Bottom line: Although you may not be familiar with indie game developer Humanoid Origin, you've undoubtedly heard of its founder, Casey Hudson, former Bioware general manager. Opening a studio is challenging. Keeping one open in a time of industry consolidation is even more difficult. Canadian game development studio Humanoid Origin announced it is shutting down. The company posted to its LinkedIn account that, in addition to the general decline of the industry, it has run out of funding to continue operations."Earlier today, we informed our staff that Humanoid Origin will be shutting down," the post reads. "Despite efforts to shield the studio from broader challenges in the industry, an unexpected shortfall of funding left us unable to sustain operations."The news is disheartening as Humanoid Origin showed promise when Mass Effect Director Casey Hudson announced the studio in 2021. He said its first project would be an "all-new" AAA narrative-driven sci-fi adventure. It was an exciting prospect for gamers who have been getting primarily remakes of old games lately.Unfortunately, making original AAA-quality titles is daunting and expensive, especially in the current economic climate. It's likely a factor of why we're seeing so many developers pump out content we have already played in years past. As an independent developer, shooting for the stars without the backing of a large publisher is nearly impossible right now. So, in that respect, the closure is not all that surprising.What is surprising is how fast Humanoid Origin's fall came. According to IGN, the studio's most recent job postings were in May. So, in six months, the developer went from hiring to going out of business. However, the company said it won't leave its employees hung out to dry. It wants to help the team find work in other studios or companies that could use their talents."We're heartbroken that we will not be able to bring our new science-fiction universe to completion," the studio wrote. "Our main concern at this time, however, is for our team, and we are committed to supporting them in their transition to new employment."It is unclear what will happen to Human Origin's unfinished project. The studio did not reveal how far along the effort was, but if there are enough assets, even if they are in the early stages, the studio could conceivably sell them to another studio. However, without at least some of the crew who created it, it's not likely to live up to Hudson's vision.Interestingly, the studio's website is still up as if nothing is amiss. It's relatively barebones but has a few pieces of concept art presumably related to the now-canceled game. We've included them here for posterity because the company will ultimately shutter the website soon.

TL;DR: The same team that brought Ocarina of Time to PC is now secretly working on yet another high-profile port of a Nintendo 64 classic. Star Fox 64 is about to become much more enjoyable on computer than traditional emulation. Harbour Masters 64 recently announced on its Discord server the latest project it has been secretly working on for a few months. Starship is a fan-made PC port of Star Fox 64, the classic shooter on-rails released by Nintendo in 1997 for the Nintendo 64 console.Harbour Masters 64 is a well-established name in N64 PC ports. The team previously released a PC version of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, providing fans and younger gamers with all the bells and whistles of a proper PC remake, including support for high-res 3D graphics and higher frame rates.Sonic Dreamcaster, Samplywx, and other developers chimed in on Discord, noting that they have worked on Starship over the last several months. They are now confident enough to showcase their progress to outsiders. A Star Fox speedrunner known as "Rakanai" recently streamed a Starship beta on Twitch and YouTube, confirming that some parts of the game are not fully playable yet and that multiplayer is still missing.Harbour Masters 64 is known for building ports by decompiling a game's source code, which is time-consuming in and of itself. A native port born from decompilation can usually provide a significantly better gaming experience, with support for high-resolution 3D graphics and higher frame rates, rendering filters, ultrawide monitors, and more. Modding and lower hardware requirements are also part of the mix.Rakanai stated that Harbour Masters 64 plans to release the final version of Starship/Star Fox 64 for PC in December. Users must still own a copy of Star Fox 64 to avoid any potential legal backlash. // Related Stories"Native ports are, like emulation, perfectly legal you still have to supply your own ROM to run native ports like Starship," said PC Gamer writer Ted Litchfield.However, as recent events have shown, Nintendo could still attempt to shut down the Starship project, as the company is very hawkish with its IPs. The Japanese company recently tried to forbid Switch emulation on PCs despite using SNES emulators on its gaming museum Windows machines. That said, Ship of Harkinian, the PC port of Ocarina of Time, is still available for download on GitHub after two years, so Starship should be safe, too.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Table of ContentsTable of ContentsYeti Rambler 10-ounce Wine Tumbler $17 $25 30% offYeti Rambler 26-ounce Straw Cup $23 $35 35% offYeti Daytrip Lunch Bag $64 $80 20% offYeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler $300 $400 25% offYeti Rambler Tumbler with Handle and Straw Lid $27 $38 30% offHow to choose a Yeti on Black FridayHow we chose these Yeti Black Friday dealsWith Black Friday deals in full swing, now is the time to kit yourself out with some great accessories to enrich your life. Were talking about these Black Friday Yeti deals. Yeti makes some great tumblers, cooler storage bags, and anything else to keep your drinks and food at the right temperature for your needs. A wise investment, Yeti is even more appealing when its products are on sale like they are now.Weve picked out all the best Yeti deals, and we also have some great advice on what to think about before buying any of them. Read on, and well take you through it all. We also have some great otherBlack Friday gift ideas,and for anyone keen to spend more on something high-end, there are some excellentBlack Friday tablet deals out there, too.$25 30% offYetiThe Yeti Rambler 10-ounce Wine Tumbler is made from durable stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation, so its perfect for hot or cold beverages. It comes with a Yeti MagSlider Lid, so its magnets keep your drink safe. Its BPA-free and dishwasher safe, so its perfect for storing your glass of wine outdoors.Related$35 35% offYetiIdeal for big swigs and fewer refills, the Yeti Rambler 26-ounce Straw Cup is a great size for many people. It comes with the Yeti Straw, which is easy to sip, while the Straw Lid has a built-in stopper to keep your reusable straw safely in place. Its made from durable stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation, so your beverage is always safe.$80 20% offYetiPerfect for storing your lunch safely, the Yeti Daytrip Lunch Bag means no more soggy sandwiches in your future. It has a thermosnap magnetic closure, so it keeps your food hot or cold whichever is needed while theres a lightweight, closed-cell foam that folds over for great temperature-holding power. Its easy to use and looks good, too.$400 25% offYetiThe Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler is perfect for long treks thanks to its large design and its periscope handle. The latter is retractable for convenience but built to handle a lot. It has never flat wheels, so it can handle impacts and punctures, while the barefoot, non-slip feet are perfect to prevent sliding around.$38 30% offYetiWith an elevated handle and a cup holder-compatible design, the Yeti Rambler Tumbler with Handle and Straw Lid is perfect for off-road trips and for taking you on the golf course. It has a no-sweat design, so there is no need to worry about condensation, while the double wall vacuum insulation keeps everything safe and can even resist dents and drops.Yeti makes some of the best-insulated water bottles around, so youre in good hands when you buy something Yeti-related. The company also makes the best coolers, so its up to you to figure out what you need. The first thing to consider is which Yeti size is best for your needs. Yeti makes a wide range of products, from small wine tumblers to large drink containers, lunch bags, and wheeled coolers. Think about how you plan on using your Yeti and what you need to store, then work from there.Its also important to note that the bigger the container, the more expensive it is, but you can also store more of your favorite drink just how you like it. Weigh up if youre in need of a container for your drink at the office or if you need something bigger to keep you hydrated all day long. Similarly, if you need a bag to take camping, a simple tumbler isnt going to cut it.Our Yeti Black Friday deals are extensively researched. We spend our days looking for great deals. That extends to everything from popular technology to homeware like that which Yeti provides. Our approach is simple: we search through all the major retailers, collect all the best discounts, work out which products we would recommend you own (and that we would love to own ourselves), and then write about them here. That way, you get a good quality item at a great price and that is made to last you a long time.This list is full of Yeti products that we would personally gift to our friends and family, as well as those wed personally want to use. We bear in mind different budgets, so we include a little bit of everything so every scenario is catered to. We also avoid anything that feels inferior in quality for the price, although, for the most part, you cant go wrong with anything that Yeti produces.More Unmissable Deals

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Table of ContentsTable of ContentsFuncid 6 ft Pink Artificial Christmas Tree $60 $200 70% offCostway 9 ft Pre-Lit Premium Snow Flocked Hinged Artificial Christmas Tree $180 $399 55% offHykolity 6.5 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree $120 $160 25% offNational Tree Company Pre-Lit Artificial Mini Christmas Tree $47 $80 42% offGREATDAY 7 ft Artificial Pre-Lit Rotating Christmas Tree $199 $317 37% offHow to choose a Christmas tree on Black FridayHow we chose these Christmas tree Black Friday dealsUpdate 11/26/24: Black Friday isnt here quite yet, but weve already found some excellent discounts on Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes. If you want to avoid the chaos of the holiday season, youre going to want to take advantage of these savings. Well continue to update this list with the best Black Friday Christmas tree deals throughout the sale event.Most people look forward to Black Friday because of the huge discounts on all kinds of products. However, you shouldnt forget that the shopping event, which will officially launch on November 29, will also provide a great opportunity to purchase your decorations for the holidays. In fact, weve already started seeing some early Black Friday Christmas tree deals that are worth buying, and weve rounded up our favorite ones below.After buying from these Black Friday deals, you may want to think about what to place under your new Christmas tree (think gaming laptop, Nintendo Switch games and accessories, Apple products, and more!). If you want to make sure that youre able to pocket the savings and that everything you purchase arrives long before Christmas, you should complete your transactions as soon as possible.Related$200 70% offImage used with permission by copyright holderThe Funcid 6 ft Pink Artificial Christmas Tree may be basic, but it certainly doesnt look like it with its striking color that will let you mix things up for the holidays. Its made of PVC material thats non-flammable and non-allergic, and its constructed in three sections, so its easy to set up. Its on sale with a huge 70% discount, which is equivalent to savings of $140.$399 55% offCostwayIf you want a large tree for the holidays, check out the Costway 9 ft Pre-Lit Premium Snow Flocked Hinged Artificial Christmas Tree, which is on sale for less than half-price following a 55% discount that results in savings of $219. Its equipped with 550 LED lights with a warm white color, its realistic flocked snow brings the winter into your living room, and it features an easy-to-assemble hinged design.$160 25% offHykolityThe Hykolity 6.5 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree is filled with 350 LED lights that change their colors, with 10 modes that you can cycle through using its foot pedal. The Christmas tree features 1,100 branch tips for a full-bodied and genuine look, and the sturdy metal stand provides stability. It will be yours at $40 off, following a 25% discount.$80 42% offNational Tree CompanyThe National Tree Company Pre-Lit Artificial Mini Christmas Tree, which is 20% off for a discount of $16, is only 4 feet tall with a base measuring 31 inches in diameter. However, within its miniature frame are 100 white lights that are strung on the tree before packaging, so you dont have to set them up yourself. The pre-attached, hinged branches drop-down for a simple setup, and they fold back just as easily when its time to store the Christmas tree.$317 37% offGREATDAYThe GREATDAY 7 ft Artificial Pre-Lit Rotating Christmas Tree comes with a 360-degree rotating stand to bring movement to your holiday decorations. You can access the feature through its remote, which also allows you to manage its 500 LED lights. The Christmas tree, which has 1,000 branch tips and a hassle-free design, is down by $68 after a 21% discount.Christmas trees are meant to showcase your familys holiday spirit, so before anything else, you should get one that matches their personality. Whether that means a Christmas tree that stands loud and proud, or a miniature tree thats filled with colorful lights, you should know that its for your family the moment that you see it. Fortunately, with Christmas trees coming in all shapes and sizes, theres surely something that will catch your attention.For technical matters, youll have to consider the height of the Christmas tree that youre going to get. You dont want it to be so small that it doesnt look festive in a large living room, nor do you want it to be too big that it overshadows everything else. You should also think about whether you want a simple Christmas tree that you can fill with decorations yourself or one thats already fitted with trinkets and lights so it will be easy to assemble when it arrives and store once the season is over.First and foremost, our priority is finding the best Black Friday Christmas tree deals for you in terms of value. That means either the lowest prices possible for Christmas trees without sacrificing quality or the largest discounts on premium Christmas trees that knock their prices down to within your budget range. Simply put, when we created this roundup of offers, we want you to feel like a winner once youve completed your purchase of any of these bargains.There are so many amazing Black Friday Christmas tree deals across all the different retailers that it was hard to narrow down our recommendations to our list above. We ensured that all of the Christmas tree makers recommended on our list are reliable and will last for many holiday seasons to come. You shouldnt have to consider disposing of your new Christmas tree at the end of the holiday season it should last for years for a nice return on your investment.More Unmissable Deals

The proposed settlement order would ban Evolv from making unsupported claims about its products, and require the security technology company to give certain K-12 school customers the option to cancel their contracts.

The government grant is less than originally expected because the chip giant is also receiving separate funding for defense-related projects.

On his new album, released without any forewarning, the rapper returns in fine form with one of his best records yet, which features songs about his journey and place in music.

Aulii Cravalho andDwayne Johnson return to the voice cast for this ocean-going sequel, but timid writing sinks the fun.

Broadband customer service ISPs say their excellent customer service is why users dont switch providers ISPs tell FCC that mistreated users would switch to one of their many other options. Jon Brodkin Nov 26, 2024 3:05 pm | 45 Credit: Getty Images | Thamrongpat Theerathammakorn Credit: Getty Images | Thamrongpat Theerathammakorn Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreLobby groups for Internet service providers claim that ISPs' customer service is so good already that the government shouldn't consider any new regulations to mandate improvements. They also claim ISPs face so much competition that market forces require providers to treat their customers well or lose them to competitors.Cable lobby group NCTA-The Internet & Television Association told the Federal Communications Commission in a filing that "providing high-quality products and services and a positive customer experience is a competitive necessity in today's robust communications marketplace. To attract and retain customers, NCTA's cable operator members continuously strive to ensure that the customer support they provide is effective and user-friendly. Given these strong marketplace imperatives, new regulations that would micromanage providers customer service operations are unnecessary."Lobby groups filed comments in response to an FCC review of customer service that was announced last month, before the presidential election. While the FCC's current Democratic leadership is interested in regulating customer service practices, the Republicans who will soon take over opposed the inquiry.USTelecom, which represents telcos such as AT&T and Verizon, said that "the competitive broadband marketplace leaves providers of broadband and other communications services no choice but to provide their customers with not only high-quality broadband, but also high-quality customer service.""If a provider fails to efficiently resolve an issue, they risk losing not only that customerand not just for the one service, but potentially for all of the bundled services offered to that customerbut also any prospective customers that come across a negative review online. Because of this, broadband providers know that their success is dependent upon providing and maintaining excellent customer service," USTelecom wrote.While the FCC Notice of Inquiry said that providers should "offer live customer service representative support by phone within a reasonable timeframe," USTelecom's filing touted the customer service abilities of AI chatbots. "AI chat agents will only get better at addressing customers' needs more quickly over timeand if providers fail to provide the customer service and engagement options that their customers expect and fail to resolve their customers' concerns, they may soon find that the consumer is no longer a customer, having switched to another competitive offering," the lobby group said.Say what?The lobby groups' description may surprise the many Internet users suffering from little competition and poor customer service, such as CenturyLink users who had to go without service for over a month because of the ISP's failure to fix outages. The FCC received very different takes on the state of ISP customer service from regulators in California and Oregon.The Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission in Northwest Oregon, where Comcast is the dominant provider, told the FCC that local residents complain about automated customer service representatives; spending hours on hold while attempting to navigate automated voice systems; billing problems including "getting charged after cancelling service, unexpected price increases, and being charged for equipment that was returned," and service not being restored quickly after outages.The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) told the FCC that it performed a recent analysis finding "that only a fraction of California households enjoy access to a highly competitive market for [broadband Internet service], with only 26 percent of households having a choice between two or more broadband providers utilizing either cable modem or fiber optic technologies." The California agency said the result "suggests that competitive forces alone are insufficient to guarantee service quality for customers who depend upon these services."CPUC said its current rulemaking efforts for California "will establish standards for service outages, repair response time, and access to live representatives." The agency told the FCC that if it adopts new customer service rules for the whole US, it should "permit state and local governments to set customer service standards that exceed the adopted standards."People with disabilities need more help, groups sayThe FCC also received a filing from several advocacy groups focused on accessibility for people with disabilities. The groups asked for rules "establishing baseline standards to ensure high-quality DVC [direct video calling for American Sign Language users] across providers, requiring accommodations for consumers returning rental equipment, and ensuring accessible cancellation processes." The groups said that "providers should be required to maintain dedicated, well-trained accessibility teams that are easily reachable via accessible communication channels, including ASL support.""We strongly caution against relying solely on emerging AI technologies without mandating live customer service support," the groups said.The FCC's Notice of Inquiry on customer service was approved 32 in a party-line vote on October 10. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said that hundreds of thousands of customers file complaints each year "because they have run into issues cancelling their service, are saddled with unexpected charges, are upset by unexplained outages, and are frustrated with billing issues they have not been able to resolve on their own. Many describe being stuck in 'doom loops' that make it difficult to get a real person on the line to help with service that needs repair or to address charges they believe are a mistake."If the FCC leadership wasn't changing hands, the Notice of Inquiry could be the first step toward a rulemaking. "We cannot ignore these complaints, especially not when we know that it is possible to do better... We want to help improve the customer experience, understand what tools we have to do so, and what gaps there may be in the law that prevent consumers from having the ability to resolve routine problems quickly, simply, and easily," Rosenworcel said.ISPs have a friend in Trump adminBut the proceeding won't go any further under incoming Chairman Brendan Carr, a Republican chosen by President-elect Donald Trump. Carr dissented from the Notice of Inquiry, saying that the potential actions explored by the FCC exceed its authority and that the topic should be handled instead by the Federal Trade Commission.Carr said the FCC should work instead on "freeing up spectrum and eliminating regulatory barriers to deployment," and that the Notice of Inquiry is part of "the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to deflect attention away from the necessary course correction."Carr has made it clear that he is interested in regulating broadcast media and social networks more than the telecom companies the FCC traditionally focuses on. Carr wrote a chapter for the conservative Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 in which he criticized the FCC for "impos[ing] heavy-handed regulation rather than relying on competition and market forces to produce optimal outcomes."With Carr at the helm, ISPs are likely to get what they're asking for: No new regulations and elimination of at least some current rules. "Rather than saddling communications providers with unnecessary, unlawful, and potentially harmful regulation, the Commission should encourage the pro-consumer benefits of competition by reducing the regulatory burdens and disparities that are currently unfairly skewing the marketplace," the NCTA told the FCC, arguing that cable companies face more onerous regulations than other communications providers.Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 45 Comments Prev story

Lollipop, lollipop Licking this lollipop will let you taste virtual flavors It produces nine flavors: Sugar, salt, citric acid, cherry, passion fruit, green tea, milk, durian, and grapefruit. Jennifer Ouellette Nov 26, 2024 2:52 pm | 21 A new interface to simulate taste in virtual and other extended reality (XR) environments. Credit: Liu et al., 2024/PNAS A new interface to simulate taste in virtual and other extended reality (XR) environments. Credit: Liu et al., 2024/PNAS Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn more Demonstrating lollipop user interface to simulate taste in virtual and augmented reality environments. Credit: Lu et al, 2024/PNAS Virtual reality (VR) technology has long sought to incorporate the human senses into virtual and mixed-reality environments. In addition to sight and sound, researchers have been trying to add the sensation of human touch and smell via various user interfaces, as well as taste. But the latter has proved to be quite challenging. A team of Hong Kong scientists has now developed a handheld user interface shaped like a lollipop capable of re-creating several different flavors in a virtual environment, according to a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).It's well established that human taste consists of sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umamifive basic flavors induced by chemical stimulation of the tongue and, to a lesser extent, in parts of the pharynx, larynx, and epiglottis. Recreating those sensations in VR has resulted in a handful of attempts at a flavor user interface, relying on such mechanisms as chemical, thermal, and electrical stimulation, as well as iontophoresis.The chemical approach usually involves applying flavoring chemicals directly onto the tongue, but this requires room for bulk storage of said chemicals, and there is a long delay time that is not ideal for VR applications. Thermal variations applied directly to the tongue can stimulate taste sensations but require a complicated system incorporating a cooling subsystem and temperature sensors, among other components.The most mainstream method is electrical stimulation, in which the five basic flavors are simulated by varying the frequency, intensity, and direction of electrical signals on the tongue. But this method requires placing electrode patches on or near the tongue, which is awkward, and the method is prone to taste biases.So Yiming Liu of City University of Hong Kong and co-authors opted to work with iontophoresis, in which stable taste feedback is achieved by using ions flowing through biologically safe hydrogels to transport flavor chemicals. This method is safe, requires low power consumption, allows for precise taste feedback, and offers a more natural human-machine interface. Liu et al. improved on recent advances in this area by developing their portable lollipop-shaped user interface device, which also improves flavor quality and consistency.A matter of taste Schematic diagram of the gustation interfaces for providing taste feedback to a female user in a virtual environment. Credit: Liu et al., 2024/PNAS Key to the miniaturization was the use of an optimized layout of components on two layers of ultra-thin printed circuit board housed in a lightweight, 3D-printed Nylon lollipop-shaped casing. There were nine taste-generating channels filled with flavored hydrogels. The gels were made out of agarose mixed with a bit of mineral water and specific flavor essences: sugar, salt, citric acid, cherry, milk, green tea, passion fruit, durian, and grapefruit.System components included a lithium-ion battery, a microcontroller, Bluetooth module, resistors, capacitors, N-type and P-type MOSFETs, and linear regulators for wirelessly controlling the flavor channels via a graphical user interface (GUI) in the virtual environment. The final device measured 831 cm and weighed about 15 grams, on par with your average Tootsie Pop.Flavors are generated via a current flowing through a target gel, delivering flavor chemicals to the outside of the lollipop. Users can then lick the device to experience the flavors. Adding smell to the mixseven specific odor chemicalsfurther enhances the perception of taste. Future research will focus on extending the time range for the device, currently limited to about an hour because the chemically infused hydrogels shrink and run out of flavor.Liu et al. described three potential applications for their lollipop device in their paper. The first is in virtual standardized taste tests akin to hearing or vision tests. Many people suffer from "gustatory disorders," per the authors, but the current tests for such conditions are highly subjective and are time-consuming to prepare, since it requires a series of solutions of varying concentrations for all five basic flavors. The lollipop device could be adapted for such a test, in which users could lick the device and provide feedback about what they taste by clicking on the relevant button on a corresponding GUI.Another potential use is immersive online shopping in virtual grocery stores. Users could touch a specific virtual food and be able to taste that item. The device could also prove useful in a mixed-reality educational environment, such as a parent helping their child explore the flavors of different foods.PNAS, 2024. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2412116121 (About DOIs).Jennifer OuelletteSenior WriterJennifer OuelletteSenior Writer Jennifer is a senior reporter at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 21 Comments