• The Legend Of Zelda Games That Changed The Franchise The Most
    gamerant.com
    For over three decades, The Legend of Zelda has remained an integral part of gaming history, being many peoples first high-fantasy adventure experience. The original game on the NES was revolutionary, which led to it being a success and the start of a flagship Nintendo franchise.
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  • Ennie Awards allow submissions with AI-generated content, prompting backlash
    www.polygon.com
    Earlier this week, individuals within the tabletop ecosystem began noticing that the Ennies one of the most prestigious awards in the industry, which have been held at Gen Con for over two decades allowed potential nominees to indicate whether their submissions include content generated with artificial intelligence. With continued controversy surrounding the use of generative AI in tabletop games, due to the technologys environmental impacts, its basis in exploitative labor from workers in the global south, and its foundations built on content largely scraped from artists without their consent, the revelation prompted a swift backlash on social media against the awards ceremony, which had already faced an earlier round of criticism for a lack of professionals of color in its judging pool.The AI Content Certification option on the submission form states that the awards show accepts products that include AI generated content, provided that the potential nominee discloses which part of their project is AI-generated. However, any element of the work that includes AI-generated content wouldnt be able to receive an award in that category. The example provided in the disclaimer states that a project with a human-made cover but artificially generated interior art would theoretically be eligible to win Best Cover Art but not Best Interior Art.The statement then goes on to say that this disclosure is largely on the Honor System, as the judges or submissions coordinator will not feasibly be able to identify which submissions are AI-generated with 100% accuracy, just as [they] currently cant identify potential copyright violations, or re-use of art from other products. Submissions that are found to be using AI after the fact will be delisted, and any awards revoked, with the creators in question to be potentially prohibited from submitting future products.An Ennie Awards spokesperson told Polygon that the award committee was working on a full response to public concerns. They also noted that this is the second year the policy has been in effect, and that the committee had received no feedback from the 900+ submissions that were required to check the box last year. With more attention given to the subject of AI-generated content in the wake of its use by Hasbro, members of the industry are perhaps more aware of the technology now than in previous years. The spokesperson went on to state that only 0.05% of submissions disclosed using AI content, with the majority of those submissions being for Online Content/Digital Media.The Ennies representative said that the awards committee will not change its eligibility requirements mid-year (as the deadline for submissions is March 31), noting that judges will have full access to this information and can take it into consideration as they review products. However, they stated that as the Ennies are and always have been a community award, the ENNIE Staff is currently considering putting the choice to a vote on the eligibility of AI content as part of this years awards ballot. The Ennies are fan-curated and fan-selected by a panel of volunteers.
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  • Check out this $150 FPGA-based PlayStation
    www.polygon.com
    You may recognize Taki Udon from his retro gaming YouTube channel, but last year he started a company to manufacture gaming hardware, including a much-cheaper variant of the DE10 board behind the popular open-source MiSTer FPGA project you can read all about my beloved MiSTer here and he hasnt slowed down since.After a series of teases, Udons Retro Remake imprint has taken the wraps off of its FPGA-powered PlayStation clone, called the SuperStation One. The MiSTer-based console starts at just $149.99 for pre-orders, in what is being billed as a Founders Edition, with subsequent pricing having a hard cap of $225 (also visible in this image of the store page). If you want that SuperSpecial price, pre-orders open at the following times, on the Retro Remake store:Los Angeles: 6 p.m. PST on Saturday, January 25New York: 9 p.m. EST on Saturday, January 25London: 2 a.m. GMT on Sunday, January 26Hong Kong: 10 a.m. HKT on Sunday, January 26Sydney: 1 p.m. AEDT on Sunday, January 26More times here Mark your calendars.It would be uncharacteristic of me to not have this in transparent blue. Should we make it? Taki Udon (@takiudon.bsky.social) 2025-01-23T08:30:25.483ZThe SuperStation One is a custom MiSTer device, housed in a plastic shell that certainly evokes the vibes of the original PlayStation (or, perhaps, the PSOne would be more accurate). While the device will run any of the MiSTers myriad cores, its the projects PSX_MiSTer core that takes center stage here. Coupled with original PlayStation controller and Memory Card ports on the front of the device, and a bevy of other inputs and outputs befitting any MiSTer project, and the SuperStation One makes a compelling alternative to the MiSTers often confusing assembly of hubs and hats and SDRAM and SNAC adapters. With built-in analog output, USB, NFC, wifi, Bluetooth, and SNAC support, Udons console has de-dongled the MiSTer to a really impressive degree.Theres even a power button! (MiSTer users know. )Then theres the question of how you get games on the thing. Retro Remake has teased a separate attachment called the SuperDock, which houses a CD/DVD drive, four USB A ports, and a 2280 m.2 SSD bay, and which appears to fit neatly beneath the SuperStation One.While no pricing has been announced yet, pre-order deposits will be available for $5 alongside a SuperStation One purchase. The design for the SuperDock (D) is almost done. CD/DVD drive, four USB A ports, and a 2280 m.2 SSD bay. Taki Udon (@takiudon.bsky.social) 2025-01-22T00:17:20.685ZIf youd rather skip loading real discs, or would prefer to do what I did and embed small NFC stickers into your cases, the SuperStation One comes equipped with an NFC reader so you can use Zaparoo (ne TapTo) to load games, giving you that tactile console experience. Normally, how you get the ROMs that youll be tapping onto the device is a process best left unspoken, but Udon spoke to the excellent folks at Time Extension about the SuperDocks capabilities here.Thankfully, saving games is split from the media, and our SNAC ports give us the direct ability to load and save games without needing to use cartridge-based workarounds. That just leaves you with how to handle the CD itself. On a stock core with a stock system, it is possible to store your games on an internal SSD via a simple process. Whenever you use that CD in the future, the stock system will call the stored backup and load the game without you needing to do anything.This is a great solution for those of us with large PS1 disc collections, where you could rip your own ROMs, and load them upon disc insertion, or (presumably) NFC tap if youd prefer. While theres still a large open question for how these changes apply upstream to the MiSTer project, its certainly compelling from a user experience standpoint.If all of this reminds you of Analogues excellent clone consoles, well yeah, this is a direct competitor to what Analogue has been up to. While Analogues products are beautiful and simple compared to the complexities of a MiSTer build, they lack the flexibility and Tinker Factor that the MiSTer has. They also lack much to the frustration of many of its customers and fans of its name analog output for CRT support, which the SuperStation One will support. Analogue hasnt gotten around to a PlayStation core yet; its first CD-based system was 2023s excellent, but niche, Analogue Duo and up next is the Analogue 3D, a 4K Nintendo 64 clone which should be shipping this quarter. As much as Ive enjoyed all of Analogues projects, its exciting to see some more competition in this space.
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  • Do You Really Need to Add Rest Days Into Your Exercise Routine?
    lifehacker.com
    Rest days are a standard part of exercise programs, but theyre not the only way to avoid overworking yourself. Contrary to what a lot of beginner advice says, you don't always need a rest day after each day of exercise, and you can even work out seven days a week if you like. But once you start bending the rules, you'll need to take some extra effort to make sure you allow yourself enough recovery, even if it doesn't come in the form of rest. Recovery is important (whether it comes in the form of "rest days" or not)Most strength training programs either work your whole body and then have you rest the next day, or else they have you split up your workouts so that each muscle group gets a day of restfor example, your arms get a rest on leg day. The idea is to let each muscle recover from a workout before you ask it to do the same thing again, and rest days are a valid way of making sure you're getting some time to recover.But not every activity works this way. Runners, for example, often run every day, and may only take one or two true rest days a week (or, for some, zero). But within that pattern, they will alternate days of hard running (like speedwork, hill running, or long runs) with easy runs that feel less challenging to the body. The easy run days may not be "rest," but they do count as recovery time for an experienced runner.Other sports may fall somewhere in between, but nobody expects to work every body part to exhaustion every day. Even when elite athletes do workouts every day that look killer to us, its because our hard is their easy. You can bet their coaches schedule in enough of the easier workouts to keep the athletes progress on track with minimal risk of injury.Whatever your schedule looks like, those rest days or easy days are there to help us pace ourselves. Too much hard running, if youre not used to it, sets you up for tendonitis and other overuse injuries. And too much exercise of any kind can lead to a syndrome called overtraining where your body may develop flu-like symptoms and disturbed sleep because it just cant keep up with the demands youre putting on it.Theres Nothing Magic About Resting for One DayTaking a single rest day after a hard workout isnt the only way to keep yourself from overtraining. There are a few reasons its a good rule of thumb, though:Resting every other day means only half of your days will be hard workouts. The other half will be rest days or easier days, so the schedule keeps your total workout intensity manageable. An alternating schedule is easy to follow. You don't have to ask yourself whether your recovery work is easy enough, or memorize which exercises work which muscles. You just stay home if it's not a workout day, and you know you're on track.Mentally, its easier to stick to a workout when you enjoy it. Hard workouts arent always fun, and you may need to psych yourself up to try something really challenging. Its okay if you dont feel up to that every day. Having some easier, more relaxing days can help you stick to your schedule.Routines with rest days are easier to schedule around your life. People who work out six days a week have to fit those workouts around everything that's going on in their lives. Having multiple rest days every week means you have more time for work, school, family, hobbies, and anything else that competes for those time slots.If you can accomplish those goals with another schedule, though, feel free to do so. If you enjoy all your workouts, even the hard ones, slowly include more hard days in your schedule. If you feel okay with that, keep doing it! But if you end up sore or fatigued, listen to your body and put those rest days back in. Recovery Doesnt Have to Mean Total RestSome people prefer the term recovery to rest days, because total rest isnt necessarily your goal. After all, lifting a fork to your mouth is a similar action to a bicep curl, so if you just did a heavy arm day, would you be unable to eat? Clearly, some amount of activity is fine on a rest or recovery day.This is where you have to calibrate your own sense of effort. If youre new to exercising and you just did a day of heavy squats, a five mile bike ride is probably not a great choice for the following day. But if you bike five miles to work every day, you should be able to keep doing that even on your rest days. When I did push-ups every day for 30 days, a few people suggested that I was setting myself up for injury by not taking rest days. But as I wrote in that article, I ramped up my fitness very carefully. A few sets of pushups every day became my new normal, and it was no more taxing to me than a bike ride is to a bike commuter. Some days I would try a more challenging type of pushup or I might do more reps than usual; but I balanced out those harder days with, you guessed it, easier days that are closer to my baseline effort level. As you learn your own strengths and limitations, you too can alter your workout schedule according to what works for you. That might mean you only take one or two rest days per week, or it might mean you do mega-hard workouts and then lay low for a few days. If youre getting a reasonable amount of exercise in total, and if you arent getting sore or injured, youre probably doing okay. Now, let me ask some of the specific questions that I know tend to come up in these discussions? Can I walk or do cardio on rest days? Yes, if that's your baseline level of activity. If you always go for a walk after dinner, there's no need to skip that just because it's a rest day. If you want to start adding cardio on your rest days, make sure you're recovering well from whatever you're already doing. Feel free to add in that extra cardio, or other easy movement, a little bit at a time. I also have this guide to figuring out what to do on your rest days.How do I know when I need a rest day? If you can't tell the difference between feeling lazy and needing a rest day, ask yourself: Do I want to skip my workout or do I need to skip my workout? If you feel like you need a rest day, you probably do. It's OK to take a rest day if you feel sick, or if you're unusually tired or busy. A workout is just a workout. It can wait. If you ask yourself this question and decide you just don't want to work out, consider moving the workout to another day or time. Or, if there's really no reason to skip, go do the workout anyway. Any time I feel this way, I always feel better afterward, and I'm glad I got the workout done. But if you're asking yourself this question pretty often, you should probably revisit your workout routine and make sure it's actually working for you. Rest (or recovery) days should be preventative. They keep you from getting too run-down. Do I need rest days if I'm not sore? Soreness doesn't have much to do with recovery, believe it or not. You can be well-recovered but feeling a little sore, or vice versa. On a new exercise program, I'd advise sticking to your scheduled recovery days. After two weeks, that's when you can add in some extra work on those recovery days as long as you're still feeling good.What happens if I don't take my rest day? You might feel a little more fatigued for your next workout. Over time, if you don't take any rest days, you may find you're lifting less weight or performing poorly in workouts. You may notice other effects on your health, like poor sleep. But then again, maybe you'll be fine. As we discussed above, rest days aren't magic, they're just a tool in the toolbox. If you work out every day, but your total amount of work is within your body's limits, you might recover just fine and this becomes your new normal. Pay attention to how you're feeling, though, and add those rest days back in if you feel you need them.
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  • My Favorite Amazon Deal of the Day: The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro
    lifehacker.com
    We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Like Apple, Samsung prefers its customers stay within their ecosystem, and offers them a better user experience in return. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro are a good example: They provide higher resolution audio and a better listening experience if used with a Samsung phone. If that sounds good to you, right now you can get the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro for $99.99 (originally $229.99), thanks to an automatic $80 discount at checkout (look for the green font under the listing price). This is the lowest price they have reached since their release, according to price tracking tools. SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds2 Pro Features: Hi-Fi Sound, 360 Audio, Active Noise Cancelling, HD Voice, IPX7 Water Resistant. $99.99 at Amazon $229.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Amazon $229.99 Save $130.00 Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 came out in the summer of 2022, earning good reviews. PCMag's "excellent" review noted they offer good active noise cancellation (ANC), a wireless charging case, and an IPX7 waterproof rating. If you lose them, you can locate your lost earbuds using the SmartThings app. But where these earbuds excel is in their audio quality: Dual drivers on each earbud mean a better frequency range, leading to noticeably strong depth. As I mentioned, those with recent Galaxy phones running at least Android 8.0, One UI 4.0, and 1.5GB RAM will be able to listen to 24-bit audio, giving you more dynamic range and less digital noise than 16-bit audio. If you have other Galaxy products, like a smartwatch or a TV, they support an auto-switching feature, provided those products can run a firmware update from at least July 2022.Even Apple users will actually get better audio than non-Samsung Android owners, since the Galaxy Buds support Apple's AAC codec.
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  • Roli finally introduces a larger teaching piano keyboard, complete with AI
    www.engadget.com
    Roli just introduced the simply-named Piano at NAMM, a 49-key smart keyboard that's primarily intended for learners, but has some neat bells and whistles for experienced musicians. It features light-up keys across all octaves, to help newbies get a handle on chords. These keys will also glow to show scales, arpeggios and more. Its basically a larger version of the companys beloved Piano M teaching keyboard. For veterans, the Roli Piano offers per-key pitch bend and polyphonic aftertouch, which should make for expressive playing. It also tracks fingers in four different ways while playing. This will allow the keyboard to successfully control MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) instruments. The additional controllable parameters helps narrow the gap between digital and acoustic instruments. This is also a modern tech device, so Roli stuffed in some AI tools. The Piano AI Assistant uses generative AI to streamline the learning process. The company says it can help players get started with drills, teach music history and even go over theory. This tech will be improved upon as the year goes on, via software updates. Speaking of software, buyers also get Roli Studio, which is a collection of instruments and presets. The Roli Piano also offers some neat integration with the companys recently-released Airwave keyboard teaching tool. This theremin-like device tracks a players fingers and sends teaching data to a tablet. The Airwave is also an instrument in its own right, as users can raise their hands like a conductor to create and play sounds. The ways we learn and play music are improving exponentially thanks to innovations like the Airwave, and now the Roli Piano and Piano AI Assistant, Roland Lamb, Founder and CEO of Roli, told Engadget. "Players now have access to the most intelligent and intuitive music system out there. Roli Piano connects via USB-C or wirelessly with Bluetooth. It works with all major DAWs and a whole lot of virtual instruments. Pre-orders are available right now, with shipments going out in May. Early adopters get a serious discount here, as the price right now is $400. However, it goes up to $600 upon official release. Theres also a bundle with the Airwave that costs $650 for early birds, but $950 in May. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/roli-finally-introduces-a-larger-teaching-piano-keyboard-complete-with-ai-191551398.html?src=rss
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  • Everything announced at the Xbox Developer Direct showcase
    www.engadget.com
    Xbox hosted its Developer Direct showcase today, detailing progress on three games we knew about and one totally new title, Ninja Gaiden 4. If you couldn't tune in, here's what you missed:Ninja Gaiden 4Ninja Gaiden 4 is being co-developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, best known for the Bayonetta series. The trailer introduces a new protagonist, Yakumo, and Team Ninja is pitching the game as a "true successor" to Ninja Gaiden 3 after the misstep of the Ninja Gaiden Z spinoff. It certainly seems like the exact middle ground between classic Ninja Gaiden and PlatinumGames action. It's coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox this fall, and will be on Xbox Game Pass on day one.Read more: Ninja Gaiden 4 is coming out this fallSouth of MidnightFollowing Ninja Gaiden was South of Midnight, the next game from Compulsion Games, which previous made We Happy Few. South of Midnight has been in the works for a long time, and the studio has been good at communicating progress, especially in recent months. All of which is to say, there wasn't a lot of new info here, aside from a release date: April 8, 2025. (Just to keep the streak going yes, this will be available on Game Pass on day one.)Read more: The striking South of Midnight comes to Xbox and PC on April 8Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been on our radar for some time, and it's still looking great. It's the debut title from Sandfall Interactive, a French studio. Drawing inspiration from France in its late 19th-century golden age, Clair Obscur is a fantasy adventure that seems to pull heavily from the world of JRPGs even the music at the start of Sandfall's segment sounded like the Velvet Room from the Persona series. Again, the big news was a release date April 24. It'll be arriving on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles, and will be playable on Game Pass on day one.Doom: The Dark AgesWhile we knew it was coming, id Software's Doom: The Dark Ages deep dive certainly stole the show for Engadget. It's billed as the biggest Doom game ever, but its also more focused than any other installment in the franchise other than the original Doom, perhaps. The Dark Ages is a tanky romp through a medieval, cosmic Hell, starring an incredibly beefy Slayer and featuring three basic inputs: shield saw, melee and gun. Doom: The Dark Ages is due out on May 15 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, including Game Pass.Read more: Doom: The Dark Ages hits PC, PS5 and Xbox on May 15And that was that a pretty great start to 2025 for Xbox, though the eagle-eyed among you may have realized that all bar South of Midnight are coming to Sony's PlayStation as well as Microsoft's consoles and PC. You can relive the full showcase below:Or... if you don't have time for that, Microsoft for some reason put together a 72-second recap:This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/everything-announced-at-the-xbox-developer-direct-showcase-190406197.html?src=rss
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  • OpenAI's first AI Agent is here, and Operator can make a dinner reservation and complete other tasks on the web for you
    www.techradar.com
    After many rumors, OpenAI's formally announced its first AI Agent: Operator is here as a research preview for ChatGPT Pro users in the US to browse the web and complete tasks for you.
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  • Saudi Arabia to invest $600 billion in U.S. over the next four years, crown prince tells Trump
    www.fastcompany.com
    Saudi Arabias crown prince said Thursday the kingdom wants to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, comments that came after President Donald Trump earlier put a price tag on returning to the kingdom as his first foreign trip.Trumps 2017 trip to Saudi Arabiaupended a tradition of U.S. presidents first heading to the United Kingdom as their first trip abroad. It also underscored his administrations close ties to the rulers of the oil-rich Gulf states as his eponymous real estate company haspursued deals across the region as well.The comments from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reported early Thursday by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, came in a phone call with Trump. It marked Trumps first call with a foreign leader since his inauguration Monday.The crown prince affirmed the kingdoms intention to broaden its investments and trade with the United States over the next four years, in the amount of $600 billion, and potentially beyond that, the report said.The readout did not elaborate on where those investments and trade could be placed. The U.S. in recent years has increasingly pulled away from relying on Saudi oil exports, which once was the bedrock of their relationship for decades. Saudi sovereign wealth funds have taken large stakes in American businesses while also looking at sports as well.Saudi Arabia does, however, rely predominantly on U.S.-made weapons and defense systems, which could be a part of the investment.The White House on Thursday issued a statement acknowledging the call, saying the two leaders discussed efforts to bring stability to the Middle East, bolster regional security and combat terrorism.Additionally, they discussed the kingdom of Saudi Arabias international economic ambitions over the next four years as well as trade and other opportunities to increase the mutual prosperity of the United State and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the statement said, without elaborating.The crown prince, the de facto ruler of the oil-rich kingdom, also spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio early Thursday.On Monday after his inauguration, Trump talked about possibly heading to the kingdom again as his first foreign trip, as he did in 2017.The first foreign trip typically has been with the U.K. but . . . I did it with Saudi Arabia last time because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of our products, Trump told journalists in the Oval Office. If Saudi Arabia wanted to buy another $450 billion or $500well up it for all the inflationI think Id probably go.Trump offered no breakdown on the sales, though in 2018 in the White House, he famously showed Prince Mohammed a poster declaring $12.5 billion in finalized sales to the kingdom of military weaponry.Thats peanuts for you, Trump told the smiling prince, who chuckled.On a potential trip to Saudi Arabia in Trumps new term, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists Thursday: Im not aware of any plans at this time.Trumps 2017 visit to the kingdom set in motiona yearslong boycott of Qatar by four Arab nations, including the kingdom.Trump maintained close relations with Saudi Arabia, even after Prince Mohammed was implicated in the 2018 killing and dismemberment ofWashington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggiin Istanbul. The kingdom also had been talking for years with the Biden administration about a wider deal to diplomatically recognize Israel in exchange for U.S. defense protections and other support.The $600 billion pledge, which dwarves the gross domestic product of many nations, also comes as the kingdom faces budgetary pressures of its own. Global oil prices remain depressed years after the height of the coronavirus pandemic, affecting the kingdoms revenues.Meanwhile, Prince Mohammed also wants to continue his $500 billion project at NEOM,a new city in Saudi Arabias western deserton the Red Sea. It also will need to build tens of billions of dollars worth of new stadiums and infrastructure ahead of ithosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup.Jon Gambrell, Associated Press
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