How do you discover new writers on Medium? I love that a pretty big part of my job is being an enthusiastic Medium reader / fan girl. Im lucky in my role, I check in with my colleagues to ask what have you read recently?, and I always use those moments to get their tips and tricks on finding new writers on the platform.When asked that question of how to find new and interesting writers, responses seem to cluster around a few main themes: Take a look at a storys responses and go read the writing of the person providing the most interesting feedback. Or go deep on our Staff Picks, where said colleagues flag the pieces that have made them think or smile or cry over the last few weeks, or make sure youre subscribed to our Medium Newsletter, where we aim to deepen your understanding every weekday morning. Or explore your Medium homepage by spending a few minutes scrolling your For You selections tab to see if any new voices pop up that tickle your brain.Speaking of your Medium homepage, if going deep in your tabs is a favorite way to discover new writing, weve got something new for you to check out. Our team recently added a Featured tabwhich youll see if you are logged in and go to Medium.com or open your Medium appwhere you can scroll through all of the stories that publication editors have chosen to feature for their readers. Personally, its my new go-to way to keep up with my favorite publications, as well as discover new writers I havent yet had the pleasure of reading, and where Im now starting my Medium reading day every day when I log on.With everything going on right now, Im trying to read as many new and curious voices as I can and Im grateful that this community of writers has so much to share.Happy reading! Amy Widdowson, VP CommunicationsPlatform and product updatesLots of small but mighty additions to publications:The story page now better shows publication information and a more prominent follow button.Weve simplified publication navigation on a story pageWith Featured stories, editors now have the ability to send notifications when stories are featuredAs mentioned above, for writers and readers, theres a new tab on your homepage that showcases the Featured stories of the publications you followIn highlights, weve added:Small changes that help the writer easily see activity and responses and better help the reader jump into conversationsThe ability to hide highlights while reading a storyWhat we couldnt stop readingOver eight days in February, author Jon Krakauer published chapters of a response to a public controversy around his 1997 book Into Thin Air. Start reading here: The YouTuber on a Mission to Trash My Book: Chapter OneSelected top highlights from FebruaryWhen did we forget how to do something purely for its own sake?If this Act becomes law, the National Organization for Women estimates that 34% of female voters could be turned away at the polls for incorrect paperwork. And most of them wont know it until its too late.Am I underdressed,or under duress?So, again, how could it be irrational for anyone to have strong feelings about that?Gladys of Monmouth in her 2024 piece on what it felt like to work at the Capitol on January 6th.From the Medium NewsletterThe most clicked February issue of the Medium Newsletter was #279, The most moving essay Ive ever read, and the most-read was #260, Being a learn-it-all will get you way further than being a know-it-all. And while youre here, you should check out Medium Newsletter editor Harris Sockel as a guest on NPRs Its Been A Minute, where he discusses issue #222, Untangling the male loneliness epidemic.New writers, long readsGrab a seat and your favorite hot beverage, and settle in for a good long while.For the reader interested in learning more about recent events: Constitutional Erosion: Two Weeks of Rapid Government Structure Change by Damian MandaFor the reader whos dreaming up the next big idea that could change your life: To future entrepreneurs in health tech by executive Mark CavageFor the reader obsessed with data visualization: fastplotlib: driving scientific discovery through data visualization by Caitlin LewisFor the reader implementing enterprise-scale software systems: Micro Frontends with Angular and Native Federation by consultant Manfred Steyer in Angular BlogFor the reader curious about how tech companies change when moving from small to massive scale: Buckle Up: What Metas Leaked All-Hands Meeting Reveals About Scaling Smart and Staying Ahead by researcher, analyst, and CEO K.W. Hampton, PhD, MPA in The PreambleFor the reader with their eyes on the weather report: The Day We Chose Ignorance: NOAA, Science, and the Price of Stupidity by documentary producer David J RuckFor the reader looking for visual inspiration: At sea with the Black Knight by aviation photographer EYE IN THE SKYFor the reader looking for a better way forward: A Radical Proposal for Modernizing U.S. Foreign Assistance by retired USAID foreign service officer Patrick FineFor more great stories from Mediums writers and publications, check out our Staff Picks. To learn something new from Medium writers every weekday, subscribe to the Medium Newsletter.

TheSandbox is collaborating with Universal and Amblin Entertainment to bring the Jurassic World franchise to life in The Sandbox.Read More

When it comes to getting music for games, Styngr is the only full licensed major label partner that can get pre-cleared music into games.Read More

Google just released two new features for its Gemini AI assistant: Canvas and Audio Overviews. Canvas introduces a dedicated workspace within Gemini where users can create and refine both documents and code in real-time. Users can spin up initial drafts and then work with Gemini to edit specific sections, adjust tone, or reformat content as needed. For coding projects, Canvas includes a live preview alongside the code so users can iteratively edit while watching it evolve as you make the changes.The second feature, Audio Overview, converts written materials (like documents or slides) into a podcast-style discussion between two AI hosts. This functionality was previously available in Googles NotebookLM. (The team responsible for creating NotebookLM left in December to launch their own startup).Both features are rolling out globally today for Gemini and Gemini Advanced subscribers, though Audio Overview is currently only available in English, with more language support planned, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday.AI competitors like Anthropic and OpenAI have similar features called Projects and Canvas respectively. The naming conventions for these feature …Read the full story at The Verge.

Eric Migicovsky, the original creator of the Pebble smartwatch, is getting ready to ship two new watches. Migicovskys new company is called Core Devices, and these will be the first Core smartwatches to hit the market. But they are Pebbles in every important way: theyll run the newly open-sourced Pebble operating system, theyll have all the features of the old Pebble devices, and one of them will actually be built using leftover Pebble watch parts. Theyre not called Pebbles, but they are Pebbles, and theyre coming soon.The first watch that Migicovsky and Core plan to ship is called the Core 2 Duo (not to be confused with the old Intel processor), which Migicovsky says will cost $149 and will ship in July. The name explains the whole idea, he says: Its like a Pebble 2, but its made by Core devices. And then Duo is for do-over. It has the exact same black-and-white E Ink display as the old Pebble 2, and it even comes in the exact same frame. We were able to find a supplier that still had the frames for Pebble Time 2 and Pebble 2, he says. They were never used. So weve been able to just draft on that. The Core 2 Duo does get a couple of upgrades, mostly by virtue of overall technological progress Migicovsky says the new watch will last more than 30 days, instead of the Pebble 2s seven, largely because Bluetooth chips have become so much more efficient. Theres also a speaker in the device now, which Migicovsky uses for chatting with AI assistants. Overall, though, this is an 8-year-old device simply made new again. (This is part of the idea behind the Pebble reboot: Migicovsky is convinced that Pebble mostly had it right a decade ago and simply wants to get back to that.) He estimates there will be around 10,000 Core 2 Duos available and figures a lot of developers and hardcore fans will be happy to have a new watch to play with as soon as possible.Getting PebbleOS gear up and running has been even easier than the Core team expected. Image: Core DevicesComing a little later this year is the Core Time 2, an update to the old Pebble Time 2 design. This watch is shipping in December and will cost $225. The big change with the Time 2 is the addition of a touchscreen; Migicovsky says he really likes the tappable complications you get on a watchface, with bits of information that open up to full apps, and he wanted to bring the same feature to the Pebble world. Itd be cool to just tap on your watch, rather than having to dig through a layer of menus with buttons, he says. He doesnt intend the touchscreen to enable complicated new apps or become a whole multitouch surface, though. He just wants to be able to tap on the screen.For the most part, though, the Core Time 2 is a return to old-school Pebble form. It has buttons on the sides, long battery life, lots of customization, and plenty of hacker-friendly features. It also benefits from battery life increases Migicovsky says this one will last 30 days on a charge, too and has a speaker, plus some new chips and upgrades for step- and sleep-tracking. This is all happening faster than Migicovsky says he expected, particularly for the Core 2 Duo. Getting that up and running with the new software and new parts has been pretty smooth. But there are still hurdles. Connecting a PebbleOS watch to an iPhone continues to get more complex and less functional. I want to be able to reply to notifications, and I cant, Migicovsky says. Luckily, Android is easier to both connect to and get information from. Theres still work to do on manufacturing and software integrations, so Migicovsky is careful to note that things might get delayed. Hes also worried about tariffs and says his only plan is to pass along extra costs to customers. Were going to charge more if it costs more, he says. We just cant bear the cost. But through it all, Migicovsky seems thrilled to be making smartwatches again. Im not building a company to sell millions of these, he says. The goal is to make something I really want.See More:

Lego is partnering with Pokmon for the first time in a collaboration set for 2026.The official announcement was made after Lego Mexico reportedly uploaded the reveal early, per the LegoLeak subreddit.A brief video shows several yellow bricks coming together to form Pikachu's signature bolt-shaped tail, with Lego and Pokmon logos displayed across the top of the screen together.Lego has also officially confirmed the news on its site, saying the collaboration is "coming soon."Not many details were given, aside from the Lego Pikachu tail and this line: "Electrify your imagination in 2026 and get ready to build something weve never built with Lego bricks before!"In a note to press, the Lego Group and The Pokmon Company International described the deal as a "new multi-year partnership."Here's the official blurb:Since the debut of the Pokmon franchise, fans have dreamed of becoming Pokmon Trainers, and now they can take that experience even further... one brick at a time. This new partnership will bring the world of Pokmon to life in entirely new ways, allowing fans to build beloved Pokmon in Lego brick form.Lego has been heavily involved with Nintendo thanks to its line of Mario Lego sets, as well as other video game properties like Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Overwatch. Pokmon is also no stranger to the constructible toy-set arena, as its creatures have crossed over into the realm of Mega Bloks.This teaser and the video above is all we have for now on the Lego Pokmon partnership.Pokmon seems like a perfect franchise to capture both younger audiences and the older, nostalgic builders who grew up with the original games. The Mario sets have struck that balance in the past, with varied offerings like the game-focused Super Mario set or more display-oriented fare.Though we have official confirmation now, it will be interesting to see which Pokemon feature in the full collab. We'll likely learn more as we head towards 2026.Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Amazon's God of War TV series has yet to premiere, but it's already lined up for two seasons, according to showrunner Ronald D. Moore.Moore took over the God of War series after the departure of previous showrunner Rafe Judkins and executive producers Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus. In an interview with fellow Battlestar Galactica alum Katee Sackhoff, Moore talked a bit about what he's been up to."Right now, I'm working on an adaptation of, there's a video game called God of War, a big title in the gaming world that Amazon has ordered two seasons of and they've asked me to come in," Moore said. "So I'm literally in the writer's room, and working on that. That's my new thing."Moore went on to say he's not a gamer, though he does enjoy some Defender, Asteroids, and Centipede. He says he "took a stab at it," but the controllers threw him. "'Press R1.' Which one's R1? Oh, I'm dead," Moore said.For God of War, Moore was brought on to serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. He's worked on the likes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, as well as showrunner for the aforementioned 2000s Battlestar Galactica.While some of the former team left, Sony's Cory Barlog remained onboard as executive producer. Little else is set in stone right now for the God of War series, but we know it'll be based on the 2018 God of War.Amazon has been quick to renew video game series like the Fallout TV show and Secret Level after both saw successful debuts. Hopefully, this bodes well for God of War's streaming prospects.Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Even aside from coming to consoles and Game Pass, the Class Mastery Update, arriving on April 29, is a huge moment for Towerborne, offering upgrades to almost every facet of the game across all platforms. Heres what to expect:Cross-Platform Play and Progression: PC and Xbox players will be able to party up together, no matter their platform (including Steam) and progression is shared across all platforms.Couch Co-op on Xbox Consoles: New for this release, youll now be able to grab a second (or third, or fourth) controller and play Towerborne together on a single screen. Consider this a love letter to the feeling of playing local co-op in classic brawlers of yesteryear!Class Skills: Probably the biggest change to the game itself, Class Mastery is an all-new progression system that makes every Ace unique, based on individual player choices. By completing missions, players earn Skill Points, allowing you to fine-tune your chosen class, unlocking Focus Skills and Class Mechanics that drastically change how you play. And dont worry, you can swap your Skill Points freely between missions, meaning you can experiment and find the perfect build. Reimagined World Map and Questline: Responding to feedback from Early Access players, Towerbornes map has been remade to offer a more refined questline, relocates bosses to make for more exciting progression, and offers over 50 new handcrafted missions.New Umbra: Umbra are your spirit companions, offering a range of abilities, depending on who you choose to bring along with you into battle. With the new update, two more are joining the roster in the form of Boshi and Querida, bringing the total number to 11.New Enemy Type: The Merk Brawler is a new, high-impact opponent, ready to put you and your party to the test, with more to come in the future.New Legendary Items: A new suite of legendary weapons is available, with perks that enhance Focus Skills.Gameplay Improvements:Menders Flask: Lives and automatically reviving are out, and the new Menders Flask consumable is in. Aces can use the Flask mid-fight to heal, but they must be more mindful of their health in combat. Friendly Aces can still revive their downed comrades, however.Aspect Overhaul: The impact of Aspects (items slotted into your gear to add extra benefits) has been enhanced and rebalanced to support the new Class Skill progression system, addressing previously overlooked statistics to ensure your Ace is best prepared to defend the Belfry. Job Board: More daily jobs, greater variety, and a refreshed interface to track progressto help your effort to earn Writs.Keybinds: Remap controls to match your playstyle.Item Badging: Newly acquired items are now clearly marked for easy tracking in your inventory.Social Play ImprovementsImproved Group Finder: The new Group Finder feature consolidates multiple groups of the same type into a single, streamlined group, allowing players to quickly find and join compatible teams without the hassle of sifting through individual groups. Player Interaction: See a group of Aces gathered around the World Map? Interact with nearby players, invite them to your group and get adventuring in the Wilds together. Improved Friends list: Its now easier to identify and connect with fellow players cross-platform, thanks to clearer sorting and online-status indication.Get Ready for TowerborneTowerborne is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC via the Xbox App, and with Game Pass on April 29 and you can pre-install the game today. Its also available on PC via Steam Early Access. Game Pass members receive access to Towerborne, as well as a set of Game Pass Perks, as part of their membership.Players who are not a Game Pass member can choose to get access to Towerborne through the purchase of a Founders Pack, which comes with additional, exclusive items check out the Towerborne website for more details.

With GDC kicking off, our team is in San Francisco to celebrate with independent developers who continue to inspire us every day with their ambition, creativity, and passion. In the past year alone, ID@Xbox has seen over 1,000 games launch, including fan favorites like Balatro, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, and Phasmophobia, bringing new experiences to console and PC communities.Since ID@Xbox was launched in 2013, more than $5 billion have been paid to independent developers from all over the world. Were also proud to offer developers the ability to use our platform to maximize the opportunity to reach an audience across multiple screens.As announced last week, over 1,000 titles are now supporting Xbox Play Anywhere (XPA). When players purchase an XPA game, they can play on Xbox and Windows 10/11 PCs at no additional cost, bringing their saves, progress and achievements across devices. This means players can access their favorite games in more places which has led to these titles getting 20% more play time. Today, Xbox offers more places than ever to play independent games: Xbox consoles, gaming PCs, and laptops, Windows handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally X or Legion Go, mobile phones, tablets, Samsung and Amazon FireSticks enabled by the Cloud all of these are an Xbox, and all a potential home for your next favorite ID@Xbox title like Another Crabs Treasure, Neva, and Animal Well.In addition to offering more ways for people to play, the Developer Acceleration Program (DAP) is ensuring that we have content that speaks to everyone. The program fosters innovation for over 200 teams and creators from different countries around the world. We help developers by hosting information sessions with studios, providing port and prototype funding, and helping to reduce costs of bringing games to Xbox and building new ideas. The Xbox Excellence Award-winning Botany Manor and the recently released Mullet Madjackare recent DAP titles, both of which are available today with Xbox Game Pass.Our mission with ID@Xbox has always been to empower teams to achieve more with Xbox. Over the years, our program has evolved to bring ID@Xbox games to players on more screens and in new ways through Game Pass and Stream Your Own Game. Were focused on helping independent teams enable Xbox Play Anywhere to reach more players allowing seamless play across console, PC, and cloud. No matter where people choose to play, were working with developers to make the most of the features unique to that device or screen. Looking ahead, our lineup is incredible with upcoming games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Descenders Next, and FBC: Firebreak to play across the whole Xbox universe and of course Hollow Knight: Silksong too! Today, were excited to host developers from 10 countries at our annual hands-on preview event for press and creators. Among them are 11 Xbox Play Anywhere and six Xbox Game Pass titles, including Winter Burrow from Pinecreek in Denmark, Detective Dotson from Masala Games in India, and Promise Mascot Academy from Kaizen Works in the UK.Our team is thrilled to work with so many developers around the world to bring you unique and innovative experiences. Whether players buy, stream, or discover their next favorite game through Xbox Game Pass, now is the perfect time to join the Xbox community.

Here's a "where are they now?" story you'll loveand may have completely missed over the last few years: Christopher Knight, best known as Peter Brady from The Brady Bunch, has a line of absolutely gorgeous furniture called, you guessed it, Christopher Knight Home. And it's available on Amazonoften with deals to boot. While Peter Brady's (heh) collection has decor for every room, we can't stop drooling over the patio furniture now that spring is on its way. And guess whatyou may already recognize the chairs featured in this beaut of a set.The Oprah Interview ChairsChristopher Knight Home Burchett Outdoor 4-Piece Chat SetNow 17% Off$1,066 $887 at AmazonIs it all coming back to you? If you watched Oprah Winfrey's 2021 interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, you've seen Christopher Knight Home's patio furniture. The Burchett chairs they were sitting on sold out quickly after the interview aired, but they're included in this 4-Piece Burchett Chat Set, which just so happens to be in stock and $170 off right now.There's more where that came fromshop our favorite patio pieces from Christopher Knight Home below!Christopher Knight Home Patio FurnitureChristopher Knight Home Avani Wood and Wicker Club ChairsNow 47% Off$400 $212 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Muntz Acacia Wood Daybed Frame$475 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Lahaina Wood Chaise Lounge Set$236 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Alfy Club Chair SetNow 24% Off$524 $400 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Oprah Outdoor Side TableNow 28% Off$101 $73 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Sedona Acacia Wood Conversation Set$495 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Carlisle Acacia Wood Coffee TableNow 37% Off$152 $95 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Carolina Acacia Sofa SetNow 44% Off$515 $289 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Alva Rocking Chair with Footrest$184 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Colmar Iron Bistro SetNow 30% Off$230 $161 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Esme Acacia Wood BenchNow 21% Off$212 $168 at AmazonChristopher Knight Home Marcia Wood and Wicker SofaNow 15% Off$313 $266 at AmazonSo many head-turning options are availableand they often go on sale, like this set of teak Alfy Outdoor Club Chairs (which are now cheaper than they were on Black Friday last year), or this solid acacia wood outdoor coffee table for less than $100. Yep, your backyard is about to look so good.Shop Christopher Knight Home Patio Furniture on Amazon Jessica DukesCommerce EditorJessica is a commerce editor at Hearst Magazines, where she writes for Oprah Daily, Popular Mechanics, Best Products, Women's Health, Men's Health, Bicycling, and Runner's World. With more than 15 years of experience, she tests and reports on useful, unique, and trending productseverything from baby gear to home decor to power toolsand tracks the best sales in the lifestyle and tech spaces.