Go Here to Read this Fast! NYT Connections: hints and answers for Wednesday, January 8
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NYT Connections: hints and answers for Wednesday, January 8
Go Here to Read this Fast! Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for January 8
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Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for January 8
Go Here to Read this Fast! 3 great British TV crime shows you need to watch in January 2025
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3 great British TV crime shows you need to watch in January 2025
As Engadget’s chief The Last of Us correspondent, I was pretty pumped to find out during Sony’s CES 2025 press conference that season two of the HBO show would come out in April. But Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann also teased an “location-based experience exhibit” that would transport participants into the tunnels of Seattle filled with Infected. That’s an area straight out of The Last of Us Part II, and today I got a chance to try the proof-of-concept experience. It was short, minimal, and a little rough, but it was also another good example of how Sony is trying to take its tentpole franchises from PlayStation and put them in entirely different experiences.
Unfortunately, Sony had a strict “no cameras or videos” policy for this experience, so you’ll have to rely on my words and a little video the company showed about the tech behind it.
I entered the experience with three other participants after a quick run-down of the gear we’d use: two of us got shotguns, and two got flashlights (sadly I was stuck with a flashlight). Both have a bunch of small sensors attached to the front so that they could interact with the environment we entered; the flashlight felt like a real flashlight with some sensors on the end, but the guns were crude tubes with a handle and trigger; the trigger felt pretty good from my quick test of it before we got started. There are also sensors on the barrel of the gun that detect a “pump” motion to reload it.
Once we were outfitted, an actor playing a member of an unnamed militia briefed us on the mission: some of our fellow mercenaries disappeared in the Seattle subways — perhaps kidnapped by the WLF, perhaps taken down by Infected. Our job was to find him… what could go wrong?
Our guide directed me and the other flashlight-holder to start lighting up the subway station — which was created by three giant screens surrounding us. The walls of the room were made of LED panels, and the sensors on the flashlights interacted with them to track my moment. I needed to be pretty close to the screens for it to recognize my flashlight, but it was pretty cool to be lighting up a virtual environment in real time.
Then, of course, a clicker scream puts the group on high alert — and given that it came from a specific location we all swing our flashlights in that direction to identify the threat. Just as in the game, though, the disgusting infected creature shambled closer to us, let out another scream and came charging forward, at which point the shotgunners blasted away with abandon. That noise brought more Infected charging into the space; I would light them up with the flashlight and my partner shot them down.
Things calmed down, momentarily — then a massive subway car started sliding out of its precarious place, which trigged one of the demo’s coolest effects. The floor was rigged for haptic feedback, and while we had felt it rumble at various disturbances, this was by far the biggest impact. The combo of the visuals, audio and haptics all made it feel, well, immersive. I certainly didn’t forget I was in a demo, but it was cool nonetheless. Beyond the floor haptics, Sony says that there are even scents pumped into the room to further the atmosphere, but I wasn’t able to detect anything myself.
Then we got the obligatory cameo from The Last of Us Part II co-protagonist Ellie and her companion Dina, as they scrambled away from Infected who start chasing them down. One knocked Ellie down and started ripping at her throat until Dina caught up and pulled it off her, at which point they sprinted away. Unfortunately, the disturbance brought a massive swarm of monsters coming at us, which brought on the big battle of the experience. I started illuminating the hordes and my companion blasted them down, but then dozens started overwhelming the screens and the screams got more and more intense until everything cut to black as our crew was overrun. That’s that!
I’m not judging the experience too harshly, because Sony was clear both in its press conference and before we tried it that this is a very early proof of concept. The main thing that pulled me out of it was that the space we were in is static — there’s no way to run away or move beyond the boundaries of what we were presented with. And then, as I mentioned, you needed to be relatively close to the “walls” for them to recognize the flashlight or gun, which meant that if you backed up to take in the scope of the space you gear might not work.
The other thing is that I think the barrier to it being truly scary or more immersive is that I couldn’t ignore the fact that the threat was on a screen rather than in the room with me. There’s no doubt that having full control in an environment like this would be a wild way to play a game like this, but it was all just a little too on the rails and removed from the space I was in.
I’m trying to track down anyone from Sony who can tell me more about the genesis for this idea as well as where they see it going in the future. But Sony and Naughty Dog have already brought The Last of Us to a variety of other media, and this feels like a more high-tech vision of what Sony did in conjunction with Universal Studios when it brought the franchise to the Halloween Horror Nights that happens at the theme parks. Whether this is a one-off curiosity or something we see down the line in a more complete fashion, though, remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sonys-immersive-the-last-of-us-experience-at-ces-2025-dropped-me-into-a-subway-filled-with-zombies-140010550.html?src=rss
Last year, Honda teased its first two homegrown EVs with the Series 0 Saloon and Space-Hub. But now at CES 2025, those vehicles are getting one step closer to production by graduating from concepts to prototypes while getting updated names along the way: the Honda 0 Saloon and 0 SUV.
But while we wait for them to officially hit the road sometime in 2026, I wanted to take a closer look at the evolved styling of Honda’s upcoming electric cars. Particularly the 0 SUV, not only because it’s gotten a much larger facelift, but lets admit it, it’s what we in the crossover-hungry US really want.
On the outside, the Honda’s 0 SUV looks like a mix between the Polestar 3 and the Hyundai Ioniq 9. It’s got a really minimalist, almost spaceship-like design that eschews that teardrop shape you see in a lot of other EV SUVs for something slightly boxier. This gives you more headroom for rear seat passengers and tons of extra vertical cargo space in back. The SUV’s pixelated headlights help reinforce its digital pedigree while I think Honda did a much better job in back of trying to make a clean and simple rear end without ending up a huge blank slate like on the Ioniq 9.
The 0 SUV’s overall proportions almost make it look like a tall, lifted wagon, especially when sat next to the 0 saloon. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Inside, Honda continues with the clean lines, though I wouldn’t necessarily read much into the general placement and look of its screens and dash. Like a lot of pre-production cars, those details are very much subject to change before its design is properly finalized. Same goes for those side-view cameras, which due to US laws, still don’t comply with regulations. However, Honda’s streamlined cabin does line up with the company’s “Thin, Light and Wise” design philosophy, which includes the move to a steer-by-wire driving system instead of relying on more traditional physical linkages.
But enough talking, let’s check out the cars.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/a-closer-look-at-the-slick-honda-0-suv-and-saloon-prototypes-at-ces-2025-134550129.html?src=rss
Go Here to Read this Fast! A closer look at the slick Honda 0 SUV and Saloon prototypes at CES 2025
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A closer look at the slick Honda 0 SUV and Saloon prototypes at CES 2025
A spinning VR gaming chair sounds like it would be an at-home vomitron. The virtual reality environment tends to make some people (like me) queasy as it is, so adding synchronized full-body rotation seems like a recipe for disaster. I was kind of prepared for the worst when I decided to try out the $800 Roto VR Explorer at CES 2025, which uses a head-tracker that attaches to the top of Meta Quest devices and other headsets to make a swivel chair turn in whatever direction you’re looking. But against all odds, I ended up having a pretty good time.
In addition to enhancing the experience of seated VR gaming, the chair is actually supposed to help with issues like motion sickness, because, according to the press materials, “the signals from your inner ear will match what your brain is expecting from the visual cues.” Still, I was a little nervous, and it didn’t help that as we approached the booth, the first thing we saw was an empty chair spinning on its own in the corner like an omen.
The Roto VR Explorer is a Made for Meta product, meaning it’s optimized for Quest, but it’ll work with standalone headsets like those in the HTC Vive family and “soon” the Apple Vision Pro. The chair itself weighs 66 pounds, so it felt really sturdy to sit in, and it has a rumble pack under the seat to bring haptic feedback to the rest of your body instead of just in your hands from the controllers. The head tracker, which looks like a flattened Poké Ball, clips onto the top strap of the headset.
After the Roto team gave me the rundown and got me set up in the chair with a Quest 3, I selected my VR experience — the 2018 interactive documentary about the universe, Spheres — and got going. It was, without a doubt, a little weird at first when I turned my head to follow the path of rippling auroras and felt my body rotate as if I were a spice jar on a lazy Susan. But for the most part, it didn’t have that disorienting feeling of the ground shifting underneath you. (It was definitely lagging a bit on the congested show floor, which did lead to some out-of-sync, jerky movements). It only took a minute or so for me to stop focusing on the fact that I was in motion and just go with it.
For something like Spheres, where you’re just sort of moseying through beautiful visuals and curiously interacting with the virtual environment, the Roto VR Explorer is actually really nice. If you’re in a faster-paced setting, like a first-person shooter, it’s only going to ramp up the tension. I tried turning my head quickly to the side back and forth a few times to see how it would work with that sort of movement, and it really goes when it’s running smoothly. The chair moves at max speed of 21 revolutions per minute, but you can reduce this with the controllers if that gets to be too much.
I fully expected to be doing a lot of deep breathing to get through the demo, but there actually never was a point that I felt nauseated. And when I got up out of it and reentered real life, I didn’t feel any more wobbly-legged and confused than I usually do after spending time behind a headset (though I’m sure using it for a few hours straight would change that). I’m mostly just relieved I didn’t throw up in front of a bunch of strangers.
There are plenty of situations in which a person might want or need to do their VR gaming sitting down, and the Roto VR Explorer chair offers a pretty fun way to bring the immersion to another level. It’s available for purchase now, with upgrade packages — including Pro Flying and Pro Racing — expected to follow in August 2025.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/this-spinning-vr-chair-at-ces-2025-somehow-didnt-make-me-feel-like-throwing-up-133040191.html?src=rss
Ex-employees of Annapurna Interactive who quit en masse last year have reportedly found their next project. According to Bloomberg, the team is taking over the games and franchises of Private Division, a former Take-Two label that published indie games.
A new enterprise that doesn’t have a name as yet is said to have been formed and it appears that some of the remaining 20 or so employees of Private Division will be laid off as part of the transition. Take-Two said in November that it had sold Private Division (which published The Outer Worlds and physical copies of Hades) to an unnamed buyer, reportedly a private equity firm called Haveli Investments.
Haveli is said to have brought in the former Annapurna employees in recent weeks and handed them the keys to Private Division’s portfolio. That includes an upcoming cozy life sim based on The Lord of the Rings called Tales of the Shire, the Kerbal Space Program series and a new project from Game Freak, which is best known for making Pokémon games.
The entire Annapurna Interactive staff quit last summer after discussions to spin out the publisher from parent company Annapurna Pictures fell apart. The company then set out to replace the team.
Annapurna has a stellar track record in the indie realm, having published a string of highly regarded games such as Stray, Sayonara Wild Hearts, What Remains of Edith Finch, Cocoon and (slightly confusingly) Outer Wilds. So there’s reason for optimism that its former staffers can do great things with the Private Division portfolio. Fingers crossed that this also somehow portends a future for OlliOlli and the brilliant Rollerdrome. Both were developed by Roll7, a now-shuttered studio that was under Private Division’s umbrella.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/former-annapurna-interactive-staff-are-reportedly-taking-over-publisher-private-divisions-game-portfolio-133033714.html?src=rss
In summer 2023, the Biden administration announced its plan to certify devices with a logo indicating powerful cybersecurity. Now, as Biden navigates his last couple weeks in office, the White House has launched the US Cyber Trust Mark. The green shield logo will adorn any product which passes accreditation tests established by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The program will open to companies “soon,” allowing them to submit products to an accredited lab for compliance testing. “The US Cyber Trust Mark embodies public-private collaboration,” the White House stated in a release. “It connects companies, consumers, and the US government by incentivizing companies to build products securely against established security standards and gives consumers an added measure of assurance — through the label — that their smart device is cybersafe.” Some companies, like Best Buy and Amazon, plan to showcase labeled products for consumer’s easy discovery.
Steps to get the program up and running have continued over the last year and a half. In March, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the program in a bipartisan, unanimous vote. Last month, the Commission issued 11 companies with conditional approval to act as Cybersecurity Label Administrators.
The White House’s original announcement included plans to also create a QR code linking to a database of the products — its unclear if this aspect will move forward. The QR code would allow customers to check if the product was up-to-date with its cybersecurity checks.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/devices-with-strong-cybersecurity-can-now-apply-for-a-government-seal-of-approval-131553198.html?src=rss
Originally appeared here:
Devices with strong cybersecurity can now apply for a government seal of approval
RollAway combines the luxuries of a high-end hotel with the freedom of camping, all in a drivable, eco-friendly package. RollAway is a camper-van rental service that offers an on-demand concierge who can plan your trip, direct you along the way, provide tips about the best spots to visit, and keep your space equipped with five-star amenities. The van has a seating area that transforms into a queen bed, a kitchen with a sink and dual-burner stovetop, a shower, toilet, lots of storage, and a panoramic roof. When the van’s rear rolling door is pulled down, it acts as a screen for the included projector.
But that’s just all the built-in stuff. RollAway also comes with a lineup of top-tier amenities, including Yeti coolers and cups, Starlink satellite Wi-Fi, locally sourced breakfast packages, Malin+Goetz toiletries, fresh linens, and a tablet loaded with hospitality services. The tablet gives you access to a live virtual concierge and the Hospitality On-Demand app, which houses your itinerary, room service and housekeeping requests. In the future, RollAway will offer a full housekeeping service, but that feature isn’t live quite yet.
Best of all, RollAway is a sustainability-focused, zero-emissions endeavor. The vans are fully electric, courtesy of GM’s EV subsidiary BrightDrop, and they have a single-charge range of more than 270 miles. They also have a fast charging option. The vans have solar panels, a waterless toilet, and low-waste water systems for serious off-grid trips, or they can be fully hooked up at RV sites.
We took a quick tour of a RollAway van at CES 2025 and found it to be as luxurious as advertised. The kitchen table slides into the seating area when it’s not in use, creating a fairly open hangout space at the very back of the van. The kitchen felt plenty large for camping purposes, and the most cramped space was the bathroom, which held a toilet and a sliver of a hand-washing sink. All of the finishing touches seemed sturdy and looked sleek. We were deeply tempted to drive right off the show floor in the thing.
RollAway just started booking trips in late 2024, and the service is almost fully reserved throughout 2025. Reservations cost around $400 a night. It’s available only in the San Francisco Bay Area for now, but more cities are coming soon. RollAway had a successful funding round on Indiegogo in 2023, raising more than $47,000 of a $20,000 goal.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/rollaway-is-a-rentable-ev-camper-van-with-a-concierge-service-and-luxury-amenities-130025021.html?src=rss
Originally appeared here:
RollAway is a rentable EV camper van with a concierge service and luxury amenities
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced yesterday that the company is swinging away from its efforts to corral its content. Meta is suspending its fact-checking program to move to an X-style Community Notes model on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. We go into detail on the changes Meta promised, but is the company attempting to court the new Trump presidency?
Well, alongside donating to Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, replacing policy chief Nick Clegg with a former George W. Bush aide and even adding Trump’s buddy (and UFC CEO) Dana White to its board… yeah. Probably.
Meta blocked Trump from using his accounts on its platforms for years after he stoked the flames of the attempted coup of January 6, 2021. At the time, Zuckerberg said, “His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world.”
But who cares about that when you could get some sweet favor with the incoming administration? Zuckerberg, who revealed the change on Fox News, said Trump’s election win is part of the reasoning behind Meta’s policy shift, calling it “a cultural tipping point” on free speech. He said the company will work with Trump to push back against other governments, including China.
He added, “Europe has an ever-increasing number of laws institutionalizing censorship and making it difficult to build anything innovative there.” It’s not innovative to copy everything rival social networks do, Mark. Also, pay your fines, Mark.
Alongside Zuckerberg’s video, Meta had a blog post — “More Speech and Fewer Mistakes” — detailing incoming changes and policy shifts — or more lies and fewer consequences.
— Mat Smith
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Google is integrating Gemini capabilities into its smart home platform via devices, like the Nest Audio, Nest Hub and Nest Cameras, and at CES we finally got to see them in action. The main takeaway is that conversations with Google Assistant will feel more natural. Possibly the most impressive trick we saw was the case of the missing cookies. The rep asked the Nest Hub what happened to the cookies on the counter, and it pulled footage from a connected Nest Cam, showing a dog walking into a kitchen, swiping a cookie and scampering off. Cheeky. These Gemini-improved smarts will reach Nest Aware subscribers in a public preview later this year. Subscribers? Cheeky.
In case you missed it, Gemini is also coming to Google-powered TVs.
Following Anker’s thrilling solar beach umbrella, we’re moving onto accessories. EcoFlow’s Solar hat is a floppy number able to charge two devices at a time. EcoFlow says it’ll output a maximum of 5V / 2.4A, so you can expect it to keep your phone or tablet topped up, if not power anything more substantial. Fashion victims can rejoice: It’s already on sale for $129. The Solar hat also marks the start of my favorite part of CES coverage: compromising pictures of our editors looking goofy in tech. Wait until you see Cherlynn Low tomorrow.
I don’t know why this is the year everyone’s going hard on truly innovating with robot vacuums, but here we are. Dreame’s new model doesn’t have an arm, but it can climb stairs. For just $1,699.
Ready to supplant the beefy Legion Go, Lenovo is announcing a slightly more portable version called the Legion Go S, supporting two OSes: Windows 11 and SteamOS. The specs on both are nearly identical, with either an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip or the Z1 Extreme APU Lenovo used on the previous model, up to 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD and a 55.5Wh battery. Compared to the original Legion Go, the S features a smaller but still large 8-inch 120 Hz OLED display (down from 8.8 inches) with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution and VRR instead of 2,560 x 1,600 144Hz panel like on the original. That should translate to a better battery life, but we’ll have to see when we eventually get one to test.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121616843.html?src=rss
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The Morning After: Meta gives up on fact checking for Facebook and Instagram