verge-rss

Image: The Verge

At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Le Monde reports that athletes on Japan’s volleyball, track and field, and other teams will be competing in outfits made from a new fabric that can better absorb infrared light. Similar to stealth aircraft that avoid detection by deflecting radar signals away from detectors, the fabric absorbs and prevents infrared light from reaching cameras and infrared sensors.
Some devices have unintentionally demonstrated how the infrared sensing used in night vision goggles and thermal cameras can reveal the unseen, like the OnePlus 8 Pro’s “Photochrom” color filter that worked like X-ray vision on the thin shell of an Apple TV. When used on people, infrared photography can reveal the lines of a person’s body or the undergarments they’re wearing beneath a thin layer of clothing, such as those worn by athletes.
In 2020, athletes complained to the Japanese Olympic Committee after discovering infrared camera “photos of themselves shared on social media with sexually explicit captions,” according to The Japan Times. Since then, Mizuno, Sumitomo Metal Mining, and Kyodo Printing have co-developed the new fabric that’s stretchable enough to be used in athletic uniforms while also protecting athletes.

Image: Mizuno
Mizuno’s newly developed fabric is dramatically more effective at hindering infrared photography.

In experiments shared by Mizuno, a printed black “C” beneath a layer of “Game uniform fabric” and the new infrared-absorbing fabric is nearly entirely obscured when photographed with an infrared camera. Multiple layers of the new light-absorbing fabric would help more, but with athletes already expressing concerns about the extreme heat expected at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, the uniforms need to strike a balance between protecting against invasive creeps while keeping participants cool and comfortable.

Image: The Verge

At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Le Monde reports that athletes on Japan’s volleyball, track and field, and other teams will be competing in outfits made from a new fabric that can better absorb infrared light. Similar to stealth aircraft that avoid detection by deflecting radar signals away from detectors, the fabric absorbs and prevents infrared light from reaching cameras and infrared sensors.

Some devices have unintentionally demonstrated how the infrared sensing used in night vision goggles and thermal cameras can reveal the unseen, like the OnePlus 8 Pro’s “Photochrom” color filter that worked like X-ray vision on the thin shell of an Apple TV. When used on people, infrared photography can reveal the lines of a person’s body or the undergarments they’re wearing beneath a thin layer of clothing, such as those worn by athletes.

In 2020, athletes complained to the Japanese Olympic Committee after discovering infrared camera “photos of themselves shared on social media with sexually explicit captions,” according to The Japan Times. Since then, Mizuno, Sumitomo Metal Mining, and Kyodo Printing have co-developed the new fabric that’s stretchable enough to be used in athletic uniforms while also protecting athletes.

Image: Mizuno
Mizuno’s newly developed fabric is dramatically more effective at hindering infrared photography.

In experiments shared by Mizuno, a printed black “C” beneath a layer of “Game uniform fabric” and the new infrared-absorbing fabric is nearly entirely obscured when photographed with an infrared camera. Multiple layers of the new light-absorbing fabric would help more, but with athletes already expressing concerns about the extreme heat expected at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, the uniforms need to strike a balance between protecting against invasive creeps while keeping participants cool and comfortable.

Read More 

Image: Baggu

It all started with a nylon purse shaped like a horse.
Baggu, the wildly popular brand of reusable shopping bags, announced earlier this month that it would be releasing a collaborative collection with New York-based brand Collina Strada. In the past, special-edition designer drops have been successful for Baggu: a previous collab sold out within minutes of items hitting the web. This new collection — with its colorful, dreamlike prints and bags shaped like a pony, little legs and all — seemed designed to elicit that same viral hype. The brands teased designs. Influencers posted unboxing videos. Fans were ready to shop.
But on the day the bags and accessories were set to go on sale, fans got more details about the designs: some of the prints were created using AI image generator Midjourney. On product pages, a short disclaimer was added:
Blue Thorns is an AI-conceptualized print from Collina Strada’s SS24 “Soft is Hard” collection. The team used Midjourney as a tool to remix old Collina prints and drive them further. After they used Midjourney to mix two of their prints together, their graphics team transformed the concept into a repeat, inserting logos and adding new elements and layers to complete the print.
Some fans were not happy, to put it lightly. Comments on Instagram called the use of AI “lame,” “so disappointing,” and “unforgivable.” Some customers say they didn’t realize when they placed an order that AI was involved in the design process. On TikTok, some customers vowed never to purchase from Baggu again.

@baggu baggu.com/subscribe @Collina Strada ♬ original sound – BAGGU

The most common complaints were around a “lack of transparency” that AI was used. Shoppers, it seems, wanted more of a heads-up or more prominent disclaimers. Others objected to the collaboration on moral grounds, saying AI tools trained on other artists’ work without consent is theft. And finally, the environmental impact of generative AI is also a common concern, perhaps because Baggu touts its eco-friendly brand ethos. Baggu didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
There’s some gray area in the response to the collection, too: Collina Strada has used generative AI as a design tool before. The designer behind the brand, Hillary Taymour, has previously discussed her process using tools like Midjourney, describing to The Business of Fashion the iterative process of prompting AI systems over and over with her own work to see what the tool spits out. Perhaps this collaboration suffered from a lack of communication to customers leading up to the rollout — the right framing, after all, goes a long way in marketing.
Beyond the short explanation, the Baggu website offers few details about the process of generating the AI prints. In an email to The Verge, Collina Strada spokesperson Lindsey Solomon noted that only two of the prints used AI — others, like the “Sistine Tomato” print are done by “photograph[ing] every element of the print and compos[ing] them together, hand placing each rhinestone and tomato.” The AI prints, meanwhile, are based on outputs generated by feeding Midjourney images of Collina Strada’s past work, essentially remixing the brand’s own designs. Is it still theft if your inputs are your own work? And what kind of freedom should artists have to experiment with these tools before it’s seen as a moral failing?
We’re in a strange transition phase of AI. Tools like ChatGPT have been around for close to two years, and our online — and offline — spaces are flooded with synthetic content. Sometimes, it’s amusing; other times, the potential for harm and abuse is obvious. That’s why I was surprised when I saw the rapid spread of an AI “All Eyes on Rafah” image that is perhaps the most viral piece of AI media yet — are we okay with AI or not? Who gets to use it, and to what end?
This case of AI-designed reusable bags is far from the most pressing example of the tension between the future tech companies want and what everyone else envisions for our world. But it hints at a debate we’re only going to see more of and raises questions about who owns what, who gets credit, and what is fair. It seems the answer at the moment is: it depends.

Image: Baggu

It all started with a nylon purse shaped like a horse.

Baggu, the wildly popular brand of reusable shopping bags, announced earlier this month that it would be releasing a collaborative collection with New York-based brand Collina Strada. In the past, special-edition designer drops have been successful for Baggu: a previous collab sold out within minutes of items hitting the web. This new collection — with its colorful, dreamlike prints and bags shaped like a pony, little legs and all — seemed designed to elicit that same viral hype. The brands teased designs. Influencers posted unboxing videos. Fans were ready to shop.

But on the day the bags and accessories were set to go on sale, fans got more details about the designs: some of the prints were created using AI image generator Midjourney. On product pages, a short disclaimer was added:

Blue Thorns is an AI-conceptualized print from Collina Strada’s SS24 “Soft is Hard” collection. The team used Midjourney as a tool to remix old Collina prints and drive them further. After they used Midjourney to mix two of their prints together, their graphics team transformed the concept into a repeat, inserting logos and adding new elements and layers to complete the print.

Some fans were not happy, to put it lightly. Comments on Instagram called the use of AI “lame,” “so disappointing,” and “unforgivable.” Some customers say they didn’t realize when they placed an order that AI was involved in the design process. On TikTok, some customers vowed never to purchase from Baggu again.

The most common complaints were around a “lack of transparency” that AI was used. Shoppers, it seems, wanted more of a heads-up or more prominent disclaimers. Others objected to the collaboration on moral grounds, saying AI tools trained on other artists’ work without consent is theft. And finally, the environmental impact of generative AI is also a common concern, perhaps because Baggu touts its eco-friendly brand ethos. Baggu didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

There’s some gray area in the response to the collection, too: Collina Strada has used generative AI as a design tool before. The designer behind the brand, Hillary Taymour, has previously discussed her process using tools like Midjourney, describing to The Business of Fashion the iterative process of prompting AI systems over and over with her own work to see what the tool spits out. Perhaps this collaboration suffered from a lack of communication to customers leading up to the rollout — the right framing, after all, goes a long way in marketing.

Beyond the short explanation, the Baggu website offers few details about the process of generating the AI prints. In an email to The Verge, Collina Strada spokesperson Lindsey Solomon noted that only two of the prints used AI — others, like the “Sistine Tomato” print are done by “photograph[ing] every element of the print and compos[ing] them together, hand placing each rhinestone and tomato.” The AI prints, meanwhile, are based on outputs generated by feeding Midjourney images of Collina Strada’s past work, essentially remixing the brand’s own designs. Is it still theft if your inputs are your own work? And what kind of freedom should artists have to experiment with these tools before it’s seen as a moral failing?

We’re in a strange transition phase of AI. Tools like ChatGPT have been around for close to two years, and our online — and offline — spaces are flooded with synthetic content. Sometimes, it’s amusing; other times, the potential for harm and abuse is obvious. That’s why I was surprised when I saw the rapid spread of an AI “All Eyes on Rafah” image that is perhaps the most viral piece of AI media yet — are we okay with AI or not? Who gets to use it, and to what end?

This case of AI-designed reusable bags is far from the most pressing example of the tension between the future tech companies want and what everyone else envisions for our world. But it hints at a debate we’re only going to see more of and raises questions about who owns what, who gets credit, and what is fair. It seems the answer at the moment is: it depends.

Read More 

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Samsung’s next Unpacked event is right around the corner, taking place on July 10th in Paris, France. Judging by various leaks and the recent invite video, we’ll be seeing new versions of the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip phones (and perhaps a closer look at the Galaxy Ring). Now, in the lead-up to the event, Samsung is offering one of its reservation promotions, allowing early adopters to ”reserve” one of the phones and get a $50 credit to use on an eligible device once a preorder is complete.

The reservation period runs through Wednesday, July 10th, and even if you reserve a preorder, you are not obligated to buy the new phones if you change your mind. Those who do, however, will get a $50 credit to use on Samsung’s site or in the Shop Samsung app (as long as you buy it using the same email address as the one on the reservation).
Although it typically doesn’t take too long for Samsung to discount its new foldables and $50 may not be a huge discount on phones that typically range between $1,000 and $1,800, you might as well save what you can if you think you will opt for a preorder ahead of launch.
If the rumors, leaks, and the FCC are to be trusted, then it seems the yet-to-be-announced Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 will offer mostly incremental updates. The pricier Z Fold might be getting a more squared-off design that makes it look a little more boxy, but it’s likely to keep its tall remote-like posture, which unfolds for a small tablet experience. The Flip 6 may be getting a bigger battery, which I’m pretty sure is welcome in just about any device.
We’ll have to see if Samsung surprises us with any curveballs, especially since there’s been even more talk — and hype — about AI software features.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Samsung’s next Unpacked event is right around the corner, taking place on July 10th in Paris, France. Judging by various leaks and the recent invite video, we’ll be seeing new versions of the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip phones (and perhaps a closer look at the Galaxy Ring). Now, in the lead-up to the event, Samsung is offering one of its reservation promotions, allowing early adopters to ”reserve” one of the phones and get a $50 credit to use on an eligible device once a preorder is complete.

The reservation period runs through Wednesday, July 10th, and even if you reserve a preorder, you are not obligated to buy the new phones if you change your mind. Those who do, however, will get a $50 credit to use on Samsung’s site or in the Shop Samsung app (as long as you buy it using the same email address as the one on the reservation).

Although it typically doesn’t take too long for Samsung to discount its new foldables and $50 may not be a huge discount on phones that typically range between $1,000 and $1,800, you might as well save what you can if you think you will opt for a preorder ahead of launch.

If the rumors, leaks, and the FCC are to be trusted, then it seems the yet-to-be-announced Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 will offer mostly incremental updates. The pricier Z Fold might be getting a more squared-off design that makes it look a little more boxy, but it’s likely to keep its tall remote-like posture, which unfolds for a small tablet experience. The Flip 6 may be getting a bigger battery, which I’m pretty sure is welcome in just about any device.

We’ll have to see if Samsung surprises us with any curveballs, especially since there’s been even more talk — and hype — about AI software features.

Read More 

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google has added new Chrome Actions to mobile that will let you call, read reviews for, or get directions to a restaurant or other business — all right from the address bar. The company announced the new feature in a blog on Wednesday.
Android users will see this new feature right away, but iOS users will have to wait until the fall.

Image: Google
A screenshot of the new Chrome Action shortcuts.

First introduced in 2020, Google Actions lets you quickly perform tasks from the address bar by typing in select queries, like “edit passwords,” “delete history,” or “translate this page.” It’s one of a few address bar shortcuts Google offers, like the “@” shortcut that lets you quickly find bookmarks, tabs, and links from your history.

Along with new Chrome Actions, Google also added a few other Chrome updates, including live sports cards in Chrome’s Discover Feed. The feature lets iOS and Android receive automatic updates about their favorite sports teams and can be customized. In addition, iOS users will also now see trending search suggestions in their Chrome address bar when they click on it from the New Tab page.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google has added new Chrome Actions to mobile that will let you call, read reviews for, or get directions to a restaurant or other business — all right from the address bar. The company announced the new feature in a blog on Wednesday.

Android users will see this new feature right away, but iOS users will have to wait until the fall.

Image: Google
A screenshot of the new Chrome Action shortcuts.

First introduced in 2020, Google Actions lets you quickly perform tasks from the address bar by typing in select queries, like “edit passwords,” “delete history,” or “translate this page.” It’s one of a few address bar shortcuts Google offers, like the “@” shortcut that lets you quickly find bookmarks, tabs, and links from your history.

Along with new Chrome Actions, Google also added a few other Chrome updates, including live sports cards in Chrome’s Discover Feed. The feature lets iOS and Android receive automatic updates about their favorite sports teams and can be customized. In addition, iOS users will also now see trending search suggestions in their Chrome address bar when they click on it from the New Tab page.

Read More 

Image: The Verge

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin made sweeping claims against e-commerce app Temu in a lawsuit on Tuesday, accusing the company of violating state law against deceptive trade practices.
“Temu purports to be an online shopping platform, but it is dangerous malware, surreptitiously granting itself access to virtually all data on a user’s cell phone,” Griffin alleges.

Screenshot: App Store / Google Play
Temu on the App Store.

Temu is the number one free shopping app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is owned by PDD Holdings, which also runs a popular app called Pinduoduo. PDD was based in China until last year, when it moved its headquarters to Ireland. The lawsuit tees up its allegations against Temu with a description of those against Pinduoduo, which researchers believed could spy on users, according to CNN, and which the Google Play Store suspended at one point in 2023 due to security concerns with “Off-Play versions of the app.”

Arkansas alleges that Temu, which was heavily marketed in the US, was modeled off of Pinduoduo.
“Temu’s conduct came to light following the removal of the Pinduoduo app from Google’s Play Store due to the presence of malware that exploited vulnerabilities in users’ phone operating systems and allowed the app not only to gain undetected access to virtually all data stored on the phones, but also to recompile itself and potentially change its properties once installed, in a manner designed to avoid detection,” the lawsuit claims, pointing to concerns from Apple about Temu’s compliance with data security transparency standards. Apple told Politico last year the app was available on its app store after resolving the concerns.
The lawsuit alleges that Temu’s app may be even more dangerous than Pinduoduo’s. It cites an article from Grizzly Research, a firm “focused on producing differentiated research insights on publicly traded companies through in-depth due diligence.” The lawsuit cites findings in the report that “the Temu app has the capability to hack users’ phones and override data privacy settings that users have purposely set to prevent their data from being accessed.”
The AG claims that Temu collects far more data than necessary to run a shopping app, including sensitive or personally identifiable information. For example, the suit alleges that Temu misleads users in its requests to access information, such as location, when uploading a photo. “A reasonable consumer would assume that the location permission is confined to the use of photo uploads. The permission, however, extends to any time the user engages with the Temu app,” the suit claims. It also alleges that Temu “sneaks” permissions to access audio and visual recording and storage on a device.
Temu, Google, and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Image: The Verge

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin made sweeping claims against e-commerce app Temu in a lawsuit on Tuesday, accusing the company of violating state law against deceptive trade practices.

“Temu purports to be an online shopping platform, but it is dangerous malware, surreptitiously granting itself access to virtually all data on a user’s cell phone,” Griffin alleges.

Screenshot: App Store / Google Play
Temu on the App Store.

Temu is the number one free shopping app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is owned by PDD Holdings, which also runs a popular app called Pinduoduo. PDD was based in China until last year, when it moved its headquarters to Ireland. The lawsuit tees up its allegations against Temu with a description of those against Pinduoduo, which researchers believed could spy on users, according to CNN, and which the Google Play Store suspended at one point in 2023 due to security concerns with “Off-Play versions of the app.”

Arkansas alleges that Temu, which was heavily marketed in the US, was modeled off of Pinduoduo.

“Temu’s conduct came to light following the removal of the Pinduoduo app from Google’s Play Store due to the presence of malware that exploited vulnerabilities in users’ phone operating systems and allowed the app not only to gain undetected access to virtually all data stored on the phones, but also to recompile itself and potentially change its properties once installed, in a manner designed to avoid detection,” the lawsuit claims, pointing to concerns from Apple about Temu’s compliance with data security transparency standards. Apple told Politico last year the app was available on its app store after resolving the concerns.

The lawsuit alleges that Temu’s app may be even more dangerous than Pinduoduo’s. It cites an article from Grizzly Research, a firm “focused on producing differentiated research insights on publicly traded companies through in-depth due diligence.” The lawsuit cites findings in the report that “the Temu app has the capability to hack users’ phones and override data privacy settings that users have purposely set to prevent their data from being accessed.”

The AG claims that Temu collects far more data than necessary to run a shopping app, including sensitive or personally identifiable information. For example, the suit alleges that Temu misleads users in its requests to access information, such as location, when uploading a photo. “A reasonable consumer would assume that the location permission is confined to the use of photo uploads. The permission, however, extends to any time the user engages with the Temu app,” the suit claims. It also alleges that Temu “sneaks” permissions to access audio and visual recording and storage on a device.

Temu, Google, and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Read More 

Researchers say Rabbit left secure data vulnerable to bad actors. | Photo: David Pierce / The Verge

Rabbit and its R1 AI gadget are under fire again, and it’s much more serious than the time we found out its launcher really could just be installed as an Android app. A group of developers and researchers called Rabbitude says it discovered API keys hardcoded in the company’s codebase, putting sensitive information at risk of falling into the wrong hands.
These keys essentially provided access to Rabbit’s accounts with third-party services like its text-to-speech provider ElevenLabs and — as confirmed by 404 Media — the company’s SendGrid account, which is how it sends emails from its rabbit.tech domain. According to Rabbitude, its access to these API keys — particularly the ElevenLabs API — meant it could access every response ever given by R1 devices. That is Bad with a capital b.

Rabbitude published an article yesterday saying that it gained access to the keys over a month ago but that despite knowing about the breach, Rabbit did nothing to secure the information. Since then, the group says its access to most of the keys has been revoked, suggesting that the company rotated them, but as of earlier today, it still had access to the SendGrid key.
Rabbit hasn’t responded to my request for comment on the security breach, though it offered a general statement yesterday on its Discord server: “Today we were made aware of an alleged data breach. Our security team immediately began investigating it. As of right now, we are not aware of any customer data being leaked or any compromise to our systems. If we learn of any other relevant information, we will provide an update once we have more details.”
Following its much-hyped launch this spring, the Rabbit R1 proved itself to be a disappointment. Battery life was bad, its feature set was bare-bones, and its AI-generated responses often contained errors. The company issued a software update on short order fixing bugs like the battery drain and has continued to release updates since then, but the R1’s core problem of overpromising and massively underdelivering remains unchanged. And a serious security breach like this makes it much harder to win back public trust.

Researchers say Rabbit left secure data vulnerable to bad actors. | Photo: David Pierce / The Verge

Rabbit and its R1 AI gadget are under fire again, and it’s much more serious than the time we found out its launcher really could just be installed as an Android app. A group of developers and researchers called Rabbitude says it discovered API keys hardcoded in the company’s codebase, putting sensitive information at risk of falling into the wrong hands.

These keys essentially provided access to Rabbit’s accounts with third-party services like its text-to-speech provider ElevenLabs and — as confirmed by 404 Media — the company’s SendGrid account, which is how it sends emails from its rabbit.tech domain. According to Rabbitude, its access to these API keys — particularly the ElevenLabs API — meant it could access every response ever given by R1 devices. That is Bad with a capital b.

Rabbitude published an article yesterday saying that it gained access to the keys over a month ago but that despite knowing about the breach, Rabbit did nothing to secure the information. Since then, the group says its access to most of the keys has been revoked, suggesting that the company rotated them, but as of earlier today, it still had access to the SendGrid key.

Rabbit hasn’t responded to my request for comment on the security breach, though it offered a general statement yesterday on its Discord server: “Today we were made aware of an alleged data breach. Our security team immediately began investigating it. As of right now, we are not aware of any customer data being leaked or any compromise to our systems. If we learn of any other relevant information, we will provide an update once we have more details.”

Following its much-hyped launch this spring, the Rabbit R1 proved itself to be a disappointment. Battery life was bad, its feature set was bare-bones, and its AI-generated responses often contained errors. The company issued a software update on short order fixing bugs like the battery drain and has continued to release updates since then, but the R1’s core problem of overpromising and massively underdelivering remains unchanged. And a serious security breach like this makes it much harder to win back public trust.

Read More 

Image: The Verge

Valve is adding a native gameplay recording tool to Steam so that you can more easily capture and share clips. The game recording feature is available now in beta — including on Steam Deck.
You’ll be able to both continuously record clips with background recording or manually turn on recording with a hotkey, according to Valve’s website about the updates. When you’re recording, you’ll see the “Steam Timeline,” and you can add markers to note interesting moments you might want to come back to later. Developers can also have their games mark notable moments on the timeline, which Valve has already implemented with Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2.

Today we’ve launched Steam Game Recording into Beta. This is a new built-in system for creating and sharing your gameplay footage, that works on any game on Steam. Learn more here: https://t.co/H5z6Reykmx pic.twitter.com/koDAjyUeAe— Steam (@Steam) June 26, 2024

The tool won’t record your desktop, and you can pick which audio channels are included in the recording. To share your clips, Valve will offer a number of options: exporting a clip to MP4; sending the clip to the Steam mobile app; or even creating a temporary link.
As for how the tool might affect your computer’s performance, here’s what Valve has to say:
Steam Game Recording has been designed with the goal of taking as little computer resources away from the game you are playing as possible. It takes advantage of NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards to remove most of the performance cost of creating video recordings. When run on systems without those graphics cards, the system’s CPU is used to create video recordings which may cause a noticeable performance impact on those systems.
Valve promises that more features are in the works for game recording, too, such as individualized game settings.
Earlier this year, Valve launched another big upgrade to Steam: an overhauled family sharing system.

Image: The Verge

Valve is adding a native gameplay recording tool to Steam so that you can more easily capture and share clips. The game recording feature is available now in beta — including on Steam Deck.

You’ll be able to both continuously record clips with background recording or manually turn on recording with a hotkey, according to Valve’s website about the updates. When you’re recording, you’ll see the “Steam Timeline,” and you can add markers to note interesting moments you might want to come back to later. Developers can also have their games mark notable moments on the timeline, which Valve has already implemented with Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2.

The tool won’t record your desktop, and you can pick which audio channels are included in the recording. To share your clips, Valve will offer a number of options: exporting a clip to MP4; sending the clip to the Steam mobile app; or even creating a temporary link.

As for how the tool might affect your computer’s performance, here’s what Valve has to say:

Steam Game Recording has been designed with the goal of taking as little computer resources away from the game you are playing as possible. It takes advantage of NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards to remove most of the performance cost of creating video recordings. When run on systems without those graphics cards, the system’s CPU is used to create video recordings which may cause a noticeable performance impact on those systems.

Valve promises that more features are in the works for game recording, too, such as individualized game settings.

Earlier this year, Valve launched another big upgrade to Steam: an overhauled family sharing system.

Read More 

Hori’s design is a little funky, but those yellow and violet versions look fantastic. | Image: Hori

Nearly five years after Valve discontinued its experimental Steam Controller, a new officially licensed gamepad for Steam is on the way. The new controller is made by Hori, and it’s only coming to Japan (at least for now).
Dubbed the Wireless Horipad for Steam, the PC-centric controller matches the Steam Deck’s menu buttons and has similar touch sensors atop its sticks to activate gyro controls. It also supports Bluetooth wireless and USB-C wired connections as well as a whole bunch of custom programmability using Hori’s software. But while it shares a lot with the Steam Deck, it’s not a Steam Controller 2 — it lacks rumble, a matching set of four back buttons, and the handheld’s signature trackpads.
The new controller is set to launch in Japan on October 31st in four colors (black, white, neon yellow, and violet), selling for 7,890 yen (about $50).

There’s no word yet if this new Steam controller is coming to the US or elsewhere, but the Wireless Horipad bears a striking resemblance to the wired Horipad Pro that’s currently available for Xbox consoles. I tested the Horipad Pro for our Xbox controller buying guide and found it to be serviceable with fine ergonomics and a great D-pad — though it was somewhat outclassed by other options that run cheaper.
However, the Wireless Horipad seems to have a whole lot more going on. For starters, it’s actually wireless, albeit limited to Bluetooth, which is usually less reliable than a USB wireless dongle. The Steam version also has four programmable buttons, although, unlike the Steam Deck, there are only two on the rear — the other two are on the front directly below the D-pad and on the right thumbstick.
It certainly looks familiar if you squint
While it seems long overdue for Valve to once again have a branded go-to gamepad for Steam and docked Steam Deck use, we’ll have to wait to see if or when it becomes more widely available. Hori’s decision to start sales in its home country makes sense, but it may also speak to the rise of PC gaming in Japan, with handhelds being such a popular choice there that Valve spun up a partnership with an entirely different company for Steam Deck distribution (including in-store availability).
In general, gamepad usage in Steam is on the rise — as Valve’s just-released statistics show. Those numbers also come with a summary of new controller optimizations Valve has recently implemented in Steam. Perhaps this is setting the table for a wide swath of licensed Steam controllers from a variety of manufacturers like we see on Xbox consoles — with more wireless options, I hope. One thing I know is I’m now dying to try this Wireless Horipad.

Hori’s design is a little funky, but those yellow and violet versions look fantastic. | Image: Hori

Nearly five years after Valve discontinued its experimental Steam Controller, a new officially licensed gamepad for Steam is on the way. The new controller is made by Hori, and it’s only coming to Japan (at least for now).

Dubbed the Wireless Horipad for Steam, the PC-centric controller matches the Steam Deck’s menu buttons and has similar touch sensors atop its sticks to activate gyro controls. It also supports Bluetooth wireless and USB-C wired connections as well as a whole bunch of custom programmability using Hori’s software. But while it shares a lot with the Steam Deck, it’s not a Steam Controller 2 — it lacks rumble, a matching set of four back buttons, and the handheld’s signature trackpads.

The new controller is set to launch in Japan on October 31st in four colors (black, white, neon yellow, and violet), selling for 7,890 yen (about $50).

There’s no word yet if this new Steam controller is coming to the US or elsewhere, but the Wireless Horipad bears a striking resemblance to the wired Horipad Pro that’s currently available for Xbox consoles. I tested the Horipad Pro for our Xbox controller buying guide and found it to be serviceable with fine ergonomics and a great D-pad — though it was somewhat outclassed by other options that run cheaper.

However, the Wireless Horipad seems to have a whole lot more going on. For starters, it’s actually wireless, albeit limited to Bluetooth, which is usually less reliable than a USB wireless dongle. The Steam version also has four programmable buttons, although, unlike the Steam Deck, there are only two on the rear — the other two are on the front directly below the D-pad and on the right thumbstick.

While it seems long overdue for Valve to once again have a branded go-to gamepad for Steam and docked Steam Deck use, we’ll have to wait to see if or when it becomes more widely available. Hori’s decision to start sales in its home country makes sense, but it may also speak to the rise of PC gaming in Japan, with handhelds being such a popular choice there that Valve spun up a partnership with an entirely different company for Steam Deck distribution (including in-store availability).

In general, gamepad usage in Steam is on the rise — as Valve’s just-released statistics show. Those numbers also come with a summary of new controller optimizations Valve has recently implemented in Steam. Perhaps this is setting the table for a wide swath of licensed Steam controllers from a variety of manufacturers like we see on Xbox consoles — with more wireless options, I hope. One thing I know is I’m now dying to try this Wireless Horipad.

Read More 

A 3D-printed version of Super Monkey Ball’s AiAi completes this custom creation. | Photo: Tom Tilley / X

Gamers could get an edge in Sega’s Super Monkey Ball with the help of a unique DIY controller: a literal monkey in a ball that can be physically rolled around instead of mashing a joystick on a gamepad.
Super Monkey Ball requires players to tilt and roll a series of complex floating platforms to control the monkey’s movements, so Sega designed the original arcade versions of the game with an oversize trackball controller.
That wasn’t carried over to the console versions of the game, and since arcade machines typically cost thousands of dollars, developer Tom Tilley decided to design and build a much cheaper solution made from recycled and 3D-printed materials. “I am a software developer, but I worked for about eight years as a fax and cellular phone technician in the late 80’s, so I have some small amount of electronics knowledge that comes in handy with this sort of thing,” Tilley told The Verge.
Tilley, now a software developer in Australia, spent almost 10 years lecturing at a university while living in Thailand, where they also ran a class that challenged students to come up with unique alternatives to game controllers.

It was there that the idea for a giant trackball made from random recycled parts, an optical mouse, and a basketball, came to fruition. A base made from cardboard holds the basketball in place and allows it to freely roll in all directions with the help of three salvaged roll-on deodorant containers that serve as plastic bearings. Beneath the ball sits an inverted optical mouse upgraded with another deodorant bearing that rolls whenever the ball does, making it easier for the mouse’s sensor to detect its movements.
The original version of the trackball was built to play a 1986 Japanese arcade game called Armadillo Racing, but it has since been modified by Tilley to play other games, including Katamari Damacy, with a soccer ball. Using it to play the Nintendo GameCube version of Super Monkey Ball through emulation required an additional modification, Tilley told The Verge.

Everybody’s adding AI to things these days so I thought I’d add AiAi to my DIY soccer/football controller. #SuperMonkeyBall #sega https://t.co/nk2pcta3OG pic.twitter.com/XBohHHNIOC— Dr Tom Tilley (@DrTomTilley) June 26, 2024

A 3D-printed recreation of the game’s main character, a monkey named AiAi, rides inside a transparent plastic sphere on a weighted wheeled base that keeps him upright at all times. It’s a charming upgrade, but the clear plastic created a new problem. The sphere’s smooth finish didn’t offer enough friction to move the deodorant roller on the mouse. To fix that, Tilley had to swap that part out for a small rubber ball rolling on metal bearings so the mouse’s optical sensor could detect AiAi’s movements.
To make the GameCube version of Super Monkey Ball work with a DIY trackball, Tilley uses a scripting tool called FreePIE (Programmable Input Emulator) that inverts the signals coming from the mouse and maps them to a virtual joystick that’s compatible with the emulator software.
The first new game in the Super Monkey Ball series in a decade releases on the Nintendo Switch this week. If Tilley can make the DIY trackball work with Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, he just might dominate the game’s multiplayer mode.

A 3D-printed version of Super Monkey Ball’s AiAi completes this custom creation. | Photo: Tom Tilley / X

Gamers could get an edge in Sega’s Super Monkey Ball with the help of a unique DIY controller: a literal monkey in a ball that can be physically rolled around instead of mashing a joystick on a gamepad.

Super Monkey Ball requires players to tilt and roll a series of complex floating platforms to control the monkey’s movements, so Sega designed the original arcade versions of the game with an oversize trackball controller.

That wasn’t carried over to the console versions of the game, and since arcade machines typically cost thousands of dollars, developer Tom Tilley decided to design and build a much cheaper solution made from recycled and 3D-printed materials. “I am a software developer, but I worked for about eight years as a fax and cellular phone technician in the late 80’s, so I have some small amount of electronics knowledge that comes in handy with this sort of thing,” Tilley told The Verge.

Tilley, now a software developer in Australia, spent almost 10 years lecturing at a university while living in Thailand, where they also ran a class that challenged students to come up with unique alternatives to game controllers.

It was there that the idea for a giant trackball made from random recycled parts, an optical mouse, and a basketball, came to fruition. A base made from cardboard holds the basketball in place and allows it to freely roll in all directions with the help of three salvaged roll-on deodorant containers that serve as plastic bearings. Beneath the ball sits an inverted optical mouse upgraded with another deodorant bearing that rolls whenever the ball does, making it easier for the mouse’s sensor to detect its movements.

The original version of the trackball was built to play a 1986 Japanese arcade game called Armadillo Racing, but it has since been modified by Tilley to play other games, including Katamari Damacy, with a soccer ball. Using it to play the Nintendo GameCube version of Super Monkey Ball through emulation required an additional modification, Tilley told The Verge.

A 3D-printed recreation of the game’s main character, a monkey named AiAi, rides inside a transparent plastic sphere on a weighted wheeled base that keeps him upright at all times. It’s a charming upgrade, but the clear plastic created a new problem. The sphere’s smooth finish didn’t offer enough friction to move the deodorant roller on the mouse. To fix that, Tilley had to swap that part out for a small rubber ball rolling on metal bearings so the mouse’s optical sensor could detect AiAi’s movements.

To make the GameCube version of Super Monkey Ball work with a DIY trackball, Tilley uses a scripting tool called FreePIE (Programmable Input Emulator) that inverts the signals coming from the mouse and maps them to a virtual joystick that’s compatible with the emulator software.

The first new game in the Super Monkey Ball series in a decade releases on the Nintendo Switch this week. If Tilley can make the DIY trackball work with Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, he just might dominate the game’s multiplayer mode.

Read More 

Snapchat will now warn users when a message comes from certain regions or an account that’s been blocked by others. | Image: Snap

Snap is rolling out intense new protections for teenagers’ Snapchat accounts in an effort to “address a growing trend of sophisticated sextortion scams.” Among them are new warnings and automatic friend request blocks targeting accounts that may be bad actors.
The features are aimed at stemming the tide of sextortion scams, the company writes in a blog post about the changes. The scams, in which bad actors threaten teens and children that they will reveal sexually explicit photos of them unless they pay a ransom or send more such material, is a growing problem that “has resulted in an alarming number of deaths by suicide,” according to the FBI. The bureau writes on its site that even when the scammers are paid, they will often release the materials anyway.

To stop scammers, Snap says it will now show a warning message in the app when teens receive a message from someone that others have blocked or reported, or when that person’s account is from a “region where the teen’s network isn’t typically located.” The warning presents options to report or block the person, or just tap “Okay” to chat with them. Before this, the disclaimer would show up for accounts that don’t share mutual friends with you or aren’t associated with someone in your contacts.
The Snapchat app will also “prevent delivery of a friend request altogether” when it comes from an account with no mutual friends or that “has a history of accessing Snapchat in locations often associated with scamming activity.” Snap says these are all potential signs of scammy activity.

Image: Snap

The sextortion issue isn’t just limited to Snapchat. It’s particularly been an issue as AI has enabled people to quickly and easily make fake nudes of others. Warnings like these may not stop it entirely, but companies have to do something to deal with the issue, particularly as governments increasingly push to regulate social media, ostensibly to protect children.
In addition to the new friend request warnings, Snap is also trying to clarify its location sharing settings. It’s moving them all to one location so that users can “see exactly which friends they are sharing their location with, update their location settings, and remove their location from the map.” As shown in the image above, that means you can choose to share your location with all of your friends, all except specific ones, or only certain friends. The company also says it’s adding “more frequent reminders” of who users are sharing their location info with.

Snapchat will now warn users when a message comes from certain regions or an account that’s been blocked by others. | Image: Snap

Snap is rolling out intense new protections for teenagers’ Snapchat accounts in an effort to “address a growing trend of sophisticated sextortion scams.” Among them are new warnings and automatic friend request blocks targeting accounts that may be bad actors.

The features are aimed at stemming the tide of sextortion scams, the company writes in a blog post about the changes. The scams, in which bad actors threaten teens and children that they will reveal sexually explicit photos of them unless they pay a ransom or send more such material, is a growing problem that “has resulted in an alarming number of deaths by suicide,” according to the FBI. The bureau writes on its site that even when the scammers are paid, they will often release the materials anyway.

To stop scammers, Snap says it will now show a warning message in the app when teens receive a message from someone that others have blocked or reported, or when that person’s account is from a “region where the teen’s network isn’t typically located.” The warning presents options to report or block the person, or just tap “Okay” to chat with them. Before this, the disclaimer would show up for accounts that don’t share mutual friends with you or aren’t associated with someone in your contacts.

The Snapchat app will also “prevent delivery of a friend request altogether” when it comes from an account with no mutual friends or that “has a history of accessing Snapchat in locations often associated with scamming activity.” Snap says these are all potential signs of scammy activity.

Image: Snap

The sextortion issue isn’t just limited to Snapchat. It’s particularly been an issue as AI has enabled people to quickly and easily make fake nudes of others. Warnings like these may not stop it entirely, but companies have to do something to deal with the issue, particularly as governments increasingly push to regulate social media, ostensibly to protect children.

In addition to the new friend request warnings, Snap is also trying to clarify its location sharing settings. It’s moving them all to one location so that users can “see exactly which friends they are sharing their location with, update their location settings, and remove their location from the map.” As shown in the image above, that means you can choose to share your location with all of your friends, all except specific ones, or only certain friends. The company also says it’s adding “more frequent reminders” of who users are sharing their location info with.

Read More