When it comes to finding a device to read ebooks, you have a few options to choose from. You can always buy a tablet or use your phone, but those devices are multipurpose and can be used for a ton of things, like surfing the web or doom-scrolling on X. If you are looking for something to strictly read books, e-readers, while niche, are designed to store all of your books in a virtual library with limited functionality. Amazon, one of the pioneers of the e-reader, has dominated the space for years with its ever-expanding Kindle lineup, which consists of several unique models with their own pros and cons. The bulk of the devices function as simple ebook readers; however, with the Kindle Scribe, Amazon is moving beyond books and into the realm of writing something that should make future Kindles function more akin to physical paper.Below, weve listed each model currently available. Sometimes there isnt a deal for one or even any of the products, but in those cases, weve listed the most recent sale price. RelatedThe entry-level Kindle remains the smallest e-reader Amazon offers, one thats available in either black or green. Image: AmazonThe best Kindle (2024) dealsWhat does it mean when a Kindle is ad-supported?Amazon Kindle e-readers come in different storage configurations, but there is also an additional option that allows you to buy the e-reader with or without ads. Ad-supported Kindles will display personalized advertisements on the lock screen when it is in sleep mode or at the bottom of the homescreen when the device is connected to Wi-Fi. Typically, you save about $20 by buying the ad-supported version, but if you decide to remove ads later, you can make a one-time payment to cover the difference and remove the ads.In case you missed it, Amazon announced a new entry-level Kindle in October, one that was designed to replace the outgoing 2022 model. The latest Kindle which starts at $109.99 boasts a brighter 94-nit display, improved contrast levels, and slightly faster page turns. It also comes in a matcha green instead of denim, just in case youre not a fan of the default black color. Otherwise, though, its nearly identical to its predecessor, with the same six-inch 300ppi screen, support for USB-C, and 16GB of base storage.In the past, Amazons newest ad-supported Kindle has dropped to as low as $84.99 ($25 off) with three months of Kindle Unlimited. Right now, however, you can only buy the Kindle at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for its full retail price of $109.99.Kindle (2024) $110Amazons new entry-level Kindle retains a six-inch, 300ppi display and USB-C. Its both brighter and faster than its predecessor, however, and features longer battery life.The best Kindle Kids (2024) dealsAmazon also updated its kid-friendly Kindle in late 2024. The new Kindle Kids is identical to the standard model but comes with several accessories and provides age-appropriate content for younger readers who prefer digital books. Like the last-gen Kindle Kids, the latest model retails for $20 more than the base model, bringing the MSRP to $129.99.RelatedIn terms of add-ons, the new Kindle Kids edition consists of four items: the device, a protective case, a two-year extended replacement guarantee (in the event the device breaks), and six months of Amazon Kids Plus. The latter is the biggest selling point of the device aside from the kid-friendly patterns and lack of ads, as it allows parents to grant their child access to games, videos, and books including those in thePercy Jackson andHarry Potterseries at no additional cost.In the past, weve seen the new Kindle Kids sell for as low as $94.99 ($35 off). Right now, however, you can only buy the e-reader at its full price of $129.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.Kindle Kids (2024)$130Amazons Kindle Kids is identical to the standard Kindle meaning it packs a 300ppi display and support for USB-C charging but comes with a case, an extended two-year warranty, and six months of Amazon Kids Plus.The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is identical to the standard model but features wireless charging and a sensor to automatically adjust the backlight.The best Kindle Paperwhite (2024) dealsThe latest Kindle Paperwhite, which launched last year, is Amazons 12th-gen model. Considering its one of the companys higher-end configurations, it offers all the features found in the entry-level Kindle, including USB-C charging and a crisp 300ppi display. That being said, its noticeably faster than Amazons base ebook reader and features IPX8 waterproofing, a larger seven-inch display, and longer battery life. RelatedLike other Kindles, the new Paperwhite is available in a few different configurations. Theres an ad-free Signature Edition for $199.99, which is identical to the standard model but comes with 32GB of storage, Qi wireless charging, and a backlight that will automatically adjust when needed. Theres also a Paperwhite Kids for $179.99, which comes bundled with a kid-friendly cover, a two-year extended replacement guarantee, and six months of Amazon Kids Plus.In the past, weve seen the Paperwhite drop to as low as $129.99. Unfortunately, the standalone model is currently only available at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target starting at $159.99 (its full retail price). If youre okay with purchasing a bundle, you can also grab it at Amazon with a power adapter and a black, green, or pink fabric cover for $196.97 ($20 off) or with a plant-based black, green, or pink leather cover for $202.97 ($20 off).Read our Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review.Kindle Paperwhite (2024)$160Amazons latest Paperwhite features a larger seven-inch display and noticeably faster performance. It also boasts longer battery life than the previous model, retains IPX8 waterproofing, and includes a USB-C port.$197$197$2179% offThe seven-inch Kindle Paperwhite features a larger display and faster performance than Amazons entry-level ebook reader. You can also buy it in a bundle with a cover and a USB-C charger. $197 at Amazon (fabric cover)$203 at Amazon (leather cover)As for the ad-free Signature Edition, its available at Amazon and Best Buy right now for $199.99 its regular retail price. You can also grab it at Amazon with a wireless charging dock and a black, green, or pink fabric cover starting at $251.97 ($25 off) or with a plant-based black, green, or pink leather cover for $257.97 ($25 off).Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024)$200The premium Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition offers the same design and performance as the standard model but with more storage and support for wireless charging.$200 at Amazon $200 at Best Buy $252$252$2779% offAmazons step-up Kindle Paperwhite bundle includes a Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, a wireless charging dock, and your choice of either a fabric or plant-based cover.$252 at Amazon (fabric cover)$258 at Amazon (leather cover)You can write in the Kindle Scribe and use its AI features to clean up the handwriting or summarize your notes.The best Kindle Scribe (2024) dealsLike its predecessor, the second-gen Kindle Scribe is Amazons biggest e-reader. It packs a 10.2-inch display with 300 dpi, along with the same great battery life for which Kindles have become known. What separates the Scribe from other Kindles, however, is that it comes with a stylus, which can be used to jot down notes or doodle in the ebook readers built-in notebook. With the latest Scribe, Amazon also introduced a new Active Canvas feature, so you can scribble notes directly on ebook pages, as well as a suite of AI-powered features that can summarize your notes and refine your handwriting.RelatedThe new Kindle Scribe starts at $399.99 with 16GB of storage, but right now, you can buy it at AmazonandBest Buy. for an all-time low of $324.99 ($75 off).Read our Kindle Scribe (2024) review.Kindle Scribe (2024)$325$40019% off$325$325$40019% offThe latest Kindle Scribe is a 10.2-inch e-reader with a stylus for taking notes. Its faster than its predecessor and offers a host of new features, including one that lets you jot notes directly in your book.The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is Amazons only color e-reader. Photos by Andrew Liszewski / The VergeThe best Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition dealsIn October, Amazon announced its first color e-reader, theKindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. Like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, it boasts a seven-inch display with a crisp 300ppi resolution, IPX8 water resistance, wireless charging, and 32GB of storage. However, unlike the Paperwhite, the e-reader offers a color mode, which cuts the resolution in half. Thankfully, its still vibrant for a color E-Ink screen despite the lower resolution, rendering it particularly ideal for reading comic books and manga.We have yet to see the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition go on sale. Right now, you can only buy the standalone e-reader at Amazon and Best Buy for its full retail price of $279.99. However, you can save some money if you buy it as a part of a bundle for $327.97 ($35 off), which nets you a wireless charging dock and plant-based leather cover in black, pink, or green. You can also buy it with a premium leather cover in red or black for $349.97 ($35 off). Read our Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition review.$328$328$36310% offTheKindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is Amazons first color e-reader. It comes with wireless charging, IPX8 water resistance, and 32GB of storage. It retails for $279.99 by itself, but Amazon also sells it as part of a bundle that contains a wireless charging dock and one of two covers.$328 at Amazon (with plant-based cover)$350 at Amazon (with premium leather cover)

X launches Groks iPhone app in the USX launches Groks iPhone app in the US / Elon Musks AI chatbot became free for all users last month.By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Jan 9, 2025, 9:18 PM UTCShare this story Image: The VergexAI has released an iOS app in the US for its Grok chatbot, as spotted earlier by TechCrunch. The standalone app version of the chatbot, which xAI calls a beta, can perform the same functions as the one built into X, as it can field real-time information, answer questions, and generate images.xAI started testing Groks standalone iOS app in December in a handful of countries. Theres no word on when it may come to Android. Though Grok was initially only available to X Premium subscribers, the platform started letting all users access the chatbot last month, bringing it in line with other free-to-use chatbots like OpenAIs ChatGPT, Anthropics Claude, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. As pointed out by TechCrunch, it seems xAI is also working on a dedicated Grok.com website that currently has a coming soon message on it. After raising $6 billion in June, xAI reported another $6 billion funding round, including from strategic investors like Nvidia and AMD.Most PopularMost Popular

Starting January 6, sign up to receive news and updates about Samsung's 2025 lineup of TVs and as a bonus, you'll receive a $100 credit good for any 2025 TV preorder. Since this isn't a commitment to preorder or buy, you don't need to place any kind of deposit. If you're planning to pick up one of these TVs as soon as they become available, there's no reason not to sign up and claim the discount.$100 Credit on a 2025 Samsung TV PreorderSign Up and Get $100 Credit With Your 2025 Samsung TV PreorderSee it at SamsungSamsung showcased several of their top models during CES 2025. Here's a quick rundown of the biggest highlights. At the moment, exact pricing for each model is unknown.OLED TVsThe new OLED TVs - the S95F, S90F, and S85F - feature several incremental upgrades over its predecessors. The S95F, Samsung's flagship model, boasts a new NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor, a faster 165Hz refresh rate, an improved anti-glare coating, and an upgraded QD OLED panel that promises up to 2,000 nits of brightness. The S90F will also feature the Gen 3 processor, 144Hz refresh rate with VRR, and a QD OLED panel with up to 1,300nits of brightness (for TV models 55" and up). The S85F remains the "budget" OLED TV with a Gen 2 processor.Art TVsThe Frame Pro will make its debut this year alongside the standard Frame TV. The Frame Pro finally features the superior Neo QLED Mini-LED panel for richer and brighter colors, a faster 144Hz refresh rate, the new anti-glare tech, and wireless hookups in the form of a "One Connect" box that can be stowed away discreetly. The standard The Frame TV will still be available too, at a significantly lower cost I assume.Mini LED TVsSamsung revealed a total of six Mini-LED TV models for 2025. The Neo QLED QN990F and QN900F are true 8K TVs with some incremental improvements like the new anti-glare tech, the One Connect wireless transmitter box, and access to Samsung's Art Store, which was previously retricted to the Frame TVs. The Neo QLED QN90F, QN85F, QN80F and QN70F will be the new 4K Mini-LED models. The highest end model is the QN90F and it will feature the same 165Hz refresh rate, Gen 3 processor, and anti-glare coating as the S95F. The mid-range QN85F will be Samsung's first 100" TV. Samsung QN90D (2024) Review by Jaron SchneiderSamsungs 2024 mini LED QN90D is a very nice television that refines the interface and adds a host of new features that increase the value of the offering. Its expensive, but the brightness, color quality, wealth of HDMI 2.1 ports, built-in gaming, and more make a solid argument to warrant the asking price.AI and Anti-Glare Tech Are the Highlights for SamsungLike just about everyone else in the industry, Samsung is going all in on AI. Samsung's new tech for 2025 is their "Vision AI", which can recognize the content you're watching, including specifics like the actors or setting, and display relevant personalized commentary in real-time. In addition, more TV models this year will be equipped with AI Upscaling Pro and AI Motion Enhancer Pro which work in tandem to optimize image quality on the fly. Other features include Active Voice Amplier Pro, which uses AI to isolate and enhance voices, AI Optimization, and AI Energy Mode.Samsung is also decisively moving many of their TV panels to the matte-like anti-glare coating we saw on the S95D in 2024. This anti-glare anti-reflective tech doesn't desaturate like we typically see with anti-glare coatings from other brands, and yet reflections are minimized to the point that you'll never notice them.For more big tech news for this month, check out our CES 2025 hub for all of the latest updates.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Calling all Elden Ring fans: a brand-new figure of Malenia Blade of Miquella is up for pre-order at IGN Store. Cited by many as the most difficult boss in Elden Ring, this is one formidable foe you can now add to your collection. Check out the details below, and be sure to get your pre-order in before orders close!Pre-Order S.H.Figuarts Malenia Blade of Miquella Figure NowElden Ring - Malenia Blade of Miquella - Action FigureSee it at IGN StoreStanding at approximately 7.5 inches tall, this Malenia figure is perfect for any Elden Ring fan's collection. In the box, you'll get Malenia, replacement wrist parts, prosthetic hand sword parts, a replacement slit skirt, an exclusive pedestal, and more. The S.H.Figuarts line allows you to customize your figure to your liking, so you can set Malenia in any of the iconic battle poses from the game. Elden Ring is one of the biggest games of the past decade, with the game outselling the entirety of the Dark Souls franchise. A second game in the franchise, Elden Ring Nightreign, is set to release in 2025, offering a multiplayer experience for players to take down bosses together. You can read more about this upcoming game in our first hands-on preview.Elden Ring - Malenia Blade of Miquella - Action FigurePre-orders for this highly anticipated figure close on January 30. Be sure to get your order in before it's too late!Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

The Monster Hunter series first launched on PlayStation 2 in 2004 and has since won over many fans, evolving at a dizzying pace alongside new developments in hardware. While it may sound like a clich to say that the whole world has been waiting for it, it's not an exaggeration to say that hunters from around the globe have eagerly awaited the next game in the series, Monster Hunter Wilds, releasing at last on February 28, 2025. The gameplay loop that hunters imagine when they hear about Monster Hunter has remained the same throughout the series even after 20 years. Hunt gigantic monsters, strip them of materials, create equipment, then head back into the next hunt. At the same time, though, it seems rare for the game design of a series to so directly reflect the benefits brought about by advances in hardware. Monster Hunter: World, released in 2018, did away with the segmented maps that players were used to seeing in the series, instead allowing them to roam about a single stage without loading times. It also made many other changes, both big and small, but veteran players remained as passionate as ever, helping it to gain global popularity.Gaining Confidence in Monster Hunter Via WorldPlayThe development team also continues to believe that the major turning point for the series in recent years was World, which did away with the fragmented map from previous titles. While Monster Hunter did already have lots of overseas fans, the proportion of them still wasn't very large compared to the Japanese fanbase. Wilds Director Yuya Tokuda has returned following his work on World, and he has the following to say about this phenomenon:"The gameplay loop for a game like Monster Hunter, where players repeatedly gather materials, is agricultural in nature, he tells IGN. Some people told me that they believed it would be hard for that to resonate with a global audience."The development team also continues to believe that the major turning point for the series in recent years was Monster Hunter World.At the time of World's creation, the development team did know that the global market was full of shooters and competitive multiplayer games. Kaname Fujioka, who acted as Director starting with the first Monster Hunter and is now Executive Director and Art Director for Wilds, says this was a period when he thought about what makes Monster Hunter fun, focusing on what to do in order to bring the game to a wider audience.Play"Cooperative games weren't part of the mainstream at the time, making World a major challenge for us, he says. If multiplayer cooperative play wasn't going to be big to begin with, we would have to reconsider the very form that Monster Hunter takes. But we had absolute confidence about the kind of fun that Monster Hunter provides, and it possessed a history as a series that grew in Japan to become what it was. We never believed that a Japanese sensibility wouldn't be able to land overseas."The rest of the world would surely understand the fun of Monster Hunter. Believing this, the development team decided not to fiddle with or change the central elements of the series, instead keeping the core of what makes it fun intact while trying to convey that enjoyment to a broader range of players. The development team then performed a thorough analysis of what makes Monster Hunter fun in order to do that.The change in the development team's environment must have also largely contributed to World's success. Ryozo Tsujimoto, long-time producer for the Monster Hunter series, tells IGN, "I think you can also credit the fact that it became easier to communicate with foreign fans starting with World. During World's development we developed a strong habit of looking into feedback that we received from overseas, investigating where the issues lay. By digesting what players tell us, regardless of where they're located, we're able to really think about what we're communicating and what's difficult to get across. I believe that this change of environment helped play a major role in changing our own awareness."PlayWorld gained the support of many players as a result, successfully gaining global popularity. Tokuda says that after seeing the reaction to World, he gained a redoubled confidence in the fundamental kind of fun found within the Monster Hunter games. "Thanks to World, we were able to reaffirm that we hadn't made any mistakes with the core elements of Monster Hunter, giving us confidence once more, says Tokuda. It's because of our experience with World that we've been able to feel assured as we take the next step with Wilds, further improving its core while creating an even more attractive game."The development team never bent, always believing in Monster Hunter's charm and the elements at the center of what makes it fun. They began developing Wilds with the success of World driving them forward once updates for World reached a pause. They say the team's mission at first was primarily to test out the available technology with a small team. Producer Tsujimoto tells us about those times.Play"We predicted that the platforms for the game would be more powerful by the time it was released (with new-generation consoles having come in), and so our mission was to depict the world of Monster Hunter with the technology that would be available at that point in time," he explains."We've always pictured game design that allows players to immerse themselves in hunts as hunters entering inside of Monster Hunter's carefully depicted ecosystems."What would be possible on new-generation platforms while still making use of their output from World? How could they use the possibilities opened up by new-generation consoles to further evolve the series? Fujioka makes repeated use of a key term when it comes to this: "immersion"."Throughout the Monster Hunter series, we've always pictured game design that allows players to immerse themselves in hunts as hunters entering inside of Monster Hunter's carefully depicted ecosystems, he says. Players bought into that sensation to some degree in World, and we tried to take it even further in Wilds."PlayThrough repeated technical verifications, it became clear that the team would be able to realize the image they've long held for Monster Hunter. Seamless map design, and an environment that changes with the passing of time. All of this would allow for an even deeper depiction of the ecosystem inhabited by massive monsters and the hunters who hunt them, generating further immersion. Depicting the world of Monster Hunter that has existed from the start of the series in greater depth and detail could allow for the surfacing of an ecosystem that includes the presence of humans in Wilds. "It's nature's two faces of being bountiful yet harsh, says Tokuda, explaining the world of Wilds. By depicting these two sides, we hoped to create a world that includes those who live in and become involved with it, like the hunters."Creating Dramatic Moments for All HuntersWhile Wilds retains the traditional gameplay loop of accepting a quest and going to hunt the relevant monster, Tokuda says that hunters will now need to be aware of what monsters have spawned in the world, hunting them at their discretion based on the state of these monsters.PlayAs an example, he explains one possible situation. You're after materials in order to craft a piece of equipment, and so you're sprinting through the Windward Plains on your Seikret. Just then, beyond a cloud of sand, you see a large monster that you aren't currently targeting. It's got several wounds, as it's likely already fought a number of other monsters. It's not as if you need its materials at this very moment, but the rewards would be vast. After a moment of hesitation, you turn back and go after the wounded monster. Hunters need the ability to adapt to their circumstances, and Wilds provides a world where players can experience just that.IGN First Monster Hunter Wilds Oilwell Basin Artwork"The design (in past Monster Hunter games) where you participate in one quest at a time does provide the benefit of a game that you can always play in a stable environment, but you can't help but feel this to be unnatural in ways for a game that depicts ecosystems in the wild, says Tokuda. It seems like a given that you'd face different monsters and winds from one day to the next, considering that nature-focused perspective."Scenes before your eyes will change from moment to moment, creating dramatic experiences and giving hunters a sense of immersion as though they're really alive in the game's world. As easy as that is to say, it's by no means simple to realize it in a gaming setting. "There are only a few dramatic scenes and events you get to encounter and experience in everyday life over the course of a year," Fujioka says. Rather than simply constructing a world, we ask what kinds of scenes he wants playing out in front of hunters and his philosophy on creating a game that anticipates these kinds of experiences.Play"You may only be able to see an evening's beauty for a few dozen minutes over the course of a day, but those moments leave an incredible impression on you, he replies. The team has constantly shared an awareness of how important it is to have these kinds of dramatic moments and experiences properly playing out before you in a game while also making sure that they don't appear unnatural. There's the risk of 'nothing happening' to a player within a large open world or with changes in circumstances like seamless shifts in weather. We discussed this concern many times during development, and I was quite aware as a designer to be compacting and connecting what we can do to make things more fun, creating dramatic twists that constantly play out before you."The developers never thought of themselves as making an open-world game.What's important isn't the form that the game takes, but the form of each individual experience encountered by the player. Ever since the announcement of Wilds, many players have seen its seamless stages, real-time environmental changes and other new elements, and called it an "open world Monster Hunter". In fact, I admit that those were the first words to come to my own mind the moment I heard the news about Wilds. But Tsujimoto says that the developers never thought of themselves as making an open world game."It's not as if the words 'open world' came out of any of our mouths during development, either, he says. We wanted players to be able to experience a seamless Monster Hunter, and this is the form we ended up with as we implemented what we wanted."PlayI ask what genre they would call Wilds if they had to give it one, and the three developers look at one another. Fujioka says that while he believes they used phrases like "seamless map" and "seamless stages" during World as well, he could only describe Wilds as a game that gives players "a seamless Monster Hunter experience". It seems that the development team consider the wide-open stages in Wilds as not their goal, but rather a result. According to Tokuda, "Creating large spaces wasn't the goal from the time we made World. It's more accurate to say that they became that large as well as seamlessly connected during the process of properly depicting Monster Hunter's world. More than its size, one of the things that makes Monster Hunter unique is its density of detail. We focused on adding enough density to our stages that just by walking through them, you'll make discoveries, notice interactable elements, and find so much in general, from targets of action to visual aspects. I think that level of detail is a part of depicting the world of Monster Hunter and its ecosystems."Making Monster Hunter More Accessible, Not EasierWhile the series continues to change with advances in hardware, its core gameplay has always stayed the same. This is because the developers have absolute confidence in what makes it fun. The changes made in World and the improvements found in Wilds have always come from a focus on finding ways to bring what makes Monster Hunter fun to an even larger audience.Play"We have data showing that many of the people who quit World partway through did so before reaching the part where you're really playing Monster Hunter, Tsujimoto says of the feedback they received from World. I think there are a lot of reasons for that, but maybe they couldn't find monsters, or they didn't know what to do once they reached them, or maybe the weapon they brought didn't suit them once it came time for action. We've been incredibly careful in Wilds to guide players to the fun of Monster Hunter without changing the core of the series."Mr. Fujioka explains that it's for this reason that the difficulty in Wilds generally follows suit from World."Monster Hunter is an action game, which means that you're always going to have some players who never complete the game no matter how much you adjust the numbers, he says. That's why we quite carefully analyzed the reasons players can't beat it, or why they can't make it to a hunt, then created a way for them to grow step by step. As you progress through the game, a moment will come when these skills that you've learned one at a time will suddenly all be required of you. At the end of the day, our goal with Monster Hunter is to create action that you can sink your teeth into, and the enjoyment of being able to finally defeat a monster by playing together with a team as one. We've had the goal in every title we've made for people picking up Monster Hunter for the first time to ultimately be able to reach the same skill level as veteran hunters."PlayGiven Fujiokas comments, it sounds as though the development team never even considered making monsters weaker in order to make the game more accessible. They believe in the hunters who decide to take on Monster Hunter, and they want to avoid at all costs lessening the fun that those hunters should eventually come to find. Instead of resorting to the simplest possible way to improve accessibility, they decided to think about a player's experience and design a game that matches it.Tokuda continues, "For Wilds, we conducted an even closer analysis of a player's growth curve. It's good that Great Jagras, the first large monster in World, could easily be hit from many different angles, but it had a broad range of attacks in return, making it feel difficult for those not used to action games. Chatacabra, the first monster in Wilds, has only focused attacks, while the next monster, Quematrice, has wider-ranging attacks. We've designed it in this way so that players will gradually learn how to respond as they get used to the game's action."Another Core: The Communication FactorThe developers also spoke about how one other element that helps define Monster Hunter is the communication between hunters. My first time playing Monster Hunter with others was with Monster Hunter Portable 3rd on the PlayStation Portable, but even back then there were already many veteran hunters who had come before me. I remember them taking me by the hand and guiding me through what I needed to bring on hunts and what to do when encountering a monster. But without those people around me, I doubt I ever would have ever become a hunter.Play"You didn't even know where to mine, right?" Tsujimoto laughs. "Networked communication wasn't as easy back in those days, so it was like whoever found something became a hero. That information and enjoyment would then spread from there. We even had monsters that we never officially announced in order to encourage more communication."Fujioka says these tricks existed within Monster Hunter from the very beginning."In the mission for Lao-Shan Lung, you're asked to simply repel the monster, but it's actually possible to kill it, he says. It's designed so that it can be properly defeated even if that isn't the goal. That information was never officially announced, though, so a player would get that experience and spread the information from there. We were intentional about putting that into the game."PlayMonster Hunter began as an action game that can be enjoyed with other players, communication included. That philosophy has remained consistent ever since its start in 2004."What we set out to create from the very start was action enjoyed with others, whether that's in the game's setting or in its gameplay, continues Fujioka. The focus is on how much fun we can bring players through its action, and just how solid the push and pull against monsters feels. I think that what makes Monster Hunter unique is that you can get a serious action experience whether you're playing alone or with three others."It may be a little early to ask, but now that Wilds nears its release, what do the developers see in Monster Hunters future? When I ask Fujioka this, he replies with a forced laugh. "The future, huh..." He then goes silent for a bit, as if to think back on his time developing the game, then continues, picking his words with care.Play"... Well, I think I've exhausted myself with Wilds, and it feels like it'll be difficult to take a broader view of the game until a while after its release, he admits. What I can say, though, is that there has been a dizzying amount of change in the last decade or two, like online games becoming the standard. Advances in hardware and technology are of course going to continue as well. It was a huge shock when the PSP came out and we saw the level of specs that portable games were now capable of. That would have been unimaginable 20 years before its release. All we can do is make games. But when something incredible that feels truly advanced comes along, we get so many ideas about what to do next with Monster Hunter. I think Monster Hunter is just going to keep changing to match the shifts and advances of the times."The interview left me with the powerful feeling that these creators firmly believe in how fun Monster Hunter is. At the same time, their faith is strong that hunters around the world will enjoy Monster Hunter. They leave the core fun of the games untouched while bringing hunters to new horizons made visible by advances in hardware. After the leap that was World, these creators now aim for even greater heights with Wilds. I can barely wait until the day that I get to hunt in the world they've created with it.Monster Hunter Wilds is scheduled for release on February 28. Check out our exclusive Oilwell Basin Ajarakan and Rompopolo gameplay videos, and look out for more exclusive interview articles and videos throughout January as part of IGN First.Shuka Yamada is a freelance writer for IGN Japan. This article was translated by Ko Ransom.

Above: The well-curated living room of creative director Florian Marquardt, who scored this early Frank Gehry-designed gem in 2022. The boy apartment trend, which has taken TikTok by storm, is introducing us to a shift in how young men are approaching their living spaces. Mattress on the floor? Crusty bathroom? Mini fridge with just takeout and beer? No more. These arent just cleaned-up versions of collegiate crash padstheyre thoughtfully curated homes that showcase a genuine appreciation for personal style and comfort. Unlike a bachelor pad or man cave, the boy apartment moves beyond the bare necessities of bro-dom, featuring clean, neutral-toned sofas, thriving houseplants, and meticulously styled coffee tables (complete with actual coffee table books).View full post on TiktokTake Robert Kenon, an engineer and content creator in Atlanta whose boy apartment tour surpassed seven million views on TikTok. In the 15-second video, Kenon shares his well-cared for plants, neatly curated vinyl collection, a meditative incense corner, among other spaces in his home. Or Jeremy Guan, a Toronto-based home and lifestyle content creator whose boy apartment videos and home decor reviews have also accumulated millions of views on TikTokfor a good reason. His relaxing apartment is neat, sun-drenched, and personality-filled. I want a boy apartment as a girl, one user wrote in the comments section. This is perfect. Thanks for reminding everyone boy apartments can be fire too, another wrote.View full post on TiktokThe boy apartment trend seems to serve as a direct rebuttal to its predecessor, the boy room trend. Those viral videos showcased the worst stereotypes of masculine living spaces, complete with unwashed dishes and questionable hygiene standards. Where boy room content seemed to revel in and normalize slovenliness, the boy apartment movement represents a sophisticated evolution in how young men approach domestic life.Frank Frances StudioA neatly organized shoe closet dedicated to the homeowners collection of sneakers in a bachelor pad designed by Nicole Fuller.We are no longer talking about slovenly, unkempt rooms, says Jennifer Cohen, owner of JLW Interiors, who has observed an increased interest in thoughtful design from male clients. Now we are speaking of mens needs, interests, and styles being included in the design of a home.The timing of the boy apartments popularity is noteworthy: in a social media landscape recently dominated by female-centric trendsfrom girl apartment tours to girl dinner and beyondthis marks one of the first times a male-focused lifestyle movement has gained widespread positive attention on TikTok.William AbranowiczThe primary bedroom in Cliff Fongs L.A. home is giving us all the best boy apartment vibes.Its also indicative of a looser definition of masculinity among the Gen-Z generation, whether thats a new openness towards wellness and mental health, or simply the freedom to revel in domesticitythat taking pride in ones living space isnt emasculating, its empowering. These spaces show an appreciation for self-care and personal growth, notes London-based interior designer Augustine Atobatele, who has designed apartments for young men in the U.K. He has observed an uptick in feng shui practices as well as curated collections of books, plants, and records. Its a deliberate shift away from both the primitive man cave concept and the intentionally messy boy room, suggesting that young men are ready to embrace a more refined approach to domestic life.After all, notes Atobatele, Our space is a reflection of us.Julia CancillaEngagement EditorJulia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE DECOR, where she manages the brand's social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Her eye for emerging styles helps bring the latest in interior design to ELLE Decor's audience across platforms. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, design, and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.

AirTag 2 is launching this year, about four years after AirTag first debuted. There are some nice upgrades coming to AirTag 2, but what I really want is for the company to expand the lineup: its time for an AirTag Max.AirTag battery can be annoying, but an add-on accessory fixes itAirTags come with a lot of great use cases. But for me, Ive always been lukewarm on the device because of the battery issue.Remembering to change out AirTag batteries is an annoyance I dont want to deal with. Sure, an iPhone notification will tell you when to do it. But the battery drains faster than Id like, and Im not always able to change the battery right when I get an alert. Plus, doing this for multiple AirTags can mean I have the feeling of constantly changing batteries.Thats why I was so excited to discover the new TimeCapsule product that extends an AirTags battery life so it lasts up to 10 years.TimeCapsule is a clever workaround for solving my biggest AirTag problem. It adds a fair amount of bulk to the AirTag, so its not ideal for all use cases. But for lots of AirTag needs, a TimeCapsule is great.It also got me thinking: why doesnt Apple do this?Apple should make an AirTag MaxApple could expand its AirTag lineup by launching not just the AirTag 2, but also a new AirTag Max product.AirTag Max would do basically what TimeCapsule does today: offer significantly longer battery life in exchange for a bulkier case.10 years of battery for an AirTag with no add-ons required? Sign me up.When youre throwing AirTag Max into your luggage, or car, the size of the AirTag really makes no difference.I suspect that Apple could even make AirTag Max small enough to still be an okay fit for bulkier keychains.Growing the AirTag product line with AirTag Max seems like a very Apple move. In fact, Im kind of surprised the company hasnt done so yet.Heres hoping, though, that if AirTag 2 is well received, Apple will be able to follow it up with a new AirTag Max in the future.Would you buy an AirTag Max? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best AirTag deals and accessoriesAirTag 1-pack for only $24 (down from $30)AirTag 4-pack for only $69(down from $100)TimeCapsule AirTag 10-year battery caseTimeCapsule AirTag 10-year battery case (2-pack)Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: new iPads are on the way, plus a curious iOS Invites app, and more. Here are this weeks Apple rumors.New iPads and iPhone SE 4 launching by AprilThere was a rumor this week widely misconstrued as claiming new iPads and the iPhone SE 4 would be launching as early as January. Mark Gurman quickly refuted the idea, and in the process offered his own expected timeline.He said that new iPads and the iPhone SE 4 would be coming by April, some time before iOS 18.4 launches.My takeawaysThis rumor mostly just confirms what we were already expecting, but with a potential iPad Air tidbit.The forthcoming iPhone SE 4 and new base iPad were always rumored to launch around March. But Gurman references iPads plural in his post, which presumably references the forthcoming M3 iPad Air.Gurman had previously mentioned the new iPad Air would debut around the same time as the iPhone SE 4, but since we just got the M2 Air last May, I personally wasnt expecting the M3 revision until April at the earliest, and more likely May or June. Such a release could still fit the around the same time window.Now though, it sounds like the new iPad Air may debut in March at the same time as a revised base iPad and iPhone SE.Invites app in the works at AppleThis week my 9to5Mac colleague Filipe Espsito exclusively reported on signs of Apple developing a new Invites app. Code was discovered in the latest iOS 18.3 beta to indicate ongoing work of the app, which could be a standalone app or possibly integrated into other parts of iOS like iMessage.My takeawaysVery little is known about this potential app. My initial thought, though, is that it sounds more like a new feature set than a full-blown app. I could definitely see Apple bring an upgraded invite system to the Calendar app. And maybe even make an API thats used by other built-in iOS apps or even third-party calendars.Fantastical, for example, offers a great system for managing calendar invites, polling invitees for availability, and sharing a bookable schedule with others. Apples Calendar app could use similar upgradesall of which may potentially be covered by Invites.iPhone 17 Pro design changeIts becoming more clear that Apple is planning to bring design changes not just to the iPhone 17 Air, but its 17 Pro line too.The latest on that front: Weibo leakerFixed-focus digital shared that the iPhone 17 Pro will use a slope rather than a step for the connection between the back shell and the main body.My takeawaysIts hard to read too much into this leak, since its a translation and doesnt seem entirely clear anyways.It sounds like the iPhone 17 Pro may go back to more of a curved sides design. Every model since the iPhone 12 has used flatter sides.This could go hand-in-hand with the shift toward an aluminum frame, as has been reported elsewhere. Personally, I do like curved sides on the iPhone. However, iPhone sizes have increased recently, so Im concerned curved sides could negatively impact grip.What do you make of this weeks Apple rumors? Let us know in the comments.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Image by Getty / FuturismDevelopmentsDespite being the subject of a full month of scrutiny in the wake of its CEO's murder, UnitedHealthcare is, somehow, still going to extreme lengths to deny health insurance claims and one surgeon has taken to social media to speak out about it.In a post on TikTok, Texas surgeon Elisabeth Potter was flabbergasted by a recent exchange she'd had with a UHC representative who called her when she was in the middle of a procedure to ask if the patient's overnight stay was necessary."It's 2025," the Austin-based plastic surgeon declared, "and insurance just keeps getting worse."UnitedHealthcare has become the epicenter of a fierce debate surrounding the systematic denial of health insurance claims in the US. Case in point, the company went as far as to deploy an error-prone AI algorithm in 2023 to override claims to elderly patients that had been approved by their doctors. @drelisabethpotter Its 2025, and navigating insurance has somehow gotten even more out of control I just performed two bilateral DIEP flap surgeries and two bilateral tissue expander surgeries. During one of the DIEP cases, I was interrupted by a call from United Healthcarewhile the patient was already asleep on the operating table. They demanded information about her diagnosis and inpatient stay justification. I had to scrub out mid-surgery to call United, only to find that the person on the line didnt even have access to the patients full medical information, despite the procedure already being pre-approved. Its beyond frustrating and, frankly, unacceptable. Patients and providers deserve better than this. We should be focused on care, not bureaucracy. I just have no other words at this point original sound - Dr. Elisabeth Potter During a breast reconstruction procedure, Potter said she was contacted in the operating room and told that a UHC rep had called and needed to speak to her right away about the patient she was operating on. She scrubbed out and gave the "gentleman," a call only to be questioned about the woman's diagnosis and "whether her inpatient stay should be justified.""I was like, 'do you understand that she's asleep right now and she has breast cancer?'" Potter recounted. "And the gentleman said, 'actually, I don't that's a different department that would know that information.'"Clearly perturbed, Potter told the representative that the overnight post-surgery stay was indeed necessary and that moreover, UHC should already have that information because the surgery had already been approved."'I need to go back,'" she recalled telling the man, "'and be with my patient now.'"The incident highlights a fundamentally deficient and notoriously greedy health insurance system in the United States. UnitedHealthcare, the country's largest health insurer, has played a major role, garnering a reputation for doing everything in its power to save money by denying coverage.As Potter explained, she'd never had anything quite like that happen during her career as a surgeon. For all the stories we've heard about cruel claim denials in the month since Brian Thompson's murder, the incident stands out."It's out of control," the surgeon concluded. "Insurance is out of control. I have no other words."Share This Article

"We can already confirm that no technical problem is at the origin of this incident."Nasal PassageIn Belgium, a Boeing 737 jetliner quite literally fell on its nose and the airline behind it is stumped as to what happened.As Dutch-language Het Laatste Nieuwsindicates, the nose landing gear of the TUI airlines-operated 737, which had landed earlier on the morning of January in Brussels after a flight from Spain, appeared to abruptly collapse while the jet was parked.Luckily, no passengers were on board the jet at the time, and the all-Boeing airline confirmed that there were no injuries sustained during the bizarre incident that quickly spread on social media after onlookers posted images and videos of the collapse.Till I CollapseIn an interview with HLN, aviation journalist Luk de Wilde called the collapse "exceptional" but said it probably doesn't represent quite as huge a safety hazard as it would appear at first."When an aircraft lands, the landing gear retracts," he explained, "and thanks to gravity and the weight of an aircraft, that will always happen."De Wilde conjectured that the cause was "probably a human error by maintenance personnel or the crew" an admission that TUI itself does not seem ready to make."We will carry out an in-depth analysis of the situation in consultation with the authorities," TUI said in a statement, "but we can already confirm that no technical problem is at the origin of this incident."Bad News BearsThe timing of this nasal failure couldn't be worse for TUI, which in recent months has taken media heat after repeated incidents drew scrutiny in the wake of Boeing's own safety issues and internal crises following last January's door blowout incident.Just a few weeks ago, one of the airline's flight attendants was hospitalized after stepping out of the cabin without realizing its stairs had already been retracted, falling hard to the ground.Back in August, passengers on another TUI flight were forced to evacuate after a fire broke out in the cargo hold of yet another 737 after it had landed. Belgian comedian Gunter Lamoot toldHLN after that incident that the scene was particularly strange because the landing had gone off without a hitch, and people had even applauded the pilots before the evacuation order was issued.Between these anxiety-inducing occurrences and the two separate reports about TUI's safety failures issued in the latter half of 2024, things aren't looking great for the destination airline, which primarily shepherds passengers from Belgium and the United Kingdom to various vacation spots.Then again, things are probably worse for the manufacturer that provides its planes.More on plane panic: Former NASA Astronaut Puzzled by Metallic Orbs He Encountered While FlyingShare This Article