Mortgage rates are always in flux, but homebuyers should expect more turbulence than usual over the next few months. Since starting his second term, President Donald Trump is moving forward on some of his policies around immigration and trade, which many experts see as inflationary."Higher tariffs and restrictive immigration policies would increase costs for homebuyers at a time when affordability is near a four-decade low," said Matt Walsh, housing economist at Moody's Analytics.Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates have remained around a steep 7% for several weeks. While Trump has repeatedly claimed he will bring mortgage rates down to 3% (which would indicate a severe economic crisis), the president doesn't set rates on home loans.Even the Federal Reserve, which sets a short-term benchmark interest rate for lenders, only indirectly impacts the mortgage market. Between September and December, the central bank cut interest rates three times, but mortgage rates didn't fall.That's because rates are primarily driven by movement in the bond market, specifically on the 10-year Treasury yield. Bond yields and interest rates rise and fall depending on how new economic data and policy changes shift market speculation and risk assessment.Right now, mortgage rates are staying elevated due to a combination of factors: "strong" economic growth; potentially inflationary policies under the new Trump administration; and the Fed's less aggressive rate-cutting path in 2025. At its first policy meeting of the year on Jan. 28-29, the central bank is expected to hold interest rates steady.Mortgage rates will continue to fluctuate as investors speculate what's next. If inflation remains high or starts to rebound, mortgage rates will increase, regardless of the president's promise to lower borrowing costs."On mortgage rates, we're more data dependent than ever," said Greg Sher, managing director at NFM Lending.Will the Fed meeting change the outlook for mortgage rates?Given slow progress on inflation and concerns about it reheating, the Fed is expected to leave interest rates unchanged at its next few policy meetings."The earliest possible rate cut would be in March, and that assumes a compelling drop in [inflation] in the two reports between now and then," said Matt Graham of Mortgage News Daily. As of now, though, most investors are betting another rate reduction won't come until late spring or early summer.The Fed is likely to face pressure from the new president if additional cuts aren't made. During a virtual appearance at the Davos World Economic Forum on Thursday, Trump said he would demand interest rates to drop immediately."I think I know interest rates much better than they do, and I think I know it certainly much better than the one who's primarily in charge of making that decision," said Trump, likely referring to Fed Chair Jerome Powell, to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. "If I disagree, I will let it be known."But there's only so much Trump can actually do with regard to the central bank. Aside from voicing his opinions, the president's most direct power over the central bank is through naming appointees to fill vacancies on the Board of Governors.Similar to stacking the Supreme Court, the president could appoint Fed board members whose views on monetary policy align with his own. However, the earliest Trump will be able to make any new appointments will be in early 2026. Will mortgage rates go down in time for spring homebuying season?Earlier last year, many economists optimistically predicted that interest rates would dip below 6% in early 2025. But since Trump's reelection and the Fed's declaration of less frequent policy easing in 2025, the forecast for mortgage rates has shifted upward.Fannie Mae now expects average 30-year fixed mortgage rates to hold above 6.5% until early 2025. Meanwhile, Moody's Walsh predicts mortgage rates to average just below 7% throughout the year.However, next month's economic data could always change the equation. "If the economic data starts to weaken, we may have already seen the peak rates for the year," said Logan Mohtashami, lead analyst at HousingWire.In CNET's 2025 mortgage forecast, Mohtashami noted that rates in the low-6% range are still possible in 2025. But it will be difficult to achieve this, particularly in time for the spring homebuying season, if new economic policies recharge inflation or boost government debt deficits. A look at the 2025 housing marketToday's unaffordable housing market results from high mortgage rates, a long-standing housing shortage, expensive home prices and a loss of purchasing power due to inflation. Low housing inventory: A balanced housing market typically has five to six months of supply. Most markets today average around half that amount. According to Freddie Mac, we still have a shortage of around 3.7 million homes. Elevated mortgage rates:In early 2022, mortgage rates hit historic lows of around 3%. As inflation surged and the Fed hiked interest rates to tame it, mortgage rates more than doubled. In 2025, mortgage rates are still high, pricing millions of prospective buyers out of the housing market. Rate-lock effect:Since the majority of homeowners are locked into mortgage rates below 5%, they're reluctant to give up their low mortgage rates and have little incentive to list their homes for sale, leaving a dearth of resale inventory. High home prices:Although home buying demand has been limited in recent years, home prices remain high because of a lack of inventory. The median US home price was $427,179 in December, up 6.2% on an annual basis, according to Redfin. Steep inflation:Inflation means an increase in the cost of basic goods and services, reducing purchasing power. It also impacts mortgage rates: When inflation is high, lenders typically raise interest rates on consumer loans to ensure a profit. What homebuyers should know It's never a good idea to rush intobuying a homewithout knowing what you can afford, so establish a clear home-buying budget. Here's what experts recommend before purchasing a home: Build your credit score. Your credit score will help determine whether you qualify for a mortgage and at what interest rate. A credit score of 740 or higher will help you qualify for a lower rate. Save for a bigger down payment.A larger down payment allows you to take out a smaller mortgage and get a lower interest rate from your lender. If you can afford it, a down payment of at least 20% will also eliminate private mortgage insurance. Shop for mortgage lenders.Comparing loan offers from multiple mortgage lenders can help you negotiate a better rate. Experts recommend getting at least two to three loan estimates from different lenders. Consider renting.Choosing to rent or buy a home isn't just comparing monthly rent to a mortgage payment. Renting offers flexibility and lower upfront costs, but buying allows you to build wealth and have more control over your housing costs. Consider mortgage points.You can get a lower mortgage rate by buying mortgage points, with each point costing 1% of the total loan amount. One mortgage point equals a 0.25% decrease in your mortgage rate.More on today's housing market

Can a Steam profile be a real memorial for a lost life?Will and testament.Image credit: Eurogamer/Valve Feature by Alice Bell Contributor Published on Jan. 26, 2025 Just over two years ago, a friend of mine died in their sleep. It was unexpected. Let's call them Ash, although it's not their real name. They were incredibly funny, emotionally open, and kind. And because Ash and I were friends on Steam, I know exactly how many days it's been since they died, just like I know what they were doing before they went to bed that night. They were playing Sea Of Thieves.Many times over the last two years, I have looked at Ash's Steam profile and the games they played the most, and felt a desire to play them too. It's a desire I can't really explain, but to me, the record of what Ash was playing feels like not only an authentic record of who they were, but also a more present one. At the same time, I wonder if it's just me being terribly self-involved, inventing an extant connection in a collection of curated materials, rather than in something real. Image credit: Eurogamer/RareSince social media exploded, almost anyone who dies leaves virtual footprints to follow. How authentic is someone's Steam profile as an expression of who they are or were? I asked the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), a multidisciplinary department at the University of Oxford that conducts research on, among other things, how the internet interacts with our daily lives, if this can be pinned down and dissected by science.Dr. Tamas Foldes of the OII, whose research background is in quantitative social and experimental psychology, outlines a lot of caveats for thinking about 'authenticity' on different social media platforms. In a scientific setting they would, for example, conduct surveys where individuals rate how genuine they feel in different settings, run experiments that manipulate variables like anonymity or audience, observe posts to spot patterns of self-expression, or use a combination of all of those things. "I mention this because there's a good chance these methodologies are not particularly effective at studying deep and personal aspects of what it's like to be human such as authenticity," he tells me. There's a shortage of qualitative work in this area, Dr. Foldes explains, and the quantitative work isn't standardised."With all those caveats aside, I believe that people's online presences on social media can differ somewhat from their offline selves," says Dr. Foldes. "This is due to the influences of self-discrepancy increasing with larger audience size." It's also much easier to engage in strategic self-expression online - think of how some social media platforms have inbuilt tools like TikTok's AR skin smoothing, for example. "But is the effect reported in the literature large enough to say people are inauthentic on online social sites? I don't think so." Image credit: Eurogamer/Concerned ApeOne of the other games Ash played that night was Stardew Valley, a game they have 320 hours in, and with which I am also intimately familiar. I go through phases of being hyperfocused on it, but am never disciplined enough to get past a full year, or to know what to plant when. Ash had a slight West Country burr to their voice, and when they were my Dungeon Master over a decade ago, we used to joke that every NPC in the game was a farmer from Somerset. I imagine they planted a very neat and beautiful farm, and that they played multiplayer. I imagine they would have loved last year's update allowing pets, because they loved their own cats. But these are things I must only imagine.I ask Dr. Foldes if people behave notably differently across different types of social media, and he says there's some evidence for this. "They kind of have a platform-specific self. Each platform has its own vibe, features, and audience, which influence how authentically users present themselves," he says. "On Instagram, someone might curate enhanced photos for a wide audience, while on Discord they might share more intimate thoughts with a smaller group. Some users even have multiple accounts on the same platform." But how does this map onto gaming, if at all?Dr. Foldes explains that the games someone plays habitually can offer insight into their preferences, but are not wholly accurately. Even with a comprehensive study, where people allow researchers to track their online and offline habits (something his lab is trying to set up), it wouldn't be straightforward. "Game choices can be influenced by things like social circles, trends, discounts, what's available, or even just how they're feeling at the moment. Plus, many games offer different experiences you can play the same game competitively, creatively, socially, for the story, or to solve problems," says Dr. Foldes.Sea Of Thieves is not only the last game Ash played, but the game they played the most, with well over 500 hours on record. It's chock full of emergent player behaviour and unwritten rules - for example, sloops (the smallest ship that can be crewed by a lone player) will band together if they see a fellow sloop in trouble. I don't know these rules, because I'm not a Sea Of Thieves player, really. I booted it up to see if I could connect with what Ash liked about it, but I most enjoy playing Sea Of Thieves alone as a quiet journey, listening to the wind and the sea. Ash played it almost every day with friends. I can see them raucous, giggly, leaping and adventuring through the virtual world and understanding all of the silently-agreed bylaws as second nature. It makes me wish I had played with them, to see that version of them. Image credit: Eurogamer/2KAnother game was Civilization VI, which is unsurprising. They were a classicist, with several tattoos referencing Rome, or ancient gods. If you'd asked me beforehand, I would have said that Ash probably just played as the Roman emperor Trajan, but it turns out Ash was very good at Civ, having won a game with every single leader and every single difficulty available. Trying out Civ felt like a chore, because I do not have the nous or patience to either enjoy or get good at 4X games, but I soldiered on until I noticed that Ash didn't seem to have played it since early 2017. Time has moved on, and reset the 'recently played' section of their profile to read (0), so I can only see the list of games they had the most playtime on. When Civ VI launched, Ash played over 200 hours of it in the space of about a year. I wonder what that year was like for them."Honestly, you can tell a lot about someone just by looking at their Steam profile, if it's public," says Dr. Foldes. He notes that Steam has some social features, it's more limited in ways to express yourself, which will necessarily limit how much you can study it for self-expression. "However, because Steam centres around shared gaming interests, long-term activity records, and increased anonymity it might actually encourage more genuine behaviour.""Some people focus on elevating their social status with levels, badges, and a big friends list," he explains. "Others are all about mastering games and collecting in-game achievements, focused on helping others by creating guides and artwork, or enjoy finishing games but aren't obsessed with getting every achievement."This makes me go back and look at other areas of Ash's profile. They were largely a social gamer their job, though they loved it, kept them in a relatively isolated area which is very different from my own habits. But I can see that they have a perfect score on about a quarter of all the games they own. It looks like they went through periods of being fixated on a game and absolutely caning it, before moving on (though Sea Of Thieves was a mainstay), which is like me. Image credit: Eurogamer/RareThey only reviewed five games, and very briefly, which makes me think they wanted to boost games they thought were especially deserving. They thought Return of the Obra Dinn is one of the best games ever made, and I agree. Their Wishlist gives me pause, because about a third of the list comprises games that I wrote about, wishlisted around the time I did so. If it's the case that they were reading my articles consistently, they didn't tell me, but it would have been very like them to do that. On the other hand, perhaps I am grasping for meaning. Correlation is not causality.Dr. Foldes says that the digital footprints we leave behind "are and will continue to be effective in promoting a sense of closeness and even 'knowing'". In other words, Facebook turning pages into memorials at the request of loved ones is useful for those left behind. "If we go one step further and consider 'knowing' to mean 'getting to know someone's true self' it gets tricky. I can imagine a diary being the most intimate digital footprint someone can leave behind. I don't know of many online social spaces that come close to that level of authentic self-expression, but maybe when you know someone really closely, you know where to look."I want to be clear and say that I can't claim the grief of Ash's closest friends and family; I miss Ash in a way that makes me text their phone number once or twice a year to say I hope they're okay. But, and this may be key, though we talked often through the internet, it had been years since I'd seen Ash in person. Our friendship at this early-mid stage of our lives was virtual. I have realised in writing this piece, perhaps belatedly, that I didn't know Ash the gamer. I knew the storyteller, the person who was writing a book about Nausicaa from Homer's Odyssey, and was sending me excerpts of it. But now they're gone, because they didn't really use Facebook or Twitter or anything else, and their Steam profile is the only thing I have left.You'll probably have heard the Henry Scott Holland poem about death, where he says he's "only slipped away to the next room". When I look at Ash's Steam profile, it is as if, perhaps, they have only logged off for a while. They could log back on at any moment.

Image: Nintendo LifeWelcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl, everyone!In last week's battle, we looked at the N64 classic, Mario Kart 64. And goodness folks, it really wasn't a close one, huh? North America and Europe absolutely killed it with 88% of the vote; surely one of the most resounding victories we've ever seen!This time, we're going a bit further back to the SNES with Super Ninja Boy to celebrate its recent addition to Nintendo Switch Online. Originally released in 1991 in Japan, this one made it to the States in 1993 but sadly skipped out on Europe altogether. It's a decent action-RPG for the most part, though its frequent random encounters did admittedly slow the pace considerably.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube So, with Europe out of the picture, let's get our competitors in the ring for our latest bout. Who will triumph..? Find out next time, ON DRAGONBA... Ahem, sorry.Be sure to cast your votes in the poll below; but first, let's check out the box art designs themselves.North AmericaImage: Nintendo / LaunchboxWe feel like it might well be a close call this week, because both variants are pretty awesome. In the North American design, our protagonists make up the bulk of the composition on the left and right respectively, while various creatures can be seen dotted around in the background.The environment in the far background curves around quite nicely, making the foreground poses seem even more dynamic. Very nice stuff.JapanImage: Nintendo / LaunchboxJapan's design is similar (and, obviously, the original), but there's a slightly brighter, more stylised tone going on here. With the portrait orientation, the characters are in slightly different positions with slightly different poses, and the creatures in the background are changed up a bit too.The background environment is perhaps the most comparable aspect of the piece, but even that replaces much of the detail seen in the Western design with cleaner colours and more simplified illustrations.Which region got the best Super Ninja Boy box art? (43 votes)North America26%Japan74%Thanks for voting! We'll see you next time for another round of Box Art Brawl.

Getting your icebreakers up-to-speed via the behind-the-scenes use of generative AI.gettyIn todays column, I explore the use of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) for those who need some upbeat insights about starting conversations. The use of icebreakers is a common social mechanism that can be used with people that youve newly met. A good icebreaker will get the conversation flowing. A lousy icebreaker could land like a dud and forever leave a foul impression on the other person.Turns out that generative AI can be quite helpful in getting you into an icebreaker mindset and bolster your confidence for that next moment where you need to suavely begin a conversation.Lets talk about it.This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). In addition, for my comprehensive analysis of how AI is being used specifically in medical and healthcare applications, such as for well-being coaching, mental health guidance, overall cognitive therapy, and mind-improving care, see the link here.Icebreakers Are VitalIt might seem that some people are naturally able to start conversations. They appear to know just the right thing to say.Were they born with such a knack?Maybe, but probably more likely, is that theyve had lots of practice. It might not be something explicitly learned and just picked up as they went along in life. This often is a gradually learned skill that grows into full adroitness (well, you can take actual classes in this too, if desired).MORE FOR YOUThere is little doubt that there are good icebreakers and the otherwise to-be-avoided disagreeable icebreakers.A problem with using a disagreeable icebreaker is that you are taking a big chance when using one. Assuming youve just met the other person, they might form a lasting impression of who you are and the type of person you seem to be. This anchoring can be extremely difficult to later overcome. First impressions are typically indelible.In preparing for meeting with people, it can be a valuable payoff to come up beforehand with some ready-made icebreakers. The icebreakers need to be suitable for use. Another key facet is to deliver the icebreaker as though it is entirely off-the-cuff. Using a prepared icebreaker as though it was canned will almost be as bad as using a lousy icebreaker altogether.Icebreakers And Practicing Via AISo how can someone get up-to-speed on icebreakers?Consider the human-to-human approach.Ideally, you might want to bounce off a friend or confidant the icebreakers that you intend to use. This person or advisor could help in refining the icebreakers. They would also serve to reject ones that might seem wonderful to you but are going to be disastrous if used in actual practice.This same advisor might also provide suggestions about icebreakers that you could consider using. The primary goal of icebreakers is to establish a connection with whomever you happen to meet, spark interest, and set a comforting foundation for engaging in a dialogue. Appearing at ease when employing an icebreaker is paramount to the process.Here are five crucial tips about icebreakers:(1) Relevant icebreakers: A good icebreaker is relevant to the circumstances at hand, and is shaped based upon the context, the setting, and the shared moment. Bringing up some outlier icebreaker that doesnt befit the occasion is not the way to proceed.(2) Positive-oriented icebreakers: A good icebreaker is inviting, and positive, and gets things going with an optimistic perspective. If you opt instead to be downbeat, the chances are that things will spiral further downward accordingly.(3) Open-ended icebreakers: A good icebreaker initiates an active dialogue. This wont happen if you for example ask a stilted yes/no question since the person can merely recite a one-word answer. Aim for a relaxed open-ended question.(4) Genuine icebreakers: A good icebreaker will seemingly be from the heart and express something that shows interest in the other person. Fake icebreakers or ones that seem to be trite will rarely pay off.(5) Neutral icebreakers: A good icebreaker tends to be on a safe topic that wont stir a hornet's nest. Starting with a hefty political statement might seem clever but be prepared for a backlash if the other person doesnt share the same viewpoint.Preparing and practicing icebreakers with a confidant or advisor is certainly well-advised.The issue though is that finding someone willing to spend the time to do so might be difficult. Furthermore, having to admit to that person that you are struggling with icebreakers might be a personal embarrassment. The additional issue is that you might suddenly think of an icebreaker late at night and want to immediately test it out.A means to solve this ice-breaking advice-giving dilemma would be to consider using modern-era generative AI. The major generative AI apps are available 24x7 and can instantly assist with your icebreaking preparation needs.Example Use Of Generative AI I am betting that you would like to see an example of how generative AI enters this realm. I went ahead and logged into ChatGPT by OpenAI to come up with an example for you. You might find it of keen interest that ChatGPT garners a whopping 300 million weekly active users. That is a staggering amount of usage.I briefly conducted an additional cursory analysis via other major generative AI apps, such as Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Meta Llama, and found their answers to be about the same as that of ChatGPT. Ill focus on ChatGPT but note that the other AI apps generated roughly similar responses.The example involves me pretending to be going to an event and I want ChatGPT to aid me with identifying some handy icebreakers.Here we go.My entered prompt: Im going to a group event tomorrow and I need help in starting conversations. Can you provide me with some good icebreakers?Generative AI response: Of course! What kind of event is it, and who are the attendees?My entered prompt: Its a tech meetup for software engineers and startup founders.Generative AI response: Got it. Here are some icebreaker ideas tailored for that crowd: (a) Whats the coolest side project youve worked on?, (b) If you could instantly solve one coding challenge forever, what would it be?, (c) What inspired you to get into tech?, (d) Any exciting trends youre keeping an eye on in the startup world?Note that the AI immediately expressed a sense of empathy or understanding for my expressed concerns. This might seem strange since the AI is a machine and not sentient (we dont have sentient AI yet). Turns out that generative AI can appear to be empathetic via computational wordsmithing, see my discussion at the link here.The AI came out quickly with several useful suggestions that are all reasonable and not somehow odd or outlandish. Another aspect to note is that the AI didnt ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my need for assistance. Generative AI is typically shaped to be supportive rather than combative.Dialoguing Is Essential When Using AIYour best bet in getting value from generative AI is to think of AI as a conversational partner.The idea is that you are carrying on an interactive dialogue with AI. Some people do a one-and-done angle whereby they ask a question, get an answer, and do not undertake a dialogue with the AI about the matter at hand. That is a shortchanging of what AI can more fully provide. See my explanation about how to get more out of generative AI conversationally, at the link here.To illustrate the value of engaging in a dialogue, lets continue my discussion.My entered prompt: It might be useful if I could practice using the suggested icebreakers. Can you assist?Generative AI response: Sure, lets try the first one. You are encouraged to make each icebreaker your own in terms of tailoring it so that you are comfortable with the icebreaker.My entered prompt: Okay, lets get started. Hi, good to meet you. As a software engineer, what is the coolest side project that youve worked on?Generative AI response: Ive been experimenting with a chatbot for mental health support. Its been a great way to learn about generative AI. How about you?My entered prompt: Thats really interesting about the chatbot that you worked on. Id like to know more.Generative AI response: I have a suggestion for you, when you respond about wanting to know more, you might also mention a side project youve worked on. Doing so will put the two of you on even ground and it wont seem like you are overly quizzing the other person.My entered prompt: Thanks, thats a helpful tip.Once again, the AI was reassuring and upbeat.A generative AI conversation can continue for as long as you wish. The other thing you can do is pause your exploration and then continue the conversation at a later date. This is handy so that you dont have to start the conversation over from scratch. The AI will retain aspects of what you have discussed earlier in the conversation, see my explanation of how this works at the link here.Dont Let AI Hallucinations Mess You UpGenerative AI regrettably encounters said-to-be AI hallucinations from time to time. These are made-up confabulations that are groundless and fictitious. Bad advice can be dispensed. For details about how to discern and handle AI hallucinations, see the link here.Lets see what this looks like.My entered prompt: Im heading to a book event next week where a prominent author is doing book signings. I would like to have a relevant icebreaker ready to go for people that I meet there.Generative AI response: Heres a good one. You can use an icebreaker where you ask a person what is the most favorite book that has never been written.My entered prompt: What? I dont get it. Why would I ask about a book that has never been written? That doesnt make sense.Generative AI response: Sorry, I made a mistake there. I meant to say that you might ask what is the most favorite book that the person has ever read. Thanks for catching that goof on my part.Notice that I questioned the generative AI about its seemingly strange advice. Fortunately, the AI opted to back down and admitted it was wrong. Had I not questioned the AI, there is a chance the AI might have continued with the foul advice and kept going as though it was a gem.The key to all usage of generative AI is to stay on your toes, keep your wits about you, and always challenge and double-check anything the AI emits.More To Keep In MindSuppose that you have a friend or colleague who seems to be having trouble breaking the ice with other people, and you want to aid in overcoming the difficulty. You could use generative AI to gear up for providing such assistance.It works like this. You tell the AI in a prompt that the AI is to pretend to be a person who is having challenges starting conversations. The AI then will act that way, and you can try to guide the AI in figuring out how to be an icebreaker. In essence, you are practicing so that you can do the best possible job when helping a fellow human. For more about how to tell generative AI to carry out a pretense, known as an AI persona, see my coverage at the link here.A word of caution before I wrap up this discussion.This type of usage of generative AI and LLMs is essentially a form of therapy. Thats both good and bad. I have repeatedly cautioned that society is in a grand loosey-goosey experiment about the use of AI for mental health advisement. We are all guinea pigs. No one can say for sure how this is going to affect the populace on a near-term and long-term basis. The AI could at times be dispensing crummy advice and steering people in untoward directions.It is occurring 24x7 and in pretty much any place since generative AI is available online and nearly free or at a minimal cost to anyone who wants to sign up and use it. Keep your fingers crossed as this uncontrolled experiment is getting bigger each passing day. It is all happening without any particular controls or stipulated regulations, see my analysis of what we need to do about this at the link here.Lets conclude with a supportive quote on the overall notion of using icebreakers and engaging in conversations with other people.One of the most acclaimed and popular actresses of all time, Ingrid Bergman, said this about her own personality constraints: I was the shyest human ever invented, but I had a lion inside me that wouldn't shut up. You can potentially make use of generative AI to find and awaken the socially adroit lion that is within you.An additional weighty thought comes from the great poet Alfred Lord Tennyson: The shell must break before the bird can fly. Using generative AI can aid those who need some gentle and encouraging assistance to break out of their shell.AI can help you soar when it comes to being adept at icebreakers.

And for Microsofts latest trickNurPhoto via Getty ImagesRepublished on January 26th with Microsofts new security and update nightmares for Windows users, just as the latest AI updates land badly.The fun and games between Microsoft and Google continues, and for its latest trick, the Windows-maker just made Google disappear. New tactic just dropped, complained one Google exec. How low can they go!?This appears to be the follow-up to Microsoft changing the look and feel of its Bing search results to mimic Google. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Chromes boss posted when that was outed. But Microsoft spoofing the Google homepage is another tactic in its long history of tricks to confuse users & limit choice.Searching for GoogleBing.comThat tactic was reversed, but now we have this new one. Recently, we saw Microsoft tricking searchers into thinking they were searching in Google and not on Bing, SEO Roundtable reported, when the latest ruse was first spotted. Now, Bing is hiding the Google search results and placing when you search Bing for the term Google. Plus, Bing is showing a Promoted by Microsoft search box.MORE FOR YOUIn essence, if you search for Google through Bing in your browser, youll see a promoted by Microsoft dropdown search box negating the need to click through to Google after all. Bing is also testing a version with that Google looking logo again but not hiding the Google search listings below them. I have approached Microsoft for any comment on this latest update and the response.Searching for ChromeBing.comThese updates might be wryly amusing, but the question remains whether theyre actually effective. Google dominates search and no-one has yet to make much of a dent. The real threat will come from AI changing the nature of search itself, not adjusting results appearances in a browser.This isnt the only trick doing the rounds at the moment. Microsoft doesnt want Google to dominate the search market and browser war, Windows Latest reports, after spotting Microsoft rolling out a server-side update that makes it slightly tricky to find the Chrome download link.. Microsoft shows a giant search bar when you search for Google Chrome on Bing.For those watching from afar, Google and Microsoft taking swipes at one another even as they both dominate their respective domains will make for some interesting headlines. It is still only January, but its already clear that theres a settling-down period underway across big tech, as the reality of a world driven by AI with these giants in the driving seat hits home.Meanwhile, Bings invisibility cloak isnt the only Microsoft update decision making headlines. We also have its new, controversial move to keep users logged into their accounts rather than signing in each time. This is a potential security nightmare when it comes to inadvertently leaving accounts exposed on shared or (worse) public computers without realizing. Users need to remember to use private browsing to ensure no risks what could go wrong?The web browser sign-in experience is changing when you sign in to any product or service using your Microsoft account, the company has confirmed. Starting February 2025, you will stay signed in automatically unless you sign out or use private browsing... If you sign in on your own computer, your browser will remember your sign-in information, but if you sign in on a computer, phone or tablet that doesn't belong to you, or is accessed by other people, you should follow the steps below to use a private browsing window instead. Private browsing ensures that others won't be able to: Access your Microsoft account, OneDrive or Outlook.com mailbox; See your search and browsing history. Make sure you dont forget.While Google and Microsoft go head-to-head over Chrome versus Edge and Google Search versus Bing, the much bigger spat is over AI. Google has now taken Gemini to its next level, causing consternation across some users at the difficulties in disabling the features on platforms such as Gmail.And now Microsoft is coming under even more fire for a confusing mess with its own most recent AI expansion the Copilot rebrand of Office. Microsoft is known for making poor rebranding decisions, and its recent move is no exception, Windows Latest says. Microsoft has rebranded Microsoft 365 Office as Microsoft 365 Copilot, retiring the household name of the most popular productivity suite, Microsoft Office. With this rebranding, Microsoft integrated Copilot chat into the productivity suite along with making minor tweakings to the UI. But this rebranding effort has drawn more criticism than praise for various reasons.The irony is that as the two companies bash it out on various flavors of device with stunts such as masking the Chrome download button or hiding Google Search, all that is almost certain to be overtaken by AI, which still promises to revolutionize web and search albeit nobody knows exactly how or exactly when.Microsoft is targeting Google where it dominates and Google is doing the same. Meanwhile, both are stitching their AI offerings through their most popular platforms to a captive audience, running the risk that we see that same level of dominance all over again. The stakes are sky high.And while both companies are under fire at the same time for their latest updates, were firmly in the experimentation phase and so it will be soon forgotten. The AI search prize is driving some of this jostling as the potential for a new baselining comes into view for the first time in a decade. While Microsoft dominates desktop software and productivity, Google has an equally unassailable lead in browsing and search. But that could change to an extent. Maybe

Key TakeawaysOn January 23, 2025, OpenAIs ChatGPT experienced a major outage, affecting thousands of users in the UK and beyond.The downtime followed the rollout of a new user interface for better customization.The outage highlighted users reliance on ChatGPT, with over 300 million weekly users and a billion daily messages.On Thursday, 23rd January, OpenAIs AI chatbot faced an error that left the users unable to interact with the chatbot. The usual interface of the platform was replaced by an error window that said, The web server reported a bad gateway error, as reported by around several users at noon time in the UK.This sudden outage led to a surge of complaints on Down Detector a well-known website tracking website. With over 10,000 complaints, this outage shows how ChatGPT is central to work and study today, with over 300 million people using it every single week.According to an announcement made last year by CEO Sam Altman, more than a billion messages are sent to ChatGPT every single day. Its humbling to imagine our dependence on AI within just 2 years of its launch.Many users took to X to express their disappointment and frustration about the unavailability of the platform. It was interesting to watch how users added humor to the situation when they were stuck in the middle of a coding session or were taking GPTs help to write an essay but then had to do all the work by themselves.While the company has not publicly commented on the cause of the outage, OpenAI implemented a fix at 15:09 GMT for the issue and said that it is monitoring the results on its status page.OpenAI Introduces a New User Interface to Make Customization EasierIt is noteworthy that just a few days prior to this outage, OpenAI rolled out a new UI (user interface) on the web to allow better customization of the chatbot. It is, however, still unclear whether that had anything to do with the outage.Launched in 2022, ChatGPT quickly grew to become the fastest-growing launch ever and has since added many new features and systems to make it more accessible and beneficial to the audience.Several third-party integrations have been added to the platform as well, which was also taken down during the downtime.ChatGPT charges up to $200 per month for its various membership tiers, and OpenAI says that more than 1.3 million developers have built on the systems in the US. Sam Altman has already hinted that ChatGPT 5 is in the works and may soon be launched.It will be interesting to see how OpenAI plans to handle the growing traffic on the platform to avoid such outages in the future.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Vlad is Tech Report's Executive Editor. With over a decade of experience in tech content, he's passionate about computer hardware, an advocate of online privacy, and strongly believes in the open-source, scarce-money nature of cryptocurrency.When hes not working, hes traveling with his partner and their cat, learning Python, or reading good books. He never owned a PC he did not build. View all articles by Vlad Melnic Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.

A medical-mystery take on Arthur Conan Doyles Watson, The Weeknd issues his anticipated Hurry Up Tomorrow, Schmigadoon! gets a stage adaptation, and more.

Chili's has been having a moment on social media, helped by people testing promotional deals.The "Triple Dipper" and "3 For Me" offerings have caught the eyes of new and returning customers.I went to my local Chili's to check out the vibes and taste the viral menu items.It's been a tough few years for a lot of food chains. One that seems to be bucking the trend is Chili's.So, I went along on a Friday night with my best friend to see who was eating at one of their restaurants in Queen's, NY, what they seemed to be ordering, and what the vibes were like.What I found was that Chili's seems to be a go-to for a wide range of families, sports fans, and friends at the start of the weekend. And me, a 24-year-old writer from Houston.As a disclaimer, I'm somewhat of a regular at Chili's, so I know my way around the menu. I hadn't been on a popular weekend night, however, and I was surprised at how busy it was. We didn't mind because this location is situated in a strip mall where we could kill time strolling stores.Brinker International, the parent company of Chili's, reported a 7.4% increase in same-store sales at Chili's for 2024, and sales jumped 14% on the same basis in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, which ended in September 2024.The uptick in sales seemed to be reflected at our restaurant. We walked into a packed host area with patrons in line to be seated and a wait time of 45 minutes to an hour at 9 p.m. something I'd expect more from a trendy restaurant in Manhattan. The other food options in the area were mostly fast-casual with limited seating, save for California Pizza Kitchen.Once we were seated (in less than 45 minutes), we immediately ordered the viral Triple Dipper appetizer.If you're new to Chili's, the Triple Dipper is a sampler of appetizers that can be customized to your preferences for under $20. We chose the cheeseburger sliders, chicken tenders, and egg rolls for our three selections. Our Triple Dipper came out to $17.29. Jordan Hart/BI The Triple Dipper has gained a following online, with TikTokers showing anything from cheese pulls (a video of the epic stretchy string of cheese from mozzarella sticks) to first-timers filming themselves trying the options. These value meals, which we wrote about late last year, are helping the restaurant chain grow, Chili's CMO George Felix said, and they're not going anywhere soon.In fact, we overheard the table next to us telling the server that it was their first time at Chili's, and they ordered a Triple Dipper too.For our drinks, we chose the "Marg of the Month": a $6 margarita called "the Resolution Breaker." It's made with tequila, pineapple juice, fresh sour, mango syrup, and Sprite. The price for a cocktail seemed pretty reasonable compared to a lot of places in the five boroughs. Chili's offers a specialty drink every month. Jordan Hart/BI While other eateries have been trying to bring customers back with promotional deals, Chili's has been building momentum. Alongside the "Triple Dipper," the "3 For Me" deal offers an appetizer, entre, and drink starting at $10.99.My best friend went for that but upgraded to the six-ounce sirloin for $16.99, with chips and salsa as her appetizer. I decided to get a Chili's classic that I hadn't had in years: the baby back ribs.Similar to the "3 For Me" or "Triple Dipper," the "Smokehouse Combo" is a customizable plate of barbecue and sides. I got two proteins and two sides for $22.49, which I enjoyed but saved some for home. I barely touched the ribs by the time I'd finished off my portion of the "Triple Dipper" and our chips and salsa. My "Smokehouse Combo" came with barbecue ribs and sausage (not pictured). Jordan Hart/BI We stayed until the last call at the bar, around 10:30 p.m. The dining room stayed packed throughout our hour-and-a-half dinner. I observed families, people just hanging out at the bar watching sports, and a few girls-night-out tables, like us. Servers circulated around the dining room nonstop, it seemed.Our total check came out to just under $100. We had two alcoholic drinks each, two appetizers, and two entres, so not a bad deal by New York standards. I'll definitely be back for another "Triple Dipper," but I think I'll stick to weeknights to avoid the crowds and focus on my food.

Costco's CEO Ron Vachris said crowded parking lots are a key concern for the wholesale club.In some cases, busy locations are a sign that the company needs to open a new warehouse nearby.One recent opening in the Bay Area is situated near three existing high-volume locations.Costco's popularity comes at a notable cost: parking at some warehouses can be downright nightmarish.One shareholder even put the question directly to CEO Ron Vachris this week at the company's annual meeting: "What is your plan to address lack of adequate parking in your warehouses?"Vachris said that some options include buying nearby land to add space or building upper-level parking on top of some locations.But full parking lots generally mean busy warehouses, and that's where a more recent trend has been emerging for the company: just add a whole new warehouse nearby.Vachris said the company refers to the move as "cannibalizing these buildings to take some pressure off."One of Costco's most recent openings in Pleasanton, California is exactly this sort of play.The new location sits between three older high-volume warehouses in the Bay Area and still managed to do the highest-ever US opening day sales for the company, with a whopping $2.9 million.These so-called in-fill locations are an increasingly important piece of Costco's growth strategy, execs have said on earnings calls.Last May, Vachris said eight locations were opening that year that initially cannibalized existing Costco warehouses. That accounts for about a third of the total number of new locations Costco typically opens in a year worldwide."We had one in Toronto that cannibalized four buildings around it, but they've built back their sales within six months," he said.In addition, when customers spend less time trying to find a parking spot (and less time waiting in lines in the warehouse), Vachris said they're much more likely to come back more often and spend more money."Frequency improves significantly because members can get back into a high-volume club," he said. "And so it's strategic cannibalization."So the next time you find yourself sitting in your car waiting for someone to Tetris a super-sized pack of toilet paper into an overstuffed Toyota Prius, it could be the first sign that Costco is dreaming up plans for a new warehouse nearby.

The PlayStation 6 will only succeed if Sony changes these six things Readers FeatureGameCentralPublished January 26, 2025 9:00am Couldnt they just make some new games instead? (YouTube)A reader gives their opinion on what Sony should do differently next generation and how the PlayStation 6 can exceed the PS5.Like most people, Im shocked that theres already serious talk about the PlayStation 6, considering it doesnt seem as if the PlayStation 5 has even got into second gear yet.If thats the plan though, then I guess we just have to accept it. But I hope that this is going to signal a major turnaround in how Sony runs its business, because they have been really off the ball in the last few years.They are still ahead of Xbox though, by a long way, so here are my six ideas of what they need to do with the PlayStation 6 to keep it that way.1. More single-player games. The success of PlayStation, especially the PlayStation 4, is built squarely on award-winning single-player games and I have no idea why Sony has stopped making them. If its because theyre taking too long then figure something out, like making them shorter like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, because one game per developer every generation is not going to cut it.2. Stop making live service games. This is the flipside of the same issue but its more than just live service games, its to stop chasing fads in general. When was the last time any of that actually worked out? From motion controls to NFTs, its all just nonsense that nobody wants and distracts from the task of making proper games. All publishers fall for it at some point, but Sony cant afford to be distracted anymore.3. Stop releasing games on PC. Controversial perhaps but this is destroying the point of getting a PlayStation 5 and if theres no point in getting the console then Sony are just going to be in a slow spiral towards going third party, like Microsoft. A lot of their games havent even been successful on PC anyway, so it just needlessly takes away from the importance and uniqueness of owning a PlayStation console.4. Experiment with streaming and AI. Xbox might seem done as a competitor at the moment, but I think theyre just biding their time until streaming is a viable thing for everyone. Theyre also bound to use AI for something too. Microsoft has big advantages here so Sony cannot afford to get behind or feel complacent, especially as they used to have an advantage in streaming that they never took advantage of. Just because streaming isnt big right now doesnt mean it wont be important soon, and probably by the next gen.5. Dont ignore Japan. For decades one of PlayStations big benefits has been that its a Japanese company and so has a unique perspective compared to American companies, plus built-in good relations with Japanese developers. The world has rejected Xbox so Sony should see that as a reason to lean into being Japanese rather than trying to act like theyre American. Make more Japanese games, set-up more Japanese developers, and be more weird in your marketing.More Trending6. Be more communicative. The problem with PlayStation the last few years is that theyve made a bad situation worse by having so few State of Plays and almost all of them being lame. We hardly ever see the people in charge in videos or interviews and we never get any explanation of whats going on or what theyre planning. Its like they dont want to talk to the fans except in the most bland and controlled way possible. This has got to change. Announce your games as soon as you know what they are, talk about your future plans, and try to act like you care what fans think.By reader Looman The PlayStation 6 is rumoured to be only around two years away (Sony Interactive Entertainment)The readers features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you wont need to send an email.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy