On the same day Apple launched iOS 18.3 to the public, its dedicated sports app got a few tweaks including beefed-up soccer coverage. Apple Sports also now has a new way to navigate favorites and broadcast info for each games page.
Apple has invested heavily in soccer for Apple TV+, scooping up the exclusive global rights to Major League Soccer (MLS) until 2033. The streaming service also has several exclusive MLS documentaries, including one about Lionel Messi. His arrival in Americas premier soccer league quickly doubled the services subscriptions. In a far less expensive move, todays Apple Sports update adds the ability to track match scores from Englands FA Cup, the EFL Championship and the League Cup.
The update adds a couple of UI tweaks, too. You can now swipe left or right to quickly scroll through your favorite teams and leagues. And its easier to find out how to watch games: Each page now shows which network each nationally broadcast game is on.
Apple Sports arrived in February 2024 as an easy, ad-free way to track scores and standings including on the iPhones Lock Screen through Live Activities. The app launched with support for basketball, hockey and soccer, the three major sports active last February. It was later updated to include baseball and football ahead of MLB and the NFLs opening days. In December, Apple added the ability to schedule Live Activities and a tab in the Play-By-Play section for video highlights.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-sports-adds-the-fa-cup-and-other-uk-soccer-tournies-202654579.html?src=rss
Meta is giving its AI assistant a better memory in an effort to make the chatbot more useful. The companys latest AI update allows the assistant to remember certain details that you share with it in 1:1 chat and uses your past activity on Facebook and Instagram to make more personalized recommendations.
With the change, which will initially be available to the US and Canada, Meta AI will be able to track your preferences based on information you share in chat with it. In a blog post, the company uses the example of food allergies and other dietary restrictions so meta AI will remember to recommend recipes that fit your requirements.
But the assistant will also be able to track other details about you, including information about your personal life and relationships. (Meta will allow you to track Meta AIs memories about you and remove specific details.) And, notably, Meta AI can now use your past activity across Facebook and Instagram to inform its interactions with you.
Meta
For example, the company notes that Meta AI may suggest weekend activities based on the location youve identified on your Facebook profile and specific Reels youve watched. Metas systems know a lot about their users, so these types of recommendations could be pretty far reaching and as eerily-accurate as Metas in-app advertising.
When asked for more details about what types of Facebook and Instagram activity may be used for these types of suggestions, a Meta spokesperson pointed to the companys Help Center. Other information from your profile like your age and gender, and interests based on your activity across our products, such as the types of content, including ads, you view or interact with and how you interact with it, it states, may be used to help personalize your interactions with AI.
The latest Meta AI updates comes amid increasing hype around China-based DeepSeek, an AI assistant thats currently the top app in Apples App Store. The sudden popularity of the assistant, which was purportedly developed for less than $6 million, has rattled investors and some in the AI industry. Metas Chief AI Scientist, Yann Le Cun, however, said Monday that the market reactions to DeepSeek are woefully unjustified.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-ai-will-now-use-your-facebook-and-instagram-activity-to-inform-its-recommendations-201218403.html?src=rss
Bluesky just announced that its adding a new video tab to user profiles as part of a software update. This is nothing too crazy. Its just an easy way for users to easily peruse all of the videos someone has posted, whether its original content or stuff pulled from other social networks. It's like the pre-existing "Media" tab, but exclusively for vids.
Engadget/Lawrence Bonk
This is yet another pivot to video move by Bluesky. It recently introduced a vertical footage feature on mobile called Trending Videos, which is eerily reminiscent of TikToks, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
There are also several TikTok rivals being built on top of Blueskys AT Protocol, though most are still in closed testing. Even billionaire Mark Cuban wants to get in on the action. All of these upstarts would, of course, receive a much-needed injection of eyeballs if TikTok were to actually be banned, but who knows whats going on there.
Bluesky update 1.97 isnt just about the video tab. It also streamlines the process to block folks who pop up in DMs and offers translation improvements.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-adds-a-video-tab-to-user-profiles-193929994.html?src=rss
Following a string of misfires, Ubisoft is shutting down a support studio and downsizing elsewhere, with the company firing around 185 workers in its latest cost-cutting measure. Ubisoft Leamington, situated in the English town of Royal Leamington Spa, is no more as the publisher is scuttling the 50-person studio. It's also laying off employees in Stockholm; Düsseldorf, Germany; and Newcastle, England (Ubisoft Reflections).
"As part of our ongoing efforts to prioritize projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability at Ubisoft, we have announced targeted restructurings at Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm and Ubisoft Reflections and the permanent closure of Ubisoft Leamington site," Ubisoft told Eurogamer in a statement. "Unfortunately, this should impact 185 employees overall. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and are committed to supporting them through this transition."
Ubisoft bought the Leamington studio from Activision in 2017. It was previously known as FreeStyleGames and the team was behind Guitar Hero Live and the DJ Hero series. Since joining Ubisoft, the studio has assisted with development on the Tom Clancy's The Division games, Star Wars Outlaws, Skull and Bones and Far Cry 5.
Things have been tumultuous at Ubisoft recently, as the company is dealing with the fallout of several underperforming games, such as Star Wars Outlaws, which didn't meet sales targets. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown fell short of Ubisoft's sales expectations too, and the company shifted many of the game's developers to other teams. Ubisoft is also shutting down XDefiant in the coming months, with the publisher shutting three studios and laying off 277 workers as part of that decision. As Eurogamer notes, Ubisoft's headcount dropped from 20,279 to 18,666 by the end of September.
Perhaps aligned with those recent woes, there have been numerous reports that Ubisoft is seeking a buyer or that it may create a joint venture with Tencent with some of its assets included. The company said earlier this month (PDF) that it would "continue to drive significant cost reductions" and it had "appointed leading advisors to review and pursue various transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders."
Suffice to say, there's a lot riding on the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows. Assassin's Creed has been a reliably bankable series for Ubisoft and it's arguably the company's flagship franchise at this point. Based on my early impressions, the game looks good enough and plays well enough for what the company needs it to do, and it seems to cater to both long-standing fans and series newcomers. There's a chance that Shadows could be successful for the company, but it's a mighty tall order for a single game to right a ship that's as large and unsteady as Ubisoft.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-shuts-down-a-support-studio-and-lays-off-185-workers-191048262.html?src=rss
Swedish indie development studio Hazelight just dropped a new trailer for its forthcoming co-op adventure Split Fiction. This new footage takes a more indepth look at the actual nuts and bolts of the cooperative gameplay. Remember, Hazelight is the same company that made the genre-defining It Takes Two and A Way Out.
Unlike the bickering parents of It Takes Two, this game stars a sci-fi writer and a fantasy author as they travel into various fantastical worlds. Its a story of friendship, and not marital collapse. This should make for fewer awkward conversations between couples as they play through the campaign.
The company calls Split Fiction a boundary-pushing co-op adventure. There are all kinds of unique mechanics shown off in the trailer, which is quite a feat since previous footage already showed off dozens of fun-looking ideas. There are dragons, cyberpunk motorcycles and even Dune-like sandworms.
Hazelight also announced a new mechanic called Side Stories, which are one-off adventures hidden in main story levels. This allows the main characters to do even more stuff, like surf on a sandfish or snowboard down a mountain during a heated battle. The co-op madness will never end.
Split Fiction comes out on March 6 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The game supports crossplay and purchasers will be able to invite friends to play with them for free on any platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-new-split-fiction-trailer-shows-off-some-intense-co-op-gameplay-190028752.html?src=rss
iOS 18.3 is here. After over a month in beta, the update is now available for everyone using an eligible device on Monday. Among other changes, Apples new software turns on Apple Intelligence by default (although you can still opt out) and makes it clearer when the companys AI generates notification summaries.
Apple said earlier this month that a future update would more clearly label Apple Intelligence notification summaries, which arrived in iOS 18.1 in October. That came after the BBC reported that news summaries were twisted to falsely state that the accused murderer of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson had shot himself. Other bogus summaries claimed a darts player won a world title before playing in the final and that tennis superstar Rafael Nadal had come out as gay.
The following week, Apple took it a step further and paused notification summaries of all news alerts in the iOS 18.3 beta. It isnt yet clear if theyll be back in todays public release, but they will at some point.
Before iOS 18.3, the summaries were only indicated by a small icon. In the new software, the entire summary is italicized, and theres an all-caps Summarized by Apple Intelligence note below each AI-generated recap.
Apple seems to want to boost the adoption of Apple Intelligence on compatible devices, as iOS 18.3 enables the slew of AI features by default during onboarding. You can still opt out, but it takes a few seconds of work: Head to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and turn off the toggle.
Other new features in iOS 18.3 are subtler changes: Visual intelligence can now add calendar events from posters or flyers, and its better at identifying plants and animals. Of course, theres plenty of little bug fixes, too.
As always, you can grab the update by heading to Settings > General > Software Update.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ios-183-is-here-with-clearly-labeled-apple-intelligence-notification-summaries-181935725.html?src=rss
In the latest riveting episode of Everything Costs More, Fubo raised the prices of all of its English-language plans by $5 for new customers. The hike includes Fubos Essential plan, which only launched in early December.
In a statement to The Streamable (which first reported the news), Fubo blamed the fee hikes on increased programming costs. The regular prices of the English-language plans have increased $5 due to rising costs from our programming partners, a spokesperson wrote. We only make adjustments when necessary, and were committed to keeping Fubo competitive while ensuring our subscribers have access to the channels, features and live events they enjoy.
The changes now put Fubos cheapest plan (the aforementioned Essential bundle) at $85 monthly, slightly more than YouTube TVs $83. The latter raised its fees by $10 per month in early December up from the $35 monthly price it debuted with in 2017.
In addition to Fubos $85 Essential plan, the streamer offers a Pro plan that technically costs the same. But its angle is that, unlike Essentials, it includes regional sports networks, which add mandatory fees of up to $16 per month to the base price. Essentials gives you the option of skipping the RSNs and their fees if you arent worried about losing many of your local teams games. (Yes, live-streaming TV is often now as much of a confusing mess as traditional cable.)
Fubo Elite, which now costs $95 monthly (plus RSN fees), includes 78 extra channels like The Cooking Channel, NBA TV and MLB TV. Fubo also offers a $33 Spanish-language Latino plan with networks such as ESPN Deportes, Cine Latino and Nat Geo Mundo. It was the only subscription tier spared from the price hikes.
Although Fubo is arguably the best live TV service for sports, it has some significant missing pieces compared to rivals like YouTube TV. Notable omissions are channels from Warner Bros. Discovery (CNN, TNT, TBS, HGTV, Discovery, Food Network and more), A&E and AMC.
To ease the blow (very briefly), Fubo is offering savings to new subscribers on their first month of service. New signups get $25 off their first month of the Essential plan and $20 off Elite or Pro. Meanwhile, you can save $8 on the Latino plan. Just remember that the full prices will kick in after that single discounted month.
Earlier this month, Fubo and Disney agreed to merge the streaming service with Hulu + Live TV. If the deal gets shareholder and regulatory approval, it will create a new entity (under the Fubo brand) to manage both services. At least the initial promise is that the two services will continue to operate independently. Disney will own 70 percent of the new company, while Fubo will have 30 percent. The two products currently boast a combined six million subscribers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/fubo-raises-prices-on-all-english-language-plans-181540573.html?src=rss
Have you ever wanted to raise Anakin Skywalker, instead of letting those hoity-toity Jedi fumble the whole thing? Heres your chance, albeit in the form of a virtual pet. Bandai just announced a Darth Vader-themed Tamagotchi, complete with a protective silicone case thats shaped like the Sith lords iconic helmet.
As for the software, its a Tamagotchi with a Star Wars sheen. You raise a sprite-based Anakin from a boy, influencing his transformation into Darth Vader. You can feed him, train him and take him to meet characters from the wider universe.
Theres one thing you cant do. You cant love him enough to avoid his eventual fall to the dark side. Anakin will always turn into Darth Vader, though your specific caretaking (or lack thereof) will influence what kind of menace he grows into. The company says there are ten unique Darth Vader personalities that can blossom.
Bandai
The Vader Tamagotchi also plays over a dozen low-res renditions of famous scenes from the movies, and even includes several minigames. Theres a word puzzle, lightsaber training, a take on the famous Death Star trench run and more. Oddly, theres no pod-racing minigame.
This cute lil genocidal maniac goes on sale in March, with pre-orders available right now. It costs $30. The Vader-based virtual pet is the third Star Wars-themed Tamagotchi. Theres already one inspired by R2-D2 and another based on Grogu.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/now-you-can-raise-anakin-skywalker-with-this-darth-vader-tamagotchi-173422209.html?src=rss
January is almost over, and Amazon has some new Apple deals for us. The 13-inch M4 iPad Pro is now down to a record-low price of $1,099 if you get the 256GB model. Additionally, the 11-inch M4 iPad Pro is also on sale for $899, and both color options have an extra $50 coupon to reduce the price even further to $849.
The M4 is Apples latest chipset, and it boasts 10 cores in its CPU for high-settings gaming and video editing. The 2,752 x 2,064 Ultra Retina XDR OLED screens color accuracy is also great for streaming content on Netflix, YouTube and more. The high refresh rate ProMotion, P3 wide color and True Tone display technologies further improve the experience by improving the refresh rate and colors in our review, we called it one of the nicest portable screens weve seen.
Some users also like capturing pictures and videos with their iPads, and the M4 iPads are equipped with a 12MP ultra wide front camera that performs superbly on video calls. The 12MP wide rear camera captures video up to 4K resolution with ProRes support.
If youre still not sure, the M4 iPad is on our list of best Apple tablets. Its a premium device, but one that wont let you down when it comes to processing power and screen quality.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m4-ipad-pro-is-up-to-200-off-right-now-150555119.html?src=rss
Life can be really hard and sometimes all we want is to sink onto the couch, turn our brains off and play game after game. That's part of the reason we're such big fans of the Xbox Ultimate Game Pass, which offers access to hundreds of Xbox and PC games all for one monthly price.
Well, right now, you can get a three-month Xbox Ultimate Game Pass for just $34, down from $50. The 32 percent discount means it's a few dollars shy of its December deal, but it's still a great offer. You can shop the sale at Woot for the next two days or until it sells out.
Speaking of deals, Woot is also running a sale on lots of gaming items, such as the 8Bitdo Retro Mechanical Keyboard down to $60 from $100 and the 8Bitdo Ultimate 3-mode Controller for Xbox down to $40 from $70. Then there's games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which is down to $40 from $60, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which is available for $45, down from $70.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/three-months-of-xbox-game-pass-ultimate-costs-only-34-right-now-143301599.html?src=rss
