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Since last spring, OpenAI has offered Codex. What started life as the company's response to Claude Code is becoming something more sophisticated with the release of a new dedicated macOS app. At its most basic form, Codex is a programming agent capable of writing code for users, but now it can also manage multiple AI assistants that can work together to complete more complex tasks.

OpenAI gives an example of how this could work in practice. The company used Codex to create a Mario Kart-like racing game, complete with a selection of different playable cars, eight tracks and a collection of powerups players can use against the competition. For a single AI agent, generating a game from scratch, with all the needed visual assets, would be a tough ask, but Codex was able to complete the task because it could delegate the work of making the game to different models with complementary capabilities. 

For example, it turned to GPT Image for the visual assets, while a separate model simultaneously coded the web game. "It took on the roles of designer, game developer and QA tester to validate its work by actually playing the game," OpenAI says of the process. 

If that sounds complicated, OpenAI has tried to make it more approachable with a section of the app titled Skills. The feature bundles “instructions, resources, and scripts so Codex can reliably connect to tools, run workflows, and complete tasks according to your team’s preferences," the company explains. "The Codex app includes a dedicated interface to create and manage skills. You can explicitly ask Codex to use specific skills, or let it automatically use them based on the task at hand."

As you might imagine, Codex can also automate repetitive tasks. A dedicated Automations section of the app allows you to schedule tasks, which the software will complete in the background. "At OpenAI, we’ve been using Automations to handle the repetitive but important tasks, like daily issue triage, finding and summarizing CI failures, generating daily release briefs, checking for bugs, and more," the company said. 

The release of the Codex macOS app comes as AI startups explore what a group of AI agents working in parallel can accomplish. At the start of the year, Anysphere, the company behind Cursor, found it was possible to build a working web browser from scratch using such an approach, though it did encounter problems along the way. 

For a limited time, OpenAI is making Codex available to ChatGPT Free and Go users so they can see what's possible with this new software. At the same time, the company is doubling rates for Plus and Pro subscribers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-brings-its-codex-coding-app-to-mac-with-new-multi-agent-abilities-included-183103262.html?src=rss

While it's important to stay informed about what's going on in the world, endlessly scrolling through your social media feeds and absorbing what's likely to be a largely negative influx of information can't be great for your mental wellbeing. Perhaps with an eye on stopping you from doomscrolling, developer Lyra Rebane created Xikipedia, a social media-style feed of Wikipedia entries.

The web app algorithmically displays info from Simple Wikipedia. "It is made as a demonstration of how even a basic non-[machine learning] algorithm with no data from other users can quickly learn what you engage with to suggest you more similar content," the Xikipedia landing page reads. "No data is collected or shared here, the algorithm runs locally and the data disappears once you refresh or close the tab."

You can opt to see entries from certain categories (including custom ones) and you can like “posts,” each of which is a summary of the relevant Simple Wikipedia entry. Liking a post makes it more likely for posts from the same category, parent categories and linked articles to appear in your feed, Rebane explained.

You can click or tap on a post to visit the full article. It's important to note that, since Xikipedia pulls text and images from random articles, you'll probably see some NSFW material if you scroll for long enough, so be warned. You'll also likely need to wait a beat for Xikipedia to load its 40MB of data.

As someone who has a bookmark that takes me to a random Wikipedia article whenever I click it, I love the idea of Xikipedia. The Simple English Wikipedia has more than 278,000 articles, so there are hundreds of thousands of posts available to scroll through. However, it doesn’t seem to be updated as often as the main version of Wikipedia. The discography section of one musician's page I ended up on was missing their two most recent albums. Still, it's worth treating this like Wikipedia proper: as a starting point for discovering new things (sort of in the tradition of StumbleUpon).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/a-developer-turned-wikipedia-into-a-social-media-style-feed-174924280.html?src=rss

It looks like Grok is still being gross. Elon Musk says his chatbot stopped making sexualized images without a person's consent, but The Verge recently discovered this is not entirely true. It maybe (and I say maybe) stopped undressing women without their consent, but this doesn't seem to apply to men.

A reporter with the organization ran some tests with Grok and found that the bot "readily undresses men and is still churning out intimate images on demand." He confirmed this with images of himself, asking Grok to remove clothing from uploaded photos. It performed this task for free on the Grok app, via the chatbot interface on X and via the standalone website. The website didn't even require an account to digitally alter images.

The company recently said it has taken steps to "prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis." However, the reporter had no problem getting the chatbot to put him in "a variety of bikinis." It also generated images of the subject in fetish gear and in a "parade of provocative sexual positions." It even generated a "naked companion" for the reporter to, uh, interact with.

He suggested that Grok took the initiative to generate genitalia, which was not asked for and was visible through mesh underwear. The reporter said that "Grok rarely resisted" any prompts, though requests were sometimes censored with a blurred-out image.

This controversy started several weeks ago when it was discovered that Grok had generated millions of sexualized images over a period of 11 days. This includes many nonconsensual deepfakes of actual people and over 23,000 sexualized images of children. This led to investigations in both California and Europe. X was actually banned in both Indonesia and Malaysia, though the former has since lifted that ban.

X claimed it has "implemented technological measures" to stop this sort of thing, but these safeguards have proven to be flimsy. In other words, the adjustments do stop some of the more obvious ways to get Grok to create deepfakes, but there are still methods to get around this via creative prompting.

It's also worth noting that journalists asking for a comment on the matter get slapped with an autoreply that reads "legacy media lies." Going with the fake news thing in 2026? Yikes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-which-maybe-stopped-undressing-women-without-their-consent-still-undresses-men-170750752.html?src=rss

It's become cliche to say that we live in a golden age of board games, but to paraphrase the great stoic philosopher Andy Bernard, it's great to know you're in the good old days before you've left them. Great titles are still coming out by the thousands every year, from crowd-pleasing party games to genre-bending, theme-heavy Euros. Whether the gamer in your life is looking for a mind-warping challenge, a fun evening with friends or something in-between, we've got new releases or old favorites they'll love.

Best board games to gift and play

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-board-games-to-gift-and-play-this-year-125529271.html?src=rss

Almost three years after starting the bargaining process with Microsoft, quality assurance workers at two Blizzard locations have ratified a union contract. The agreement covers 60 workers at Blizzard Albany and Blizzard Austin.

The agreement includes guaranteed pay increases across the three years of the contract, assurances that workers will be given fair credits and recognition on games that ship, discrimination-free disability accommodations, restrictions on crunch (i.e. mandatory overtime) and "protection to immigrant workers from unfair discipline and loss of seniority while streamlining legal verification." Stronger rules around the use of AI are included in the contract as well.

“At a time when layoffs are hitting our industry hard, today is another big step in building a better future for video game workers at every level,” Blizzard Albany quality analyst Brock Davis said in a statement. “For quality assurance testers, this contract provides us wages to live on, increased job security benefits and guardrails around artificial intelligence in the workplace.”

As with other unions in Microsoft's game divisions, the Blizzard QA workers organized with the Communications Workers of America. This marks the third union agreement at Microsoft after ZeniMax and Raven Software workers ratified contracts last summer. Several other Blizzard divisions have unionized within the last year, including the cinematics team, Overwatch developers and a unit that works on Diablo.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/blizzards-quality-assurance-workers-finally-have-a-union-contract-162614979.html?src=rss

While the main series might be over, Netflix is far from done with Stranger Things. The first spin-off to hit the streaming service will be Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85. The company had said that the animated show would arrive sometime this year and now, alongside a new trailer, it confirmed a release date of April 23. 

The trailer is a bit of an odd watch given that Stranger Things wrapped up only a month ago. Going from that to this animated style with a whole new voice cast is jarring, but a fun gag at the end of the clip taps into certain misconceptions the audience might have.

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 is set during the winter between seasons 2 and 3 of the original show. After Eleven closes the gate to the Upside Down, some nasties from the other dimension still persist in our heroes' world. The trailer doesn't give too much away on the story front otherwise, but there's a suitably hairy moment involving a circular saw.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/stranger-things-tales-from-85-hits-netflix-on-april-23-150436136.html?src=rss

TikTok is finally "back to normal" in the US after days of technical issues and outages tied to winter storms. Less than a week after companies like Oracle took ownership of TikTok's domestic operations, the platform faced a major power outage when one of its primary US data center sites — run by Oracle — got taken down by the storm. 

The problems started last Monday, January 26, when TikTok announced it was working on a "major infrastructure issue" and warned of bugs, time-out requests, missing earnings, and more. The next day TikTok shared that progress has been made but there were still some issues. It added, "Creators may temporarily see '0' views or likes on videos, and your earnings may look like they're missing. This is a display error caused by server timeouts; your actual data and engagement are safe."

Then, yesterday, February 1, TikTok claimed the problem was straightened out and that users shouldn't experience any more related issues. "We're sorry about the issues experienced by our U.S. community. We appreciate how much you count on TikTok to create, discover, and connect with what matters to you," the platform stated in its update. "Thank you for your patience and understanding."

A number of US users have uninstalled TikTok in response to its new ownership and technical issues. Some users also claimed that TikTok was censoring what they could post or what others saw. For instance, The Guardian reports that many people faced issues sharing videos about ICE agents killing Alex Pretti and general anti-ICE content. 

On January 26, analytics firm Sensor Tower told CNBC that uninstalls of the app had increased by over 150 percent during the five days since its change in ownership, when compared to the three months before. At the same time, independent app and competitor UpScrolled saw a surge in downloads. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/tiktok-says-its-back-to-normal-after-winter-storm-related-outages-114848212.html?src=rss

To see a film the way the creators intended, you really need a projector. A good one can show a bright, sharp image up to 250 inches in size for an immersive experience that no TV can match — and usually at a much lower price. Plus, they’re great for immersive gaming with consoles and PCs.

Thanks to companies like Anker and Valerion, projectors are starting to be seen as a must-have item for cinephiles and outdoor party screenings alike. That means there are a wide variety of choices, ranging from classic ceiling-mounted models to battery-powered projectors you can take on a camping trick. You can also choose from dozens of ultra short throw (UST) models for a more TV-like installation.

But compared to TVs, projectors remain a bit more confusing for a majority of buyers. This guide will fill you in on important details to consider like brightness, type (classic, portable and ultra short throw) and other factors to help you choose the best model for your setup.

Best projectors for 2026

Some projectors are for serious cinephiles, projecting sharp 4K video with HDR brightness and hyper realistic colors to a large screen. Others are bright enough to replace your TV for sports or gaming, and some low-cost portable models can be set up for camping or outdoor fun. That’s why we’ve divided this guide into several categories to help you find the right one.

What to consider when buying a projector

For a deep dive on projector technology check my previous explainer, but there are few key things to keep in mind. What will the projector mainly be used for? What type of room will it be used in? And how big of an image do you want? You’ll also see a variety of specifications that may be confusing, so here are a few to consider and what they mean.

Brightness and contrast

Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens; the brighter the projector, typically the more expensive it will be. 1,500-2,500 lumens is good for darkened rooms, 3,000-4,000 lumens allows you to see with some ambient light and 4,000+ lumens is bright enough to use in direct sunlight. High contrast is important for detail, because projectors are more sensitive to things like ambient light and reflections.

Laser projectors offer the most brightness and they are entering the mainstream with models costing well under $2,000. Below that, you’re looking at projectors with bulbs. Aside from brightness, laser projectors have an advantage in that the light source lasts 10,000 hours or more, compared to 2,000 hours maximum for bulb projectors.

DLP vs LCD

Digital light processing units (DLPs) used by Optoma, BenQ, LG and others allow bright 4K images. The negative is that they can produce a “rainbow” effect, or red/blue/green artifacts that affect some viewers more than others. LCDs are used mainly by Epson, but also Sony and Sanyo. Those are often brighter, more color accurate and don’t produce rainbow effects, but are also more expensive and susceptible to image degradation over time.

Resolution

If you want a true 4K projector, beware: only expensive models have native 4K resolution (many movie theaters still use 2K projectors for various reasons). However, most DLP projectors and some LCD models can use pixel-shifting to attain 4K resolution.

HDR and color accuracy

Projectors can’t produce anywhere close to the amount of light required to qualify as true HDR. Rather, they use a technique called tone mapping to fit the entire HDR gamut into a lower brightness range. That said, many projectors can display millions of colors, with some models surpassing the color accuracy of TVs and monitors.

UST vs. classic

Classic projectors and screens can be mounted on the ceiling so they’re great if you have no floor space. They can also project a larger video for a truly cinematic experience. UST projectors mount on the floor right next to the screen so they can take the place of a TV. They don’t beam as big an image but are generally brighter, sharper and more expensive. For best results, they require special screens.

Elite Starling Mounting and fan noise

Ceiling mounting requires some work and don’t forget to budget for a bracket and any necessary long cables, including extra power for a Google Chromecast or other streaming device. UST projectors require less labor, but getting the image perfectly square can still be surprisingly time-consuming. As for fan noise, some projectors (usually cheaper DLP models) generate more than others.

Optics

For more flexibility with location and image size, ceiling mounted projectors need a good zoom range. Lens shift, meanwhile, is used if the projector is mounted higher or lower relative to the screen than recommended by the manufacturer. Otherwise, you might have to use a "keystone correction" to digitally stretch part of the image, resulting in distortion or artifacts. Also, keystore correction may not work in gaming modes for some models.

Gaming and streaming

If you’re interested in a projector for gaming, look up the refresh rate and input lag figures. Some projectors offer good numbers in that regard (240Hz and <20 ms, respectively), but others designed for home entertainment have very poor input lag and refresh rates at just 60 Hz. If it’s streaming you want, be sure to pick a model either with built-in Google TV or a bundled streaming dongle.

Screens

Should you project onto a wall, roll-down screen, fixed screen or ambient light rejecting (ALR) screen? The choice depends largely on the room and what kind of projector you have. Roll down screens take up no space as they’re ceiling mounted, fixed screens can be moved easily and ALR models are perfect in rooms with a lot of ambient light.

Best projector FAQs Are 4K projectors better?

Yes, because higher resolution is more noticeable on larger screens, so 4K is particularly useful with projectors since they beam images up to 200 inches in size. That being said, brightness and contrast are more important.

Is a projector better than a TV?

Projectors can provide a more immersive experience thanks to the large screen, but they’re not necessarily “better.” Since you usually have to dim the lights with a projector, TVs are superior for everyday use.

Is 2000 lumens bright enough for a projector?

Yes, 2000 lumens is easily bright enough, even with some ambient light in the room. However, the image will still be hard to see with the windows open on a bright day.

Should I get a 4K or 1080p projector?

That depends on your budget and needs. If your budget is below $1,000, look for a 1080p projector with the best brightness and contrast. Between $1,000-$2,000, you’ll need to weigh whether brightness or 4K resolution is most important. Above that, choose the brightest 4K projector you can afford.

What are the best projectors in daylight?

The best projectors in daylight are ultra short throw (UST) models, as they have the brightest and sharpest image. However, they generally cost more than $2,000.

Do you need a screen for a better projector experience?

Technically, you don’t need a screen to use a projector — any light-colored, smooth wall can work in a pinch. But if you want to get the most out of your projector, a screen can make a difference. Projector screens are designed to reflect light evenly and enhance contrast, so colors look more vibrant and the picture appears sharper. With a screen, you’ll notice darker blacks and brighter colors, which can give a real boost to your movie nights or gaming sessions. So while you can absolutely enjoy a projector without one, a screen can make the experience feel a bit more like your own personal theater.

Should I buy a portable or home projector?

It depends on how and where you plan to use it. If you want a projector you can easily move around, bring to friends’ houses or set up indoors or outdoors easily, a portable projector is a great choice. They’re usually smaller, lightweight and often have built-in speakers and batteries, making them convenient for on-the-go use.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more permanent setup for a home theater or living room, a home projector might be the way to go. Home projectors tend to be more powerful, with higher resolution and brightness, which gives you that crisp, cinema-quality experience. They’re ideal if you have a dedicated space and don’t mind leaving it set up in one spot.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/best-projectors-123004354.html?src=rss

Apex Legends developer Respawn said it's ending Nintendo Switch support for the game this summer, with the release of Season 30. After that point, it'll work with the Switch 2 and all other currently supported platforms, but not the original Switch. "Season 29 will be the final update for Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch," the team wrote in a post on X.

Hey legends, we want to share an important update about Apex Legends on the Nintendo Switch.

Season 29 will be the final update for Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch. Future seasons of Apex Legends will continue to be available on Nintendo Switch 2.

- Starting August 4, 2026…

— Apex Legends (@PlayApex) January 30, 2026

The change will take place on August 4, 2026, so Switch players still have several months left to enjoy Apex Legends on the console and make preparations for their shift to a different platform, if they plan to do so. "All players progress, purchases, and earnings are tied to their individual EA accounts," Respawn said. "Everything that has been earned or purchased, including Apex Coins and cosmetics, will carry over to Nintendo Switch 2, even if you purchase Nintendo Switch 2 after August 4, 2026." 

The Switch 2 undoubtedly offers a better playing experience for Apex Legends than the earlier model, but the news is still a blow for current Switch 1 players who didn't have plans of upgrading any time soon. Apex Legends first came to Switch in 2021, two years after the game's launch on other platforms.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/apex-legends-wont-be-playable-on-nintendo-switch-after-its-next-season-214153353.html?src=rss

We may not have a concrete release date for the first foldable iPhone, but Apple may already be looking into a smaller device that will follow it up. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is exploring a "square, clamshell-style foldable phone," with the caveat that this potential device is "far from guaranteed to reach the market" and only "under consideration" right now.

If this eventually leads to a smaller foldable iPhone, that means Apple believes it can compete against existing options on the market, including Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Motorola's revamped Razr foldable. Gurman's report also signaled that Apple may be very optimistic about the success of its first foldable iPhone, which is rumored to be released sometime later this year, and wants to have follow-up plans ready to capitalize on the potential demand generated.

It's not the first time that we've heard of a clamshell foldable iPhone, since a previous report from The Information revealed that Apple created prototypes in this form factor. On the other end of the spectrum, Gurman's Power On newsletter mentioned that Apple is considering a larger foldable that opens like a book. Previously, Gurman said that Apple considered a foldable that's more akin to the size of an iPad. However, the company ran into issues developing such a large device and may be delaying a potential launch to 2029, according to Gurman.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-is-already-thinking-about-its-second-foldable-iphone-and-it-may-be-a-clamshell-202312700.html?src=rss

Just like buying a new iPhone through Apple's online store, you now select each spec of your new Mac device when purchasing through the website. As first spotted by MacWorld, Apple updated its online configuration tool for purchasing a Mac. Compared to the previous design that allowed you to pick between several prebuilt options, the new configurator lets you choose one spec after another instead.

It's not a major difference compared to choosing between preconfigured options, but interested buyers have more customization since they can select the color, display, chip, memory, storage and even power adapter. The updated page also gives customers the option to add pre-installed apps, like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, to their new Mac.

The updated configuration design might hint towards the expected release of the upgraded MacBook Pros. According to MacWorld, there are rumors that Apple will offer the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips with more flexibility that lets you choose how many CPU and GPU cores you want. As reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the latest MacBook Pro could be queued up for a release alongside macOS 26.3, which has a release cycle between February and March.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apples-online-store-now-lets-you-build-a-new-mac-exactly-the-way-you-want-190430251.html?src=rss

Grok is once again available in Indonesia, after the country lifted its ban on the AI chatbot that was seen generating millions of sexualized deepfakes, thousands of which included children. The country's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs released a statement earlier today, which said X is allowed to resume service in Indonesia but will be subject to monitoring for any future violations.

According to the Indonesian government agency, X provided a letter that detailed several implemented measures that prevent the misuse of its Grok chatbot. Alexander Sabar, the ministry’s director general of digital space supervision, said in the statement that the agency will test the new measures on an ongoing basis and will ban Grok again if it's found spreading illegal content or violating the country's laws regarding children.

The issue dates back to earlier this year, when Indonesia, along with Malaysia and the Philippines, banned the AI chatbot after it was found producing sexually explicit deepfake images of women and children without their consent in response to user requests. Later that month, the Philippines lifted its ban on Grok, followed by Malaysia doing the same just a couple of days after. Similar to Indonesia, Malaysian authorities said they will continue to monitor Grok and threatened more enforcement actions if the AI chatbot repeats its past offenses. Beyond the bans, Grok is also facing investigations from California's attorney general and the UK's media regulator concerning the same issue.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/indonesia-is-lifting-its-ban-on-grok-but-with-some-conditions-175305634.html?src=rss

Apple’s AirTag is designed to run quietly in the background, helping you keep track of everyday items like keys, bags and luggage. Unlike many small trackers, an AirTag doesn’t need to be charged. Instead, it uses a standard replaceable coin cell battery that typically lasts around a year, depending on usage.

When the battery runs low, your iPhone will alert you. Replacing it is a simple process that takes just a few minutes and doesn’t require any tools. This guide explains how to tell when your AirTag battery needs replacing, which battery to use and how to swap it safely.

How to replace the battery in your AirTag

Replacing the battery only takes a few steps.

1. Hold the AirTag with the polished stainless steel side facing up. 

2. Press down firmly on the metal battery cover and rotate it counterclockwise. Continue turning until the cover stops moving.

3. Lift off the cover and remove the old battery.

4. Insert a new CR2032 battery with the positive (+) side facing up. Once the battery is seated correctly, the AirTag will emit a brief chime, confirming that power has been restored.

5. Place the battery cover back onto the AirTag. Align the three small tabs on the cover with the matching slots on the AirTag body.

6. Press down gently and rotate the cover clockwise until it stops. The cover should sit flush with the AirTag and feel secure once locked into place.

No pairing or setup steps are required after replacing the battery. Your AirTag will automatically reconnect to your Apple ID.

When to replace your AirTag battery

Your iPhone will automatically notify you when an AirTag battery is running low. The alert appears as a notification and doesn’t interrupt tracking, but it’s a good idea to replace the battery quickly to avoid losing location updates.

If you’re unsure whether your AirTag battery needs replacing, open the Find My app, tap the Items tab and select your AirTag. If a message appears under the AirTag name stating “Low Battery”, you’ll know it needs replacing. If no message appears, it’s safe to assume the battery level is fine for now. AirTags don’t have a screen or any other battery indicator, but Apple does show a battery percentage for AirTags in the FindMy app. The low battery warning is the only signal Apple provides before replacement becomes necessary.

What to do if your AirTag doesn’t make a sound

If you don’t hear a sound after inserting the new battery, remove it and check that it’s oriented correctly with the positive side facing up. You should also secure the back cover onto the AirTag as well, to see if the chime sounds after that.

If the battery is oriented properly and still doesn’t trigger a sound, try a different CR2032 battery. AirTag uses a CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery, a common type available at most electronics stores, supermarkets and pharmacies. Some batteries, particularly those with thick coatings, may not make consistent contact. Apple suggests looking for packaging that states “Compatible with AirTag.” Once a working battery is installed, the AirTag should resume normal operation immediately.

How often should you replace your AirTag battery

Most AirTag batteries last about a year under typical use. Frequent use of Precision Finding, sound playback or location updates may reduce battery life. iOS will notify you before the battery is fully depleted, so there’s no need to replace it preemptively unless you’re preparing for long-term travel or storage.

Used coin batteries should not be thrown in household trash. Many retailers and recycling centers accept lithium batteries for proper disposal. Check local recycling guidelines for battery drop-off locations. Storing used batteries in a secure container until they can be recycled helps reduce the risk of accidental contact or ingestion.

Replacing an AirTag battery is one of the simplest maintenance tasks Apple devices require. With a readily available battery and no tools involved, most users can complete the process in under a minute. As long as you pay attention to low battery notifications and follow basic safety precautions, your AirTag should continue tracking your belongings reliably with minimal effort.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/how-to-replace-your-airtag-battery-130000463.html?src=rss

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang told reporters that the company will "invest a great deal of money" in OpenAI's latest funding round, according to Bloomberg, after The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported that the two companies were rethinking a previous $100 billion deal that hasn't "progressed beyond the early stages" of negotiations. Speaking to reporters in Taipei this weekend, Huang reportedly said it could be "the largest investment we've ever made." 

NVIDIA and OpenAI jointly announced in September that NVIDIA would be investing up to $100 billion in OpenAI to build 10 gigawatts of AI data centers. The companies said then that they were targeting the second half of 2026 for the first phase of the project to go online. Citing sources familiar with the discussions, The Wall Street Journal reported that Huang has highlighted privately that the agreement was nonbinding and has criticized OpenAI's business approach as lacking discipline. 

According to Bloomberg, however, Huang called the report's claims "nonsense," and told reporters on Saturday, "I believe in OpenAI. The work that they do is incredible. They’re one of the most consequential companies of our time.” But, Bloomberg reports, he said NVIDIA's investment in this funding round wouldn't come near $100 billion.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidia-is-still-planning-to-make-a-huge-investment-in-openai-ceo-says-205521528.html?src=rss

There may be plenty of gaming handhelds out there, but there aren't many horizontal options that let you play childhood favorites in the original 4:3 aspect ratio. To address that gap, Ayaneo launched a premium option with the Pocket S Mini. As a "true 4:3 retro handheld," the Pocket S Mini won't have those pesky vertical black bars whenever you're emulating video games from the CRT television era.

Handhelds like the Anbernic RG405M and even Ayaneo's own Pocket Air Mini already offer a 4:3 aspect ratio, but the Pocket S Mini presents a more high-end build with a full metal frame and a glass front panel. The 4.2-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 1,280 x 960 and is flanked by Hall effect joysticks with RGB lighting, Hall effect triggers and "crystal-textured" buttons. Inside, the Pocket S Mini runs on a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 chip and is powered by a 6,000mAh battery.

Ayaneo

Unlike most of Ayaneo's other devices, the Pocket S Mini isn't being done through a crowdfunding campaign. It's already available on Ayaneo's website with a starting early bird price of $319 for either the Obsidian Black or Ice Soul White options with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. As usual, the Retro Power colorway will only be available with the highest specs of 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, starting at $479. We're not sure when Ayaneo will end early bird pricing, but the prices will eventually jump to between $399 and $559 for retail pricing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ayaneos-pocket-s-mini-has-the-perfect-aspect-ratio-for-revisiting-classic-console-games-203926701.html?src=rss

OnlyFans is looking to cash out once again, but this time in a deal that would value it at several billion dollars less than a potential sale that previously fell through. As reported by TechCrunch, the online platform known for subscription-based pornographic content is in talks to sell a majority stake to Architect Capital, an investment firm based in San Francisco.

According to the report, the proposed deal includes $3.5 billion in equity and $2 billion in debt, which values OnlyFans at $5.5 billion. TechCrunch also reported that Architect Capital and OnlyFans are currently in exclusive talks, where the website's owner can't negotiate with other potential buyers for a certain amount of time.

With no set timeline yet for the deal, the deal is far from an official closing. Last year, OnlyFans' owner Leonid Radvinsky was also negotiating with another investment firm, Forest Road Company, to sell the platform. Although that deal never went through, the talks leading up to the sale valued OnlyFans at a much higher $8 billion. The London-based website, which still doesn't want to be known as just a porn site, is still growing and reported a nine percent increase in gross revenue for its 2024 fiscal year, earning more than $7.2 billion.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/onlyfans-is-reportedly-in-talks-to-sell-a-60-percent-stake-to-a-san-francisco-investment-firm-191842666.html?src=rss

Elon Musk and his aerospace company have requested to build a network that's 100 times the number of satellites that are currently in orbit. On Friday, SpaceX filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch a million satellites meant to create an "orbital data center." This isn't the first time we're hearing of Musk's plans to build an orbital data center, as it was mentioned by company insiders following the news that the CEO was reportedly preparing to take SpaceX public.

According to the filing spotted by PCMag, this data center would run off solar power and deliver computing capacity for artificial intelligence needs. SpaceX is requesting to "deploy a system of up to one million satellites to operate within narrow orbital shells spanning up to 50 km each," as detailed in the filing. According to SpaceX's filing, "orbital data centers are the most efficient way to meet the accelerating demand for AI computing power" since they use "solar power with little operating and maintenance costs."

To give some scale of the astronomical number of satellites SpaceX is asking for, the company recently hit a milestone of the 11,000th Starlink satellite launched. There aren't as many in orbit since the satellites can run into issues, but an unofficial website that tracks Starlink stats claims there are more than 9,600 satellites in orbit as of January 30, 2026. The FCC is likely to whittle down the amount that SpaceX is asking for in its filing, as the federal agency has done in the past. Earlier this month, the FCC approved SpaceX's request to deploy 7,500 more Starlink satellites, following another 7,500 launched in 2022. However, it's much less than the nearly 30,000 amount that SpaceX first asked for in 2020.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacex-wants-to-launch-a-constellation-of-a-million-satellites-to-power-ai-needs-175607771.html?src=rss

Blue Origin plans to put a focus on the development of its human lunar capabilities, so it won’t be sending tourists to space for at least the next two years. That means we won’t be seeing any New Shepard launches for quite some time. Blue Origin is one of the companies NASA chose to develop human landing systems for its Artemis program, along with SpaceX. Specifically, it will work on landers for the Artemis III and Artemis V missions.

The company was originally contracted to build the human landing system that would transfer astronauts from NASA’s Gateway station to the moon’s South Pole region for the Artemis V mission. But last year, NASA asked Blue Origin to design an alternative lander for Artemis III after SpaceX experienced delays due to Starship’s failed tests. Artemis III is expected to be the first crewed moon landing mission of the program, and the Trump administration wants it to happen before the end of the president’s term.

New Shepard takes tourists to suborbital space, where they experience a few minutes of weightlessness before the spacecraft makes its way back to Earth. Jeff Bezos was one of the passengers on New Shepard’s first tourist flight back in 2021. Since then, it has flown and landed 37 more times and carried 98 passengers to the Karman line, including Katy Perry and William Shatner.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/blue-origin-is-pausing-its-space-tourist-flights-to-work-on-lunar-landers-for-nasa-143000058.html?src=rss

Apple has steadily expanded the Apple Watch’s health monitoring features over the years, moving beyond fitness tracking into areas that can offer early insight into potential medical concerns. One of the most recent additions is hypertension alerts, which are designed to notify users when their blood pressure trends are elevated over time. While Apple Watches cannot directly measure blood pressure, this feature can still play a useful role in highlighting patterns that may be worth discussing with your doctor. Here, we’ll explain what hypertension alerts do, how they work and how to enable and manage them on the Apple Watch.

What hypertension alerts do

Hypertension alerts are designed to identify long-term trends that may indicate elevated blood pressure. Instead of relying on a traditional cuff measurement, the Apple Watch analyzes a combination of health data collected over a 30-day period, including heart rate, movement patterns and other contextual information stored in the Health app. Using this data, the system looks for sustained changes that align with patterns commonly associated with hypertension.

If your Apple Watch detects a trend suggesting elevated blood pressure over an extended period, it’ll send you a notification. These alerts are not intended to diagnose hypertension or replace medical testing. Instead, they serve as an early signal that something may have changed and that you may want to seek further monitoring or professional advice.

Apple emphasizes that hypertension alerts are designed for users who have not already been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Instead, they are meant to raise awareness rather than confirm a condition.

Who can use hypertension alerts

Hypertension alerts require a compatible Apple Watch model (Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later) paired with a supported iPhone (iPhone 11 or later). The feature also depends on recent versions of watchOS and iOS, as it relies on updated health algorithms and background data analysis. To use hypertension alerts you must be 22 years of age or older, not be pregnant and not have been diagnosed with hypertension. You also need to ensure that your Apple Watch’s Wrist Detection feature is turned on.  

To receive meaningful alerts, your Apple Watch needs sufficient data. This means wearing the watch regularly, including during sleep if sleep tracking is enabled, and keeping health details such as age, sex, height and weight up-to-date in the Health app. The system uses long-term trends, so alerts will not appear immediately after enabling the feature.

How to turn on hypertension alerts

Hypertension alerts are managed through the Health app on the paired iPhone. The feature cannot be enabled directly from the watch itself. During setup, the Health app will ask for confirmation that the user has not been diagnosed with hypertension. It may also prompt a review of health details such as date of birth and biological sex, as this information helps improve the accuracy of trend analysis.

To get started, open the Health app on the iPhone paired with the Apple Watch. From the main Health screen, tap your profile in the top corner. Select Health Checklist from the available Features. Next, you’ll need to tap Hypertension Notifications, confirm your age and whether or not you’ve ever been diagnosed with hypertension. Tap Continue and follow the on-screen prompts for information on how the notifications work. Once you have done this, tap Done and you’ll be all set. 

Once enabled, the feature runs automatically in the background. There is no need to manually start monitoring or interact with the feature daily.

The new apple watch series 11 can help identify hypertensionAppleManaging notifications and alerts

When hypertension alerts are turned on, notifications appear on both the Apple Watch and the paired iPhone. These alerts typically explain that a long-term trend suggesting elevated blood pressure has been detected, along with guidance on next steps.

Users can manage how and when these notifications appear by adjusting notification settings for the Health app. This includes choosing whether alerts appear on the lock screen, in Notification Center or as time-sensitive notifications on Apple Watch.

Health data related to hypertension alerts can be reviewed at any time in the Health app. While Apple Watch does not display a specific blood pressure number, users can view contextual information and educational material explaining what the alert means and what actions may be appropriate.

How hypertension alerts can help

Hypertension often develops gradually and may not cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Because of this, many people are unaware of elevated blood pressure until it is identified during a routine medical check.

Hypertension alerts can let you know of subtle changes that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. For some users, an alert may prompt earlier conversations with a doctor, additional blood pressure monitoring at home or lifestyle changes such as adjustments to diet, activity or sleep habits.

It is important to treat these notifications as informational rather than diagnostic. Apple Watch does not provide specific blood pressure readings and cannot confirm hypertension on its own.

What to do if you receive an alert

Receiving a hypertension alert does not mean that there is an immediate medical emergency. Apple recommends using the alert as a prompt to pay closer attention to your cardiovascular health.

Many users choose to follow up by measuring blood pressure using a traditional cuff at home or by scheduling a check with a healthcare professional. A doctor can provide proper testing, diagnosis and guidance based on clinical measurements and individual risk factors.

It is also worth reviewing lifestyle factors that can influence blood pressure, such as physical activity levels, sleep quality, stress and diet. Apple Watch can already help track many of these areas, which may provide useful context when discussing health concerns with a professional.

Limitations to keep in mind

Hypertension alerts are not available in all regions and may be subject to regulatory approval. The feature also requires consistent Apple Watch use over time to generate reliable trend data.

Most importantly, the Apple Watch does not measure blood pressure directly. The alerts are based on correlations and trends rather than direct readings, which means they should not be used as a substitute for medical equipment or professional care.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/how-to-turn-on-hypertension-alerts-on-apple-watch-130000090.html?src=rss

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. There are tons of interesting games out this week. But first, there's been some discourse around the Nintendo Switch version of Dispatch, which arrived this week as well.

On other platforms, there's an option to censor genitalia and other explicit content, but that's not present in the Switch version. Instead, such content is censored by default, with black rectangles covering up characters' bits and someone flipping the bird. Noises that suggest sexual pleasure are said to be toned down too.

"We worked with Nintendo to ensure the content within the title met the criteria to release on their platforms, but the core narrative and gameplay experience remains identical to the original release," developer AdHoc told EuroGamer. Nintendo later said in a statement to GoNintendo that it "requires all games on its platforms to receive ratings from independent organizations and to meet our established content and platform guidelines. While we inform partners when their titles don’t meet our guidelines, Nintendo does not make changes to partner content. We also do not discuss specific content or the criteria used in making these determinations." 

There are other games available for the Switch and Switch 2 that feature nudity and explicit content. There have long been hentai games on the eShop, while mainstream games like The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 (we know all about the dongs in that one) still include explicit content on Nintendo platforms. So it's a bit of a strange one, and AdHoc and Nintendo didn't exactly clear things up with their statements.

There's been speculation that AdHoc censored the game to comply with rules in Japan (Cyberpunk 2077 is censored there too) and that it opted to have just one version of the game available globally on Nintendo platforms. All the same, it's a curious situation that's resulted in a lot of discourse. But there's been another indie game that's been a source of even more chatter this week...

New releases

Highguard is a 3v3 raid shooter from Wildlight Entertainment, a team that includes a bunch of former Apex Legends and Titanfall developers. It broke cover at The Game Awards in December when it was the final reveal of the night but that first trailer wasn't great.

As it turned out, TGA creator and host Geoff Keighley was a friend of the devs and after trying Highguard, he wanted to include it in the show. Wildlight cobbled together a trailer, but that disrupted the studio's long-standing plans to reveal and release the game simultaneously — a strategy that worked wonders for Apex Legends (though that game had the might of EA behind it).

After revealing Highguard, Wildlight effectively went radio silent until a release day showcase on Monday to detail just what the game is and how it works. That seems to have been a mistake given the review bombing and strange vendetta some developed against it. Highguard went live on Monday and Wildlight published a whole bunch of YouTube videos revealing the game's features. Spreading those out between TGA and this week could have tempered expectations.

In any case, I've played a few rounds of Highguard and mostly enjoyed my time with it so far. It's a blend of hero shooter and MOBA. As you might expect for a game from Apex and Titanfall veterans, the weapons feel well-tuned and the gunplay is snappy. There’s a lot going on and the maps are far too big for just six players. It's fun enough, but I don't think it's a game that's going to break my Overwatch obsession. Riding into battle on the back of a bear feels pretty great, though. You can play Highguard for free on Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

I really wanted to like Don’t Stop, Girlypop! more than I did. I'd been looking forward to it for a while, as the promise of a Doom Eternal-style arena shooter with chaotic hyperpop-inspired visuals seemed like a great blend. Don't get me wrong, I adore the aesthetic and the soundtrack is spot on thanks to some cracking songs from Sarah Wolfe, Xavier Dunn and Candice Susnjar. I just wish it was as fun to play as it is to look at and listen to.

The visual clutter and fast pace sometimes makes it hard to spot enemies and the narrative doesn't really hang together, as much as the developers have salient points to make about the exploitation of finite resources. The core gameplay idea here is that the faster you move, the more damage you deal and more you heal. The game has its own take on a bunny hop called a wave hop that boosts your speed, but felt like it slowed me down because of the complex combination of inputs (jump, ground pound, jump, dash). That also caused my hand to cramp up very quickly. 

I do love the customization here. Slapping rhinestones and baby sharks onto my weapons was delightful. The game's take on a gravity gun is fun too. So while Don't Stop, Girlypop! — from Funny Fintan Softworks and publisher Kwalee — didn't fully land for me, there are some aspects I like a whole lot. It's out now on Steam for $20 (there's a 10 percent launch discount until February 5).

We're been looking forward to Cairn for a while around these parts, so it's heartening to see that it debuted to broadly positive reviews. This one from The Game Bakers is the latest in a string of climbing adventures, such as the lovely Jusant. So if Alex Honnold's recent free solo climb up a skyscraper has inspired you to ascend something very large without really posing a risk to your wellbeing, Cairn might be what you're looking for. 

Cairn is out now on PS5 and Steam for $30. There's a 10 percent launch discount on Steam until February 12, and until February 13 on PS5 if you're a PS Plus member.

Every trailer I've seen for Steel Century Groove has made me smile, so you can bet I'll be jumping into this when I have a chance. It's a rhythm game with Pokémon-style RPG elements in which you take control of a robot in dance battles. There's some original and licensed music to boogie along to and you can load in your own MP3s (you can bank on me loading some Electric Callboy tracks into this game). Steel Century Groove will create procedurally-generated choreography and charts for your custom songs. You can manually adjust the BPM too.

This debut title from solo developer Sloth Gloss Games is out now on Steam for $20. There's a 10 percent launch discount until February 11. There's a demo available, and progress from there carries over into the full game.

Rosday's Wanderling is a roguelike platformer with no combat. You have eight attempts to acquire the gear and learn the knowledge you need to pass each dungeon. Scour for loot and buy upgrades from the shop before night falls to help you on your way. You can place markers to help you remember where you've been. 

Runs are said to be short at between 20 and 30 minutes. The visuals remind me a bit of Celeste too. You can check out Wanderling on Steam now for $8 (a 10 percent discount brings the price down to $7.20 until February 2).

I can't help but admire Strange Scaffold (Clickolding, I Am Your Beast, Co-op Kaiju Horror Cooking) and the rate at which it releases games. The latest one is Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator. 

It's a stock market sim in which you speculate on the future success or failures of the "simulated lives of babies." You can "short that baby" if you choose as you try to make gains. In a timeline where prediction markets allow you to speculate on just about anything (listen to this week's episode of the Engadget Podcast to learn more about that), gambling on the future of babies doesn't seem that farfetched.

Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator — which is set in the same world as Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator — is out now on Steam. It'll normally cost $20, but there's a 15 percent discount until February 12. Strange Scaffold is also bringing the game to Xbox Series X/S in the near future.

I Hate This Place is an isometric survival game based on the eponymous comic book series by Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin. The game retains a comic book aesthetic and it has '80s horror movie-style inflections.

The way that noise is visualized is pretty interesting here. Onomatopoeic words will pop up and you'll see color-coded footsteps — useful when you're trying to be stealthy. Crafting is a key aspect of the game as well.

I Hate This Place — from Rock Square Thunder, Broken Mirror Games and Skybound Entertainment — is out now on Steam, PS5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S. The regular price is $30 and there's a 20 percent launch discount on some platforms. 

I can't find a trailer for this on YouTube, unfortunately, but Rebadge caught my eye this week as well. It's a puzzle platformer from Yuumayay, who appears to be a 17-year-old solo developer. Your character carries badges that allow them to carry out actions like moving and jumping. Other badges include "affected by gravity" and "destroys on contact." Here's the trick: you can throw a badge and lose the associated ability, but then you can apply the trait to something else in the world.

It's a neat idea that draws from the playbooks of games like Baba Is You. Rebadge typically costs $8, but there's a 15 percent launch discount.

Upcoming 

Moon Beast Productions is a studio formed by several of the creators of Diablo and Diablo II. This week, it revealed gameplay for its first title, Darkhaven, which is a fantasy isometric action RPG in the vein of (you guessed it) Diablo. You'll be able to play this one solo or with friends, and there are PvP elements. Darkhaven has procedurally generated, destructible worlds along with "massive events that threaten your entire world."

The gameplay shown in the trailer looks a bit rough, but it's still early days. In fact, Moon Beast is planning a Kickstarter campaign for Darkhaven. There's no release window as yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam.

Box or Void is a puzzle game that clearly takes some inspiration from Sokoban and Snake. Here, though, gameplay takes place across two planes. You'll switch between positive and negative space — obstacles on one side turn into pathways on the other. You'll alter the level layouts by pushing boxes. 

This one from Dumen Games has an intriguing premise. There's no release date as yet for Box or Void, but a demo with 32 levels (about a fifth of what will be in the full game) dropped this week on Steam.

If there's a game that's billed as Dredge meets Wall-E, that's going to be enough to sell me. Describe it as a "petroidvania" and call it Good Boy, and I'm definitely in.

This is a creature-collecting Metroidvania from Observer Interactive and publisher Team17 in which pups are reincarnated as space rovers. I could not dig that premise more. Good Boy is expected to hit Steam later this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/highguard-a-hyperpop-arena-shooter-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000874.html?src=rss