIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkcC5hbWF6b24uY29tL2VuX1VTL2hlbHAvdG9waWMvR0hZOVlSSzVONlpRSlROSiJ9&signature=AQAAARYNtVeKiLR79S3mk5v-V8lj0Qxk7dxPs4b4zHj5DDyM&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fkdp.amazon.com%2Fen_US%2Fhelp%2Ftopic%2FGHY9YRK5N6ZQJTNJ"><ins>can't opt out</ins></a> of them."It doesn't matter how much money we're making from Amazon. We all hate dealing with it," Waan said. She made it clear that self-publishing authors are scared of Kobo changing because it currently has author-friendly answers to most of Amazon's products. "I cannot describe how much we want Kobo to succeed, like we are rooting for them," she said. Every company seems keen to continue pushing the boundaries of where and how invasively it can implement AI. Waan's hope now is that Kobo engages in some kind of open forum with authors about its proposed uses for the technology. "I think it's really hard to decide, as an author, 'am I going to pull my books?,'" Waan said. "Because the minute you pull your books it's a whole headache, because you gotta update all the links. If you have ads running, you gotta pull them. It's not as simple as turning off a light switch." Difficult as it may be, that's a decision self-published authors will increasingly be forced to make.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ai-might-undermine-one-of-the-better-alternatives-to-the-kindle-123039955.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Puzzle platformers, desktop aquariums and other new indie games worth checking out

Welcome to the latest edition of our indie game roundup. We’ve got quite a bit on deck this week, starting with a few nuggets of news. In case you missed it, the Steam Summer Sale is upon us, which means there are bargains galore on the storefront (we’ve rounded up <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-steam-summer-sale-is-live-with-a-fresh-batch-of-big-discounts-190844050.html">some of the tastier deals</a>). If you're anything like me, you'll end up buying a bunch of games that you'll never end up playing but hope to get to some day. In any case, good luck with your deal hunting! I read an interesting story on <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.gamedeveloper.com/production/how-co-op-climbing-hit-peak-achieved-2-million-sales-for-less-than-200-000-?utm_source=dlvr.it"><ins>Game Developer</ins></a> this week about <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3527290/PEAK/"><ins>Peak</ins></a>, a co-op climbing game from Aggro Crab (Another Crab's Treasure, which I absolutely loved) and Landfall (Content Warning). A team of seven developers made the bulk of the game during a month-long retreat earlier this year. The two studios relied largely on their community managers — who'd done a fantastic job drumming up interest for their previous games — to hype up Peak. <div id="d4bde4835a85436394d794df2c65a920"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> A combination of factors such as smart marketing (that title is peak), the game's ability to deliver funny moments that could go viral and a low price helped Peak to sell more than 2 million copies in 9 days. This is a cool success story for a game that cost about $200,000 to make. Here’s hoping more small studios find ways to collaborate like this. As a comparison, <a href="https://x.com/remedygames/status/1938250909865410867"><ins>Remedy says</ins></a> FBC: Firebreak hit 1 million players after eight days, and that game is on PlayStation and Xbox subscription services. Meanwhile, Microsoft has <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fan-made-halo-game-gets-xboxs-blessing-but-microsoft-had-one-request/1100-6532693/">rubber-stamped</a> a free, fan-made Halo-themed game in the vein of Vampire Survivors. Spartan Survivors, from JuanGGZ, is <a href="http://itch.io/"><ins>out on Itch.io</ins></a> and it’s coming to Steam and Xbox later this year. <h2 id="jump-link-new-releases">New releases</h2> <div id="37d94e1d1f7943e193ef3566662d0a6b"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> After debuting on PC last year and making its way to iOS in February, I Am Your Beast landed on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S this week. From the remarkably prolific Strange Scaffold (<a href="https://www.engadget.com/clickolding-from-the-i-am-your-beast-devs-looks-like-a-clicking-nightmare-180504296.html"><ins>Clickolding</ins></a>, <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-tactical-takedown-comes-out-on-may-22-191533579.html"><ins>TMNT: Tactical Takedown</ins></a> and El Paso, Elsewhere), this stylish, stealthy first-person shooter has been widely acclaimed and now console players can check out what the fuss is all about. In addition, the studio this week updated the iOS version of I Am Your Beast with all of the game's DLC. <div id="d739a2fac20c466796e217eeb45e0f2b"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> Ruffy and the Riverside is a 3D puzzle platformer with charming, hand-drawn art from Zockrates Laboratories and publisher Phiphen Games. The perspective switches to 2D in some sections, in a similar fashion to Super Mario Odyssey. What might help this game stand out is that it has a feature called SWAP, which enables you to copy the texture from one item and paste it onto another. So you might turn a waterfall into foliage so you can climb it or convert ice into lava. Ruffy and the Riverside is out now on Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. <div id="17b90e3e28c54d8795268abaa1e58581"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> Quantum Witch is an adventure platformer in which the plot is shaped by your decisions. Even the side quests have multiple endings, so it seems like there's a lot going on here. Solo developer NikkiJay has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/article/2024/aug/31/quantum-witch-where-religious-cults-collide-with-80s-spectrum-games"><ins>described this</ins></a> as a "queer emancipation story" in which main character Ren takes back agency over her life. I'm interested in checking this one out, not least because the pretty pixel art and droll humor remind me of the Monkey Island games I loved so much as a kid. Quantum Witch is out now on <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3100650/Quantum_Witch/"><ins>Steam</ins></a>. <div id="57becca41948422ebb1eafe8a400ddc3"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> Antro looks like it's cut from a similar cloth as Playdead's Limbo and Inside. However, this rhythm-based puzzle platformer (from Gatera Studio and publishers Selecta Play and Astrolabe Games) is set to the beats of hip-hop, drill, R&B and electronic music. Here, you play as a courier in a city that emerges below the ruins of Barcelona following a global catastrophe. Music and freedom (among other things) are banned here, but a rebellion is rising against the tech-dominated dictatorship that's in charge. Antro is out now on <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1861250/Antro/"><ins>Steam</ins></a>, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. <div id="515448c8b3c245ffae504b6e85ed75d6"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> Idle games that sit on your screen all day long are having a real moment. For instance, Bongo Cat is near the top of the Steam most-played charts with concurrent player numbers in the hundreds of thousands. <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/2581950/Tiny_Aquarium_Social_Fishkeeping/"><ins>Tiny Aquarium: Social Fishkeeping</ins></a>, from Lunheim Studios and publisher Future Friends Games, is one of the newest games in the genre. This is billed as a cozy game in which you can hatch and sell fish, decorate your aquarium and (of course) go fishing. You can visit your friends' aquariums (and those of other players) too. It all seems cute and charming enough, and I don't think having it in the corner of my screen would distract me too much while I'm crafting <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/who-is-this-final-six-minute-death-stranding-2-trailer-actually-for-161728737.html"><ins>the hottest of takes</ins></a>. <h2 id="jump-link-upcoming">Upcoming</h2> <div id="db4edca0f85e4ac7b4e59c8234f8865e"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> There are a lot of things I love about Flock Off! already. The name, the fact it's set in my homeland of Scotland and that it's an alternate history take on the story of Dolly the Sheep — the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. In this first-person action title from Bunkhouse Games, you and up to three allies will have to use whatever's at your disposal to fend off zombie sheep. Just about anything can be used as a weapon, including a baguette, leek, traffic cone, your friends and a lawnmower that you wield in the fashion of Dead Alive. Flock Off! is coming to <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3021550/Flock_Off/">Steam</a> later this year, but it's already alive in my heart. <div id="9afd1642d318487d8c092e5a2425978c"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> Several years ago, <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019-06-04-look-mum-no-computer-interview.html"><ins>we interviewed musician Sam Battle</ins></a> (aka Look Mum No Computer) about his wild DIY synth projects. Battle has since teamed up with developer The Bitfather and publisher Headup to make a twin-stick shooter in which you can make your own music. In this game, also called Look Mum No Computer, you'll craft and upgrade synth modules. These also function as your weapons that you'll use to battle rogue components to fix electronics. It's such a cool concept and it now has a release date. Look Mum No Computer is bound for Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG on July 24. <div id="4ada2c541f6e4baf8ed4c0cf68ec095b"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> I have to admit, though I've been aware of Firefighting Simulator: Ignite for a while, it wasn't really grabbing my attention. But the release date trailer included a very important piece of information. Those who pre-order this game — from Construction Simulator studio weltenbauer. Software Entwicklung GmbH and publisher astragon Entertainment GmbH — will get a pack that includes a cool vintage helmet and an absolutely adorable Dalmatian called Simi for their firehouse. Firefighting Simulator: Ignite is a co-op firefighting game with more than 35 missions. It's coming to <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1669480/Firefighting_Simulator_Ignite/"><ins>PC</ins></a>, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on September 9.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/puzzle-platformers-desktop-aquariums-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110029438.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Trump ends trade talks with Canada over a digital services tax

President Donald Trump said the US is ending trade talks with Canada, effective immediately, over a tax on digital services that will impact American tech companies. He also pledged to announce further tariffs on Canada within the next week, adding in a <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114756567645919781"><ins>Truth Social post</ins></a> that "they will be paying to do business with the United States of America." Canada's digital services tax (DST) is set to take effect on June 30, though it will be applied retroactively. According to <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/business/trump-ends-canada-trade-talks.html"><ins>The New York Times</ins></a>, US companies are preparing to pay around $2.7 billion to the Canadian government to cover a three percent tax on revenue they generated from users in the country. Companies including Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber and Airbnb are subject to the levy, as things stand.  In his post on Friday, Trump called the DST "a direct and blatant attack on our country." Amid trade talks with the US, Canada's finance minister, François-Philippe Champagne, said this month that the country had <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-digital-services-tax-1.7565966"><ins>no plans to hit the pause button on the DST</ins></a>. Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney previously <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-carney-trade-war-1.7562351"><ins>said</ins></a> they aimed to reach a trade deal by around July 20. Since taking office in January, Trump has been using tariffs as a negotiating tactic with other nations. The US <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/27/us-china-rare-earth-shipments-deal"><ins>reached a trade deal</ins></a> with China over rare earth minerals this week, and it is soon set to reimpose some of the levies that were <a href="https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-announces-90-day-pause-on-tariffs-excluding-china-195630212.html"><ins>put on hold in April for 90 days</ins></a>.  The DST has been a bone of contention between the US and Canada for years. The Biden administration <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2024/august/united-states-requests-usmca-dispute-settlement-consultations-canadas-digital-services-tax"><ins>formally challenged</ins></a> the levy last year under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.  Other jurisdictions have considered or enacted a similar tax. It was reported in May that Germany is <a href="https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/germany-is-considering-a-10-percent-digital-service-tax-on-us-tech-giants-195705330.html"><ins>mulling a 10 percent levy</ins></a> on platforms such as Google and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-ends-trade-talks-with-canada-over-a-digital-services-tax-192322721.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

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