This week, Engadget's Sam Rutherford dives into his experience with Google's new $499 mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 9a. Is it really the new mid-range king, as we previously predicted? Or is it worth spending more for the Pixel 9? Also, we chat about how the Trump administration's volatile tariff strategy will affect consumer technology (not to mention everything else you buy). Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics Sam Rutherford’s Pixel 9a Review: Basic in just the right way – 1:16 Tariff Watch: Switch 2 preorders delayed, Razer pauses laptop sales in the U.S. – 30:27 TikTok ban deadline extended for another 75 days – 42:40 Samsung’s Ballie robot with Google Gemini arrives this Summer (allegedly) – 43:31 Listener Mail – 46:53 Working on – 57:41 Pop Culture picks – 59:23 Credits  Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Sam RutherfordProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/engadget-podcast-pixel-9a-review-and-bracing-for-tariffs-113049119.html?src=rss

No threat actors have assumed responsibility for the Sensata attack yet.

In an age where our thumbs scroll an average of 13.3 meters per day and our minds are bombarded with algorithm-driven content, digital fatigue is no longer a fringe concern, it’s a mainstream struggle. For one in five Koreans, smartphones are not just useful tools, but addictive ones. While smartphones offer countless conveniences, they also overwhelm us with stimuli, impairing self-regulation and contributing to broader social and cultural issues. That’s where MUTO steps in, offering a new kind of balance. MUTO is a little more nuanced than just being a “lockbox” for your phone, it’s a thoughtfully designed interactive device that enables users to maintain essential smartphone functions, like emergency calls and white noise playback while encouraging mindful disconnection. By combining intelligent design, customizable app integration, and tactile interaction, MUTO offers a more intuitive and accessible solution for smartphone detoxing. Designer: Seojin Lee Unlike existing detox devices that rely on harsh lockout methods or clunky, transparent aesthetics that reduce commitment, MUTO uses selective engagement. Through its companion app, users can define detox parameters such as duration, environment (work, sleep, relaxation), and whether to include a visual progress gauge. Once settings are saved, the phone is placed inside the device, and a transparent ring displays the detox progress, a calming visual cue that time is being spent purposefully. Detox doesn’t mean disconnection from everything. MUTO includes a tactile interaction pad and a smooth, rubber-ringed control interface that rests comfortably in the hand, like a minimalist mouse. This module sits above the speaker pad, letting users subtly interact with necessary functions: ASMR/White Noise Control: Create a peaceful atmosphere while you work or wind down. Detox Time Adjustment: Extend your detox without unlocking the phone, keeping you in the zone. Interaction Lock Feature: Engage in soothing tactile feedback – like rolling, tapping, or gripping, to reduce anxiety and maintain focus. MUTO acknowledges the critical role smartphones play in emergency contact. That’s why the system allows pre-set emergency thresholds. If the phone receives a certain number of urgent calls or messages, configured by the user, the detox mode temporarily lifts, the gauge turns red, and the phone gently rises from the device, signaling its availability. It’s important to see this not as a punishment tool, but rather, a guide toward healthier habits. By preserving core smartphone utilities and blending them with mindful, minimal interaction, MUTO promotes a more natural reduction in screen time without creating additional stress or friction. It’s as much about restoring control as it is about disconnecting. When detox time ends, your smartphone returns, fully charged through MUTO’s integrated wireless charging function. No cords, no clutter, no lost time. Whether you were sleeping, studying, or simply taking a break, MUTO held your place, letting you return to your digital life refreshed and focused.The post Mindful Smartphone Detox Device Encourages Healthier Habits and a Balanced Digital Life first appeared on Yanko Design.

The first episode of The Last of Us Season 2 kicks off today with a lie. Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, says to Joel (Pedro Pascal), “Swear to me that everything you said about the Fireflies is true.” Joel betrays no emotion and says, “I swear.” I’ve seen the episode that debuted tonight and here are my impressions. It’s still a little jarring that the actors in the show don’t look so much like the characters in the two video games that I have spent so much time with. I think all gamers who love the titles have a similar feeling, but I made my peace with it with the last season, which debuted in January 2023 to much acclaim. I’m very excited to see HBO take the awareness of this game series into the stratosphere, as it is my favorite game series of all time. Pedro Pascal plays Joe Miller in The Last of Us Season 2. The opener carries a lot of emotional weight that the second game had as it kicked off themes about revenge and hate. If the first season and the first game set in motion set off a series of events that gave us a moving story about survival in the post-apocalyptic age, the second season follows the second game in giving us the consequences of the decisions made in the first. Bella Ramsey plays Ellie in The Last of Us Season 2. This season will no doubt follow the course of the first half of the second game, and I expect the third season will take us to the conclusion of the second game. Beyond that, there’s no scheduled third game. So if this proves to be a popular show, we may eventually run into a Game of Thrones-like situation, where the show passes up the primary source material and creates its own fiction. I won’t spoil the show, but everything about the show and the game is hard to watch, but it is so well done that it’s hard to look away or drop it. Young Mazino plays Jesse, one of my favorite characters in The Last of Us Part 2, the game. Warner’s HBO just announced the Emmy-winning HBO Original drama series has been renewed for a third season, ahead of its season two debut. The seven-episode second season of The Last of Us starts today on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. The new season picks up with the beginning of events of the game sequel, The Last of Us: Part 2. Much like the game, the timeline in the show takes place five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind. Season 2 cast: Season two returning cast includes Pascal as Joel, Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, and Rutina Wesley as Maria. Previously announced new cast members include Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac. Catherine O’Hara also guest stars. Rutina Wesley is Maria in The Last of Us Season 2. We expect of course to see Abby, Dina, Nora, Mel, Owen, Manny, Isaac and Jesse — they’re all in the second game. But O’Hara’s psychotherapist, named Gail in the show, is someone entirely new for the show. Her patient is very reluctant to talk, much like the early Tony Soprano in The Sopranos. That could lead to interesting dramatic moments. I feel like the casting is once again a bit jarring for the second season, but so far these actors are doing a great job convincing me they are the the characters. The actors for Abby, Dina, Owen and Jesse seem especially well cast given their mannerisms and their emotional intensity. So buckle up. This is going to be a pretty intense season. The third season Trouble ahead, that’s a fact. Maybe everything that dies someday comes back. Craig Mazin, creator, executive producer, writer, and director, said in a statement, “We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew. We look forward to continuing the story of The Last of Us with season three.” It may seem like stretching out the series to do a full third season, with perhaps 14 episodes altogether for the second game. But it’s good to remember that the second game is far longer than the first one. So I think they can pull it off for the show, especially if each season isn’t as long as you might expect. Neil Druckmann, creator, executive producer, writer, and director, said in a statement, “To see The Last of Us brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans’ enthusiastic and overwhelming support. Much of that success is thanks to my partner in crime, Craig Mazin, our partnership with HBO, and our team at PlayStation Productions. On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast, and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity. We’re thrilled to bring you more of The Last of Us” Season 2, based on the acclaimed video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation consoles, was written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and is also executive produced by Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Evan Wells; with writer/co-executive producer Halley Gross. GB Daily Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily Read our Privacy Policy Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here. An error occured.

This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 Premiere, and features an interview with the show's co-creator Craig Mazin.The Last of Us is a franchise chock-full of zombies. Sorry, sorry, infected. Said infected come in all different shapes and sizes, and include anything suffering from the effects of the cordyceps virus. The virus comes in stages, with each stage having its own distinction. We start off with runners, then move on to stalkers, clickers (most common), bloaters, shamblers, and rat king. Of the stages, stalkers are the least used in The Last of Us game, but one makes a special appearance in The Last of Us Season 2 premiere. More importantly, The Last of Us HBO co-creator Craig Mazin shared with IGN that we’ll be seeing more of the terrifying creatures in the series. IGN: So, we meet a stalker in Episode 1.Mazin: Sure do.IGN: They have such a minimal role in the game, but they're such a terrifying thing to be able to bring into the show. Are they going to play a bigger role in the series than they do in the game?Mazin: Feels like they should, doesn't it?IGN: It sure does.Mazin: Yeah. Yeah. It feels like they should. I mean, if you meet a single infected that is that tricky, that smart... And by the way, this comes from my experience playing the game and being absolutely terrified by the stalker... I mean, the stalkers freaked me out so much, and I loved how they presented this new kind of challenge, which, I assume, came partly from the desire to expand gameplay.But what it did was it also had this pretty serious emotional impact on me. So, as we travel from game to show, we go, well, let's focus in, and let's focus in on one of them. And if we are scared by one of them, well, do the math and see where this goes.PlayThe Last of Us Stalkers ExplainedI don’t want to do the math and see where it goes, Craig, I’m scared! Stalkers add an interesting level of complication to the not-zombie-but-definitely-zombies genre that is The Last of Us’ infected. They’re strategic, and I don’t like it. I want my undead slow and stupid, and I suspect I’m not alone. That said, if you haven’t played the games, here’s what you need to know about the second stage of the cordyceps virus, stalkers. As the name suggests, stalkers main function is to, well, stalk. They hide and wait to ambush their victims, are much stealthier than the other stages of infection, and have limited fungal growth since they’re relatively early on in the infection’s life cycle. The Season 2 premiere sees much of this behavior on full display, as Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) go rogue from their recon group and investigate an abandoned shopping center. Stalkers are alerted by loud noises, which comes by way of Ellie falling through the rotting floor and her body slamming into the ground level of the store. We then see the stalker bob and weave in and out of view, almost like it's playing a game with Ellie before managing to bite her side. While Dina does manage to get a shot off before matters can get worse and Ellie can get more seriously hurt (of course Ellis is immune to the virus the stalker carries), we can definitely expect to see more of the creature(s) in the series than we did in the game.

This review contains spoilers for the season 2 premiere of The Last of Us. The long-awaited return of The Last of Us is finally here, and it is already well worth the wait. “Future Days” may not be the tense, action-packed premiere episode we saw in season one, but it does an impeccable job setting the stage for this chapter of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) story. Just as The Last of Us Part II starts off slower and more domestic than the first video game of the series does, so too does “Future Days” kick season 2 off on a slightly more measured note. Sure, the threat of infected is still very much there, but at this time in Jackson, the biggest threat Ellie and Joel are facing is the big rift in their relationship. At least for now. Jackson feels even more lived-in and alive than when we last saw the town, and that’s also in part due to Joel and Maria’s (Rutina Wesley) efforts to expand the settlement and welcome in more refugees. This isn’t something the games really cover, but allows us to see not only how civilization tries to move on in the aftermath of tragedy, it also lets us see a softer side of Joel than we have previously. As much as he tries to talk Maria out of letting more people in out of fear of using up their resources, he has clearly come to love this town and cares about it. After being in survival mode for so much of his life, he finally has a chance to relax and be an uncle, brother, and father again. Despite this softness, five years after we last saw Joel and Ellie, something has shifted between them. Ellie seems to have figured out at some point that Joel lied to her about Salt Lake City and is mad at him for taking that choice away from her. Joel, on the other hand, is still stubborn and steadfast in his belief that he did the right thing by saving her life. He’s at least giving therapy a chance and talking about his feelings with Gail (Catherine O’Hara), the town’s only therapist. But since he can’t and won’t give up the secret about Ellie’s immunity, he can’t really open up about what happened and figure out how to move on from it, something that Gail repeatedly calls him out on. Even for fans of the games who knew this rift was coming, it’s hard to watch Joel and Ellie barely acknowledge or speak to each other. Pascal and Ramsey may have very few scenes together in this episode, but they still manage to play off of each other’s energy so well. When their paths finally cross during the New Year’s Eve party at episode’s end, it’s an explosive release It’s heartbreaking to watch these two people who are so similar be so at odds with each other. Especially when you can empathize with both sides. Tommy (Gabriel Luna) calls Ellie out on it when they’re on patrol together, saying “I swear, you and my brother? Same Goddamn fucking person.” And Dina (Isabela Merced) clearly cares about both of them when she asks Joel why Ellie is angry with him.  What makes this situation even more devastating is seeing Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her crew appear on the outskirts of Jackson at the end of the episode as well as an awakening of cordyceps within the town. We’re getting closer to whatever kind of revenge Abby has planned (if you know, you know), and a potential attack on Jackson by infected, so the clock has effectively started counting down on any chance of reconciliation between the two. Tomorrow is never guaranteed in the apocalypse, even in a town as utopic as Jackson. But aside from the Joel and Ellie of it all, the rest of the cast, especially series newcomers Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, and Catherine O’Hara, do an incredible job of filling in the growing space between these two. They all offer new perspectives that either challenge or confirm Ellie and Joel’s beliefs about each other and how to approach the world and their interpersonal relationships. Ellie and Joel spent so much of last season with only each other to rely on, and now that they don’t even have that, they have to figure out how to let other people in. This season might not be as much of a beat-for-beat retelling of the game as season one was thus far, but that’s not a bad thing by any means. We’ve already seen how well Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann can expand upon this world in meaningful ways with emotional episodes like season 1’s “Long, Long Time” and the chilling opening to the episode “Infected.” We can trust that everything added or changed from the game is in service of the greater story at large. This episode proves that the heart of The Last of Us Part II is already alive and well in season 2, and we cannot wait to continue following these characters and the lengths they’ll go to to protect and avenge the people they love. Buckle up and get your tissues ready, The Last of Us is just getting started. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! New episodes of The Last of Us season 2 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, culminating with the finale on May 25, 2025. Learn more about Den of Geek’s review process and why you can trust our recommendations here.

Remember the guys who found a way to turn your personal information into cold hard cash? It brings us no pleasure to report that they're now expanding into the border surveillance industry.Google, once a company that simply tracked your every move to serve targeted ads, is now a key player in the US Customs and Border Patrol's (CBP) AI surveillance system, according to new reporting by The Intercept.The tech giant makes up the core of a multi-company venture to modernize the CBP's surveillance monitoring towers, a project started by Donald Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden.Under the agreement, Google is providing CBP with its cloud computing program, the ModulAr Cloud Platform Environment — which for reasons beyond us is abreviated to MAGE — and which serves as the hub connecting Equitus AI and IBM's Maximo Visual Inspection software, according to The Intercept. The project is primarily focused on saddling cameras in and around Tucson with AI capabilities, though more experimental rollouts are likely as a bipartisan border tech bill flies through the House on its way to the Senate.Google's servers will process the video feed of every Tuscon-area CBP camera to identify approaching people and vehicles."This project will focus initially on 100 simultaneous video streams from the data source for processing," a CBP document viewed by The Intercept read. "The resulting metadata and keyframes will be sent to CBP’s Google Cloud."The revelation comes in the middle of Trump's brutal crackdown on migrants flocking to the US from Central and South America, a system built by Democrats and Republicans alike.That context is key: the Trump administration has used AI to scour social media accounts of foreign nationals, repositioned spy satellites to trawl the border, and disappeared hundreds of asylum seekers to El Salvador's notorious "Terrorism Confinement Center".Google's CBP venture is just the latest deployment of technology to clamp down on asylum seekers, many of whom flee their homelands as a result of economic hardship caused by US foreign policy and wealth extraction. Though public-private surveillance tools might aid enforcement agencies — not to mention pad the pockets of tech companies — they do nothing to address the cause of the immigration crisis.Instead, they ratchet up the human cruelty to new heights, adding to racial discrimination in immigration enforcement, militarizing the immigration system, and automating the kinds of violence and abuse that are all too common for those struggling for asylum."For more than two decades, surveillance towers at the border have proven to be a boondoggle," Dave Maass of the Electronic Frontier Foundation told The Intercept. "Adding AI isn’t going to make it any less of a boondoggle — it will just be an AI-powered boondoggle."More from Futurism: NASA Caught Purchasing Controversial AI Surveillance SoftwareShare This Article

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 203, for April 14.

submitted by /u/Logical_Welder3467 [link] [comments]

Cloud Next 2025Google At Cloud Next, Google Cloud’s annual user conference, the company presented its vision for AI agents. Google has launched tools and services enabling developers and business users to build agents. Gemini as the Foundation of Google’s AI Strategy Gemini is the cornerstone of Google’s AI agent strategy, leveraging its advanced multimodal capabilities to process and generate responses across text, images, audio, video and code. Developed by DeepMind, Gemini is designed for diverse applications ranging from personalized assistants to enterprise solutions. Its models—from lightweight Nano to enterprise-grade Ultra—are optimized for reasoning, coding and content creation. Gemini 2.5, the latest iteration, introduces enhanced reasoning and long-context capabilities, enabling complex problem-solving and research assistance. Integrated across Google products like Workspace and Vertex AI, Gemini empowers developers and businesses to create innovative solutions in the agentic era. Agents are First-class Citizens of Vertex AI Vertex AI, Google Cloud’s AI platform offering, has been significantly updated to support agents and agentic workflows. Vertex AI enables developers to access first-party models like Gemini and open source models like Llama through the model garden. It supports fine-tuning existing models and deploying them to consume through AI applications. Like the model garden, developers can utilize an agent garden populated with pre-defined agents from Google and other developers. This collection of ready-to-use samples and tools, directly accessible within ADK, provides developers with pre-built agent patterns and components to accelerate development processes. Similar to the support for heterogeneous foundation models, Vertex AI supports a diverse set of agent frameworks, including Google’s own Agent Development Kit, CrewAI, LangChain and AutoGen 2. With Vertex AI, developers can access a complete stack for designing, developing, testing, evaluating and deploying AI agents. Agent Engine and Agent Development Kit for Developers Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Agent Engine is a fully managed service designed to simplify the deployment, management and scaling of agents in production environments. It abstracts away operational complexities such as infrastructure management, security and monitoring, allowing developers to focus on creating intelligent applications. Supporting multiple frameworks like LangChain, AutoGen 2 and LlamaIndex, the Agent Engine offers flexibility for building and adapting agents. Features include integrated evaluation tools, memory capabilities for context retention and robust tracing for debugging. With seamless integration into Google Cloud’s ecosystem, it enables developers to create sophisticated multi-agent workflows while ensuring compliance and operational efficiency. The Agent Development Kit is at the heart of Google’s agent strategy, a new open-source framework designed to simplify the full stack end-to-end development of agents and multi-agent systems. This isn’t just another experimental tool—it’s the same framework powering agents within Google’s own products like Agentspace and the Google Customer Engagement Suite. The ADK aims to make agent development feel like traditional software development by using familiar programming patterns. Some of the capabilities include: Building agents in under 100 lines of intuitive Python code Native bidirectional audio and video streaming for creating truly interactive experiences Local debugging through a built-in UI launched with a simple command Flexibility to work with various models (Gemini or any model accessible via Model Garden, including options from Anthropic, Meta, Mistral AI and others) Support for both deterministic workflows and LLM-driven dynamic routing The framework provides developers with granular control over how agents think, reason and collaborate through deterministic guardrails and orchestration controls. A2A Protocol for Agent Communication and Interoperability Google’s Agent2Agent protocol is an open standard designed to enable seamless communication and collaboration between AI agents across diverse platforms and frameworks. By establishing a common language for inter-agent interaction, A2A allows agents to securely exchange information, coordinate actions and collaborate dynamically without sharing memory or tools. Built on familiar web technologies like HTTP, JSON-RPC and Server-Sent Events, A2A ensures easy integration into existing IT systems while maintaining enterprise-grade security. The protocol supports long-running tasks and multimodal communication, enabling agents to handle complex workflows involving text, images, audio, or video. A2A empowers businesses to build interoperable multi-agent ecosystems that enhance efficiency, automate processes and drive innovation. Backed by over 50 industry partners, including Atlassian and Salesforce, A2A represents Google’s vision of fostering collaborative AI architectures to tackle enterprise challenges. Official Support for Model Context Protocol The Model Context Protocol is an open standard developed by Anthropic to simplify how AI systems interact with external data sources. It provides a unified framework for secure, two-way communication between AI models and tools like databases, APIs and business applications, enabling real-time context-aware responses without custom integrations.Google has embraced MCP by integrating it into its Gemini models and ADK. This move aligns with the industry trend of adopting MCP as the standard for connecting AI systems to data repositories and tools. By supporting MCP, Google enables developers to build more efficient workflows, leveraging standardized connections that reduce complexity and improve scalability. Google positions MCP as complementary to its A2A protocol, focusing on intelligent tool orchestration while fostering interoperability across multi-agent ecosystems. This dual approach highlights Google’s commitment to advancing open standards in the agentic AI era. Agentspace Platform for Business Users AgentSpace is Google Cloud’s enterprise AI platform designed to unify organizational knowledge and streamline workflows using multimodal AI agents powered by Gemini. It acts as a central hub for enterprise search, data synthesis and agent deployment, enabling employees to access structured and unstructured data across various applications like Salesforce, SharePoint and ServiceNow. AgentSpace includes tools like NotebookLM for research and prebuilt expert agents for tasks such as deep research and idea generation. If Agent Engine and ADK are for developers, Agentspace is a no-code environment for business users to define and build agents. Final Thoughts Google’s announcements at Cloud Next 2025 represent a strategic, full-stack commitment to an AI-driven future centered on enabling and orchestrating agentic AI systems. By providing comprehensive frameworks, open protocols and robust infrastructure, Google is attempting to position itself as the platform of choice for building the next generation of intelligent, autonomous systems. The strategy reflects Google’s recognition that the future of AI lies not just in more powerful models but in creating ecosystems of specialized, collaborative agents that can transform enterprise operations. This vision of intelligent, cooperating AI systems represents a significant evolution from current AI implementations and signals Google’s intention to lead this next phase of AI development.