It looks like Ubisoft is planning even more layoffs to accompany last week's studio closures and game cancellations, according to reporting by IGN. The company is planning a massive reduction of the workforce in its Paris headquarters. It has proposed the loss of up to 200 jobs, which is nearly 20 percent of the current staff.
This will be organized under France's Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC) process, in which staff can agree to form a collective, voluntary mutual termination agreement. It's not a done deal just yet, with a company spokesperson saying "at this stage, this remains a proposal and no decision will be final until a collective agreement is reached."
The RCC process is voluntary, which is good for Ubisoft Paris employees, but the company hasn't made any statement regarding what it would do if it doesn't get 200 willing participants. The company recently introduced a mandate for employees to return to the office for five days each week, which could entice staffers with one foot out the door.
This is just the latest cost-cutting measure by Ubisoft, as the company has been experiencing difficulties for months. It shut down its Halifax studio just 16 days after employees entered into a unionization agreement. Last week, it shuttered its Stockholm studio and announced various restructuring efforts at several other developers under its umbrella.
It also announced the cancellation of six games, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake. It didn't reveal the other five games that were scrapped. Ubisoft did announce, however, that seven additional games were being delayed. Inexplicably, Beyond Good and Evil 2 wasn't cancelled, so we have that to (one day) look forward to.
Ubisoft's stock has absolutely plunged in the past several years. The company was riding high at $20 per share in 2021, but now the stock rests at around $1 per share.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-proposes-even-more-layoffs-after-last-weeks-studio-closures-and-game-cancellations-192703241.html?src=rss
Since March 2025, ChatGPT has been capable of generating images. Following a period where it briefly wasn't available to free users, you now don't even pay for one of OpenAI's subscriptions to use this feature. And while making images inside of ChatGPT is easy, there are some nuances worth explaining. For example, did you know you can ask ChatGPT to edit photos you've taken? It's more powerful than you might think. Heres everything you need to know about generating AI images with ChatGPT. How to create images with ChatGPT using text prompts To begin making an image in ChatGPT, you can start by typing in the prompt bar. Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetYou can start generating images in ChatGPT simply by typing in the prompt bar what you want to see. There's no need to overthink things; as long as you have some version of "generate an image" followed by a description of your idea, ChatGPT will do the rest. Depending on the complexity of the prompt and whether you pay for ChatGPT, it may take a minute or two for the chatbot to complete your image request. Sometimes the process can take longer if OpenAI's servers are experiencing greater traffic than usual.At the end of last year, OpenAI updated the model powering image generation to make it faster, as well as better at rendering text and following instructions. At the same time, it added a dedicated "Images" section to ChatGPT's sidebar. Here you can see all the images you've made, alongside sample prompts and suggestions for styles to try out, making it a great place to start if you've never used an image generator before. How to create images with ChatGPT using existing photosYou can also upload images to ChatGPT.Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetIn addition to generating images from text prompts, ChatGPT can modify existing photos or images you upload. This is my preferred way of making images with ChatGPT; I don't need to describe the composition, I can use an existing one to guide the chatbot. To use an existing image as a starting point for a new generation, follow these steps: Tap the "+" icon, located to the left of the prompt bar. Select Add photos & files. Select the image you want ChatGPT to edit. If uploading an image from your phone, you'll first need to grant ChatGPT access to your camera roll. Write a prompt describing the changes you want. If generating from the Images section, tap "Add photos" instead.Keep in mind any photos you upload to OpenAI's servers may be used by the company to train future models. You can opt out of allowing your data to be used for training by following these steps: Open the sidebar menu. On mobile, tap the two lines on the top left of the interface; on desktop, click instead on the OpenAI logo.Tap your name to access account settings. Tap Data controls.Toggle off Improve the model for everyone. How to edit the images ChatGPT generatesChatGPT gives you a few different ways to edit images.Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetIf you're unhappy with ChatGPT's output, you have two options. You can either prompt it to create an entirely new image, or edit parts of the picture it just generated. As always, the process for both involves simply typing what you want in the prompt bar. On mobile, OpenAI gives users a few different ways of accomplishing the same task.To generate an entirely new image: Tap the three dots icon below the image ChatGPT created. Select Retry. To edit part of an existing image generation: Tap the image ChatGPT created. Tap Select area.Use your finger to mask the section of the image you want ChatGPT to tweak. The slider on the left allows you to adjust the size of the masking brush. On desktop, masking is also available if you click on an image and then click on the paintbrush icon on the top right. Describe what you want ChatGPT to add, remove or replace through the prompt bar.ChatGPT can also blend one of your photos with an image it has generated. To do this: Tap an image ChatGPT created.Tap Blend in a photo.Upload the photo you wish Like all AI systems, ChatGPT is non-deterministic, meaning even if you prompt it in the same way multiple times, it won't generate the exact same response each time. Tips to create better images with ChatGPTThe best advice I can offer is to be specific when prompting ChatGPT. The more detail you can provide when describing what you want from it, the better the results. And remember: ChatGPT can hallucinate as you may have noticed from one of the example pictures I included above. In the image of the tortoiseshell cat, not only is the tortie not sitting on the window sill as instructed, it's sitting on a table that doesn't make much sense. So, most of all, be patient. Prompting an AI model is not exact science, and it can take a few tries before it creates the result you want. FAQsHow do you access ChatGPT?ChatGPT is available on the web, desktop and mobile. To access it on your computer, open your preferred browser and navigate to chatgpt.com. OpenAI also offers dedicated Mac and Windows apps you can download from the company's website. On iOS and Android, you'll need to download the ChatGPT app from either the App Store or Google Play before you can start using the chatbot. Since ChatGPT runs on OpenAI's servers, as long as you can access the chatbot, you'll be able to use it to create images no matter the age of your phone or computer. Can ChatGPT generate images for free? Yes, ChatGPT can generate images for free, as long as you create an OpenAI account. However, there is a daily rate cap and GPT-5 will take longer to make a free image. Following March 27, 2025, OpenAI briefly limited free users to three image generations per day. The company has since relaxed that restriction, though it doesn't list a specific limit on its website. In my experience, you'll be able to generate about six to seven images every 24 hours.OpenAI offers three different subscription plans, each with their own set of image generation perks. ChatGPT Go, which costs $8 per month, offers "more image creation." ChatGPT Plus, which costs $20 per month, offers "expanded and faster image creation."ChatGPT Pro, which costs $200 per month, offers "unlimited and faster image creation." Note: ChatGPT Go will be included in OpenAI's forthcoming ads pilot, which will see the company display sponsored content alongside organic responses from ChatGPT. The company does not plan to display ads to Plus and Pro users. Can ChatGPT generate an existing photo? No. For copyright reasons, ChatGPT can't replicate photos or exact real world events. For example, when I asked it to recreate the photo of Zinedine Zidane's iconic 2006 World Cup headbutt, ChatGPT refused. "I can make an artistic reinterpretation inspired by the emotion or energy of that moment for example, a stylized painting showing the tension and intensity of competition, without depicting real individuals," it told me. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/how-to-generate-ai-images-using-chatgpt-120000560.html?src=rss
Anthropic has been building out support for third-party apps inside of Claude. As of today, the chatbot can now connect to platforms like Slack and Canva, fetching up files from inside those apps or performing tasks within them on a user's behalf.For instance, when connected to Box, Claude can now search for files, preview documents inline and answer questions about the content in front of you. Meanwhile, with a connection to Asana, it can now turn chats into projects, tasks and timelines your co-workers can then find and interact with on the project management app. Box and Asana are just two of the platforms adding deeper integrations with Claude today. In total, there are nine launch partners, with some of the more notable ones including Canva, Figma and Slack. As with Anthropic's past integrations, the new functionality is powered by Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. MCP is a technology Anthropic released in fall 2024 to make it easier for third-party platforms to connect their systems to Claude. Since then, the protocol has become an industry standard. OpenAI, for instance, adopted MCP last year, and has been building additional support since then. At the end of last year, Anthropic donated the protocol to the Linux Foundation. The company says AI platforms will be able to bring similar integrations to their own products since they're built on a new open extension designed by Anthropic. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/claude-now-offers-deeper-integrations-with-apps-like-canva-and-slack-180000604.html?src=rss
The Trump administration is planning on using Google Gemini to draft important federal regulations, as reported by ProPublica. This is starting with the Department of Transportation, according to interviews with agency staffers. Regulations created by the DOT help keep us safe when traveling.
The plan was initially presented to DOT staffers last month, with agency attorney Daniel Cohen writing to colleagues about AI's "potential to revolutionize the way we draft rulemakings." Gregory Zerzan, the agency's general counsel, has indicated that President Donald Trump is "very excited by this initiative" and that DOT will be "the first agency that is fully enabled to use AI to draft rules." This does suggest a pilot program of sorts, with eventual plans to bring AI to other departments.
NEW: The Trump administration is planning to use AI to write federal regulations despite the risk of hallucinations.We don't even need a very good rule, @USDOTs top lawyer said of the plan, per meeting notes reviewed by ProPublica. We want good enough. pic.twitter.com/YKGvmlkMCt Jesse Coburn (@Jesse_Coburn) January 26, 2026
Oddly, Zerzan doesn't seem that interested in high-quality regulations. ProPublica received transcripts of a meeting in which he declared that "we don't need the perfect rule on XYZ. We don't even need a very good rule on XYZ." He went on to say that "we want good enough" and that "we're flooding the zone."
Let me remind you that DOT regulates the safety standards of commercial aircraft, along with rules involving the transport of hazardous materials and driver qualifications. The agency's rules touch on every aspect of transportation safety. Why would the federal government rely on a new technology that's notorious for making mistakes?
AI hallucinations eg false/made-up info now becoming a problem in scientific publications. Kudos to @alexcdot et al on building an AI hallucination detector and finding that certain journals/authors have used LLMs to generate papers that also made it through peer review. Heres pic.twitter.com/i4Be1lS8xq Daphne Zohar (@daphnezohar) January 22, 2026
The answer is speed. Writing and revising complex federal regulations can take months, but Google Gemini can spit something out in minutes. A DOT employee giving a presentation on the program suggested that many parts of these regulations are just "word salad" anyways, so AI should be able to do just fine.
"It shouldnt take you more than 20 minutes to get a draft rule out of Gemini," Zerzan said. The plan is to compress the timeline in which transportation regulations are written and reviewed. The department has already used AI to draft an unpublished Federal Aviation Administration rule.
Federal agencies have used AI for years, but not to actually write regulations. It's primarily been used for the purpose of translating documents, analyzing data and categorizing public comments. Trump, however, is a huge proponent of the technology. He has released multiple executive orders in support of AI and once shared an AI-created video in which he flew a fighter jet and dropped what appears to be feces on American citizens.
Skeptics say that large language models like Gemini shouldn't be in charge of drafting complicated and consequential regulations that impact millions of everyday Americans. Mistakes could lead to lawsuits and even injuries and deaths.
Mike Horton, DOTs former acting chief artificial intelligence officer, said using Gemini to draft regulations was like having a high school intern thats doing your rulemaking. He also said that agency leaders under Trump "want to go fast and break things, but going fast and breaking things means people are going to get hurt."
"Just because these tools can produce a lot of words doesnt mean that those words add up to a high-quality government decision, said Bridget Dooling, a professor at Ohio State University who studies administrative law. Its so tempting to try to figure out how to use these tools, and I think it would make sense to try. But I think it should be done with a lot of skepticism."
DOT has experienced a net loss of more than 4,000 employees since Trump started his second term. This includes over 100 attorneys.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/trump-admin-reportedly-plans-to-use-ai-to-write-federal-regulations-175155111.html?src=rss
Its time to jump back into the pit. Ball x Pit is one of the very best games of 2025 and theres now even more to play around with in the brick-busting roguelite. The first major free update for the game (one of three thats on the cards this year) just arrived on all platforms. It added a bunch more stuff to the mix, including two new characters, eight extra special balls with powerful abilities and an endless mode.Developer Kenny Sun wrote on the PlayStation Blog that because fans demanded it so much, endless mode jumped right to the top of the to-do list. After you beat a levels boss, you can keep going as long as you can stay alive and really put your builds to the test. The Regal Update brought two more playable hunters to the mix as well. Opt to use The Falconer, and youll fire balls from two birds, one at each side of the screen. When balls return to The Carouser, they orbit around him to deal extra damage. Sun added that this character twists ball trajectories with a personal gravity field that pulls shots off their usual paths.Then there are the new balls. The Stone Ball is powerful, but disintegrates as it bounces. Two of the latest balls deal spins on fire damage and the Fireworks Ball seems like itll add even more chaotic visual flair. The update added a trio of passives too. I enjoy creating builds around baby balls (a secondary type of ball that doesnt have a special ability), so Im eager to try out Iron Onesie. This passive scales up the damage of special balls depending on how many baby balls are in play. Finally, the update introduced support for more languages. You can play Ball x Pit in Spanish (Latin America), Polish, Italian, Thai, Turkish and Ukrainian.In anticipation of the update, I jumped back into Ball x Pit over the weekend for a quick refresher. Before I knew it, four hours had gone by. This game is once again going to be an existential threat to my time. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ball-x-pits-first-update-brings-an-endless-mode-and-much-more-to-the-chaos-174306548.html?src=rss
If your TikTok feed has felt a little off lately, it's not just you. TikTok says it's working to fix its service in the US following a power outage at one of its data centers that's caused widespread issues in the app. TikTok users have reported problems logging in and uploading videos, as well as with the app's "for you" algorithm."Since yesterday weve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate," the company wrote in a statement Monday. "We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon."Since yesterday weve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate. We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon. TikTok USDS Joint Venture (@tiktokusdsjv) January 26, 2026
The issues come just days after TikTok finalized a deal to spin off its US business into a separate entity largely controlled by US investors. That timing hasn't gone unnoticed by users, many of whom are already suspicious of the company pushing a terms of service and privacy policy in the hours after the deal was finalized. The problems affecting the app's recommendation algorithm have also raised questions about TikTok USDS Joint Venture's plans to "retrain" TikTok's central feature. Since Sunday, users have reported seeing a wave of generic videos flood their feeds, which are typically hyper-personalized. Other users have reported seeing the same few videos repeated over and over again. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-says-a-power-outage-is-causing-issues-with-the-app-in-the-us-173426617.html?src=rss
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are coming up. (Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
Mattia Ozbot via Getty Images
The 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Italy this year, with all the action taking place in Milan and the Alpine city of Cortina. This year marks the fourth time Italy has hosted the Winter Games; most recently, Turin hosted in 2006. Of the 16 sports that will be featured at the Winter Olympics, there will be 15 returning favorites, including figure skating, Alpine skiing, curling, ice hockey, speedskating, snowboarding, freestyle skiing and ski jumping, and one entirely new sport, snow mountaineering. (Will it be as big a hit as the 2024 Summer Games' new addition, breaking? It remains to be seen.)
Live coverage of every event at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will be available to stream on Peacock though thanks to the time difference between Italy and the U.S., to watch many of the events live, you'll have to wake up (or stay up) until 2AM or 3AM ET. Primetime replays and select live coverage will air on NBC. The games officially kick off with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, 2026.
Here's what else you need to know about watching the 2026 Winter Olympics.
How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics
Dates: Feb. 6 - Feb. 22
TV channel: NBC
Streaming: Peacock
When are the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The Winter Olympics officially begin with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, although some events will start as early as Feb. 4). The Milano Cortina 2026 games will run through Feb. 22. The closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in the Arena di Verona on Feb. 22.
Where are the Winter Olympics this year?
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Northern Italy, primarily in Milan and also the Alpine mountain resort town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, where events like bobsled, skeleton, alpine skiing, curling, para snowboard, and more will take place.
What channel are the Olympics on?
The 2026 Winter Olympics will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock.
How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics without cable
When is the Winter Olympics opening ceremony?
The Milano Cortina 2026 opening ceremony will be held on Feb. 6, 2026. Due to the time difference, the ceremony will kick off around 2PM ET/11AM PT.
Winter Olympics time difference
This year's Olympic Games are in Italy, which is 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. Meaning that some events will start bright and early for U.S. viewers, and live coverage will likely wrap up around 4PM ET each day. NBC will have primetime replays of the biggest moments each night.
2026 Winter Olympics TV/streaming schedule:
All times Eastern.
Wednesday, Feb. 4 (early competition starts)
Curling (round robin) 2AM (Peacock Live)
Curling (round robin) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Alpine skiing training 36AM (Peacock Live)
Thursday, Feb. 5
Curling (round robin) 2AM (Peacock Live)
Curling (round robin) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Freestyle skiing qualifications 4AM (Peacock Live)
Snowboard qualifications 6AM (Peacock Live)
Friday, Feb. 6 opening ceremony
Curling (round robin) 2AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (team event short programs) 6AM (Peacock Live)
Snowboard slopestyle qualifications 6AM (Peacock Live)
Speedskating (early distances) 8AM (Peacock Live)
opening ceremony 2PM (Peacock Live)
opening ceremony 8PM (NBC Primetime)
Saturday, Feb. 7
Alpine skiing (mens downhill) 3AM (Peacock Live)
Snowboard slopestyle finals 6AM (Peacock Live)
Speedskating medals 7AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (team free programs) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Hockey (group play begins) 10AM (Peacock Live)
Sunday, Feb. 8
Alpine skiing (womens downhill) 3AM (Peacock Live)
Freestyle skiing moguls finals 6AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (pairs short program) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Luge (singles runs) 9AM (Peacock Live)
Hockey (group play) 12PM (Peacock Live)
Monday, Feb. 9
Biathlon sprint 5AM (Peacock Live)
Speedskating medals 7AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (pairs free skate medals) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Curling (round robin) 9AM (Peacock Live)
Skeleton (heat 12) 11AM (Peacock Live)
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Alpine skiing (giant slalom) 4AM (Peacock Live)
Snowboard halfpipe qualifications 6AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (mens short program) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Curling (round robin) 10AM (Peacock Live)
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Nordic combined 4AM (Peacock Live)
Freestyle skiing aerials finals 6AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (mens free skate medals) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Speedskating medals 11AM (Peacock Live)
Thursday, Feb. 12
Alpine skiing (slalom) 4AM (Peacock Live)
Snowboard halfpipe finals 6AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (ice dance rhythm dance) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Curling (medal round qualifiers) 10AM (Peacock Live)
Friday, Feb. 13
Biathlon pursuit 5AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (ice dance free dance medals) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Skeleton finals 10AM (Peacock Live)
Hockey (quarterfinals) 12PM (Peacock Live)
Saturday, Feb. 14
Alpine skiing (team combined) 4AM (Peacock Live)
Cross-country skiing distance race 6AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (womens short program) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Speedskating medals 11AM (Peacock Live)
Sunday, Feb. 15
Snowboard cross finals 6AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating (womens free skate medals) 8AM (Peacock Live)
Luge relay 11AM (Peacock Live)
Hockey (semifinals) 1PM (Peacock Live)
Monday, Feb. 16
Freestyle skiing dual moguls 6AM (Peacock Live)
Cross-country skiing team sprint 8AM (Peacock Live)
Curling (medal games) 10AM (Peacock Live)
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Biathlon relay 5AM (Peacock Live)
Speedskating team pursuit 7AM (Peacock Live)
Hockey (placement games) 12PM (Peacock Live)
Wednesday, Feb. 18
Alpine skiing (final technical events) 4AM (Peacock Live)
Freestyle skiing big air 6AM (Peacock Live)
Curling (gold medal match) 9AM (Peacock Live)
Thursday, Feb. 19
Cross-country skiing marathon 6AM (Peacock Live)
Snowboard parallel events 8AM (Peacock Live)
Hockey (bronze medal games) 1PM (Peacock Live)
Friday, Feb. 20
Biathlon mass start 6AM (Peacock Live)
Speedskating final medals 8AM (Peacock Live)
Figure skating gala 1PM (Peacock Live)
Saturday, Feb. 21
Mens hockey gold medal game 12PM (Peacock Live)
Womens hockey gold medal game 3PM (Peacock Live)
Mens hockey gold medal game 8PM (NBC Primetime)
Sunday, Feb. 22 closing ceremony
Cross-country skiing final event 6AM (Peacock Live)
closing ceremony 2PM (Peacock Live)
closing ceremony 8PM (NBC Primetime)
More ways to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics on NBC
While Peacock is the best way to watch the Winter Olympics, there are other options if you restrict yourself to the NBC broadcasts. As our guide to the best live TV streaming services to cut cable notes, both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are excellent options, but you'll want to skip Fubo until and unless the service resolves its contract dispute with Comcast, as NBC channels remain unavailable for now.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/winter-olympics-how-to-watch-schedule-of-events-and-everything-else-you-need-to-know-about-the-2026-milano-cortina-games-172409424.html?src=rss
While we got a peek at a few Xbox Game Studios projects during last weeks Developer Direct event, neither Bethesda nor Activision Blizzard made appearances. Fans of several Blizzard franchises wont need to wait too long to find out whats next for their favorite games, though, as the publisher has lined up several showcases to help mark its 35th anniversary.The developer-led streams will include major game announcements, according to Blizzard. Theyll all air over the next few weeks. Heres where and when you can watch each stream:January 29. 12PM ET World of Warcraft State of Azeroth (YouTube and Twitch)February 4, 1PM ET Overwatch Spotlight (YouTube and Twitch)February 9, 12:30PM ET Hearthstone Spotlight on the (YouTube and Twitch) February 11, 5PM ET Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight (YouTube and Twitch) With Blizzard not holding a BlizzCon in either 2024 or 2025, the announcements at these showcases should help fill the gap until the event returns in September. This is only the start of what well share around our games this year, Blizzard president Johanna Faries said.The WoW showcase will take place just over a month before the Midnight expansion arrives on March 2. Among other things, the developers will share their roadmaps for both modern and classic WoW.Overwatch 2 has been teasing a takeover of the game by the villainous Talon faction, and with the next season only a couple of weeks away, well surely hear more about that. Maybe Blizzard will reveal the long-rumored Overwatch mobile spinoff here too (and hopefully an animated series).The second Diablo IV expansion, Lord of Hatred, is set to arrive on April 28 with a new campaign and fresh classes in tow, so expect to learn more during that franchises showcase. Hearthstone fans will also soon get a better sense of what to expect for that game this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-lines-up-wow-overwatch-hearthstone-and-diablo-showcases-154912932.html?src=rss
Apple has launched its next-generation AirTag for $29 and brought a slew of new features along with it. But, first, it's important to get this out of the way: The new AirTag still doesn't have a keyring hole, so you'll still need a case or secure pocket.
Once you get over that, the new Apple AirTag does offer some nice improvements. For starters, it's now powered by Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip the same one used in the iPhone 17 lineup and for the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also uses Precision Finding to reach items up to 50 percent further away than the previous AirTag model. This feature will now work with any Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 or a later iteration of either.
The new AirTag is also 50 percent louder than before and has what Apple calls a "distinctive new chime." It still uses the Find My network to bounce off other Bluetooth users and locate the AirTag.
Apple
Launched in 2021, Apple's AirTag has long stood as our favorite Bluetooth tracker for iPhones. It's convenience within the Find My app is a big help and almost makes up for the fact that it doesn't have a key ring almost.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apples-new-airtag-still-doesnt-have-a-keyring-hole-150540254.html?src=rss
The ninth mainline Resident Evil is trying to split the difference between the series action-heavy entries and the stress-inducing hide-and-seek episodes. During a four-hour playthrough of some early parts of Resident Evil Requiem, I spent time with both of the two main characters, Grace and series mainstay Leon. They offer distinctly different playstyles, talents, strengths, and weaknesses. While it isn't an entirely new premise for the survival horror series (in the original, playing as Chris Redfield offered more challenge than playing as Jill Valentine) its never been this pronounced. I started playing as Leon, entering a medical facility he seemed to have been invited to. With a cavernous main hall, it feels like yet another iconic Resident Evil hub, immediately reminding me of Raccoon City's Police Precinct and even the original's cavernous manor. Wings to explore? Check. Suspiciously quiet and empty central area that will almost definitely get overrun by zombies at some point? Probably.Both Grace and Leons parts can be played in either third- or first-person perspective, though Leons segments seem better suited to the third-person view, since there's just a lot more shooting. Grace's segments were tense and demanded my full attention, more akin to Resident Evil 7. During this early part of the game, there is a lot of hiding, plenty of ammo conservation and a lot more learning from dumb mistakes. The parts of the game I played with Leon reminded me more of Resident Evil 4 (or 5 or 6 but lets gloss over those).Once you take control of him, Leon is immediately attacked and has to fend off roughly 15 infected doctors, nurses and patients. Its a significant tone shift from Grace skulking around the facility, hiding behind plants and sometimes just hoping for the best. Leon faces off against a chainsaw-wielding doctor zombie. Best cut that arm off.CapcomLeon, fortunately, arrives with several weapons, including a new melee option, a hatchet. Using this, he can make targeted attacks to lop off limbs and aim at the head to deliver more damage. At least on these basic zombies, I found relentless slashing more effective than more targeted efforts Im sure future enemies will demand more nuanced approaches. A later enemy must be decapitated to kill it. After a set number of swings, you will need to retreat and sharpen the blade, which adds to the jeopardy while not disrupting the chaos. The hatchet can even be used to parry attacks if you get the timing down. Leon even gets to wield a chainsaw during this initial encounter, but only after claiming it from one particularly industrious zombie that seemed to find it inside a hospital. It was crucial to both disarm this zombie and grab the chainsaw before another corpse could take a turn on it. However, just because the chainsaw gets dropped doesnt mean its turned off. I suffered significant damage when I repeatedly rushed into the spinning power tool. The zombies in Requiem are also a little more nuanced compared to previous games if a zombie can have nuance. While nearly all of the zombies will attack you on sight, they can be distracted or delayed based on the person they were before they turned. For example, the chef zombie (a hardy, bigger zombie than the ones youve come across until that point) will only chase you around his kitchen. Step out into the corridor and hell leave you alone. Elsewhere, a zombie (attached to an IV, cute) has his eyes bandaged and will react aggressively to any noise. I used this to my advantage, hurling an empty bottle at another zombie who stood nearby. The IV zombie killed him immediately. Another time, a senior exec whos been turned is firing an employee of his by killing them, moaning Youre fired as he does so. This little vignette gave me enough time to dim the lights and hide when he left his office. In Requiem, players are expected to exploit individual zombie behaviors to outmaneuver them. Its also a welcome dose of humor to the survival horror series, reminding me a little of the camp moments in Dead Rising, another zombie-centric Capcom series. Leon doesnt have to strategize quite as much, arriving with a particularly powerful handgun, the Requiem, that he eventually passes over to Grace. This is capable of stopping pretty much (but not all) enemies you come across, although it initially comes with only a single bullet, so you really have to make it count. During a set-piece battle against a towering, swollen former patient, I got to test Requiems action-horror controls under pressure. Leon finds a shotgun and has to flank (and outrun) his hungry attacker. The environment in the rafters of the building is designed so its easy to figure out where you need to go and how to stop the giant zombie from cornering you. Ammo, at least during this fight, was scattered around, which was a relief after struggling to find bullets during Graces segment.Despite the lack of traditional weapons, Grace eventually finds a blood injector (and its companion blood analysis system). These turn into Requiems crafting system. Powered by literal buckets and puddles of blood (you have to draw up infected blood from certain parts of the environment and enemies), samples can be combined with scraps, herbs and more to create high-powered first-aid shots, injectable explosive blood, ammunition and a lot of other things. Analysing different blood types (and solving some light puzzles) adds further crafting options. Oh he's not going to help you.CapcomDuring the preview, the infected blood injector was exclusively for Graces use. Itll be intriguing if only one character gets to benefit from the crafting system, although Capcom teased customizable weapons for Leon, which might better suit his playstyle. Grace might also be handicapped by the typewriter save system popularized in the first few RE games. This could mean youll only be able to save if you have an ink ribbon on you, a very stressful part of inventory management early on in the series she really cant catch a break. However, it appears to be adjustable in difficulty settings. According to Capcoms Resident Evil showcase last week, infected blood will apparently play a strong role in Requiem, touching on both Leons past (hes apparently suffering from a mystery ailment) and the circumstances surrounding the death of Grace's other. And it wouldnt be a Resident Evil game with mystery, buckets of blood, and a pulpy villain. Capcom has primed another fascinating villain with Requiems Dr. Gideon, a former Umbrella virologist who was seemingly written for an actor to go full camp baddie if the doctors hooded snakeskin trenchcoat wasnt a giveaway. Resident Evil Requiem will be released on February 27, 2026 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/resident-evil-requiem-preview-150000849.html?src=rss
