Sony is giving Days Gone the remaster treatment. Nestled in Sony's latest State of Play event, the company announced that Days Gone Remastered is coming to PlayStation 5 and PC on April 25, 2025, with updated graphics and new content in tow.
Days Gone Remastered features "improved graphical fidelity, increased foliage draw distance, improved shadow and lighting quality" and support for the PS5's 3D audio and haptics-stuffed Dualsense controller. You'll be able to play through the zombie survival story of "former outlaw biker" Deacon St. John as it was originally conceived, and also enjoy a new permadeath mode, a "Horde Assault" mode, accessibility features and some point after the launch of the game, a speedrun mode.
Remastering another PlayStation game isn't out of the ordinary. Sony's done it to Horizon Zero Dawn and technically multiple times to The Last of Us. It's just that of all the PS4 games demanding some graphical spit-and-shine, and more importantly, a revisit from players, Days Gone doesn't rank high. The game was fine, the large zombie hordes were impressive, it's the story that left most reviewers wanting. And increased foliage draw distance doesn't fix that.
The vast majority of people would prefer a Bloodborne remaster, and now nearly 10 years from that game's original release, it doesn't seem like it's going to happen. Sony has been, on the other hand, at least somewhat invested in Days Gone. The game was brought to PC, there's this remaster and the company was reportedly working to adapt the game to film in 2022, the ultimate fate of most of its franchises. Maybe Days Gone Remastered is just the start of a Days Gone renaissance.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-is-actually-remastering-days-gone-before-bloodborne-191411680.html?src=rss
The OnePlus Open was a surprisingly good device, especially considering that it was the company's first attempt at making a foldable phone. Unfortunately, in a community note published today, OnePlus announced that a proper follow-up to the Open won't be arriving in 2025.
In the post, OnePlus Open product manager Vale G. said that the company has "carefully considered the timing and our next steps in foldable devices, and we have made the decision not to release a foldable this year." That's definitely a bummer, particularly for fans of devices with flexible displays in the US, who aren't able to easily buy handsets from Chinese brands like Huawei, Xiaomi and OnePlus' parent company Oppo. It's also a bit of a shock considering that the Open hit the shelves more than a year and a half ago in late 2023, so it was due for an update.
The one positive takeaway from this is that while the OnePlus Open 2 isn't happening this year, the company isn't giving up on foldables forever, saying "This is not a step back, its a recalibration. Our commitment to innovation is stronger than ever, and were excited to bring you fresh, unique experiences that truly Never Settle." For owners of the Open, OnePlus also noted that the phone will continue to receive regular software and security updates as scheduled.
Unfortunately, this means that for the US market, there are only two main manufacturers still making big foldable phones: Samsung and Google, who we expect to announce refreshed models sometime later this summer. What's worse is that when it comes to the Galaxy Z Fold line, the recent lack of competition feels like it has allowed Samsung to slack off, with the Z Fold 6 only offering middling improvements over previous generations. So here's hoping OnePlus can rejoin the fray soon to help spur competition between the handful of phone makers still trying to innovate with a small but slowly growing niche.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-oneplus-open-2-isnt-happening-this-year-184514367.html?src=rss
The UKs shockingly intrusive order for Apple to create a backdoor into users encrypted iCloud data doesnt only affect Brits; it could be used to access the private data of any Apple account holder in the world, including Americans. Less than a week after security experts sounded the alarm on the report, US Congress is trying to do something about it.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that, in a rare show of modern Capitol Hill bipartisanship, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) wrote to the new National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, asking her to take measures to thwart the UKs surveillance order including limiting cooperation and intelligence sharing if the country refuses to comply.
If Apple is forced to build a backdoor in its products, that backdoor will end up in Americans phones, tablets and computers, undermining the security of Americans data, as well as of the countless federal, state and local government agencies that entrust sensitive data to Apple products, Biggs and Wyden reportedly wrote. The US government must not permit what is effectively a foreign cyberattack waged through political means.
The pair told Gabbard that if the UK doesnt retract its order, she should reevaluate US-UK cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as US intelligence sharing with the UK. Wyden sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Biggs is on the House Judiciary Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance.
Wyden reportedly began circulating a draft bill that, if passed, could at least make the process harder for UK authorities. The proposed modification to the 2018 CLOUD Act would make information requests to US-based companies by foreign entities more onerous by requiring them to first obtain a judges order in their home country. In addition, it would forbid other countries (like, oh, say... the UK) from demanding changes in encryption protocols to the products or services of companies in the US. Request challenges would also be given jurisdiction in US rather than foreign courts.
Apple
The UK order, first reported by The Washington Post, requires Apple to create a backdoor into its Advanced Data Protection, a feature introduced in iOS 16.2 in 2022. Advanced Data Protection applies end-to-end encryption to many types of iCloud data, including device backups, Messages content, notes and photos, making them inaccessible even to Apple. The order demands a blanket ability to access a users fully encrypted data whenever and wherever the target is located.
The order was issued under the UKs Investigatory Powers Act 2016, known (not so affectionately) as the Snooper's Charter, which expanded the electronic surveillance powers of British intelligence agencies and law enforcement. It would be a criminal offense for Apple to publicly confirm receiving the order, so the company hasnt commented on the matter. Security experts warn that implementing this backdoor would needlessly expose anyone with an Apple Account to foreign spying, hackers and adversarial countries.
Apple reportedly received a draft of the order last year when UK officials debated the changes. In a written submission protesting them, the company said the planned order could be used to force a company like Apple, that would never build a back door into its products, to publicly withdraw critical security features from the UK market. The company can appeal the notice but cant use the appeal to delay compliance.
Most experts in the democratic world agree that what the UK is proposing would weaken digital security for everyone, not just in the UK but worldwide, Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of the UKs National Cyber Security Center, told The Washington Post.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/us-lawmakers-respond-to-the-uks-apple-encryption-backdoor-request-182423656.html?src=rss
Peacocks adaptation of the PlayStation classic Twisted Metal was surprisingly fun and I was fairly excited when it got a season two renewal. Now we have an actual trailer for the new batch of episodes and, lo and behold, it focuses almost entirely on the titular tournament.
The first season had a lot going for it. Co-leads Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz were charming and the episodes were short, focused and fun. One thing fans were left waiting on, however, was the actual Twisted Metal demolition derby. After all, thats the whole point of the games. The shows creators, which include folks behind Cobra Kai and Deadpool, have fixed this glaring omission, as season two looks to focus exclusively on tournament-based vehicular combat.
In other words, we can expect a truckload of off-the-wall nonsense when the second season premieres this summer. The trailer shows off plenty of new faces, many of which are culled from the games, and even spotlights the iconic host Calypso (played by Anthony Carrigan from Barry.) The franchises mascot, killer clown Sweet Tooth, also returns, still voiced by Will Arnett and performed by the wrestler Samoa Joe.
For the uninitiated, the first season took place in a post-apocalyptic version of the US and involved a cross-country trip. Despite the dystopian setting, the show managed to be goofy and not grimdark. I would classify it as an action-comedy. Twisted Metal joins other modern TV adaptations of video games, like Knuckles, The Last of Us, Arcane and Castlevania: Nocturne.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-twisted-metal-season-two-trailer-finally-shows-off-the-titular-tournament-180609928.html?src=rss
Major publishers, including Politico and Vox, and their parent companies are suing the AI startup Cohere for copyright and trademark infringement, according to the Wall Street Journal. This is another salvo in the ongoing war between the people that make stuff and the AI algorithms that mimic the stuff that people make.
The various publishers, which also include The Atlantic and The Guardian, have accused Cohere of improperly using more than 4,000 copyrighted works to train its large language model. Additionally, the startup has been accused of passing off large segments of entire articles to its users without proper attribution.
Rather than create their own content, theyre stealing ours to compete with us without our permission, without compensation, and undermining our very business that feeds their machines in the first place, said Danielle Coffey, CEO of the News Media Alliance, which organized the lawsuit on behalf of its members. Thats theft.
The suit also says the company has engaged in trademark infringement, suggesting that the algorithm would send articles to users with proper attribution, using the publishers name, but the article itself would be filled with hallucinated and incorrect information. One example given in the suit involves a piece that The Guardian published about Hamass attack on the Nova music festival in Israel, only the AI conflated the terror attack with a 2020 shooting in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Members of the News Media Alliance are suing the AI company Cohere, accusing it of stealing their journalism without permission to train its generative AI model. The CEOs of Politico and Business Insider just sent memos to staff announcing the lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/ZyLASydeM7 Max Tani (@maxwelltani) February 13, 2025
The publishers are seeking the maximum amount of damages under the Copyright Act, which is $150,000 per work infringed. The suit also wants to reduce the access that Cohere has to copyrighted works. They also hope to set a legal precedent to establish the terms of the playing field for licensed use of journalism for AI, including for training and also real-time uses, according to Pam Wasserstein, president of Vox Media. Vox publishes stuff like The Verge, New York Magazine and Polygon.
Cohere is currently valued at $5 billion. The company creates software that developers can use to build AI applications for business use. It also operates a chatbot for general users. It has received backing from venture-capital firms like Index Ventures and companies like NVIDIA and Salesforce.
Of course, this is just the latest legal action taken against an AI company on behalf of a publisher. The New York Times sued OpenAI in 2023 for copyright infringement and News Corp brands, including The Wall Street Journal and New York Post, sued Perplexity back in October. The New York Times has also had beef with Perplexity. Just this week, a judge ruled in favor of Reuters in a suit against the AI company Ross Intelligence.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/major-publishers-sue-ai-startup-cohere-over-copyright-infringement-165352238.html?src=rss
It seems Apple is ready to show off something new. In a tweet on Thursday, CEO Tim Cook told Apple aficionados to "get ready to meet the newest member of the family." What that product is remains a slight mystery, though we won't have to wait too long to find out what Apple has up its sleeve. The reveal will take place on Wednesday, February 19. In case there was any ambiguity, Cook's tweet included an #AppleLaunch hashtag.
Cook's tweet also featured an animated image of a shimmering Apple logo on what appears to be the outline of an AirTag. It's been rumored for a while that Apple would introduce a second-gen tracker sometime this year. The purported AirTag 2 is expected to have a longer range and a speaker that's more difficult to remove, as well as Apple Vision Pro integration.
Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.Wednesday, February 19. #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/0ML0NfMedu Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 13, 2025
In addition, reports suggest that Apple will reveal a new iPhone SE very soon. The unveiling was initially believed to be happening sometime this week. However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Tuesday that the "new iPhone SE is still imminent and should be announced by next week, when the company is holding product briefings." He added that an Apple Vision Pro announcement appears to be in the offing, while the M4-powered MacBook Air is slated to arrive "within weeks."
It seems that Apple has a lot of irons in the fire at the minute. As such, the company has a bunch of different options for what to reveal next week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-will-introduce-its-newest-member-of-the-family-on-february-19-162056946.html?src=rss
Amid stiff competition, Baidu says its making its AI chatbot free to use. Starting on April 1, ERNIE Bot will be available to users at no cost. Baidu says it will also issue refunds to users in some cases. The company cited reduced costs and tech improvements as reasons for making ERNIE Bot free across desktop and mobile.
Moreover, Baidu plans to roll out an advanced search function on the same day, per Reuters. This will also be available for free and is said to include upgraded reasoning capability.
Baidu started offering premium features in its search engine in late 2023. Those were powered by advanced AI models such as ERNIE 4.0. The company charged around $8 per month (59.9 yuan) for those features.
While Baidu was one of the first major Chinese companies to deploy its own AI chatbot amid the rise of ChatGPT, ERNIE is said to have struggled to find widespread adoption. By contrast, Reuters reports that domestic rivals such as the Doubao chatbot from ByteDance and upstart DeepSeek (which offers its AI assistant for free) have seen stronger user adoption, according to a third-party data tracker.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/baidu-is-making-its-ai-assistant-ernie-bot-free-to-use-starting-on-april-1-153320140.html?src=rss
A new investigation from The Markup claims the parent company of Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid and other dating apps turns a blind eye to allegedly abusive users on its platforms. The 18-month investigation found instances in which users who were repeatedly reported for drugging or assaulting their dates remained on the apps.
One such case involves a Colorado-based cardiologist named Stephen Matthews. Over several years, multiple women on Match's platforms reported him for drugging or raping them. Despite these reports, his Tinder profile was at one point given Standout status, reserved for popular profiles and often requiring in-app currency to interact with. Matthews wasn't removed from the platform until two months after one survivor went to the police. Match Group subsequently dragged its feet when Hinge received a search warrant, complying after seven months. He was eventually sentenced to 158 years to life in prison.
How was something like this allowed to happen? According to internal company documents cited in the investigation, since 2016, Match Group has been aware of which users were reported for assaulting, drugging or raping their dates. In 2019, Match Group's central database, Sentinel, began recording each user reported for either assault or rape on any of its apps. Company insiders reported that, three years later, the system registered hundreds of incidents weekly. But the system was reportedly ineffective and easy to game.
Not only could users easily evade bans by signing up with different contact information, but "internal company documents show information on IP addresses, photos, and birthdate were not used to ban a user if they appear on another Match dating app." A Tinder user banned for reports of rape could simply jump ship to Hinge without issue. There are reportedly many tutorials online for methods to evade bans on Match-owned apps requiring little to no technical expertise, and The Markup was able to validate three of them.
But it wasn't just a poorly designed technical system that's to blame. In 2020, Match Group stated it would release a transparency report to demonstrate harm conducted in relation to its platforms that report has still not been released. That same year, 11 members of congress requested information about Match Group's process after receiving sexual violence reports. Three years later, two representatives followed up after being promoted by this report's researchers still no data has been provided.
In 2021, Match Group made public promises about increasing safety but company insiders told the researchers that it hasn't improved. That same year, the report claims a presentation shown to employees on multiple occasions asked questions such as, "Do we publish only where we are required by law?" and "Do we push back on how much we are required to reveal, or do we try to go beyond what is required?"
By 2022 Match group entered a major partnership with background check company Garbo; the very next year that partnership dissolved, with Garbo writing publicly that "Its become clear that most online platforms arent legitimately committed to trust and safety for their users. In 2024, Match Group cut its remaining central trust-and-safety team Match Group employees, outsourcing the positions overseas who the company's former head of safety described as working under strenuous quotas and with little training.
The report claims that at least one employee at the time was worried about the potential dangers of focusing too much on metrics. They asked their bosses: "How much would you personally pay to stop just one person being sexually assaulted by a date, one child being trafficked or one vulnerable person being driven to suicide by a predator? I feel that if I asked members of our staff that question individually, they would put a high value of their own money on it But as a group nobody is ready to hear that yet."
We recognize our role in fostering safer communities and promoting authentic and respectful connections worldwide, Kayla Whaling, senior director of communications at Match, said in a statement to The Markup. We will always work to invest in and improve our systems, and search for ways to help our users stay safe, both online and when they connect in real life. The company did not dispute the investigation's findings.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/investigation-finds-match-group-failed-to-act-on-reports-of-sexual-assault-151556608.html?src=rss
Apple will use Alibaba's generative AI to power artificial intelligence features for iPhones meant for sale in the Chinese market. Joe Tsai, Alibaba Group's Chairman, has confirmed the companies' partnership at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. He revealed that Apple talked to a number of other companies in China for a potential partnership, but it decided to team up with Alibaba in the end. Apple Intelligence features are not accessible in China at the moment, and even those who purchased their iPhones outside the country will not be able to use those features once they change their region to mainland China.
As CNBC explains, the country has strict regulations surrounding AI, including requiring large language models to get approval for commercial use. Companies providing generative AI technologies in the region are also responsible for taking down illegal content. The Information reported about the partnership between Alibaba and Apple before Tsai confirmed it. The publication said that the companies had already submitted the AI features Apple plans to roll out to the country's regulators for approval.
A previous report said that Apple tried to work with Baidu for its AI needs last year, but the models for Apple Intelligence that the Chinese company was developing were unable to meet its standards. Apple also reportedly talked to other Chinese companies, including Tencent and DeepSeek, but Apple deemed the latter to be lacking in experience and manpower to be able to handle a massive customer base. The DeepSeek AI assistant, if you'll recall, recently went viral and became the top free iPhone app in the US. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-will-use-alibabas-generative-ai-for-its-iphones-in-china-150008901.html?src=rss
Public relations and publicity differ significantly in terms of tactics, timelines, and underlying characteristics, according to this recent infographic. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
