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Armored Core 2 Was Ahead of Its Time in One Important Way
Armored Core 2 is presented as an ambitious but underappreciated turning point for FromSoftware’s mech series, released for PlayStation 2 in October 2000. It mattered because it expanded the scale and visual ambition of earlier games while prioritising intricate mechanical customisation over the cinematic spectacle increasingly expected from new hardware. Set on a contested Mars,…
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Akira ransomware scum blocked victim’s security tools – and broke their own encryptor
An affiliate of the Akira ransomware group compromised an organisation through a SonicWall SSL VPN account without multi-factor authentication, then tried to disable security software by restarting a machine in Safe Mode with Networking. The move prevented most third-party protections from running, but also caused the attacker’s ransomware encryptor to fail, avoiding file encryption on…
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Insta360 X6 review: A 360 camera with a little something for everyone
Insta360’s X6 is a premium 360-degree camera aimed at both casual creators and more serious filmmakers, combining rugged action-camera convenience with improved image quality and editing tools. Engadget rates it 8.9 out of 10, praising its ease of use, strong footage, Dolby Vision and professional colour options, though its £700-equivalent price places it firmly at…
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Oblivion Remastered Could Finally Be Fixed on PS5 as Bethesda Promises ‘Optimisations’ Patch
Bethesda has said it is investigating bringing performance optimisations from the Nintendo Switch 2 version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered to PS5 and other platforms. This matters because the PS5 release has continued to suffer from inconsistent frame rates and asset-loading hitches around 16 months after launch, despite earlier updates. The studio acknowledged…
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Live updates: Progressives notch loss in Wisconsin but big wins in Minnesota, Connecticut; July inflation cools
The surging progressive movement suffered a setback on Tuesday night, as Wisconsin Democrat David Crowley edged out democratic socialist Francesca Hong in the gubernatorial primary, a surprise win given he was down double digits in polls ahead of the election. But progressives surged in other races, as Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated more center-left…
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Honor’s Robot Phone integrates three-axis gimbal camera system
Honor’s Robot Phone has impressed in hands-on testing despite its unconventional design, using an unfolding three-axis gimbal camera to offer smoother video, more flexible shooting angles and higher-quality selfies from its main sensor. Its launch in China is significant as Honor attempts to combine the capabilities of a separate handheld gimbal camera with an Android…
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Panama canal fees soar due to Iran war and El Niño as ship ‘pays $4m to jump queue’
Commercial shipping costs through the Panama Canal have risen sharply as vessels divert from conflict-affected Middle Eastern routes and an intense El Niño reduces the water available for canal operations. The congestion underlines the vulnerability of global trade: one container ship reportedly paid about $4m (£3m) at auction to bypass the queue, while ships are…
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Helldivers 2 joins PlayStation Plus Extra on 12 August
Helldivers 2 joined PlayStation Plus Extra worldwide on 12 August, giving subscribers access to the co-operative shooter without a separate purchase. The addition is significant because it could broaden the game’s audience and increase its active player base. Sony confirmed availability for all PS Plus Extra members, including those in the UK, US and Japan.…
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The Voice of The Witcher’s Geralt Says He’d Sue Every Single AI Platform With His Voice on It ‘Into the Ground’ if He Could
Doug Cockle, the voice behind The Witcher’s Geralt, has hit out at AI platforms that feature his voice, saying he’d sue them if he could.
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Of course the ChatGPT dog cancer vaccine spawned a startup
Australian entrepreneur Paul Conyngham has launched Gamgee, a startup offering personalised mRNA cancer vaccines for dogs after claiming AI-assisted work helped shrink his dog Rosie’s tumours. The venture matters because it turns a widely publicised but disputed story about AI and canine cancer treatment into a commercial clinical offering, with longer-term ambitions to develop treatments…