Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)Always two, there are. No more. No less. Master Yoda's wise words may have rung true for the Sith, but it couldn't be further from the rate at which Star Wars games were being pumped out in the early 2000s.Some showed promise (Episode I: Racer, Battle for Naboo) while others were as dull as The Phantom Menace's trade agreements (Obi-Wan's Adventures). The vast majority fell into a vague middle ground, a place neither Dark nor Light, where games passed the time well enough but wouldn't occupy enough space in the mind to distract from the next cinematic entry.One such title was Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles, an action-platformer/beat 'em up that loosely re-trod the juicy bits of Phantom's plot a year after its cinematic debut and threw in some combo-focused combat and Padawan-level platforming for good measure. It was far from the worst tie-in the film would be treated to, but certainly not the kind of game you'd think would ever get the remaster treatment.Well, surprise! Aspyr has once again stuck its hand into a grimy sack of 'Forgotten Star Wars Games' and pulled this out. As with Racer, Force Unleashed, and, most recently, Bounty Hunter, the studio has once again turned in a by-the-numbers remaster with minimal additions and visual flare. The nostalgia is strong with this one but, as we quickly learned, a game needs to do more than simply play Duel of the Fates to stop itself from feeling horrendously dated.For the most part, Jedi Power Battles is the same game we played on PlayStation and Dreamcast (not the GBA version) back in 2000. After reading an obnoxiously long end-user agreement, you pick a hero from the original game's complete lineup (Plo Koon fans, rise up!), and slash, shoot, and... Force? your way through 10 chapters set in familiar locales from the 1999 movie.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)Aspyr's remaster presents the full roster and all 10 story levels unlocked and fully playable right from the beginning alongside the original's four minigames and arcade-style cheat codes (for those who really want to play with big heads). Playing through each of the story beats unlocks an additional 13 characters for your next playthrough, including the likes of Jar Jar, several Tusken Raiders and Droids, Ishi Tib, and Weequay Star Wars B-Tier, no doubt, but a nice addition nonetheless.Having the full game open to you from the jump is a welcome change we're still haunted by memories of the Droid onslaught in Theed Palace and two-player co-op means there's still the chance for some local lightsaber laughs if you happen to have a fellow Jedi nearby with a hankering for nostalgia.This is particularly true for the four minigames and one-on-one Training mode. Mario Party and Smash it ain't, but the former helped break up the gameplay loop with its game-specific controls (like the button-mashing Kaadu Race! and Gungan Roundup's objective of herding a terrified Jar Jar into your opponent's goal), while the latter lets you duel it out like a classic fighter helped by a decent number of combos for each character.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)However, unlocks and obscure cameos aren't enough to hide the fact that Jedi Power Battles' main story is very much of its time. With the exception of the time trial-based Palace Cliffs and the top-down speeder shoot 'em up Streets of Theed, the level structure grows quickly repetitive. Constantly inputting combos makes the combat feel sluggish, while button-mashing makes every encounter feel identical. Most enemies can be dispatched with a well-timed block to send their bullets right back at them; those that can't always manage to inflict unfair damage while your hero plays out their attack animation.The ones that really hurt are the instances when the game doesn't load an enemy sprite until you're right on top of it, or when a foe clips into the nearby environment, but still manages to fire its blaster with one leg morphed to a nearby plant pot. It's something that occasionally plays out to comedic effect (we properly belly-laughed at the number of Droids that fell to their death by trying to follow us around a tight bend), but the "Aww, 2000 gameplay, what are you like!" nostalgia can only get you so far.Being hit by an enemy is one thing, but the game really shows its age in the platforming challenges. This is by no means an 'open world' and the path to the goal is always clearly signposted, but it took a good bit of time for us to get back into the 2000s headspace. It was a time when double-jump momentum was non-existent, depth perception was all over the place, and cameras would stubbornly remain in one spot while you blindly leapt to the screen's edge, hoping to find a ledge.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)All that said, we had fun with it. If you've got affection for this era of games and this trilogy of Star Wars films, you won't have a bad time with this.Performance on Switch is overall pretty strong, with minimal frame drops throughout the main campaign. The aforementioned clipping and sprite loading issues were increasingly a nuisance, however, particularly in the final chapter where you are required to destroy a series of panels to progress past hazardous fans. In the original release, these panels were clearly signposted with a red button, but no such button, nor panel, appears in the remaster. Instead, you bump into an invisible object, blindly attack in its general direction, and wait for an explosion visual to tell you the path is clear. Without knowledge of the original release, we're not sure you'd ever work that one out, Force-sensitive or not.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)As was the case in Bounty Hunter and Battlefront, Aspyr has loosely updated the visuals and controls here to bring things in line with the present day. For the control scheme (easily swapped between 'Modern' and 'Classic'), it's mostly just a case of swapping 'Jump' from 'A' to 'B', and the visual changes appear just as simple. The characters and environments show a good amount of extra detail compared to their PlayStation days, granted, but the polygonal models and limited textures are still harsh on the eye.Perhaps an option to toggle between old and new graphics (as Aspyr included in Tomb Raider I-III Remastered) might have made the visual tweaks a little more impressive, but if you're hoping to see improved animations and recognisable character silhouettes at a glance, these aren't the upgrades you're looking for.ConclusionFor those who enjoyed the original release back around the turn of the millennium, Star Wars: Episode I - Jedi Power Battles is just about the safest remaster you could imagine. The instant level unlocks and expanded character roster are both nice touches, but Aspyr's limited improvements leave this feeling very of its time. If you can get past the sluggish combat, painful platforming, and performance 'quirks', then this is a fun trip down memory lane; if you can't, then prepare for a lesson in what games felt like a long time ago.All levels unlocked from the get-go let's you get straight to the funExpanded character roster provides more combat opportunitiesIt has nostalgic charmMinigames are a fun twist on the standard gameplayRepetitive combat encountersOutdated and often painful platforming challenges'Clipped' sprites and models can make things unfairly difficultNot Bad 6/10

1-Up.It was all doom and gloom last week as Nintendo's share price took a slight tumble immediately after the long-awaited Switch 2 reveal. But, ever ones to hit the rebound hard, the Big N has bounced back in style, temporarily hitting the company's highest recorded share price since listings began mamma mia.As flagged by Automaton, Nintendo stock temporarily rose to a tasty 9,775 JPY on 23rd January, setting a new all-time high for the company and reportedly beating the previous record (immediately before the Switch 2 reveal) by 371 JPY. While things dropped a little throughout the day, the shares ended up closing at a 1.65% increase on yesterday's figures.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Visa has joined African fintech Moniepoint as a new investor. The business banking and payments platform confirmed to TechCrunch that it received a strategic investment from the global payments giant as both companies look to drive financial inclusion and support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.Sources close to the deal say the fintech which announced a $110 million investment last October, received over $10 million from Visa. The fintech, whose Series C now exceeds $120 million, is reportedly in talks with other investors and may attract more funding in the coming months, all while maintaining its billion-dollar valuation, sources say. Moniepoint declined to comment on the size of Visas check or interest from other investors.Moniepoint provides businesses and individuals with banking accounts, credit, payments, and other financial tools through an app and a network of agents. The fintech now processes over 1 billion transactions monthly, with total payment volumes reaching $22 billiona growth of over 25% in under three months. Its rapid rise began during Nigerias Central Bank cashless drive in early 2023 and has continued steadily, positioning it as an important player shaping the future of digital payments in the country.Moniepoint has just a fraction of the total market. Nigerias digital payment market spans multiple channels, including electronic transfers, ATMs, POS devices, mobile agents, and web payments. In 2023, businesses and consumers completed transactions worth approximately $400 billion, according to the countrys interbank payments switch. Electronic transfers, powered by the instant payments network NIPcomparable to Indias UPI and Brazils Pixdominate the market, accounting for nearly 90% of these transactions, according to data from Stears. Other channels, such as mobile agents, ATMs, and point-of-sale systems, trail far behind.While Moniepoint operates across most of these channels, Visas investment highlights the fintechs position and potential in Nigerias card value chain as both a major issuer and acquirer. Were present in Nigeria today, leading the chart in merchant acquiring and consumer banking, CEO Tosin Eniolorunda told TechCrunch. With Visa as our investor, we can strategically collaborate to continue to grow the payment ecosystem and expand to more countries, which is a key goal for us.One way both companies will look to grow the payment ecosystem is by introducing contactless payments, Eniolorunda said. The central bank has indicated the need to drive contactless services to improve accessibility and conduct micro-transactions. So these are some things that we expect from the partnership. Its progress in the right direction.Nigerias Central Bank showed its latest intent to drive contactless payment adoption with draft guidelines for transaction limits in 2023. However, implementation will depend on clearer regulations and resolving issues related to privacy, security, and trust. Once addressed, contactless payments could significantly boost transaction volumes and arguably outpace other payment methods in the country.Globally, Visa notes that contactless card usage surpasses mobile wallets in many markets. Moniepoint is in that sweet spot to lead this transition in Nigeria by offering contactless-enabled payment terminals to businesses and chip cards to individuals, setting the stage for further adoption.On the other hand, Moniepoint will leverage Visas Cybersource system to gain better visibility into transactions. Additionally, it plans to integrate with Visa Direct for remittances and money transfers as it looks to expand into markets within and outside Africa.Nigerias Interswitch confirms $1B valuation after Visa investmentVisa has a history of investing in Africas payment infrastructure, backing players like Interswitch, Flutterwave, Paystack, and JUMO over the past decade. With Moniepoint, Visa is making its entry into Nigerias SME market, aiming to digitize payments for them and partly in hopes of increasing its share of the countrys card scheme market. Currently, it lags behind Interswitchs Verve and Mastercard in cards. The latter two have also started making inroads in the tap-to-pay opportunity.Visas investment in Moniepoint is the latest example of our long-standing commitment to advancing digital economies in Africa, said Andrew Torre, Regional President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa at Visa. We will enable even the smallest businesses to thrive through innovative payment and software solutions that allow SMEs to scale and open new revenue opportunities while streamlining their operations.Visa will join Moniepoints board following its investment. Other prominent backers in the fintech include Development Partners International, Googles Africa Investment Fund, QED Investors, and British International Investment (BII), among others. Last week, we also reported that an early backer, Oui Capital, recently returned its first fund after investing in the African unicorn six years ago.How African VC firm Oui Capital returned its first fund with Moniepoints unicorn exit

We may see OpenAIs agent tool, Operator, released sooner rather than later. Changes to ChatGPTs code base suggest that Operator will be available as an early research preview to users on the $200 Pro subscription plan.The changes arent yet publicly visible, but a user on X who goes by Choi spotted these updates in ChatGPTs client-side code. TechCrunch separately identified the same references to Operator on OpenAIs website.Here are the three interesting tidbits we spotted:There are multiple references to the operator.chatgpt.com URL. This URL currently redirects to the main chatgpt.com web page.There will be a new popup that tells you to upgrade your plan if you want to try Operator. Operator is currently only available to Pro users as an early research preview, it says.On the page that lists the Plus and Pro plans, OpenAI will add Access to research preview of Operator as one of the benefits of the Pro plan.Image Credits:TechCrunchBloomberg previously reported that OpenAI was working on a general-purpose agent that can perform tasks in a web browser for you.While this sounds a bit abstract, think about all the mundane things you do regularly in your web browser with quite a few clicks following someone on LinkedIn, adding an expense in Concur, assigning a task to someone in Asana, or changing the status of a prospect on Salesforce. An agent could perform such multi-step tasks based on an instruction set.More recently, The Information reported that OpenAI could launch Operator as early as this week. With todays changes, it seems like everything is ready for a public launch.Anthropic has released an AI model that can control your PC using a Computer Use API and local tools that control your mouse and keyboard. It is currently available as a beta feature for developers.It looks like Operator is going to be usable on ChatGPTs website, meaning that it wont interact with your local computer. Instead, OpenAI will likely run a web browser on its own servers to perform tasks for you.Nevertheless, it indicates that OpenAIs ability to interact with computers is progressing. Operator is a specific sandboxed implementation of the companys underlying agentic framework. Its going to be interesting to see if the company has more information to share on the technology that powers Operator.

Engineers from the University of New Mexico (UNM), a public research institution recognized for its work in advanced construction materials, have patented a bendable concrete designed for 3D printing. Researchers in the Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering aimed to address brittleness, high labor costs, and dangers associated with traditional building methods. This new composite, classified as self-reinforced ultra-ductile cementitious material, may herald more resilient infrastructure while reducing dependence on steel bars and heavy machinery.Traditional concrete is renowned for its strength under compression but is inherently brittle, leading to frequent cracks and the need for regular maintenance in infrastructure such as sidewalks and bridges. Maryam Hojati, assistant professor in UNMs Gerald May Department, highlighted this limitation as a primary motivation for their research. Concrete by itself does not show any tensile properties, Hojati explained. To address this, the team incorporated short polymer fibers into the concrete mix, enabling it to withstand both bending and tensile forces without fracturing.Graduate researcher Muhammad Saeed Zafar, who completed his Ph.D. in summer 2024, played a pivotal role in developing the material. Zafar emphasized the challenges in 3D printing concrete, noting that unlike metals and plastics, concrete printing still requires reinforcement with steel bars. If we can successfully design ultrahigh ductile material without using conventional steel bars, it will solve the problem of the incompatibility of reinforcement with the 3D printing process, he stated. The resulting material, known as self-reinforced ultra-ductile cementitious material, achieves this by maintaining structural integrity without external supports.The development process involved meticulous experimentation with various fibers and additives, including polyvinyl alcohol, fly ash, silica fume, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers. Zafar and his team sought to find the optimal balance where the material could flow through a 3D printing nozzle without clogging while retaining enough fiber to prevent the printed structure from collapsing. After numerous trials, the team successfully created four different mixes that offer up to an 11.9% increase in strain capacity.Hojati noted the potential impact of this material on large-scale construction projects. If we use this material at a larger scale, we can minimize the requirement of external reinforcement to the printed concrete structure, she said. The research was funded by grants from the Transportation Consortium of South-Central States (Tran-SET) and Region Sixs University Transportation Center, supporting the development and testing of 3D printable engineered cementitious materials.3D printing system depositing self-reinforced ultra-ductile cementitious material for structural applications. Photo via University of New Mexico.3D Printed Concrete InnovationParallel advancements in 3D printing construction highlight the growing emphasis on sustainability. At ETH Zurich, researchers introduced Impact Printing, a robotic construction technique utilizing Earth-based materials like sand, clay, and gravel. This method reduces carbon emissions by eliminating the need for cement and relies on locally sourced, recyclable materials. Impact Printing uses a high-velocity robotic tool to bond layers of mixed Earth materials, achieving immediate structural strength without chemical stabilizers. This technique enables the construction of two-story walls with minimal environmental impact, presenting a sustainable alternative to conventional 3D printing methods.Similarly, the University of Virginia (UVA) has made strides in enhancing the sustainability of 3D printed concrete. UVA researchers developed a cementitious composite by incorporating graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) with limestone-calcined clay (LC2). The team found that adding just 0.05% GNPs by weight increased the compressive strength by 23% and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 31% compared to traditional cement mixtures. This graphene-enhanced concrete not only improves structural integrity but also aligns with environmental goals by minimizing the carbon footprint of construction materials.The 3D printed Versarien Lunar Pod. Photo via Versarien.Ready to discover who won the 20243D Printing Industry Awards?What will the future of 3D printing look like?Which recent trends are driving the 3D printing industry, as highlighted by experts?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to stay updated with the latest news and insights.Stay connected with the latest in 3D printing by following us on Twitter and Facebook, and dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry YouTube channel for more exclusive content.Featured image shows a 3D printing system depositing self-reinforced ultra-ductile cementitious material for structural applications. Photo via University of New Mexico.

Hello there, everyone. I have just posted my portfolio on ArtStation here.Id love for someone to give me some input. Thank you very much in advance. 2 posts - 2 participants Read full topic

Sporting colorful garments and richly patterned faces, Reen Barreras doll sculptures (previously) evoke an expressive, make-believe world. Often dressed in striped tops and hand-stitched hoods with animalistic ears, his imaginative Ohlala characters represent the universality of human emotions while emphasizing every individuals unique qualities.Barrera creates the sculptures from wood and patchwork textiles, and he also makes paintings depicting Ohlala figures in pensive moments or expressing a sense of empowerment. Find his work at Art Central Hong Kong in March, and see more on his website and Instagram.Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Reen Barreras Expressive Ohlala Characters Evoke Emotions and Empowerment appeared first on Colossal.

Tech This flying motorcycle can take you from traffic to sky in minutes Is this innovative eVTOL the future of travel? Published January 23, 2025 6:00am EST close This flying motorcycle can take you from traffic to sky in minutes The Skyrider X1 combines land and air travel in one sleek design. The unveiling of the Skyrider X1, which claims to be the "worlds first amphibious flying passenger motorcycle," has certainly stirred up excitement.This innovative vehicle promises to change how we think about personal mobility by combining land and air travel in one sleek design. Skyrider X1 (Rictor)A major advancement in transportationDeveloped by Rictor, a sub-brand of the Chinese company Kuickwheel, theSkyrider X1 marks a big progression from Rictor's previous product, the K1 e-bike. Transitioning from an electric bicycle to a flying motorcycle is no small feat, and it shows Rictor's ambition to push the boundaries of eco-friendly and energy-efficient transportation. Skyrider X1 (Rictor)Innovative featuresThe Skyrider X1 features amphibious functionality, allowing it to operate on both land and water, although some skeptics are curious about how well it will perform in real-world conditions. This vehicle can reach speeds of up to 62 mph (100 km/h) and offers flight times of around 25 minutes for the base model with a 10.5-kWh battery. The premium version, equipped with a 21-kWh battery, boasts up to 40 minutes of flight time.Made from lightweight carbon fiber composites and aviation-grade aluminum, the Skyrider X1 balances durability with flight capability. It also incorporates smart technology that includes automatic route planning to determine optimal flight paths based on your destination and real-time adaptability that adjusts altitude, speed and direction according to weather conditions. Skyrider X1 (Rictor)Safety as a prioritySafety is a top priority for Rictor in the design of the Skyrider X1. The vehicle includes triple-redundant flight control systems that ensure safe operation even if an engine fails. Additionally, it features an integrated emergency parachute for added peace of mind.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE Skyrider X1 (Rictor)Pricing and accessibilityWith an expected price tag of around $60,000, the Skyrider X1 aims to make personal air travel more accessible compared to other eVTOL options. By blending performance with affordability, Rictor hopes to bring flying within reach for more people.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Skyrider X1 (Rictor)A look into the futureAs cities grow and traffic congestion worsens, innovative solutions like the Skyrider X1 could become essential. This vehicle not only aims to ease urban travel but also promotes sustainable options in personal transportation. With advancements in battery technology and autonomous systems, eVTOL vehicles may soon transform how we navigate our environments. Skyrider X1 (Rictor)Kurt's key takeawaysThe Skyrider X1 is a glimpse into a future where flying could actually be part of our everyday lives. Imagine zipping through the skies instead of sitting in traffic. It sounds pretty cool, right? However, there are still some big questions to tackle about how this will all work in practice. We need to think about safety and whether it can really handle the demands of real-world travel. So, while the idea of flying motorcycles is exciting, well have to wait and see how they fit into real-world scenarios.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPSo, what do you think? Would you be ready to hop on a flying motorcycle like the Skyrider X1? Let us know what you think by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

The Dreame L40 Ultra high-end robot vacuum and mop delivers excellent suction and thorough cleaning capabilities - and it's on sale right now.

The Coway Airmega IconS is a dust-busting, wireless charging, retro-looking air purifier that gets the job done during winter times.