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Image: Activision

Activision notched a second victory in an ongoing legal case against EngineOwning, a cheat maker that the company sued in 2022. Yesterday, District Judge Michael Fitzgerald ordered several defendants, including EngineOwning itself, to pay the company $14.465,600 for their creation and distribution of Call of Duty cheats.
In addition, the judge ordered EngineOwning to turn over its website, stop making and selling cheats, and pay $292,912 in attorney fees to Activision. You can find a PDF of the ruling here. The site, engineowning.to, is apparently still operating today, offering cheats like an “Aimbot” that automatically aims and fires or the ability to see other players through walls for many games, including several in the CoD series.
Activision had previously won $3 million in a pair of settlements with two of the people — Ignacio Gayduchenko and Manuel Santiago — involved with EngineOwning, as IGN notes. But it had originally sued many more people who never responded to the lawsuit.
Yesterday’s filing named EngineOwning itself and its founders, Valentin Rick and Leon Risch, in addition to several others, including people involved in managing and marketing, site moderation, and an authorized EngineOwning reseller named Pascal Classen. Because they didn’t respond, the company finally asked the court in April to make a call, leading to yesterday’s default judgment.

The judge found EngineOwning and its many associated defendants guilty of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He also found them guilty of “intentionally” inducing players to buy and use cheats, despite knowing that the Call of Duty terms of use forbid it.
Gaming companies are increasingly turning to the courts to deal with cheat creators. In 2022, Bungie settled with Destiny 2 cheat makers for $13.5 million. Bungie also won a much smaller sum of $63,000, but it was also likely the first time a jury had ruled in such a case. AimJunkies, the defendant in that case, had taken the extraordinary approach of fighting the case, rather than ignoring it or settling.

Image: Activision

Activision notched a second victory in an ongoing legal case against EngineOwning, a cheat maker that the company sued in 2022. Yesterday, District Judge Michael Fitzgerald ordered several defendants, including EngineOwning itself, to pay the company $14.465,600 for their creation and distribution of Call of Duty cheats.

In addition, the judge ordered EngineOwning to turn over its website, stop making and selling cheats, and pay $292,912 in attorney fees to Activision. You can find a PDF of the ruling here. The site, engineowning.to, is apparently still operating today, offering cheats like an “Aimbot” that automatically aims and fires or the ability to see other players through walls for many games, including several in the CoD series.

Activision had previously won $3 million in a pair of settlements with two of the people — Ignacio Gayduchenko and Manuel Santiago — involved with EngineOwning, as IGN notes. But it had originally sued many more people who never responded to the lawsuit.

Yesterday’s filing named EngineOwning itself and its founders, Valentin Rick and Leon Risch, in addition to several others, including people involved in managing and marketing, site moderation, and an authorized EngineOwning reseller named Pascal Classen. Because they didn’t respond, the company finally asked the court in April to make a call, leading to yesterday’s default judgment.

The judge found EngineOwning and its many associated defendants guilty of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He also found them guilty of “intentionally” inducing players to buy and use cheats, despite knowing that the Call of Duty terms of use forbid it.

Gaming companies are increasingly turning to the courts to deal with cheat creators. In 2022, Bungie settled with Destiny 2 cheat makers for $13.5 million. Bungie also won a much smaller sum of $63,000, but it was also likely the first time a jury had ruled in such a case. AimJunkies, the defendant in that case, had taken the extraordinary approach of fighting the case, rather than ignoring it or settling.

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Verizon’s inked a deal with satellite broadband provider AST SpaceMobile to help fill customers’ coverage gaps when they travel outside the reach of terrestrial cell towers. The company is committing $100 million in a new deal connecting AST’s satellite network to mobile phones using the 850 Mhz band.
AST SpaceMobile is launching five satellites into low orbit this summer and recently announced a deal with AT&T, which joined Google and Vodafone as an investor in AST earlier this year, that runs through 2030.

Apple added an Emergency SOS via satellite feature for iPhone 14 and 15 that lets you message for roadside assistance through AAA (and also Verizon) in areas of no connectivity. Android is also getting similar messaging features. However, AST SpaceMobile or Starlink and T-Mobile’s satellite-to-cellular links support features like voice and video calls.
AST SpaceMobile founder and CEO Abel Avellan is quoted saying the arrangement with Verizon will enable the company “to target 100 percent coverage of the continental United States.” AST SpaceMobile demonstrated “the ‘first ever’ 5G connection between an unmodified smartphone and a satellite in space” last year with a phone call from a wireless dead zone in Hawaii.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Verizon’s inked a deal with satellite broadband provider AST SpaceMobile to help fill customers’ coverage gaps when they travel outside the reach of terrestrial cell towers. The company is committing $100 million in a new deal connecting AST’s satellite network to mobile phones using the 850 Mhz band.

AST SpaceMobile is launching five satellites into low orbit this summer and recently announced a deal with AT&T, which joined Google and Vodafone as an investor in AST earlier this year, that runs through 2030.

Apple added an Emergency SOS via satellite feature for iPhone 14 and 15 that lets you message for roadside assistance through AAA (and also Verizon) in areas of no connectivity. Android is also getting similar messaging features. However, AST SpaceMobile or Starlink and T-Mobile’s satellite-to-cellular links support features like voice and video calls.

AST SpaceMobile founder and CEO Abel Avellan is quoted saying the arrangement with Verizon will enable the company “to target 100 percent coverage of the continental United States.” AST SpaceMobile demonstrated “the ‘first ever’ 5G connection between an unmodified smartphone and a satellite in space” last year with a phone call from a wireless dead zone in Hawaii.

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Image: Getty

Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced major new tariffs on Chinese imports, including electric vehicles, batteries, solar cells, and a range of other goods. The goal was to prevent China from flooding the market with cheap products that could endanger domestic manufacturers. But environmental groups warned it could hinder our efforts to meet our climate goals by making things like EVs and solar panels more expensive.
Caught up in all this are electric bikes, those big battery-sporting, sometimes goofy-looking but always fun to ride motorized two-wheelers. E-bikes aren’t just for delivery workers or beach town grannies. They’re important tools for fighting climate change, combating car culture, and improving mental and physical health.
And now, thanks to President Joe Biden’s tariffs, they’re about to get a whole lot more expensive. And the timing couldn’t be worse.
Caught up in all this are electric bikes
It’s no secret that China dominates bicycle manufacturing, with one report putting the figure at 86.3 percent of bikes purchased in the US. Many e-bike companies rely on China for most of their components, including frames, batteries, motors, and more. Some e-bike makers are unique, but many, especially at the low end, are little more than nameplates affixed to off-the-shelf Chinese e-bikes assembled from a catalog.
Last week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative said that e-bike batteries imported from China would be subject to 25 percent tariffs starting in 2026, up from 7.5 percent. E-bikes and their components imported from China have been subject to 25 percent tariffs since the Trump administration, but US trade officials have used exclusions to keep those levies from kicking in.

Now, those exclusions are set to expire on June 14th, according to Bicycle Retailer. Some products, like bike trailers and helmets that are made in China, will still be excluded. But e-bikes, some youth bikes, and other components will now be subject to the 25 percent levy. And that is going to have a major impact on the affordability of e-bikes in the US.
“The expiration of Section 301 tariffs will cause a further weeding out of underperforming e-bike companies and, unfortunately, consumers will most likely see prices rise across the industry,” said Levi Conlow, CEO of Lectric eBikes, in an email to The Verge.
“Consumers will most likely see prices rise”
Prices are set to increase right when e-bikes have officially entered the mainstream. In 2022, there were 1.1 million e-bikes sold in the United States, almost four times as many as were sold in 2019, according to the Department of Energy. A number of e-bike companies have emerged from the covid-19 pandemic with robust lineups and loyal fans. And states across the country are recognizing the potential of e-bikes to help reduce emissions and car trips by offering rebates and other incentives to make them more affordable for consumers.
The Biden administration, though, is more fixated on getting people to switch from gas to electric cars, through $7,500 tax credits and billions spent on EV charging infrastructure. Bikes are merely an afterthought, still viewed by the wider public as recreational rather than transformational. A national bill that would have applied a $1,500 discount on the purchase of an e-bike never made it out of committee. And the amount of federal money being spent on encouraging active transportation through street redesigns is dwarfed by the billions being pumped into EV incentives.
E-bike companies are also in the midst of making major investments to make their products safer. They’re introducing new safety measures in order to prevent deadly fires that have been mostly linked to poorly made Chinese batteries. Indeed, even China is finally waking up to the risks of fire-prone e-bike batteries. According to Electrek, the country just passed new safety standards for lithium-ion battery production.
A lot of e-bike companies saw the inherent risks of relying too heavily on Chinese-made parts for their products and have already set out to diversify their supply chain. Tern, for example, imports its e-bikes from Taiwan and Vietnam, spokesperson Arleigh Greenwald said. Trek also imports some of its parts from Taiwan but also relies on components from China. (A Trek spokesperson declined to comment.) Others are more exposed. Rad Power Bikes, the largest e-bike company in the US, operates two factories in China. (A spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.)
Conlow, whose Lectric e-bikes are affordably priced, said consumers will now need to keep in mind the financial health of any e-bike company before making a purchase. If the company goes out of business, they could be stuck with a useless warranty and no access to new parts or maintenance for their e-bike.
As for Lectric? “We’ve been successful when there were tariffs,” he said, “and we’ve been successful when there have been tariff exclusions.”
Yes, some e-bike companies are likely to go out of business. And the ocean of cheap e-bikes — many of which are available on Amazon and other retailers that don’t necessarily check for quality — is likely to shrink considerably. And that’s probably going to hurt sales in the near term and slow e-bike adoption in the US, which isn’t great for the climate.
But US companies have an opportunity to step up and reshore their manufacturing operations or find new international suppliers that are located in countries that aren’t the target of our protectionist government. And states can help defray the costs by continuing to offer incentives to get more people in the saddle and riding. And needless to say, bike lanes, bike lanes, bike lanes.
It won’t be quick, and the clock is ticking.

Image: Getty

Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced major new tariffs on Chinese imports, including electric vehicles, batteries, solar cells, and a range of other goods. The goal was to prevent China from flooding the market with cheap products that could endanger domestic manufacturers. But environmental groups warned it could hinder our efforts to meet our climate goals by making things like EVs and solar panels more expensive.

Caught up in all this are electric bikes, those big battery-sporting, sometimes goofy-looking but always fun to ride motorized two-wheelers. E-bikes aren’t just for delivery workers or beach town grannies. They’re important tools for fighting climate change, combating car culture, and improving mental and physical health.

And now, thanks to President Joe Biden’s tariffs, they’re about to get a whole lot more expensive. And the timing couldn’t be worse.

It’s no secret that China dominates bicycle manufacturing, with one report putting the figure at 86.3 percent of bikes purchased in the US. Many e-bike companies rely on China for most of their components, including frames, batteries, motors, and more. Some e-bike makers are unique, but many, especially at the low end, are little more than nameplates affixed to off-the-shelf Chinese e-bikes assembled from a catalog.

Last week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative said that e-bike batteries imported from China would be subject to 25 percent tariffs starting in 2026, up from 7.5 percent. E-bikes and their components imported from China have been subject to 25 percent tariffs since the Trump administration, but US trade officials have used exclusions to keep those levies from kicking in.

Now, those exclusions are set to expire on June 14th, according to Bicycle Retailer. Some products, like bike trailers and helmets that are made in China, will still be excluded. But e-bikes, some youth bikes, and other components will now be subject to the 25 percent levy. And that is going to have a major impact on the affordability of e-bikes in the US.

“The expiration of Section 301 tariffs will cause a further weeding out of underperforming e-bike companies and, unfortunately, consumers will most likely see prices rise across the industry,” said Levi Conlow, CEO of Lectric eBikes, in an email to The Verge.

Prices are set to increase right when e-bikes have officially entered the mainstream. In 2022, there were 1.1 million e-bikes sold in the United States, almost four times as many as were sold in 2019, according to the Department of Energy. A number of e-bike companies have emerged from the covid-19 pandemic with robust lineups and loyal fans. And states across the country are recognizing the potential of e-bikes to help reduce emissions and car trips by offering rebates and other incentives to make them more affordable for consumers.

The Biden administration, though, is more fixated on getting people to switch from gas to electric cars, through $7,500 tax credits and billions spent on EV charging infrastructure. Bikes are merely an afterthought, still viewed by the wider public as recreational rather than transformational. A national bill that would have applied a $1,500 discount on the purchase of an e-bike never made it out of committee. And the amount of federal money being spent on encouraging active transportation through street redesigns is dwarfed by the billions being pumped into EV incentives.

E-bike companies are also in the midst of making major investments to make their products safer. They’re introducing new safety measures in order to prevent deadly fires that have been mostly linked to poorly made Chinese batteries. Indeed, even China is finally waking up to the risks of fire-prone e-bike batteries. According to Electrek, the country just passed new safety standards for lithium-ion battery production.

A lot of e-bike companies saw the inherent risks of relying too heavily on Chinese-made parts for their products and have already set out to diversify their supply chain. Tern, for example, imports its e-bikes from Taiwan and Vietnam, spokesperson Arleigh Greenwald said. Trek also imports some of its parts from Taiwan but also relies on components from China. (A Trek spokesperson declined to comment.) Others are more exposed. Rad Power Bikes, the largest e-bike company in the US, operates two factories in China. (A spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

Conlow, whose Lectric e-bikes are affordably priced, said consumers will now need to keep in mind the financial health of any e-bike company before making a purchase. If the company goes out of business, they could be stuck with a useless warranty and no access to new parts or maintenance for their e-bike.

As for Lectric? “We’ve been successful when there were tariffs,” he said, “and we’ve been successful when there have been tariff exclusions.”

Yes, some e-bike companies are likely to go out of business. And the ocean of cheap e-bikes — many of which are available on Amazon and other retailers that don’t necessarily check for quality — is likely to shrink considerably. And that’s probably going to hurt sales in the near term and slow e-bike adoption in the US, which isn’t great for the climate.

But US companies have an opportunity to step up and reshore their manufacturing operations or find new international suppliers that are located in countries that aren’t the target of our protectionist government. And states can help defray the costs by continuing to offer incentives to get more people in the saddle and riding. And needless to say, bike lanes, bike lanes, bike lanes.

It won’t be quick, and the clock is ticking.

Read More 

There’s something about that green power light on the keyboard’s top-right corner that overwhelms me with a sense of calm. | Image: 8BitDo

I love a good re-skin or fresh coat of paint, and I can be a sucker for a little nostalgia bait just like anyone else. But let’s not mince words here: there’s no way 8BitDo’s upcoming $100 M Edition of its Retro Mechanical Keyboard will stand up to the legendary IBM Model M keyboards of yore — not in sound, typing feel, or relative chonkiness. However, it certainly looks the business, especially with the slick new wireless numpad / calculator combo pad 8BitDo will sell alongside it for another $44.99.

Image: 8BitDo
Somebody tell 8BitDo it doesn’t need to write “Retro” on everything. The design speaks plenty.

The M Edition has the same exact specs as 8BitDo’s previous Retro Keyboards, right down to the top-mount internal design, hot-swap PCB, dual wireless / USB-C wired connectivity, and the included Kailh Box White V2 clicky switches. It’s even got the same big, customizable A and B macro buttons as the NES, Famicom, and Commodore 64 versions (albeit in more subdued colors) — the joyously oversized buttons my former colleague Jon Porter said “stole the show” from the keyboard when he featured them in our ongoing Button of the Month series.
What made the original Model M keyboards so special was their unique buckling spring mechanism, which made a loud and chunky sound with every keypress that was oh-so-pleasing to the ear (and the bane of many co-workers, roommates, and spouses). Any standard clicky Cherry-style switch, while still loud and fun, pales in comparison. 8BitDo demos this itself in its promo video for the M Edition, showing brief typing clips of an original Model M followed by the M Edition. I can appreciate that 8BitDo has no qualms with telling on itself here or trying to pretend the M Edition is anything more than a fun retro vibe.

Image: 8BitDo
Personally, I gave up on numpads when I fell in love with small-format mechanical keyboards. But I’m prepared to love again for some sweet calculator action.

If these retro feels are for you, the new M Edition keyboard and accompanying numpads (which are also coming in the other matching retro colors) are launching July 15th and can be preordered at Amazon or via 8BitDo’s own online store.

There’s something about that green power light on the keyboard’s top-right corner that overwhelms me with a sense of calm. | Image: 8BitDo

I love a good re-skin or fresh coat of paint, and I can be a sucker for a little nostalgia bait just like anyone else. But let’s not mince words here: there’s no way 8BitDo’s upcoming $100 M Edition of its Retro Mechanical Keyboard will stand up to the legendary IBM Model M keyboards of yore — not in sound, typing feel, or relative chonkiness. However, it certainly looks the business, especially with the slick new wireless numpad / calculator combo pad 8BitDo will sell alongside it for another $44.99.

Image: 8BitDo
Somebody tell 8BitDo it doesn’t need to write “Retro” on everything. The design speaks plenty.

The M Edition has the same exact specs as 8BitDo’s previous Retro Keyboards, right down to the top-mount internal design, hot-swap PCB, dual wireless / USB-C wired connectivity, and the included Kailh Box White V2 clicky switches. It’s even got the same big, customizable A and B macro buttons as the NES, Famicom, and Commodore 64 versions (albeit in more subdued colors) — the joyously oversized buttons my former colleague Jon Porter said “stole the show” from the keyboard when he featured them in our ongoing Button of the Month series.

What made the original Model M keyboards so special was their unique buckling spring mechanism, which made a loud and chunky sound with every keypress that was oh-so-pleasing to the ear (and the bane of many co-workers, roommates, and spouses). Any standard clicky Cherry-style switch, while still loud and fun, pales in comparison. 8BitDo demos this itself in its promo video for the M Edition, showing brief typing clips of an original Model M followed by the M Edition. I can appreciate that 8BitDo has no qualms with telling on itself here or trying to pretend the M Edition is anything more than a fun retro vibe.

Image: 8BitDo
Personally, I gave up on numpads when I fell in love with small-format mechanical keyboards. But I’m prepared to love again for some sweet calculator action.

If these retro feels are for you, the new M Edition keyboard and accompanying numpads (which are also coming in the other matching retro colors) are launching July 15th and can be preordered at Amazon or via 8BitDo’s own online store.

Read More 

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

It begins. The summer showcase of games technically doesn’t officially start until Summer Game Fest next week, but Sony decided it wanted to get a jump on things by announcing its next State of Play event on Thursday, May 30th, starting at 6PM ET.

State of Play returns with a 30+ minute broadcast this Thursday at 3pm PT / 11pm BST: https://t.co/eJWbP09sv3Tune in live for updates on 14 PS5 and PS VR2 titles, including a look at PlayStation Studios titles arriving later this year. pic.twitter.com/B6Uc6aLWKF— PlayStation (@PlayStation) May 29, 2024

Sony’s showcase is expected to be densely packed, lasting 30 minutes but featuring 14 titles. That’s a game roughly every two minutes or a handful of premium games at several minutes apiece, with a shotgun blast of smaller games. Regardless of how the timing shakes out, we can probably expect some big announcements.

I’m hoping for more news on Kingdom Hearts IV. There’s probably going to be some news about a new Astro Bot game that was rumored to be announced soon. Bungie might show off a new Marathon trailer or share more details about Destiny 2’s The Final Shape expansion that’s launching next week. And we might get official confirmation regarding when PSVR 2 is getting PC support.
Sony’s not the only presentation slotted for tomorrow. At 7PM ET, conveniently after the State of Play is over, Konami’s putting on a Silent Hill Transmission event that will likely feature new info on Silent Hill F, Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake, and the upcoming movie. Brace yourselves, everyone. The summer showcase of games is officially here, and it is gonna be Like This for at least the next month.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

It begins. The summer showcase of games technically doesn’t officially start until Summer Game Fest next week, but Sony decided it wanted to get a jump on things by announcing its next State of Play event on Thursday, May 30th, starting at 6PM ET.

Sony’s showcase is expected to be densely packed, lasting 30 minutes but featuring 14 titles. That’s a game roughly every two minutes or a handful of premium games at several minutes apiece, with a shotgun blast of smaller games. Regardless of how the timing shakes out, we can probably expect some big announcements.

I’m hoping for more news on Kingdom Hearts IV. There’s probably going to be some news about a new Astro Bot game that was rumored to be announced soon. Bungie might show off a new Marathon trailer or share more details about Destiny 2’s The Final Shape expansion that’s launching next week. And we might get official confirmation regarding when PSVR 2 is getting PC support.

Sony’s not the only presentation slotted for tomorrow. At 7PM ET, conveniently after the State of Play is over, Konami’s putting on a Silent Hill Transmission event that will likely feature new info on Silent Hill F, Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake, and the upcoming movie. Brace yourselves, everyone. The summer showcase of games is officially here, and it is gonna be Like This for at least the next month.

Read More 

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

On Wednesday, IP core designer Arm announced its next-generation CPU and GPU designs for flagship smartphones: the Cortex-X925 CPU and Immortalis G925 GPU. Both are direct successors to the Cortex-X4 and Immortalis G720 that currently power MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300 chip inside flagship smartphones like the Vivo X100 and X100 Pro and Oppo Find X7.
Arm changed the naming convention for its Cortex-X CPU design to highlight what it says is a much faster CPU design. It claims the X925’s single-core performance is 36 percent faster than the X4 (when measured in Geekbench). Arm says it increased the AI workload performance by 41 percent, time to token, with up to 3MB of private L2 cache.
The Cortex-X925 brings a new generation of Cortex-A microarchitectures (“little” cores) with it, too: the Cortex-A725, which Arm says has 35 percent better performance efficiency than last-gen’s A720 and a 15 percent more power-efficient Cortex-A520.
Arm’s new Immortalis G925 GPU is its “most performant and efficient GPU” to date, it says. It’s 37 percent faster on graphics applications compared to the last-gen G720, with improved ray-tracing performance with intricate objects by 52 percent and improved AI and ML workloads by 34 percent — all while using 30 percent less power.
For the first time, Arm will offer “optimized layouts” of its new CPU and GPU designs that it says will be easier for device makers to “drop” or implement into their own system on chip (SoC) layouts. Arm says this new physical implementation solution will help other companies get their devices to market faster, which, if true, means we could see more devices with Arm Cortex-X925 and / or Immortalis G925 than the few that shipped with its last-gen ones.
As a bonus for mobile game developers, Lumen ray tracing on Unreal Engine now supports Immortalis. It’s unclear if that alone will be a big enough incentive for more game developers to add ray tracing to their mobile games or how those games would perform. As Andy Craigen, director of product management at Arm, explained when the company launched its first hardware-based ray-tracing Immortalis design in 2022: “The challenge is that ray tracing techniques can use significant power, energy, and area across the mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC).”
We asked Arm what other mobile devices use its ray-tracing Immortalis GPUs and when we can expect to see a new phone using the Immortalis G925. Currently, the iQOO Neo 9pro is using the Dimensity 9300, while the Xiaomi 14 series and OnePlus 12 series use the Cortex-X4 and Cortex-A720 in a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Arm said it expects new phones with its new core designs to become available in late 2024, but could not say from which companies.
However, JC Hsu, Corporate Senior Vice President at MediaTek was quoted in Arm’s press release as saying: “MediaTek is committed to supporting the latest Armv9 Cortex-X925 CPU and Immortalis-G925 GPU Client solution in our next generation flagship chipset, Dimensity 9400, later this year.” So, that could mean we’ll see a new Vivo or Oppo by the end of 2024.
Not too many phones currently use Arm’s Cortex and Immortalis designs together. Other than the current-gen phones already named above, MediaTek’s Dimensity 9200 chip that powered the Vivo X90, X90 Pro, and Oppo Find X6 was the first to use Arm’s flagship hardware-based ray-tracing GPU design, the Immortalis G715, with the Cortex-X4. But it’s more common to find the Cortex paired with another GPU design in a mobile chip like Samsung’s Exynos 2400, which you’ll find in Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

On Wednesday, IP core designer Arm announced its next-generation CPU and GPU designs for flagship smartphones: the Cortex-X925 CPU and Immortalis G925 GPU. Both are direct successors to the Cortex-X4 and Immortalis G720 that currently power MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300 chip inside flagship smartphones like the Vivo X100 and X100 Pro and Oppo Find X7.

Arm changed the naming convention for its Cortex-X CPU design to highlight what it says is a much faster CPU design. It claims the X925’s single-core performance is 36 percent faster than the X4 (when measured in Geekbench). Arm says it increased the AI workload performance by 41 percent, time to token, with up to 3MB of private L2 cache.

The Cortex-X925 brings a new generation of Cortex-A microarchitectures (“little” cores) with it, too: the Cortex-A725, which Arm says has 35 percent better performance efficiency than last-gen’s A720 and a 15 percent more power-efficient Cortex-A520.

Arm’s new Immortalis G925 GPU is its “most performant and efficient GPU” to date, it says. It’s 37 percent faster on graphics applications compared to the last-gen G720, with improved ray-tracing performance with intricate objects by 52 percent and improved AI and ML workloads by 34 percent — all while using 30 percent less power.

For the first time, Arm will offer “optimized layouts” of its new CPU and GPU designs that it says will be easier for device makers to “drop” or implement into their own system on chip (SoC) layouts. Arm says this new physical implementation solution will help other companies get their devices to market faster, which, if true, means we could see more devices with Arm Cortex-X925 and / or Immortalis G925 than the few that shipped with its last-gen ones.

As a bonus for mobile game developers, Lumen ray tracing on Unreal Engine now supports Immortalis. It’s unclear if that alone will be a big enough incentive for more game developers to add ray tracing to their mobile games or how those games would perform. As Andy Craigen, director of product management at Arm, explained when the company launched its first hardware-based ray-tracing Immortalis design in 2022: “The challenge is that ray tracing techniques can use significant power, energy, and area across the mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC).”

We asked Arm what other mobile devices use its ray-tracing Immortalis GPUs and when we can expect to see a new phone using the Immortalis G925. Currently, the iQOO Neo 9pro is using the Dimensity 9300, while the Xiaomi 14 series and OnePlus 12 series use the Cortex-X4 and Cortex-A720 in a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Arm said it expects new phones with its new core designs to become available in late 2024, but could not say from which companies.

However, JC Hsu, Corporate Senior Vice President at MediaTek was quoted in Arm’s press release as saying: “MediaTek is committed to supporting the latest Armv9 Cortex-X925 CPU and Immortalis-G925 GPU Client solution in our next generation flagship chipset, Dimensity 9400, later this year.” So, that could mean we’ll see a new Vivo or Oppo by the end of 2024.

Not too many phones currently use Arm’s Cortex and Immortalis designs together. Other than the current-gen phones already named above, MediaTek’s Dimensity 9200 chip that powered the Vivo X90, X90 Pro, and Oppo Find X6 was the first to use Arm’s flagship hardware-based ray-tracing GPU design, the Immortalis G715, with the Cortex-X4. But it’s more common to find the Cortex paired with another GPU design in a mobile chip like Samsung’s Exynos 2400, which you’ll find in Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus.

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Becca Farsace

On the dance floor at the Webby Awards in 2023, a very dapper man in a subtle paisley suit came up to me with a huge smile and said “I love your content.” It’s always nice hearing that someone likes your work, but I’d never heard it from someone with an internet presence quite like his. It was Matty Benedetto of Unnecessary Inventions, a creator who has amassed millions of followers across just about every social network by making and displaying all sorts of strange, eccentric, and perplexing gadgets to improve our daily lives.
As I said thank you and tried not to blush, I yelled to Matty that I was trying to launch a video series about creators and “maybe we could link up.” Over a year later, I found myself in the heart of Burlington, Vermont, where Matty lives and works, ready to hear how his videos come together.
As I walked into Matty’s sprawling studio, I was struck by the sheer amount of unique things. There was a wall of 3D printers, an assortment of Supreme collector items, shelves of camera gear and hard drives, and of course many Unnecessary Inventions.
These inventions are what Matty describes as unique solutions to first-world problems. They range from a pair of glasses with built-in sponges that soak up tears to a funnel that catches falling ingredients from a burrito and neatly sorts it into a taco below. It’s these funny creations that have kept folks returning again and again to Matty’s videos for the last five years and helped him build a successful business as a creator.
In this first episode of my new video series that profiles internet creators, I spend a whole day with Matty to figure out how he makes his inventions and how he makes a living from posting about them. Because, as a lover of YouTube, I have always wondered how individual folks can turn the making of silly videos into a full-time job. Tune in to the video above to learn more about Matty’s process, and let me know who you want me to profile next!

Becca Farsace

On the dance floor at the Webby Awards in 2023, a very dapper man in a subtle paisley suit came up to me with a huge smile and said “I love your content.” It’s always nice hearing that someone likes your work, but I’d never heard it from someone with an internet presence quite like his. It was Matty Benedetto of Unnecessary Inventions, a creator who has amassed millions of followers across just about every social network by making and displaying all sorts of strange, eccentric, and perplexing gadgets to improve our daily lives.

As I said thank you and tried not to blush, I yelled to Matty that I was trying to launch a video series about creators and “maybe we could link up.” Over a year later, I found myself in the heart of Burlington, Vermont, where Matty lives and works, ready to hear how his videos come together.

As I walked into Matty’s sprawling studio, I was struck by the sheer amount of unique things. There was a wall of 3D printers, an assortment of Supreme collector items, shelves of camera gear and hard drives, and of course many Unnecessary Inventions.

These inventions are what Matty describes as unique solutions to first-world problems. They range from a pair of glasses with built-in sponges that soak up tears to a funnel that catches falling ingredients from a burrito and neatly sorts it into a taco below. It’s these funny creations that have kept folks returning again and again to Matty’s videos for the last five years and helped him build a successful business as a creator.

In this first episode of my new video series that profiles internet creators, I spend a whole day with Matty to figure out how he makes his inventions and how he makes a living from posting about them. Because, as a lover of YouTube, I have always wondered how individual folks can turn the making of silly videos into a full-time job. Tune in to the video above to learn more about Matty’s process, and let me know who you want me to profile next!

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This is the Spicy Pebble with the Moovin’ Band, with a bumper attached for extra durability. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

When Fitbit invited me to a demo of the Ace LTE, its new tracker for kids, I didn’t expect much. The previous Ace trackers were pared-down Fitbit bands that didn’t do much and lacked GPS. Other smartwatches for kids tend to be boxy, glorified GPS trackers, designed to appeal more to parents than kids. But the Ace LTE? This is a kids smartwatch that feels like it might actually be fun to wear. I kind of wish there were something like it for adults.
The $229.95 Ace LTE has a squarish case that’s reminiscent of the Fitbit Versa. The main difference is that the materials are more appropriate for kids. (Think plastic and Corning Gorilla Glass instead of sapphire crystal and titanium.) There’s also an optional bumper for extra durability. However, if you flip it upside down, the sensor array looks nearly identical to the Pixel Watch 2. A neat perk is that if you have a Pixel Watch 2, this uses the same charger.

It gets about 16 hours of battery life, but fast charging means you get 60 percent in 30 minutes.

The Ace LTE’s whole schtick is exercise should be a form of play. In fact, it’s more like a game console strapped to your wrist than a traditional smartwatch. Instead of apps, the watch comes with a bunch of preloaded video games. The concept is instead of interval training, where you sprinkle bits of high-intensity suffering into a workout, the Ace LTE employs interval gaming. Once they’ve played a certain amount, kids are prompted to add to their step count to earn more playing time.
There’s also an Eejie, a Tamagotchi-like buddy who lives in the Ace LTE. This, too, is a bit like Animal Crossing in that you can buy an Eejie in-game items, rooms, clothes, and other accessories. But instead of microtransactions using real-life money, you have to buy those items using arcade tickets. Those, in turn, can only be won by making progress on daily goals or by playing games.

There’ll be six collectible bands to start, each costing $35.

The special connector acts as a “game cartridge,” holding exclusive items for Eejies, a Tamogatchi-like buddy.

Each Ace LTE band is also a collectible. Once popped on, a band unlocks new outfits for the Eejie, exclusive collectibles, and a themed noodle — the animated ring that represents your daily progress. Additional bands cost $35 and have their own themes. The idea is that kids can trade bands to get items, much in the way us ancient nerds traded POG slammers and Pokémon cards.
I got to try two games: Smokey Lake and Pollo 13. The former is a fishing game that reminded me of how you collect fish in Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley. It involves viewing your virtual environment, casting your arm out to catch a fish, and pulling it back to reel it in. Pollo 13 was a Mario Kart-esque game where you play as a chicken racing in a bathtub, collecting eggs to get powers. You race by tilting your arm, and the aim is to best your archnemesis, Kim. (I don’t know what Kim did, but she ate my dust.) After playing a bit of both, I was prompted to take around 500 steps so I could play more.

But the gaming is only one aspect of the Ace LTE. The other is to help kids stay connected to their parents. While previous Fitbit Ace devices didn’t have GPS tracking, this one comes with LTE built in. That enables calling, messaging, and location sharing. The bad news is getting those features requires a $9.99 monthly or $120 annual subscription to the Ace Pass data plan. The good news is you don’t have to go through a carrier, nor does a kid need their own phone.
Everything is controlled through the Fitbit Ace companion app, which works on both iOS and Android. The app is where parents can set trusted contacts, send and receive messages, view their child’s real-time location, and monitor how their child is doing with regard to their activity goals. There’s also a school time mode, which disables gaming during school hours. Later this year, Fitbit says that it will also add Tap to Pay.

It looks a lot like a Fitbit Versa on the wrist, but the internal hardware is closer to a Pixel Watch 2.

Kids smartwatches always raise an extra question of privacy. Fitbit told me at the demo that only parents can access location data, which is deleted after 24 hours. Activity data is deleted after 35 days and will not be used for Google ads. The Ace LTE also will not include third-party apps or ads. Of course, this is what Google, which owns Fitbit, says upfront. If you’re worried about the fine print, concerned parents should also look at the Fitbit Ace privacy policy.
We’ll have to test the Ace LTE to see how well it works — both as a means of encouraging kids to move more and as a tool for parents. That said, this is a significant update to the Ace lineup and one of the more fun approaches to a smartwatch for kids that we’ve seen in a while.
The Fitbit Ace LTE is available starting on June 5th for $229.95, with an Ace Pass priced at $9.99 monthly or $119.99 annually. Annual subscribers get an extra collectible band, and those who buy it by August 31st will get 50 percent off the subscription cost.

This is the Spicy Pebble with the Moovin’ Band, with a bumper attached for extra durability. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

When Fitbit invited me to a demo of the Ace LTE, its new tracker for kids, I didn’t expect much. The previous Ace trackers were pared-down Fitbit bands that didn’t do much and lacked GPS. Other smartwatches for kids tend to be boxy, glorified GPS trackers, designed to appeal more to parents than kids. But the Ace LTE? This is a kids smartwatch that feels like it might actually be fun to wear. I kind of wish there were something like it for adults.

The $229.95 Ace LTE has a squarish case that’s reminiscent of the Fitbit Versa. The main difference is that the materials are more appropriate for kids. (Think plastic and Corning Gorilla Glass instead of sapphire crystal and titanium.) There’s also an optional bumper for extra durability. However, if you flip it upside down, the sensor array looks nearly identical to the Pixel Watch 2. A neat perk is that if you have a Pixel Watch 2, this uses the same charger.

It gets about 16 hours of battery life, but fast charging means you get 60 percent in 30 minutes.

The Ace LTE’s whole schtick is exercise should be a form of play. In fact, it’s more like a game console strapped to your wrist than a traditional smartwatch. Instead of apps, the watch comes with a bunch of preloaded video games. The concept is instead of interval training, where you sprinkle bits of high-intensity suffering into a workout, the Ace LTE employs interval gaming. Once they’ve played a certain amount, kids are prompted to add to their step count to earn more playing time.

There’s also an Eejie, a Tamagotchi-like buddy who lives in the Ace LTE. This, too, is a bit like Animal Crossing in that you can buy an Eejie in-game items, rooms, clothes, and other accessories. But instead of microtransactions using real-life money, you have to buy those items using arcade tickets. Those, in turn, can only be won by making progress on daily goals or by playing games.

Each Ace LTE band is also a collectible. Once popped on, a band unlocks new outfits for the Eejie, exclusive collectibles, and a themed noodle — the animated ring that represents your daily progress. Additional bands cost $35 and have their own themes. The idea is that kids can trade bands to get items, much in the way us ancient nerds traded POG slammers and Pokémon cards.

I got to try two games: Smokey Lake and Pollo 13. The former is a fishing game that reminded me of how you collect fish in Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley. It involves viewing your virtual environment, casting your arm out to catch a fish, and pulling it back to reel it in. Pollo 13 was a Mario Kart-esque game where you play as a chicken racing in a bathtub, collecting eggs to get powers. You race by tilting your arm, and the aim is to best your archnemesis, Kim. (I don’t know what Kim did, but she ate my dust.) After playing a bit of both, I was prompted to take around 500 steps so I could play more.

But the gaming is only one aspect of the Ace LTE. The other is to help kids stay connected to their parents. While previous Fitbit Ace devices didn’t have GPS tracking, this one comes with LTE built in. That enables calling, messaging, and location sharing. The bad news is getting those features requires a $9.99 monthly or $120 annual subscription to the Ace Pass data plan. The good news is you don’t have to go through a carrier, nor does a kid need their own phone.

Everything is controlled through the Fitbit Ace companion app, which works on both iOS and Android. The app is where parents can set trusted contacts, send and receive messages, view their child’s real-time location, and monitor how their child is doing with regard to their activity goals. There’s also a school time mode, which disables gaming during school hours. Later this year, Fitbit says that it will also add Tap to Pay.

It looks a lot like a Fitbit Versa on the wrist, but the internal hardware is closer to a Pixel Watch 2.

Kids smartwatches always raise an extra question of privacy. Fitbit told me at the demo that only parents can access location data, which is deleted after 24 hours. Activity data is deleted after 35 days and will not be used for Google ads. The Ace LTE also will not include third-party apps or ads. Of course, this is what Google, which owns Fitbit, says upfront. If you’re worried about the fine print, concerned parents should also look at the Fitbit Ace privacy policy.

We’ll have to test the Ace LTE to see how well it works — both as a means of encouraging kids to move more and as a tool for parents. That said, this is a significant update to the Ace lineup and one of the more fun approaches to a smartwatch for kids that we’ve seen in a while.

The Fitbit Ace LTE is available starting on June 5th for $229.95, with an Ace Pass priced at $9.99 monthly or $119.99 annually. Annual subscribers get an extra collectible band, and those who buy it by August 31st will get 50 percent off the subscription cost.

Read More 

Image: Amazon

Amazon is continuing to expand its presence in video game publishing. The latest example: the company is teaming up with Maverick Games, a new studio formed by former Forza developers at Playground, to launch “a narrative-led open-world driving game.” There’s no title or release date for the game, but it’ll be coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X / S when it does launch.
Publishing has become a large facet of Amazon’s push into gaming, with the company partnering with Bandai Namco on the upcoming anime MMO Blue Protocol as well as Crystal Dynamics on the next Tomb Raider game. Amazon is also developing a Lord of the Rings MMO at its internal Orange County studio, which previously launched New World. Many of these projects tie into other Amazon productions; the company has a Lord of the Rings series on Prime Video and recently announced a Tomb Raider show.
Maverick, meanwhile, was formed in 2022 and currently has around 60 employees. It’s led by former Forza Horizon creative director Mike Brown. “As we got to know the team at Amazon Games it quickly became clear that we had a shared ethos — a commitment to giving developers the space to really innovate in service of crafting experiences that players will find truly special,” Brown said in a statement.
As for Forza, there’s a good chance we’ll hear what’s next for the franchise at Xbox’s next showcase event in June.

Image: Amazon

Amazon is continuing to expand its presence in video game publishing. The latest example: the company is teaming up with Maverick Games, a new studio formed by former Forza developers at Playground, to launch “a narrative-led open-world driving game.” There’s no title or release date for the game, but it’ll be coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X / S when it does launch.

Publishing has become a large facet of Amazon’s push into gaming, with the company partnering with Bandai Namco on the upcoming anime MMO Blue Protocol as well as Crystal Dynamics on the next Tomb Raider game. Amazon is also developing a Lord of the Rings MMO at its internal Orange County studio, which previously launched New World. Many of these projects tie into other Amazon productions; the company has a Lord of the Rings series on Prime Video and recently announced a Tomb Raider show.

Maverick, meanwhile, was formed in 2022 and currently has around 60 employees. It’s led by former Forza Horizon creative director Mike Brown. “As we got to know the team at Amazon Games it quickly became clear that we had a shared ethos — a commitment to giving developers the space to really innovate in service of crafting experiences that players will find truly special,” Brown said in a statement.

As for Forza, there’s a good chance we’ll hear what’s next for the franchise at Xbox’s next showcase event in June.

Read More 

Image: Hello Games

Things are about to get a little quieter in the No Man’s Sky universe. Developer Hello Games just released the sci-fi adventure’s latest update — it’s called “Adrift,” and it introduces an alternative universe that’s completely devoid of other characters. That means no NPCs to chat or trade with. The studio calls it “the first time players can be truly alone in No Man’s Sky.”
In addition to making the game lonelier and heightening the sense of isolation that was very present in the early days of the game, “Adrift” will also make the experience more challenging. Here’s how the studio explains it:
This alternative universe is more dangerous too, with sandworms now roaming free and fiend eggs spreading across planets. Buildings are broken and rusted, the few remaining landmarks the graves of lost Travellers. In space, a new ghostly frigate beckons, allowing players to recruit a piece of this lonely universe.
Additionally, the update will also introduce a new ship type, a huge starship called the Iron Vulture that the studio says should at least provide some sanctuary in the harshness of space. The new features come not long after Hello launched the game’s 27th major update, called “Orbital,” which, among other things, finally introduced a ship editor into the long-running game.

Image: Hello Games

Things are about to get a little quieter in the No Man’s Sky universe. Developer Hello Games just released the sci-fi adventure’s latest update — it’s called “Adrift,” and it introduces an alternative universe that’s completely devoid of other characters. That means no NPCs to chat or trade with. The studio calls it “the first time players can be truly alone in No Man’s Sky.”

In addition to making the game lonelier and heightening the sense of isolation that was very present in the early days of the game, “Adrift” will also make the experience more challenging. Here’s how the studio explains it:

This alternative universe is more dangerous too, with sandworms now roaming free and fiend eggs spreading across planets. Buildings are broken and rusted, the few remaining landmarks the graves of lost Travellers. In space, a new ghostly frigate beckons, allowing players to recruit a piece of this lonely universe.

Additionally, the update will also introduce a new ship type, a huge starship called the Iron Vulture that the studio says should at least provide some sanctuary in the harshness of space. The new features come not long after Hello launched the game’s 27th major update, called “Orbital,” which, among other things, finally introduced a ship editor into the long-running game.

Read More