2025-03-22T17:35:02Z Read in app The author texts her sons "True or False" questions to keep them engaged with her. Courtesy of the author This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? When my kids left for college I wanted to know more about their lives.I started a silly game to get them to engage with me over text while at college.I still would love life updates from them, but our fun exchanges keep us connected.Many parents of teens and young adults may relate to this twist on the old horse-to-water proverb you can pay for your kids' cellphone plans, but you can't make them text you back.This never felt more true than when my sons left for college. Missing them and wanting to check in and see how things were going, I'd frequently send them "Hey! How are you? What's new?" or "What are you up to this weekend?" texts.Sometimes, I'd get a quick "Good." Maybe I'd receive a "Grabbing lunch. LY" or a "Meeting with a study group now. TTYL." Other times, hours or days would pass without a reply. I understood. I knew they were busy.When I was in college in the early 1990s, in the days before texting or even personal email was widespread, my mom would call the hall phone in my dorm at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Sundays. If it was in use, we'd catch up another time.Modern technology can be a blessing and a curse. Just because my boys are reachable doesn't mean they're readily available.I started a silly game by accidentStill, I wanted to know what they were up to and would reach out, always hoping for a reply. I tried sending photos of our cats with the message "Bubbles and Boots say goodnight!" but I was lucky if those texts garnered a heart or a thumbs-up.Then, purely by accident, I discovered something that had them responding almost instantly. In a text chat, I wrote: "True or false: I just walked in on a man using the toilet at the gym because he didn't lock the door to the single-stall bathroom."Within seconds, my phone pinged: "True hope it's false," and "Yikes, true, but please say false!"After confirming it was indeed true and very embarrassing I wondered: Had I magically caught them with a bit of simultaneous downtime, or was I onto something?A few weeks later, I sent another. "True or False: A woman just backed out of coming to my book event because she's prepping her dog for a colonoscopy."Again, my phone chimed seconds after I sent it. "Oof, so specific it has to be true (and sorry about that if I'm right)" and "True poor doggie."It allowed me to remind them of things tooOK, so I wasn't getting lengthy or informative paragraphs about their day-to-day adventures, but it was proof of life and certainly more than I'd gotten before. Once I had their attention, could I use it as a springboard to convey more important information?I tested it out with this "True or False: Grammy came over for dinner tonight and I just finished filming her audition reel for The Golden Bachelor.""False" and "Oh no, please say false!" popped up minutes later. I told them they were right; it was false, but I also reminded them that her birthday was coming up and that they needed to call her.What about this game made it far more effective than even the cutest pet photos? Did it appeal to their competitive spirits, their desire to choose the right answer? Did it pique their curiosity? Or maybe it was just easy, a low commitment. They knew they could type a single word and move on.Whatever the reason, it did the trick. We keep it up when they're home in the summer.Another nice thing about this game is that they've started initiating it. When my younger son was flying back from a short study abroad course, he texted,"True or false: I've changed my ticket, and I'm actually going to Barbados instead of coming home and going back to school."I wrote, "False, but if true, I'd be happy to fly there to pick you up!"While it would be lovely to receive detailed texts filled with updates about classes, friends, and whatever else they choose to share, sometimes a short, fun exchange is all you get. Maybe that's enough.

The PlayStation 2 is one of the most important game consoles, because its where the current triple-A landscape was born. Third-party giants like Resident EvilandMonster Huntertook shape here, and the consoles first-party lineup made its creators into A-tier names. Look no further than the original God of War, which just turned 20 years old. Sony Santa Monicas hack-and-slash title was pretty impressive back in the day, helped by an alluring demo that dropped players into the action right away and showed them what it was all about: slinging blades, killing everything in sight, and finishing off mythological creatures in increasingly gruesome ways. By that point in the PS2s lifetime, the consoles big action game was Devil May Cry, and while there was some overlap in terms of style and ridiculousness, Kratos adventure appealed to a different (but maybe equally juvenile) audience. Image: Sony Santa Monica/PlayStation So players fell in love withGod of War,and thus a franchise was born. Sony Santa Monica has led the charge on mainline installments like God of War IIIwhich turned 15 earlier in Marchor the more recent Norse duology, while the late Ready at Dawn made spinoffs like Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta, which built out Kratos life before and between the first two games. Despite a generally consistent quality, it eventually felt like the two studios were trying to milk the franchise for all it was worth. (And if that didnt tip you off, the failed go at a movie adaptation wouldve done it.) By the time 2013s Ascensionrolled around, Kratos didnt seem to have any more gas in the tank, despite IIIsending indicating he could (and would) come back to kill again. And come back he did with 2018sGod of War,a soft reboot that saw Kratos with a son, a wicked axe, and a new pantheon to brutalize, as well as plenty of opportunities to reflect on his past sins and the murderous adventures that made up his Greek era. Given everything Kratos did and killed during those earlier gamesGod of War IIIis basically a disaster epic brought on by a slasher villainit couldnt help be a strange ask to buy into him not just having another kid, but wanting better for the young Atreus during their trek through Midgard to scatter his late wifes ashes. But the approach resonated with fans and newcomers, largely thanks to the lead performances of Christopher Judge and Sunny Suljic. Throughout its 20-year life, God of War has been defined by its eye for spectacle. The series has always painted Kratos as a force of nature whose presence inevitably devastates everything around him. For as much time PlayStations first-party lineup has devoted to cinematic greatness, this particular series achieves that feat more often (and with more fun) than most. From fights against titans and dragons, to one-on-one brawls against gods that play out like the love child of shonen fights and wrestling matches, the series is packed with one moment after another that makes experiencing them a complete blast. Other action games have tried to match that scale or combat of Kratos adventures, and generally do a good job at itBayonetta, Darksiders, and Dantes Inferno all came out just months before God of War IIIbut as with anything thats been around long enough, Sony Santa Monicas formula hits a particular sweet spot thats allowed the franchise to survive more console generations than its other PS2 peers. With a TV adaptation in the works and other mythologies clearly up for grabs,God of Warcertainly isnt lacking for a future. The prospect of Kratos fighting every mythology in sight has been desired for a long time, so its easy to imagine Sony Santa Monica just doing that, not entirely unlikeAssassins Creed orCall of Duty. (Just without the reliable frequency, since making the Norse games sounds like quite an endeavor.) Alternatively, itd be nice to see the studio put what its learned from this franchise toward something new. Like Naughty Dog or Insomniac, its been such a reliable contributor to PlayStations ongoing success it could afford to shelve Kratos for a few years. That appears to be the case, according to a former developers 2024 LinkedInpost, so heres hoping thats also successful in its own wayand when it comes time for Kratos to return, it feels as big a deal it did when the reboot was first revealed. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By AJ Dellinger Published March 22, 2025 | Comments (4) | People wave flags and chant slogans during a protest in front of the municipality headquarters in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu Chris McGrath/Getty Images Elon Musk purchased Twitter (and then renamed it X) with the promise that it would be a free speech paradise. It turns out in practice, that means you can say your favorite slurs but cant protest government overreach. Following the arrest of the primary political rival of Turkeys President Tayyip Erdoan, demonstrators have taken to the streets and to social media to protest the seemingly politically motivated action. According to Politico, some of those who have taken to speaking out against the government have been suspended on X. Per Politicos reporting, university-associated activist accounts that share protest information including times and locations for students and other activists who might want to participate have been the primary targets of the suspensions. Most of the accounts are described as grassroots activists with relatively small followings, typically in the tens of thousands. In some cases, it seems those accounts have been suspended in Turkeywhere their information is most relevantand not in the rest of the world. One activist, mer Faruk Aslan, created a second account to dodge the local censorship, and claimed that his primary account got suspended after one of his posts exceeded six million views on the platform. Turkeys ruling government, led by Erdoanhas claimed that suspended accounts are associated with inciting hatred. (Its worth noting that the public demonstrations against the Erdoan have taken place the government issuing a multi-day ban on protests.) Turkeys Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya claimed authorities have identified 326 accounts for takedown, including 72 that are believed to be operated outside of Turkey. He also said that 54 suspects have been arrested for their activity on social media. Turkeys crackdown on activists is not necessarily on Musk or X (though we dont know if the company surrendered any user data to the government). But the crackdown on content on platform, the company certainly has a hand in. In fact, its been pretty willing to bend to the will of Erdoans government when asked.Back in 2023, as Turkey was about to have a Presidential election, Erdoan threatened to throttle X if the company didnt comply with government requests to take down posts and accounts that it wanted removed. Musk and X acquiesced, with Musk reasoning, The choice is have Twitter throttled in its entirety or limit access to some tweets. Which one do you want? (The answer to that, if you are a free speech absolutist, is likely the former, refuse to give in to a censorship demand and let the chips fall where they may.) Additionally, X has complied with 86% of Turkeys government requests to take down content in the second half of 2024, per the companys transparency report. The math isnt too hard for Erdoan. Ask and you will likely receive.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published March 22, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 21, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 21, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 20, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 20, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 20, 2025

There are, broadly speaking, two types of computer: The desktop and the laptop. Laptops portability has made them the more popular option, letting you work or play from a sofa or a coffee shop, as well as your actual desk. Desktops have their advantages though: The extra size means they can be more powerful, fitted with bigger and better components, and more exactly customized to meet specific requirements.Obviously theres the opportunity for larger screens and larger keyboards with desktops, and theres a good argument to be made that theyre better for your posture too: You can sit up straight at your desk and keep the screen at eye-level, rather than having to be hunched over and looking down all the time.When youve got a laptop though, youve actually got a desktop as wellyou just need to make a few tweaks and add a few accessories. While you cant upgrade the hardware inside your computer, you can get the other advantages of desktop computing.Hardware accessoriesTo turn your laptop into a desktop, youre going to use the laptop as the main computer, and attach desktop accessories to it. A good starting point is to invest in a USB hub, which adds a bunch of extra connection ports to your laptop.Which one is best depends on whats already available on your laptop: Bigger models have more built-in ports than smaller models like the MacBook Air. Take the $50 Anker Docking Station, for example, which attaches via USB-C and offers two HDMI ports (for monitors) and two USB-A ports running at USB 3.0 speeds (for accessories such as a keyboard).Anker Laptop Docking Station, 8-in-1 USB-C HubYou might need a hub or dock for the laptop-to-desktop switch.Anker You can then think about monitors, as well as a keyboard and mouse. The best monitor for you is going to depend on the laptop youre hooking up to it, but put in some research on the web and you should find plenty of options. Likewise with keyboards and mice: Take some time to find models with the features and aesthetics youre after.You dont have to use your laptop screen when its in desktop mode, but you can if you want to. If you are going to make use of it, you might want to invest in a laptop stand that gets the screen higher: Something along the lines of the $25 Besign LS03 or the $180 Logitech Casa will work (that Logitech model comes with built-in charging and wireless input devices, hence the higher price). If youre using an external monitor, you could consider a monitor arm to place it in an ideal viewing spot. Logitech Casa Pop Up Desk Kit with Laptop StandThe Logitech Casa comes with input accessories.Logitech Further accessories, from gamepads to printers, can then be added as necessary and as space allows. You could even include something like the $200 Elgato Stream Deck, which gives you access to a shortcuts panel you can use for launching various features, functions, and apps on your newly desktop-ized laptop computer.Elgato Stream DeckThe Elgato Stream Deck is more versatile than you might have realized.Keeping your laptop plugged in and charging while its in desktop mode isnt essential, but its probably a good ideait means you dont need to worry about dwindling battery levels while your laptop is driving an external display and any other peripherals. Get your power adapter connected, and something small in the way of cable management (like a clip to keep the cable out of the way), and your hardware setup is complete.Software tweaksOnce the hardware is in place, you can turn your attention to the software. You dont need to make a lot of changes here, but there are certain ways that laptops behave by default that might need overridingdepending on how your laptop is already configured.Most of the accessories you plug into your laptop will just work straight away, with no extra work neededkeyboards, mice, printers, and so on (remember you can connect these via Bluetooth too). Sometimes youll find a specific customization tool available, like Logi Options for using Logitech keyboards and mice on Windows and macOS.Configuring multiple displays on Windows. David NieldWhen it comes to Windows, open up Settings then head to System > Display to configure multiple monitors. Via the drop-down menu on the right, you can get the operating system to spread itself across two displays (Extend these displays), or have it just show up on an external monitor (Show only on 2). Youll also see options for display resolution.Check out the power options in Settings too, via System > Power & battery. Your laptop might be set to turn the screen off after a short time of inactivity in order to save battery, but thats not necessarily what you want when its being used as a desktop. Whats more, via Lid, power & sleep button controls, you can make sure your laptop stays on with the lid closed (which you want if youre exclusively using an external display).Setting display timeout settings on macOS. David NieldYouve got a similar set of options when it comes to MacBooks, via System Settings. Multiple displays can be configured through the Displays panel: The drop-down menu next to Use as lets you set whether macOS uses one or both or the screens youve connected, and there are further options for display resolution (click the monitors at the top to switch between the respective settings).Open the Lock Screen tab in System Settings, and youre able to control how long macOS waits before turning off the display due to you not doing anythingif youre using your laptop as a desktop, you might want to extend this time period. Theres no setting for keeping the MacBook on when you close the lid though, as there is with Windows: As long as theres an external display and a power adapter connected, your MacBook shouldnt go to sleep when you close its lid.

Scientists developed a new method for breaking down one of the most common plastics to a byproduct that can be upcycled into more valuable materials.

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Since September 2023, Minecraft has shifted its major update strategy to twice-annual "game drops" that add new mobs, blocks, and items to the game. With the latest Minecraft Live event, we now know what 2025's first game drop, Spring Into Life, contains. Get ready for a bunch of animal variants and some really cool new plants being added.Starting with plants, players are getting something they've wanted for quite a while. After first being teased a number of years ago, firefly bushes are being added to the game. The bushes will grow in swampy biomes and near water, offering the twinkling lights of fireflies to add a little brightness to the night. Additionally, per Mojang, you'll be able to place the bushes, which are plant blocks, underneath other blocks to make your builds shine.Other plant-based additions:Continue Reading at GameSpot

With A Minecraft Movie headed to theaters on April 4, it should come as no surprise that the game it's based on is adding a bunch of content linked to the release. Minecraft is adding downloadable content from the film, as well as a live event and even a free skins pack so you can look like the movie's characters.The live event transports you to a custom Minecraft realm that is the home of Midport Village, where you interact with the movie's characters, going on missions and earning exclusive loot for use in the game. The event features voiceover from Jack Black, who plays Steve in the film, and sees the user teaming with the characters played by Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Hansen to play through a series of minigames. The mode also features multiplayer action, so you won't have to face the dangers that await alone. If you manage to complete all five games within the mode, you'll earn an exclusive item, the Yearn cape.The event, which was announced during Minecraft Live, launches on March 25 at 3 PM PT/6 PM ET and runs until April 7 at the same time.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Genetics are much more important in Naruto than we might think at first. Many things in the story are explained through bloodlines and genetic inheritance in Naruto, seemingly magical powers have a more or less scientific explanation. While this may take away from the fantasy feel of the series, it also shows that Kishimoto has a fantastic ability when it comes to cohesive world building.