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Sackbird Studios: ex‑ZeniMax devs form employee‑owned indie studio After the large Xbox layoffs and the cancellation of Project Blackbird, a group of former ZeniMax Online Studios developers have launched a new, employee‑owned company called Sackbird Studios. The team—reportedly fewer than ten people including CEO Lee Ridout and COO David Worley—is self‑funded and focused on retaining full creative control. What we know Origin: Formed by former ZeniMax Online Studios staff, including members who worked on the canceled Project Blackbird. Structure: Employee‑owned and self‑funded, aiming for long‑term independence without outside investors. Team size: Fewer than 10 senior staff at launch. Projects: In active development on an original title for PC and consoles; no gameplay or release details revealed yet. Location: Reported base in Baltimore, Maryland. Context The move follows Microsoft’s large restructuring…

Apple removes 'Eyes Up' — app archived videos of ICE arrests According to reporting from 404 Media, Apple removed an app called Eyes Up, which archived and mapped videos of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests. The app collected videos from social platforms and user submissions, plotted incidents on an interactive map, and allowed users to view and download clips that could be used for accountability and, potentially, in court. Apple reportedly said it removed the app for violating its policy on "objectionable content" and after receiving information from law enforcement that the app could be used to provide location information about officers that might be exploited to harm them. The removal follows similar action against an app called ICEBlock, which aimed to provide real-time alerts of ICE activity. “Our…

Prime Day: Switch 2 microSD Express cards on sale — PNY & Lexar deals The Nintendo Switch 2 requires microSD Express cards for game storage. If you haven’t added more storage yet, Prime Day has some of the first sales on compatible cards: PNY 128GB microSD Express — $38 (15% off). Ideal if you want an affordable, reliable card: Buy on Amazon Lexar Play Pro 256GB — $50 (17% off). A good mid-size option: Buy on Amazon Lexar Play Pro 512GB — $100 (17% off). Best if you want to ‘one-and-done’ fill-your-console capacity: Buy on Amazon Engadget testing shows small, often negligible performance differences between brands. PNY was slightly faster at moving games back to internal storage but a bit slower at writing to the card — in practice, load…

Engadget’s Best Prime Big Deal Days Tech Deals Under $50 Prime Big Deal Days (the October Prime Day) ends tonight. Engadget rounded up tested tech and accessories under $50 — batteries, chargers, earbuds, speakers, mice, smart home gear and more. Below are our highlighted picks with quick Amazon search links (affiliate tag included). Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) — Qi2.2, 25W wireless when paired with 30W adapter. Find on Amazon Anker Nano II 65W — Compact 65W charger with multiple ports. Find on Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — 4K HDR, Dolby Vision & Atmos. Find on Amazon Elgato Stream Deck Mini — Six-button macro deck for streaming & productivity. Find on Amazon Anker Soundcore Space A40 — Budget earbuds with ANC and good battery life. Find on…

Amazon's October Prime Day is winding down — a good window to grab discounted kitchen gear for holiday cooking. Many deals require Prime. Here are the standout items we tested or recommend: KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer — $379The gold-standard stand mixer for bakers. Shop: KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer Ninja Creami — $180Top pick for homemade frozen treats. Shop: Ninja Creami Cosori 9-in-1 TurboBlaze Air Fryer — $90Roomy basket and user-friendly touch controls. Shop: Cosori 9-in-1 TurboBlaze Air Fryer Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion Blender — $90Great for quick sauces and soups. Shop: Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion Blender Instant Pot Vortex Plus (Clear Cook) — $80Air fryer with a window to watch your food crisp. Shop: Instant Pot Vortex Plus Meater Pro Wireless Thermometer — $99Reliable wireless meat thermometer with long range.…

Prime Day Kindle deals — Colorsoft at record low ($200) Prime Day has brought notable discounts to Amazon's ereader lineup. Highlights reported: the Kindle Colorsoft (16GB) is on sale for $200 (a $50 drop and a reported record low), the standard Kindle is listed at $85, and the Kindle Paperwhite at $125. Why the Colorsoft stands out Color screen — better for comics and manga. Pinch-to-zoom — handy for panels and detailed artwork. Adjustable warm light — read comfortably in different lighting. Battery — Amazon reports up to ~8 weeks on a single charge. Waterproof — safer at the pool or beach. Other discounted Kindles Kindle Paperwhite — $125 (was $160). Our pick for a premium ereader. Standard Kindle — $85 (was $110). Recommended as an entry-level option. Notes &…

Prime Day tech deals under $25 — Top picks Amazon's Prime Day continues with a bunch of useful tech under $25. Below are our top picks (trackers, cameras, speakers, streaming sticks, chargers and more) with quick notes and direct Amazon search links (affiliate tag included). Chipolo Pop Bluetooth tracker — Great tracker that works with Apple Find My or Google. See on Amazon Blink Mini 2 — Affordable indoor camera for monitoring pets and entryways. See on Amazon Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go — Loud, IP67 speaker with stereo pairing. See on Amazon Roku Streaming Stick Plus (2025) — 4K HDR dongle with Roku OS. See on Amazon Amazon Smart Plug — Best smart plug for Alexa users. See on Amazon Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 — Best for Samsung users; wide…

Prime Big Deal Days — Best Gaming Deals (still available) Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days include a number of strong discounts on games, headsets, controllers and storage. Many offers are Prime-only and the sale ends Oct 9 at 3AM ET. Below are the best deals still available and quick Amazon search links (affiliate): Elden Ring (PS5) — $30 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5) — $35 Gran Turismo 7 (PS5) — $30 Returnal (PS5) — $30 The Last of Us Part I (PS5) — $30 God of War Ragnarök (PS5) — $30 Horizon Forbidden West (PS5) — $30 Final Fantasy XVI (PS5) — $23 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (PS5) — $20 Metaphor: ReFantazio (Xbox) — $16 Madden NFL 26 — $37 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-month) — $57 Astro…

Prime Day Speaker Deals — Top Bluetooth, Smart Speakers & Soundbars High-quality speakers elevate music and movies — and Prime Day brings some solid discounts. Below are the top deals featured in the roundup (prices shown are from the original list). Links go to Amazon searches using our affiliate tag. Best Bluetooth Speaker Deals JBL Xtreme 2 — $150 — Buy on Amazon JBL Flip 6 — $100 — Buy on Amazon JBL Go 3 — $35 — Buy on Amazon Beats Pill — $119 — Buy on Amazon Ultimate Ears Miniroll — $47 — Buy on Amazon Ultimate Ears Boom 4 — $95 — Buy on Amazon Ultimate Ears Everboom — $231 — Buy on Amazon Bose SoundLink Flex — $99 — Buy on Amazon Bose SoundLink Revolve+ —…

Best Prime Day TV & Streaming Deals — Day 2 (Updated) Amazon's October Prime Day is in its final day and several high-rated TVs and streaming devices remain discounted. Below are the top deals still available, plus quick notes on each. Some discounts may require a Prime membership. Top TV deals TCL QM7K 55" Mini‑LED 4K — $570 — Better contrast, brightness and color than the QM6K; 144Hz (288Hz @1080p). Shop: TCL QM7K 55" on Amazon Hisense U8QG 65" Mini‑LED 4K — $998 — High brightness, mini‑LED local dimming, 165Hz. Shop: Hisense U8QG 65" on Amazon Samsung S90F 55" QD‑OLED 4K — $1,100 — QD‑OLED vivid colors, 144Hz, 4 HDMI 2.1 ports. Shop: Samsung S90F 55" on Amazon LG C5 65" OLED 4K — $1,373 — Excellent OLED performance, Dolby…