Our favorite kleptomaniac prince is back. Theres a new Katamari Damacy game coming to Apple Arcade on April 3. Katamari Damacy Rolling Live is being developed by franchise steward Bandai Namco and, as the name suggests, brings those familiar rolling gameplay mechanics to iOS devices, Mac computers and Apple TV.
The Apple Arcade exclusive doesnt look all that dissimilar to previous entries. You play as the prince, rolling up objects until they grow large enough to become stars. Its Katamari. The big difference here is the plot. The old games typically had you creating stars for the noble purpose of rebuilding the galaxy. This time, the stars are created for the benefit of the kings burgeoning career as a livestreamer.
Bandai Namco
Thats right. Successful runs boost the kings subscriber count and this leads to positive comments from in-game fans. Once the viewership reaches a certain threshold, you unlock new stages. Thats a fairly odd twist, but its not as if anyone plays Katamari for the plot. You play for the satisfaction of rolling over stuff to get bigger.
Apple promises a captivating soundtrack that blends different genres. Itll be tough to beat the OG soundtrack, which is one of the all-time greats, but well just have to wait and see. Its been around eight years since weve had any new Katamari game and around a decade since weve had a good one. Bandai Namco did release a remaster of the original title back in 2018 and the sequel in 2023.
This isnt the only Apple Arcade news today. The platform announced an update to the well-received Skate City: New York that brings 30 new levels and 90 new objectives. Itll be available on March 27. Theres also a new Space Invaders game coming on April 3.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-first-new-katamari-game-in-years-is-coming-to-apple-arcade-in-april-173045224.html?src=rss
Many years ago, I reviewed the Eero Pro 6E, which was a delightfully easy device to get along with. The hardware was powerful, unobtrusive and fit into my home pretty well, to the point where I had no complaints about living with it. But all of the good was undone by Eeros constant arm-twisting to get you to pay for its monthly subscription. With an app that exists as little more than an advertisement and with so many basic features paywalled, I couldnt in all good conscience recommend it. Thankfully, the advent of Wi-Fi 7 and the new Eero Pro 7 means Eero has a shot to make good on its previous errors and turn my opinion around. Which, itll take, right?
For Engadgets mesh Wi-Fi testing methodology, please read our mesh Wi-Fi buyers guide.
Hardware
Daniel Cooper for Engadget
Since its birth, Eero has built its Wi-Fi nodes as rounded-off boxes that sit unobtrusively on side tables and bookshelves. Sadly, the sheer volume of stuff required to make Wi-Fi 7 work is bigger than the traditional body will allow. (The vanilla Eero 7 is actually lacking 6GHz support, which is why its in the older chassis, but has some gall pretending its a proper Wi-Fi 7 device.) Consequently, the Pro 7 ditches the classic body for the same casing found on Eeros super-flagship Max 7. The vertical design is better for keeping the components cool without a fan, but it is noticeable, especially with prominent branding, defeating the point of making the gear anonymous.
Each node is identical, clad in piano gloss white and measuring 7.1 inches tall and 5.8 inches wide. Turn it around and youll find the USB-C power jack, reset button and two 5G ethernet ports with a theoretical top speed of 4.7 Gbps. The coterie of wireless radios (2x2 2.4Ghz, 2x2 5GHz and 2x2 6GHz) promise to reach the heights of 3.9 Gbps. Tucked inside are the usual smart home integrations including Zigbee, Thread, Matter, Amazon Connected Devices, Alexa and Bluetooth LE 5.0
Installation
Eeros promise of frustration-free setup isn't an empty one, and it remains the easiest mesh system to set up. Download the Eero app, hand over your Amazon login and plug in your cable modem, and everything else is taken care of within minutes. Each node was up and running two minutes after being plugged in, and most of the 15-minute set-up time was schlepping between rooms.
Once each node is ready, youll get a notification telling you your placement is good for signal strength. This is useful since some meshes wont, and just expect you to troubleshoot the poor performance down the line. The app did tell me Id get faster speeds if I moved the nodes closer to each other, but given the layout of my home, that would mean placing them all in the same damn room.
Performance
Eeros bread and butter performance is never an issue, especially once the mesh has settled down after the first day or so. Much of what worked with previous versions remains in place here, and for home use, its excellent. My office, which is some distance away from any node, was still able to pull down 250 Mbps in artificial speed tests. The smart TV in this room was able to stream a 4K movie without any lag or buffering, letting me dance past the pre-roll ads.
I cant imagine anyone wanting to throw out their Wi-Fi 6E system in favor of this, because you wont see a massive uplift in performance. When I tested the Eero Pro 6E, I was easily getting speeds in my office around the 250 Mbps mark anyway. There are noticeable improvements in lag and reliability that cant be sniffed at, but youll only notice them if youre upgrading from really old gear.
If you are upgrading from an older Eero system, its worth keeping hold of that hardware to bolster your network. Every Eero node is capable of integrating with its older peers, even if you may find performance is degraded as a consequence. I grabbed a Pro 6E node and placed it in a notorious signal dead spot at the end of my home, just for the hell of it. Naturally, the older nodes are slower but, even so, the loss isnt that painful. When Id connected to the 6E node and ran speed tests, I was still pulling down 200 Mbps.
App and Eero Plus
When I wrote Engadgets mesh Wi-Fi buyers guide, I spent months testing hardware from all the big names. Some were easy, some were fussy and some were designed for network engineers with no consideration for general users. None of them, however, irked me as much as Eeros app, which is a textbook case in seizing defeat from the jaws of victory. Essentially, half of the splash screen is an ad for Eero Plus, the companys subscription product. And Eero puts so many basic features behind a paywall that its impossible to recommend. But Im getting ahead of myself.
Eeros app is tidy and well-designed, offering a single pane listing each node and its signal strength. The icons signify how well the nodes are connected to each other, but theres no sense of the networks topography. Below it is a pane that tells you what devices are on the network right now, although it struggles to name many common products (including those owned by Amazon). Youre also unable to set traffic priorities for your device, which would be useful when Im recording a podcast or on a Zoom call.
Daniel Cooper for Engadget
Take a look at this screenshot of the Activity Pane, and notice how empty it is, showing you just the top speeds and quantities of data up- and downloaded. Each one links to another pane with some more detailed information, but even so, the visualizations are more or less pointless. This speaks to the big issue with Eeros software setup and business model more generally.
I imagine Engadget readers break into two camps: People who know DHCP has something to do with their internet but wouldnt touch it for fear of breaking something, and the people who have 192.168.1.1 burned into their fingers muscle memory. Eeros pitch probably irritates both since it robs you of even your most basic agency to run your own damn Wi-Fi.
For instance, you can set your Wi-Fi name and password, and set the same for your guest Wi-Fi but beyond that, oh boy. You can collect devices into groups, letting you set time limits for, say, your kids consoles or computers. You can set your DHCP to manual or Bridge mode, set a reservation or port forward and deactivate support for IPv6. And, uh, thats about it.
That is, unless you spring $9.99 a month or $100 a year for Eero Plus, which then opens up the toolkit. For that, you get the ability to set a mobile hotspot as an internet backup if your Wi-Fi should go down. Subscribers will also get access to parental controls, historical data, ad and app blocking, the companys advanced security suite, DDNS and content filters. Plus, youll get a subscription to Guardian VPN, Malwarebytes and 1Password thrown in, too.
Look, I get it. All hardware companies even ones owned by Amazon need to ensure they have multiple revenue streams to keep the lights on. And Im sure there are lots of people who feel the added charges are probably worth it for peace of mind. But you need to know that Eero's competition offers these features without asking for more money. Google's Nest Wi-Fi includes parental controls and security updates in addition to guest networks. Though Nest hasn't launched a Wi-Fi 7 product yet, so it's not an equivalent comparison, the Eero Pro 6E was similarly limited with Amazon pushing a Plus subscription. If a company wants to charge me $700 for a product and then hold basic features back to wring another $100 a year out of me, Im hostile by default.
Price and the competition
The Eero Pro 7 is available in one, two or three-node packs, priced at $300, $550 and $700 respectively. Wi-Fi 7 systems are currently priced for early adopters, and youll spend big at whichever company you opt to buy from. Im not going to do a direct apples-to-apples comparison here as there are a number of notable spec differences between various Wi-Fi 7 routers. For instance, Netgears Orbi 770 has a longer broadcast range and faster wireless speed but slower ethernet ports and can only handle half as many connected devices as the Pro 7. At this early stage, youll be looking at what specs to prioritize depending on your homes specific needs. So I cant say if the $900 Orbi 770 is a better fit for you than the $700 Eero Pro 7.
If youre looking to upgrade and have your heart set on Eero, then it might be worth looking at last-generation hardware. At the time of writing, a three-pack of Eero Pro 6Es are priced at $550, and the performance it offers is pretty darn impressive. It has the same issues as its successor, but the backwards-and-forwards compatibility is a useful bonus. And Wi-Fi 6E is a major upgrade over whatever Wi-Fi youre probably using at home right now.
Wrap-up
There are so many things to like about Eeros mesh Wi-Fi systems that it galls me so much I cant recommend them. Theyre really easy to set up, really easy to use and the performance you get out of them, in terms of both speed and reliability, is staggeringly good. Im quite fond of the hardware design, even if they are a bit more attention-grabbing than the older models. And I do think $700 for a whole-home Wi-Fi 7 system is pretty good when other companies are asking for a grand or more right now. Thats especially true for folks who arent interested in messing with every knob and dial to fine-tune their internet to the nth degree. This hardware passes the would you be able to hand this to your technophobe family member test with flying colors.
Unfortunately, I cannot get over how aggressive the nickel-and-diming is, to the point of holding back features that Id say should be free. Id argue that every router should offer at the very least, basic parental controls and some sort of URL blocking or content filtering. Even if you dont use them, that those features would be held back to milk recurring revenue out of you is rough. If you were standing at a car dealership and someone tried to sell you a sedan with three wheels the fourth is thrown in with CarSubscriptionPlus for just $9.99 a month! youd walk away in disgust.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/eero-pro-7-review-paying-to-be-sold-a-subscription-171502767.html?src=rss
TikTok at least according to the bevy of civil and federal lawsuits against it is not known for being a safe place for children. In part it has has leaned on parents to do the policing through its Family Pairing tool, which allows guardians to limit teens' screen time and block certain content. Now, TikTok is introducing additional features that allow a paired adult to see their teen's connections and choose when the app is even accessible.
The first new feature, Time Away, lets parents set specific times that TikTok is available on their teen's devices. For example, they can turn off access during a weekend trip or during dinner time, rather than just setting a screen time limit. They can also set a recurring schedule if they want to keep it simple each week. Teens, however, can request extra time, but their parent must approve it.
Parents can also now see exactly who their teen is following or is followed by, along with accounts they've blocked. TikTok claims this will make parents "better equipped to have ongoing conversations and help their teens develop the digital literacy skills they need." Not a small task by any means.
Lastly, TikTok is adding an unusual feature to limit screen time. Anyone under 16 using the platform after 10PM will have their screen taken over and calming music will play (it can be dismissed to continue using the app.) In the coming weeks, TikTok will also test adding meditation exercises to these pop-ups.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-will-try-instituting-a-10pm-curfew-on-most-teens-165416916.html?src=rss
After taking two years off, Blizzard will bring back Blizzcon in 2026. The publisher's fan convention will take place on September 12 and 13 next year at its usual venue, the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
That means Blizzcon is going ahead a little earlier in the year than usual. For over a decade (save for recent canceled events and an online-only edition), Blizzcon has taken place in November. The first several installments were held in August or October.
The 2026 edition will include staples such as the opening ceremony (where Blizzard makes the biggest announcements for its games), panels and so on. Blizzard also says that it aims "to meaningfully elevate this iconic celebration," whatever that means. You can sign up for updates at the Blizzcon website.
It's been a rocky few years for Blizzcon. The 2023 edition is the only one that's taken place with fans in attendance since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Blizzard canceled last year's edition without fully explaining why. However, it's possible that Microsoft was running the rule over the event's future after completing its purchase of Activision Blizzard in late 2023.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzcon-will-return-but-not-until-2026-163526888.html?src=rss
I wish I could say that Im the type of person who has tried-and-true routines to carry me through all the things that need to be done in a day, but the reality is far from that. As someone with overlapping chronic illnesses trying to juggle a full-time job and a life outside of that, just getting out of bed often feels like a major feat. Im caught in the tug of war between perpetual exhaustion and lack of motivation, and whether Im able to cross anything off my to-do list is generally a gamble.
A few months ago, though, a friend recommended that I try the Finch app to help me establish some gentle structure and get a little more of what I want out of each day. Id already been seeing ads for this self-care pet all over Instagram, and this was the tiny push I needed to actually give it a go. Now here we are, some four months later, and Im still using it consistently as if it were my own adorable life coach.
Finch is a habit tracker, motivation app and virtual pet all in one. It gives you a little bird (okay, birb) to raise from an egg and look after as it grows up and learns about the world. But its not the kind of pet you need to worry about keeping alive, unlike my many needy Tamagotchis.
Taking care of your bird consists of dressing it up in cute outfits, petting it, changing up the decor in its home and sending it on little adventures. In turn, your bird will check in on you throughout the day, offering words of encouragement and reminders to complete your goals, and celebrating your wins when you get stuff done. I use the free version of the app, which Ive found to be more than enough for my needs, but theres also a subscription-based version that unlocks more items, a full library of guided exercises and more.
If you were to look at my goals list, it might at first seem extremely daunting; there are more than 20 tasks on there on any given day. But these vary in importance, and range from the bare minimum things I need to do to start my day like getting out of bed, brushing my teeth and taking my morning meds to those that require more commitment, like exercising or doing laundry. Finch doesnt take the guilt approach to goal-tracking, so you wont be scolded or shamed if you dont finish everything on your list. There arent really any consequences. Its more about highlighting what you did accomplish rather than focusing on what you didnt, and forming healthy habits in the process.
Youre awarded rainbow stones for completing each of your goals, and those can be used as currency in the various shops to buy clothes, furniture and new colors for your bird. Over time, you can collect and raise cute micropets as companions for your bird too (kind of like the Petpets in Neopets).
Sometimes its more helpful to look at the bigger picture, and you can group tasks together as Journeys to get a better sense of your overall progress in certain areas. Journeys are color-coded and come with tiered rewards, which youll earn as you level up by hitting certain milestones with the related goals. I might not manage to check off my Exercise for 30+ minutes goal every day in a week, but the three days I did exercise will count toward my Get moving, get healthy Journey. There, Ill also be able to see how many times Ive completed the relevant goals since I started tracking them.
Just opening the app every day comes with some rewards as well. I like keeping up a streak, and I just recently got my longest one yet: 32 days! While I was a little bummed out when I finally messed it up by forgetting to check in on a really busy day, I still found myself more impressed at how many days in a row Id committed to showing up for myself. It only made me want to do better. Youll also be gifted themed items and rainbow stones as part of seasonal events and for tackling daily quests, like writing a reflection or sending good vibes to a friend.
The latter in particular is a big part of what makes Finch so special. Theres a strong were in this together kind of energy to the whole thing, and thats backed up by features that allow you to actively support and receive support from other Finch users. You can add friends on the app using a code, and your birds can visit each others homes, bringing with them a little message or gift for the other user. My friend and I go back and forth randomly sending each other hugs, encouragement and other little tidbits of positivity from the list of options. Some users even exchange their codes with others online to make their support circles larger.
And, you can gift the paid version of the app, Finch Plus, to users who may not be able to afford it, if you want to go a step further in doing a kindness for a stranger. The app provides constant reminders that someone is rooting for you, whether its a little bird acting as your personal cheerleader or another real Finch user.
There are a bunch of built-in tools to help promote self-care, like guided breathing exercises, movement routines and prompts for written reflections. The app will ask you about your mood multiple times a day, and when you indicate that things arent going so great, itll present you with a little First Aid Kit offering some optional activities to help you work through your feelings or manage your anxiety in the moment (this is accessible in the menu at all times, too). It also links out to a website with helplines for confidential emotional support.
Ive tried a few self-care and productivity apps over the years, but Finch is the first one Ive actually stuck with for an extended period of time. I like how it can be tailored to your specific needs, with both pre-set and custom goals, and the low-stakes virtual pet element makes it a joy to use. I love my little birb, Ripper Jr., and all the little micropets weve been accumulating together (even the blobs, for all you haters). Maybe I wont ever be a person who wakes up with the sunrise and accomplishes five things before 10AM, but me and lil Ripper Jr. are still getting stuff done.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/this-self-care-virtual-pet-is-helping-me-get-my-act-together-160027169.html?src=rss
Comcast boosts its Xfinity internet speeds at no extra cost for many users each year, and the company is now rolling out the 2025 upgrades. Many subscribers will have double the upload speeds they previously had, and others will see a 50 percent jump.
While it's nice to see Comcast upgrading the upload speeds, fiber internet typically allows for matching downloads and uploads. Google Fiber and Verizon Fios, for instance, offer symmetrical (or near-symmetrical) speeds.
Comcast's download speeds are also going up on most tiers. The top Gigabit x2 plan got a 100Mbps download speed boost to 2.1Gbps, but the download speed remains the same at 300Mbps.
The company says more than 20 million customers are getting a free upgrade as part of this rollout. It's aiming to offer 2Gbps service to more than 50 million homes and businesses by the end of this year.
Alongside the speed upgrades, new and existing Xfinity internet customers can snag a freebie. Those who subscribe to a plan with 400 Mbps or faster speeds can get a line of unlimited Xfinity Mobile at no extra cost for one year.
Here's a breakdown of the speed boosts:
Xfinity tier
Previous download/upload speed (Mbps)
New download/upload speed (Mbps)
NOW
100/10
100/20
NOW
200/10
200/20
Connect
150/100
150/150
Connect More
300/100
400/150
Fast
500/100
600/150
Superfast
800/100
800/150
Gigabit
1,000/150
1,100/300
Gigabit x2
2,000/300
2,100/300
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/comcast-rolls-out-its-free-annual-xfinity-internet-speed-boosts-160007781.html?src=rss
Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida is stepping down on April 1, the company just announced. He will be replaced by acting Chief Planning Officer (CPO) Ivan Espinosa. Uchida has been CEO since 2019 and Espinosas promotion will make him the companys fourth CEO in eight years.
Other senior management personnel are also stepping down on April 1, including Chief Brand and Customer Officer Asako Hoshino and Chief Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer Hideaki Watanabe. This leadership shakeup is happening less than one month after merger talks between Nissan and Honda failed.
That deal would have been worth at least $50 billion and would have created the worlds third-largest automobile company by sales volume. Reporting has indicated that the talks fell apart after Honda demanded that Nissan become its subsidiary. Sources at Reuters also noted that Nissan refused to close factories and initiate deep staff cuts.
Nissans problems go far beyond failed merger talks. Theres a reason, after all, why Honda wanted to be top dog and not the other way around. Nissan saw a 78 percent year-on-year reduction in operating profits for the third quarter ending in December. It also reported a net loss of over $95 million for the same time period. It cut forecasts for both revenue and operating profit and its stock valuation has been all over the place.
Outgoing CEO Uchida told reporters that he was unable to gain the confidence of many Nissan employees since announcing a turnaround plan last year and that the best course of action was to pass on the baton to my successor quickly. CPO Espinosa has been with the company since 2003.
I grew up in Nissan and Ive spent many years working in divisions across the globe, Espinosa said. I sincerely believe Nissan has so much more potential than what we are seeing today.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/nissan-announces-its-ceo-will-step-down-just-one-month-after-failed-merger-talks-with-honda-154420111.html?src=rss
If you ask me, there's way too many little things we each have to keep track of daily. There's our phones, keys, wallets the list goes on and its hard to keep them all secure. So, it's nice when there's a sale on Bluetooth trackers that can do the hard work for you. Right now, you can get the Chipolo One Point Bluetooth tracker for just $15, down from $26 a 42 percent discount.
The Chipolo One is our pick as the best bluetooth tracker for 2025. This model is available only for Android users and works with Google's Find My Device network. The tracker's battery life should last for a year and is water-resistant. Plus, it rings really loud, so you don't have to worry about hearing it over a little noise. Unlike Apple's AirTag, it also offers a hole for easily attaching it to your keys.
The Chipolo Card Point is also on sale, dropping to $24 from $35 a 31 percent discount. It's a great bluetooth tracker for flat items like your wallet, passport holder or a purse. It also works with Google's Find My Device network and has the same perks like water-resistance and a helpfully loud ring.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-bluetooth-tracker-for-android-is-on-sale-for-42-percent-off-144753404.html?src=rss
Lego has a long history in the video games sector between licensed titles that feature digital brick versions of iconic movie characters and physical sets like the new Mario Kart one. But after decades of third-party studios making games with the Lego name on them, the company is taking more of a hands-on approach.
We can definitely say as long as were under the Lego brand we can cover experiences for kids of all ages, digital or physical, Lego CEO Niels Christiansen told the Financial Times. To that end, an in-house game development division "is something were building up." Per the publication, Lego plowed hundreds of millions of dollars into tripling its number of software developers to more than 1,800. We have made quite a few investments in the future Id almost rather overinvest. Thats the benefit of being family-owned and long term, Christiansen said.
It's unclear if Lego plans to stop working with external developers. That would be a risky move considering the equity that Lego games made by third-party studios have accumulated over the last couple of decades, given the likes of Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and the terrific Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. There have been a string of non-licensed games that have been good-to-great as well for instance, I enjoyed Lego 2K Drive for the most part. Meanwhile, Lego Fortnite (bolstered by the main game's enormous popularity) has pulled in 87 million players.
Making video games is tough and Lego's game development team will have to nail the right mix of fun gameplay and the brand's trademark humor. Still, Lego can afford to take a swing at this point. The company outsourced things like game development and its theme parks while it was on the brink of bankruptcy two decades ago, but its core toy business has rebounded significantly.
Lego reported on Tuesday that its revenue grew by 13 percent in 2024 to DKK 74.3 billion ($10.9 billion) nearly double what it pulled in five years previously while its operating profit jumped up by 10 per cent to DKK 18.7 billion ($2.7 billion). Along with building up its gaming business, the company has bought back its Legoland theme parks as it again tries to diversify beyond its physical brick business.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/lego-is-building-an-in-house-video-game-development-team-143230592.html?src=rss
Which messaging tones and themes in B2B prospecting emails are associated with higher lead rates? To find out, researchers analyzed more than 97.9 million B2B prospecting emails and surveyed 400 B2B buyers. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
