Category: Uncategorized

Discord native Meta Quest app reported for 2026 — summary and context At Meta Connect 2025, news circulated that Discord would release a native app for the Meta Quest headset "sometime in 2026." A native Discord app in VR would make in-headset voice, chat and social features far more seamless for gamers and could help VR developers reach Discord’s large audience (200M+ monthly active users). Why it matters Native apps improve ease of use vs. sideloaded or browser-based alternatives. Better in-VR voice/chat enhances multiplayer and social VR experiences. Discord’s large userbase could help VR apps find new players. Verification & current status Some news outlets reported the upcoming app, but neither Meta nor Discord have published an official, detailed announcement or timeline on their channels as of this post. If…

Austin Mann Praises iPhone 17 Pro Camera — Dolomites Review Photographer Austin Mann traveled to the Dolomites to extensively test the iPhone 17 Pro camera and comes away impressed. His hands‑on review highlights notable improvements that make a real difference in rugged, real‑world shooting. Key takeaways Significantly improved telephoto capability — a 48MP 4x telephoto plus an 8x option praised for reach and detail. Better low‑light performance and overall image quality across lenses. Enhanced video features including 4K ProRes capture (noted in his tests at higher frame rates). Practical field testing: Mann shot through a long, 150‑mile bike ride with large elevation gains to stress the system. Read the full review and see his example images here: Austin Mann — iPhone 17 Pro camera review (Dolomites) Where to get the…

Steam ending support for Windows 10 32‑bit on Jan 1, 2026 Valve has announced Steam will stop supporting Windows 10 32‑bit systems starting January 1, 2026. Existing Steam clients on those systems may continue to run for a while, but they will no longer receive updates or technical support. Key points End of Steam support for Windows 10 32‑bit: Jan 1, 2026. Valve reports only about 0.01% of Steam users run Windows 10 32‑bit. Microsoft ends mainstream security/technical updates for Windows 10 on Oct 14, 2025 — users on 32‑bit Windows 10 will lose both OS and Steam support. Steam will continue to support Windows 10 64‑bit (and newer 64‑bit systems); Windows 11 is 64‑bit only. What this means for gamers If youre still on Windows 10 32‑bit, your Steam…

Gemini in Chrome: Now Rolling Out to Desktop Users (US) Google has begun rolling out Gemini AI integrated directly into Chrome for desktop users on Windows and Mac in the United States (Chrome language must be set to English). A new "sparkle" icon in the toolbar opens Gemini so you can ask questions and run tasks without leaving the browser. Key features Multi‑tab awareness: Gemini can compare and summarize content across open tabs. Recall: The assistant can access your browsing history to help find pages you can’t remember. Google service integrations: Calendar, YouTube and Maps support — schedule meetings, generate video timestamps, get directions and more. Enhanced Protection: Gemini Nano powers protections against fake‑virus/giveaway scams and learns permission preferences to reduce intrusive prompts. Password helper: One‑click password updates on supported…

Deutschlandticket: Price increase to €63/month from 2026 On a special conference in Munich, the transport ministers of Germany's federal states agreed that the Deutschlandticket will increase from €58 to €63 per month, effective 1 January 2026. The formal decision still needs to be confirmed in the Bundesrat. Key points New price: €63/month, effective 1 Jan 2026. From 2027, prices are planned to be adjusted via a cost index taking into account factors such as wages and energy costs to provide more predictability. Bund and Länder will each provide about €1.5 billion annually to help finance the scheme, as ticket revenues alone are not cost-covering. The increase is part of a broader effort to secure sustainable financing for the subsidised nationwide ticket. Context and implications The Deutschlandticket—introduced as an affordable monthly…

Notepad AI runs locally on CoPilot+ PCs; Paint & Snipping Tool get improvements Microsoft is rolling out a local-AI feature for CoPilot+ PCs that lets Notepad perform its AI writing functions (summarize, write, rewrite) on-device without requiring a CoPilot Pro or Microsoft 365 subscription. The feature is currently being made available to Windows Insider beta testers and — for now — is offered in English. Other updates in the latest Insider builds include: Paint: You can now save projects via File > Save as project (.paint) to pick up edits later, and there’s an opacity slider for pencil and brush tools. Snipping Tool: A new quick markup option appears in the capture toolbar so you can scribble on screenshots before saving. All updates are rolling out in the Canary and…

Samorost 2 free on iOS — Epic giveaway (Road Redemption not a mobile freebie) Good news: Samorost 2, the charming point-and-click adventure from Amanita Design (released 2009), is available to grab for iOS right now via the current Epic giveaway. You can download it on the App Store here: Samorost 2 on the App Store. Quick facts: Samorost 2 — Release: 2009. Platforms: PC, iOS, Android. A surreal, exploration-focused puzzle adventure praised for atmosphere and design. Road Redemption — Release: 2017. Platforms: PC and consoles. There is no official iOS release and it is not listed as a mobile freebie in this giveaway. Official/related links: Samorost 2 (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/app/id324127104 Road Redemption (Epic/PC store page): https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/road-redemption General coverage of current Epic freebies (example): PC Gamer — Epic Games Store free…

Former Meta lobbyist Niamh Sweeney appointed DPC commissioner — concerns over independence Niamh Sweeney, who previously led European public policy for WhatsApp and served as head of Irish public policy at Facebook, has been appointed as a commissioner at Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC). The appointment has drawn criticism from privacy campaigners who warn of potential conflicts of interest given her previous work for Meta. Key facts Appointment: Sweeney joins Des Hogan and Dale Sutherland as an active commissioner at the DPC. Background: Six years at Meta, including roles at WhatsApp and Facebook. Official comment: Ireland's Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said three commissioners will now lead and manage the DPC as its responsibilities grow. Criticism and context Privacy advocates and campaigners have raised concerns about the DPC's track record…

Ice beta optimized for macOS Tahoe — new beta available Good news for users of the free menu‑bar manager Ice. Developer Jordan Baird has published a version of Ice better optimized for macOS Tahoe. Note that this is still an early beta — the project is actively developed and the Tahoe support is experimental. What is Ice? Ice is a free, open‑source menu‑bar manager for macOS that lets you hide, show, and organize menu‑bar icons with advanced behaviors (hover/click/scroll reveal, hotkeys, drag‑and‑drop arrangement, custom appearance, and more). Where to get it GitHub (repo & releases): https://github.com/jordanbaird/Ice Official site: https://icemenubar.app Download (pay-what-you-want / optional donation) on Gumroad: https://jordanbaird.gumroad.com/l/ice Homebrew cask (macOS >= 14): https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/jordanbaird-ice Notes This release is an early beta for macOS Tahoe — expect rough edges and report issues…

October Prime Day: Early deals to shop now (Oct 7-8) Amazon's October Prime Day is on Oct 7-8, but many strong discounts are already live. Below are Engadget's top picks and quick buy links so you can shop early. Affiliate search links point to Amazon (US). Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) — $35 (29% off). Qi2.2-certified, 2m cable for flexible use. Buy: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Apple+MagSafe+charger+25W+2m&tag=f1rede-20 Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) — $449 ($150 off). Faster M3 chip; solid productivity pick. Buy: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Apple+iPad+Air+M3&tag=f1rede-20 Apple Mac mini (M4) — $499 ($100 off). Compact desktop with M4 and 16GB RAM in base model. Buy: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Apple+Mac+mini+M4&tag=f1rede-20 Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank — $28 (42% off). Thin, magnetic, built-in stand. Buy: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Anker+622+5K+magnetic+power+bank&tag=f1rede-20 8BitDo Pro 2 controller — $40 (34% off). Works with Switch 2, Steam Deck,…