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Google and Roblox have teamed up to create a game that teaches kids how to spot internet scams and to increase caution regarding the sharing of personal information online. The suite of experiences is called, and I quote, Be Internet Awesome World. Did Melania Trump name this thing? This gameplay experience exists within Roblox, which Google says helps it reach kids where theyre already spending time to teach them the basics of online safety. It brings kids to the magical world of the Internauts which is home to a number of minigames that address various aspects of internet safety. Some of the games focus on phishing attempts, while others emphasize practicing kindness online. Good luck with that last one. In any event, Be Internet Awesome World is available right now within Roblox, which leads us to the elephant in the room. Roblox may be a great place to reach kids, with nearly 80 million daily active users and many of them children. Its also been accused of being an unsafe space for the younger gamers among us. Turkey banned the app entirely on the grounds that it allows for the exploitation of children. Sony didnt even want to bring the game to PlayStation consoles for similar reasons, before finally relenting last year. There have also been accusations of kids being financially exploited on the platform, according to reporting by The Guardian. Popular creations can make the designers a lot of money, and the userbase is mostly children under 16. This has led many to accuse the apps developers of gaining notoriety through an influx of child labor. The Roblox tagline, after all, used to be Make anything. Reach millions. Earn serious cash. Roblox takes around 30 percent of all money made via the platform, so it has a vested interest in the creative contributions of children. Studio head Stefano Corazza once told Eurogamer that the ability for teenagers to make money on the platform represented the biggest gift and that these kids didnt feel like they were exploited. You can say, Okay, we are exploiting, you know, child labor, right? Or you can say: we are offering people anywhere in the world the capability to get a job, and even like an income, Corazza continued. All this is to say that perhaps Roblox should get its own house in order before trying to teach kids about how to avoid scams online. Roblox CEO and co-founder David Baszucki has started to address these concerns, heading to Washington DC earlier this year to discuss child safety with lawmakers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/google-and-roblox-teamed-up-on-a-weird-game-to-teach-kids-about-internet-safety-190007350.html?src=rss
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iRobot's Roomba Combo Essential bundle is available for $280 right now via QVC. This is a discount of $170 for a combo pack that includes the Roomba Combo 2 robovac and the self-emptying base. The vacuum typically costs $280 all by its lonesome, so this basically gets you a free base. However, the vacuum is available for just $200 right now via Amazon without the base. This is certainly a budget-friendly entry in the companys lineup of robot vacuums, but it gets the job done. The company says this model outperforms the Roomba 600 Series, with 20 times more suction power. Its also a vacuum/mop hybrid, so it can handle all aspects of floor cleaning. It accesses the same smart navigation algorithm as other iRobot vacuums, which allows it to move freely around the space without bumping into things or falling down stairs. The battery life is also on point, allowing for around two hours of use per charge. Of course, itll return to the charging base on its own when the battery gets low. It also integrates with the companys proprietary app, which lets people customize a whole host of settings and dictate cleaning schedules. The only major downside of this vacuum is that it doesnt typically come with a self-emptying base, but this bundle does. It holds up to 60 days of debris, so thats two glorious months of laying on the couch without having to do a dang thing. 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/irobots-roomba-combo-essential-with-self-emptying-base-is-170-off-right-now-184650126.html?src=rss
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You can strike one game off of the busy fall 2024 calender. Ubisoft has delayed Assassin's Creed Shadows until February 14. It was originally supposed to hit PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Mac and iPad on November 15. You can probably guess the main reason why Ubisoft is pushing the latest entry in the saga back by a few months. While all of the features are largely set, the company needs more time to iterate on them and to polish the game as a whole. "We understand this decision will come as disappointing news, especially to those who've been waiting patiently for an Assassin's Creed game inspired by Feudal Japan, but we sincerely believe this is in the best interest of the game, and ultimately your experience as a player," Assassin's Creed executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté wrote in a statement on X. Assassin's Creed Shadows will now release February 14, 2025. pic.twitter.com/J2ah7kkytW Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) September 25, 2024 In a financial statement [PDF], Ubisoft said it made the call to delay Assassin's Creed Shadows partly because of what it learned from the release of Star Wars Outlaws. One of the main criticisms levied against that game is that it had too many punishing stealth sequences, especially in the early goings. Ubisoft has rolled out some changes to make those parts of the game less onerous. Ubisoft confirmed that despite positive reviews, the initial sales of Star Wars Outlaws "proved softer than expected." It's hoping to polish Outlaws and improve the player experience to help the game find a larger audience during the holiday period. To help with that, the title will hit Steam on November 21. To that end, Ubisoft is hoping that the extra time it's taking with Assassins Creed Shadows will allow "the biggest entry in the franchise to fully deliver on its ambition, notably by fulfilling the promise of our dual protagonist adventure, with Naoe and Yasuke bringing two very different gameplay styles." Meanwhile, Ubisoft says it's shaking up some of its business practices with Assassins Creed Shadows. It says this game will mark the return of the company bringing its games to Steam at launch, rather than making them exclusive to Ubisoft Connect on PC for several months. It's also planning to ditch the Season Pass model. There will be no early access period, but those who preorder Assassins Creed Shadows will get the first expansion for free.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/assassins-creed-shadows-is-delayed-until-february-14-184514006.html?src=rss
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