A section of the upper mantle and crust under the Sierra Nevada mountains is peeling away, in a process that may mimic how the continents were formed.

A new month has begun, and that means a variety of new events are on the horizon for Pokemon Go. The mobile game is closing out its Dual Destiny season with several big activities in February, including a Hoopa Unbound Raid Day and a Road to Unova event leading up to the Pokemon Go Tour: Unova celebration early next month.On top of that, the game will feature new Spotlight Hours and raid bosses this month, as well as a special Community Day starring two Pokemon. You can see all of the biggest Pokemon Go events happening in February below.Table of Contents [hide]February Raid ScheduleFebruary Raid SchedulePokemon Go is refreshing its raid rotation once again in February.Continue Reading at GameSpot

While it's unusual to hear that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is receiving a live-action film adaptation despite it not even having been launched yet, it begins to make sense why when looking at who's part of the upcoming game. After it was first revealed, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33gained player interest thanks to its distinctive style and gameplay, ranging from its Belle Epoque-inspired designs to its innovative take on turn-based combat blended with quick-time events. However, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has more going on beyond its design, gameplay, and premise, as its cast of voice actors could be a key factor behind its live-action adaptation.

Nimbus Sanctum is a peculiar area within Wuthering Waves that fills the view with a sea of clouds. In addition, despite being a huge area, this region only has one Resonance Beacon, which may hinder players' exploration if they don't do it in one go.

Will AI-driven tools replace our roles?Continue reading on UX Collective

Microsoft is getting rid of the VPN offered through Microsoft Defender. As spotted by Windows Latest, the company updated its support pages for privacy protection, its built-in VPN, to notify users that the service will end on February 28. The VPN was bundled with Microsoft Defender, which is available to anyone with a personal or family Microsoft 365 subscription, and it offered private browsing by routing your internet traffic through Microsoft servers, up to the monthly data limit of 50GB.In a statement about the decision posted on the support page, Microsoft said, Our goal is to ensure you, and your family remain safer online. We routinely evaluate the usage and effectiveness of our features. As such, we are removing the privacy protection feature and will invest in new areas that will better align to customer needs. Android users might still see the Microsoft Defender VPN profile in their settings after the expiration date, which theyll need to remove manually if they want it gone. Action is not required by Windows, iOS, and macOS users, Microsoft notes.The company also says this is the only feature getting killed off for now. According to Microsoft, device protection and identity theft and credit monitoring (US) features will continue.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/microsoft-defenders-vpn-feature-will-be-killed-off-at-the-end-of-february-212313322.html?src=rss

We're so used to seeing virtual reality depicted nefariously in films like The Matrix, Virtuousity (a forgotten '90s classic) and The Lawnmower Man, it's genuinely surprising to see something that treats VR in a potentially positive way. In Flora Lau's Luz, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this week, theres no major downside to VR, its just another way for humans to connect. And in the case of the film's two lonely leads, art gallery worker Ren (Sandrine Pinna) and pseudo-gangster Wei (Xiaodong Guo), VR serves as a life raft of human connection, something that could help them find peace in a world where they both feel adrift.Set in modern-day Chongqing (a city so neon-filled and futuristic it seems more sci-fi than real) and Paris, the characters in Luz live alongside technology familiar to us. Smartphones and OnlyFans-esque livestreams featuring young girls are commonplace. But the virtual reality hardware in the film including ski mask-like goggles, pointed finger sensors that resemble a witch's nails is both a step ahead, and slightly behind, where we are today. Luz, both the name of the film and the VR world people visit, is a fascinating artifact of the immersive reality space from several years ago. That was before we knew finger tracking could be the main input mode in a VR/AR headset like Apple's Vision Pro.Ren and Wei experience the VR world of Luz as an escape from their real-world troubles, though that ultimately proves futile. Ren tries to connect with her stepmother Sabine (the legendary Isabelle Huppert), an emotionally distant Paris gallery owner who is avoiding any help for a potentially fatal illness. Wei, meanwhile, is trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Fa, who he can only see anonymously via that aforementioned livestream.The lead's storylines intersect during an in-game hunting expedition for a mysterious neon deer, which appears to be the closest thing to "winning" Luz. Wei and Ren reluctantly bond, and eventually they start to find ways to heal their emotional wounds. It's an intriguing concept, though we don't spend enough time with both characters hanging out in VR to truly sell their relationship.Sundance InstituteLuz doesn't attempt to deliver a fully CG VR world like Ready Player One (thank god), instead we see a hyper-stylized version of the real world with an abundance of neon lights, floating particles and characters dressed as if they're about to head to Comic-Con. Obviously, it's an easier way to convey VR, but the film is also portraying a version of the technology that's practically identical to the real world. If VR were truly so immersive, why even bother with real life connections? (Stylistically, it reminds me of Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshiis forgotten Polish sci-fi film, Avalon, which also explored how people can redefine themselves in a VR simulation.)While Lau goes to great lengths to craft gorgeous VR imagery, what the film really needs is more time for its two leads to sit down and talk to each other, instead of having us infer emotion as they stare off into the distance. At just an hour and forty two minutes, theres plenty of room for more character exploration. But at least we get some intriguing conversations between Ren and Sabine, with Huppert being her typically charming self. (Perhaps the most unbelievable aspect of the film is that Sabine, a hip presence in the visual arts scene, hadnt tried VR until Ren convinced her. Weve been seeing artists adopt VR for installations since 2016, so its far from a new concept.)Luz is close to being a great film, with its strong performances and confidently composed cinematography. But through either restraint or weak screenwriting, we dont always have a sense of how the leads relate to the world, or even what they think of each other. The overall approach feels too cold and distant for a film that's ultimately about rediscovering human connection.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/sundance-premiere-luz-explores-how-vr-can-help-us-find-connection-in-the-real-world-140005020.html?src=rss

Two forums with 10 million users were shut down, and two people were arrested.

High-end Nvidia GPUs come to Leaseweb for a range of complex computing solutions.

When it comes to kitchen appliances, Im not very particular with the design of these items, as long as they are functioning as they should. I am also not that great of a cook and kitchen user so they dont need to be pretty or even matching since Im just using them when I need them. But there are a lot of well-designed and well-matched appliances that you can add to your well-stocked kitchen and cooking area. Electric kettles are one of those things that I have but I dont really think about how Im using it, as long as it turns my water hot enough.Designer: Nendo for Alessi Toru is Alessis new collection of kitchen appliances designed by Japanese brand Nendo. The name means through in Japanese and the collection features black tube-like elements running through the different items. The kettle is the first item in the collection and it matches Alessis metalworking techniques. It looks like a typical stainless-steel pitcher but how its designed is what makes it a bit different than your typical water kettle. Normally, a kettle is gripped from the side but this time, this household object is turned into a symbol of art.The Toru kettle has a top-suspended shape so you can lift it more easily from the base. You can hold the upper part of the handle and tilt the kettle to pour the water into your cup or bowl and it should pour out smoothly as you tilt it lightly. When youre boiling the water, the base has an integrated appearance with its soft form. When you detach the kettle and ready for pouring, it takes on a straight and simple silhouette. The handle becomes a spout, softening the metallic material as water courses through it. The Toru collection also has other kitchen appliances, including a juicer, toaster, warmer grill, toaster racks. Of course all of them have the stainless steel look that matches Alessis and Nendos aesthetics. The minimalist look can match a lot of kitchen designs, especially those that want to go for that kind of refined look that only silver appliances can give. The post Alessis Toru kettle brings a different minimalist twist to the appliance first appeared on Yanko Design.