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It's sort of out of character for Amazon to be hosting a devices event in February, as opposed to its usual Fall launch. But this Wednesday (February 26) at 10am ET, the company is holding a presentation in New York City. As it's done in the past, Amazon won't be livestreaming this event, and you won't be able to watch Panos Panay and his colleagues present to members of the media. Don't worry about FOMO, though, because we've got you. Engadget will be attending and liveblogging the event, so if you follow our updates it'll almost feel like you're right there with us! We'll have commentary on the announcements, as well as the in-person vibes and quality of snacks. Our Sam Rutherford will be sharing pictures, too, so you won't miss a thing. Bookmark this page and come back on February 26 to stay informed! In case you were curious if it'll be worth your time, here's a quick refresher on what we expect to see at Amazon's devices event this week: Alexa. The company has teased its next-gen assistant for what feels like years at this point, promising a conversational cadence and the ability to process and execute complex requests. Rumors are sparse on what Amazon has up its sleeve, so we're not too sure whether there will be any new hardware. It's quite likely the company will show us updated Echo speakers to go along with the smarter Alexa, or a refreshed model of the Echo Buds that serve as a conduit for the assistant. For now, though, we assume there won't be new Kindles at the event, since Amazon released those late last year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-follow-the-amazon-devices-event-on-february-26-200022212.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Everyone's favorite sorta-poker game Balatro is set to cause yet another dip in global productivity levels. The roguelike which encourages you to bend and twist the rules of poker in all kinds of wild ways is available on Game Pass Ultimate, PC and Standard. Apple Arcade subscribers also have access to it at no extra cost. A trailer that premiered during Monday's ID@Xbox showcase also revealed the latest batch of cosmetic crossover card decks that are now available on all platforms. They include tie-ins with Critical Role, Dead by Daylight, Assassin's Creed, Fallout, Bugsnax and Rust. Those follow collabs with the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Stardew Valley, The Witcher 3 and Vampire Survivors. Seems like everyone wants to be pals with Balatro developer LocalThunk! Meanwhile, it emerged on Monday that PEGI, the body that runs the age rating system for games in Europe, has reclassified Balatro after determining it is suitable for players aged 12 and older. The board upped the age rating from 3+ to 18+ shortly after Balatro was released just over a year ago due to it containing "prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling," per publisher Playstack. The game was also temporarily removed from digital console storefronts in some markets. Playstack contended at the time that "Balatro does not allow or encourage gambling." Following an appeal, PEGI's complaints board has at last lowered the age rating to 12+. "Although the game explains the various hands of poker, the roguelike deck-building game contained mitigating fantastical elements that warranted a PEGI 12 rating," the complaints board concluded. Following that and a separate successful appeal for Luck Be A Landlord (which is also now rated 12+), PEGI plans to revise its guidelines for games that have gambling-related elements. "At this moment, any teaching or glamorization of simulated gambling automatically leads to a PEGI 18 rating," it said in a statement on Monday. "On the basis of these appeals, the PEGI Experts Group will develop a more granular set of classification criteria to handle gambling themes and the simulation, teaching and glamorization of gambling in different age categories, which will now include 12 but also keep 18 as an age category for games that simulate gambling typically played in casinos and betting halls."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/balatro-is-about-to-hook-a-lot-more-players-now-that-its-on-game-pass-192958603.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Google is planning to end support for SMS-based two-factor authentication in Gmail, Forbes reports. Sending a code to your personal phone via text message has long been an option Google offered to verify your identity, but it has unavoidable security issues the company wants to address. The goal is to "reduce the impact of rampant, global SMS abuse," Gmail spokesperson Ross Richendrfer tells Forbes, and the solution, at least for now, is QR codes. Instead of entering your number and receiving a text with a code you need to enter, Google will throw up a QR code you need to scan with your phone. The reliance on your smartphone is still present, but now you don't have to rely on the lax security of SMS messages. Using SMS two-factor authentication is better than nothing, but text messages aren't as secure as other methods. Criminals can intercept your message just by convincing your carrier to port your number to a new phone. By tricking a provider to send multiple SMS messages to a number a criminal operation controls in a process called "traffic pumping," they can even make money on each text, Google says. Considering the volume of SMS messages the company sends to both verify users and make sure people aren't bulk-creating accounts to send spam, it's not hard to see how SMS could be problem. Ultimately, the goal for Google and other companies like it is to use passkeys and move away from passwords entirely, but adoption is slow, and making the current, much more familiar process secure is still meaningful. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/gmail-will-stop-using-sms-for-two-factor-authentication-185615193.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
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