If you're tired of how your Mac desktop looks, consider changing your app icons. It can be a fiddly process by default, but luckily, there are ways to make it easier. By using these methods, you can make your dock reflect your wallpaper's aesthetic, ensure that all app icons are the same size, or just replace ugly app icons with something better.Where to find Mac app icons Credit: Pranay Parab While you can easily find icons for various Mac apps with a quick web search, it's much easier to get them from a site dedicated to icons. One of my favorites is macOSicons.com, which lists over 25,000 alternative icons, meaning you should be able to find multiple options for popular apps with ease.Changing Mac app icons using the built-in methodmacOS allows you to change an app's icon manually, but it has one frustrating drawback. Getting started, however, is easy.First, download or create an alternate icon, then open Finder and go to the Applications folder in the left pane. Select any app and press Command-I to open an Info pane. Now drag-and-drop the new app icon into the top-left corner of the Info pane. This will replace the app icon for you.This method is fast and free, but annoyingly, your app will go back to using its default icon with every update.Using free apps to replace macOS icons Credit: Pranay Parab You can also use one of two free apps to replace macOS app icons for you. These are IconChamp and Pictogram. Both show you a list of your Mac's installed apps and let you manually pick an alternative icon. As much as I want to recommend these options, both apps haven't been updated for years, so they don't always work reliably. For instance, IconChamp has a premium tier that supposedly lets you pay a one-time fee that unlocks the ability to change system app icons. However, the purchase page for this tier doesn't load and there's no way to buy it at time of writing. These free apps might work in a pinch, but if you want a more robust solution to changing app icons, consider paying for a better alternative.A paid app that can change icons for you Credit: Pranay Parab That brings me to Replacicon, which costs $8 and is probably the best way to customize your Mac icons. Although $8 is steep for what is essentially a single-purpose app, Replacicon has a few features that may justify the cost for some people. The best one is that it installs a helper tool to monitor app updates and it retains your replaced icons even after apps are updated. This feature alone is enough to justify the purchase to those serious about macOS theming.Replacicon also has an easy-to-understand interface that provides a bunch of alternative app icons for each app installed on your Mac. Changing an app icon is as simple as clicking on one of the alternatives. To use an icon that's not listed as an alternative by default, you can also click the + button next to the list and choose one of three options: use a downloaded icon file, create an icon from any saved image on your Mac, and use Apple Intelligence to generate an app icon. All three options open a pop-up window, and once you've selected or generated an icon, the app will automatically add it to its list of icons and replace your existing icon for you. Not having to leave Replacicon to go looking for files is great, and it makes the process seamless.To make your list of apps more manageable, Replacicon provides two filters. One of these lets you view only the apps that are currently in the Dock, and another highlights only apps that have legacy iconsfrom the time when macOS icons used to be of different shapes and sizes. Nowadays, macOS icons have adopted an iOS-style uniform size with rounded corners, and you can use the legacy icon filter to spot the icons in need of uniformity with the rest of the Dock.

The pre-Super Bowl hype weeks have begun, and with them comes the annual American tradition of calling the NFL rigged. Local drunks, AM radio sports show hosts, and message board experts are all in agreement: The fix is in. Last year, the most interesting conspiracy theory held that the Pentagon rigged the entire 2024 NFL season so the Chiefs could appear in the Super Bowl and Taylor Swift could help Democrats get re-elected in 2024. (Oops.) This year's football truthers have a less esoteric theory for why the Chiefs are definitely going to win the Super Bowl: Follow the money. They make a compelling case, but they're wrong. Why "they" would fix the Super BowlThe rough consensus among NFL conspiracy theorists is that the National Football League fixed the 2025 season in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs because it makes everyone the most money. If the Chiefs have been blown out in the playoff, the league wouldn't have sold as many Patrick Mahomes jerseys. ABC wouldn't be able to charge as much for the commercials that air during the game. We might not have to listen to Chiefs' coach Andy Reid say "bundle-rooski" so often; online gambling companies would have fewer bettors; the guys who sell hot dogs outside the stadium in New Orleans would sell fewer hot dogs. You get the idea: The Chiefs doing well is good business. Is it even possible to fix an NFL game?It's definitely possible to fix a football gamenot like they fix professional wrestling matches, but it could happen, and happen without players, coaches, trainers, and team owners having to agree to a predetermined outcome. You could, theoretically, fix a football game with a handful of crooked referees. NFL football teams are usually roughly evenly matched (especially when we're talking about the Super Bowl) and games are decided by a single decisions from officials regularly. And football's esoteric rules make it easy. Refereeing a football game requires subjective interpretation of vaguely worded textin order for the ball to be "caught," for instance, the receiver must "performs any act common to the game (e.g., tuck the ball away, extend it forward, take an additional step, turn upfield, or avoid or ward off an opponent)," or "maintain control of the ball long enough to do so." So there's room for interpretation. Officials also decide where the ball is placed after a play, whether a blocker is holding another player, how much pass interference "counts," whether conduct is "unsportsmanlike," and a million other judgement calls. Refs can even arbitrarily award a touchdown in some situations, so you could see how officials could hand a ball game to either team. And it's not like it never happened before.Evidence that the referees are helping Kansas CityHere are a few of the questionable calls in this weekend's very close playoff game between The Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills: Remember that definition of "catch?" This is not an example of one: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. It's an incomplete pass. Or it's an interception. And speaking of the refs deciding where the ball is spotted, in the below clip, The Bills are either just over or just behind the first down line. One ref immediately says first down. The other disagrees. Decision: Chiefs. Even though a close reading shows it was, in fact, a first down. This was the second first down the Bills earned in the same set of downs, by the way. The third down call was BS too: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. It wasn't just the final game of the playoffs, either. Throughout the season, fans have been pointing out how tackles against Patrick Mahomes are called as "roughing the passer," despite not being particularly rough. Check out this "massive hit" in the Chief's playoff game against the Houston Texans. (Video only available on YouTube.) Note the incredulity in the voices of the commentators and note Mahomes' obvious flop. Here's another flop, just because it's funny: This has been going on all season, too. Over the last nine Chiefs games, they have not been called for a single roughing-the-passer penalty, while opponents have been hit with that costly penalty six times. The case against the NFL rigging football for the ChiefsIt's hard to watch the Chiefs this season and come to any conclusion but "the fix is in." The sheer number of tight games where the Chiefs managed to eke out a last-minute victory, often with the help of a favorable call is evidence enough11 games in one season that were won with a one-score margin of victory? It sure looks like cheatingunless you're a Chiefs fan. If you're a Chiefs fan, you're seeing the best football team in the world, led by perhaps the best quarterback to ever play, and coached by the best coach since Vince Lombardi. The last-minute, tight victories are evidence of superior clock management: The Chiefs do just enough to win, and they do it like that on purpose. The deluge of roughing-the-passer penalties? Also strategic: Mahomes flops because it's legal and it it works. He's also a running quarterback, so he's going to get hit more often than a more stationary player, and thus draw more penalties.Putting extra importance on events that confirm our biases and ignoring the ones that don't is human nature. Believe it or not, rabid sports fans might not be collectively checking themselves for confirmation bias as rigorously as they should be. How many roughing-the-passer calls are made against other running quarterbacks? Someone is probably keeping track, but fans aren't too interested in a comparative analysis. Always consider the motiveThe idea that the NFL, as an organization, would have the power and clout to fix a football season (assuming they wanted to) seems farfetched enough to dismiss out of hand. NFL teams are owned by different millionaires and billionaires, who likely wield as much power as the league. They would not accept a rigged game (unless it was rigged in their team's favor.)As for the "storyline" argument, I'd be very surprised if the NFL believes that the people who watch football are excited to see the freaking Chiefs win another Super Bowl. I have no evidence except vibes, but if the idea is to produce a compelling narrative, the NFL needs better writers. The Chiefs winning three in a row is a lame story compared to "The always-terrible Washington Commanders, led by a rookie quarterback, manage to win the Super Bowl against all expectations," or even "Holy crap, the Detroit Lions are good this year?"This just leaves the refs. The 2007 cheating scandal that shook the NBA really happened and involved a referee, but it was one referee, and he only fixed the games he was picked to officiate. He wasn't trying to engineer victory for one squad over time. A league-wide conspiracy to support the Chiefs (or any other team) would be way more complex than the NBA chiseler's scheme, and would require many refs, linemen, the mysterious people who review contested calls, and who knows who else to agree to it. Someone would talk. Referees are people, just like usReferees and line judges are as prone to unconscious bias as anyone else. They make mistakes. Could it be that the officials are a little more likely to call penalties that favor the most famous player in the league? Sure, especially since he flops around like a damn soccer player. But are they doing it on purpose? Unlikely. NFL referees work their way up to the league, probably from high school sports, and if they do make the big show, they earn about a quarter million a year, and get to sometimes see Taylor Swift in the stands. It's the kind of job you'd want to keep. Plus, I assume most referees, like most everyone, take pride in doing their job well, and would be unlikely to risk throwing it all away for some short-term gain. As Mike Pereira, the rules analyst for Fox Sports and former head of NFL officiating, recently put it: "The fact that [officials] are looking out for any team or any individual is an absolute myth. You don't want to get fired. You want to be right. People that say that don't know a damn thing about officiating. Until you put the uniform on, until you have to make those quick judgments. ... get off my train. Period."Thankfully, the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 will answer the question of NFL rigging once and for all. If the vastly superior Philadelphia Eagles lose to the overrated Chiefs, we'll all know that the fix is in.

Tesla will introduce a paid autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin, Elon Musk said during an earnings call discussing the automaker's financial results for 2024. As TechCrunch reports, he said the company will use cars with no human driver behind the wheel and with the unsupervised version of its Full Self-Driving software, which Tesla has yet to release. The service will launch with the company's internal fleet in Austin this June before expanding to other locations in the US. And then next year, Tesla owners will be able to add their cars to the fleet whenever they want, kind of like how people can list and unlist their properties on Airbnb, Musk said. He explained that the automaker wants to iron out any kinks first, such as making sure billing works well and that the robotaxis will stop at the right spot when they're ordered.Since the plan is to allow vehicle owners to add their Teslas to the company's robotaxi fleet, the automaker is also planning to release its unsupervised FSD software in California and other regions in the US before the year ends. Knowing Musk's tendency to overpromise on timelines, though we'd take that announcement with a (huge) grain of salt.Musk has been talking about robotaxis for a while now and said back in 2019 that Tesla will "have over a million robotaxis on the road" within a year. When he launched the Cybercab in 2024, he said he envisions a future wherein people own several robotaxis that they can then earn money from through a ridesharing network. It's worth noting that Waymo started offering fully autonomous rides to select users in Austin in late 2024 and will be launching the service fully in the city sometime this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/elon-musk-says-tesla-will-launch-a-robotaxi-service-in-austin-this-june-044745591.html?src=rss

Sony just revealed some new games available for PlayStation Plus subscribers in February. The lineup isnt particularly exciting, but does include some solid entries like Payday 3 and High on Life.The company also made an announcement that could impact current PS4 owners, saying that PS4 games will no longer be a key benefit and will only be occasionally offered starting in 2026. This is something of a bummer, but understandable given that the PS4 came out in 2013. Heck, even the PS5 is approaching its fifth birthday.This wont impact titles that have already been downloaded, as subscribers will continue to have access to games as long as they remain a PS Plus member. Sony says it may still provide titles that can be playable on both PS4 and PS5 consoles after next year.Now onto the games. Payday 3, available for PS5 only, is a great entry in the co-op bank-robbing franchise. This is a four-player title thats set several years after the events of Payday 2. Players get to rob banks and even take hostages. Its a good and bloody time.High on Life is another FPS, but with tongue firmly planted in cheek. All of the weapons talk, for one, and most of them are voiced by Justin Roiland (who originally voiced both Rick and Morty of Rick and Morty.) Roiland has been mired in a sexual assault scandal, but theres an option to turn off the chatty guns. It'll be available for both PS4 and PS5.Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a remake (or Re-Pac) of a 2004 platformer. This refresh offers an improved UI, fine-tuned mechanics and updated visuals. Its actually a pretty solid platformer. Its no Mario Odyssey or Astro Bot, but it gets the job done. It also includes the original arcade game, though it must be unlocked. This one will also be available for PS4 and PS5.All three of the aforementioned titles will be available for download on February 4. Of course, PlayStation Plus both gives and takes each month. Some games are about to leave the service. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe will disappear on February 3.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/februarys-modest-playstation-plus-selection-includes-high-on-life-and-payday-3-184559839.html?src=rss

DualPipe could be the secret to DeepSeek's groundbreaking AI efficiency.

New details have emerged about Phantom Blade Zero, S-Game's upcoming soulslike action game.

Cardiff-based Gorilla VFX brought Skys The Radleys to life with 110 stunning visual effects shots, elevating this vampire thriller adapted from Matt Haigs acclaimed novel. Collaborating with director Euros Lyn (Heartstopper, Dream Horse), the studio created captivating effects that immerse viewers in the story of a vampire family navigating their unique challenges.Among their standout contributions is the seamless duplication of Damian Lewis, blending technical precision with storytelling finesse. The team also executed vampire teeth transitions, full CG takeovers, and intricate water simulations, adding depth to the films supernatural elements.Also, with an A-list cast like Damian Lewis and Kelly Macdonald, Gorilla VFX managed to come up with effects complementing the scary relatable nature of the film. Subtle transformations blend into grand visual spectacles, making The Radleys as visually mesmerizing as it is thrilling.The post Behind the Magic: Gorilla VFXs Work on The Radleys appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has conjured up a frosted spectacle under the hands of Sony Pictures Imageworks. The film gives spine-tingling visual effects that bring to life the paranormal. Amongst the standout creations is Slimer, the iconic ghost of the franchise, given bone-chilling details and frostbitten aesthetics to fit into the icy theme of the movie.From frost-covered textures to spectral glow effects, the VFX team at Imageworks ensured the redesign of Slimer felt fresh while staying true to his mischievous charm. Advanced simulations and meticulous compositing helped to bring out the chilling atmosphere, making Slimer a central figure of the films supernatural chaos.Adding to the eerie atmosphere were frost-clad ghost designs and dynamic, frost-laden environments that transformed New York City into a haunted frozen wasteland. The work done by Sony Pictures Imageworks on Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a technical masterpiece and a work of artistic vision, which makes this a visually stunning addition to the franchise.The post Behind the Spectacle: Slimer VFX in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced pushback on his views on abortion (and other issues) during his confirmation hearingfor Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Wednesday with the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.Since his nomination, President Donald Trumps highly controversial pick to head the nations top health post has elicited wide-ranging criticism for his radical views on a whole host of health issues, from vaccines and the U.S. healthcare system to our nations food supply. As Fast Company previously reported, Kennedy has been accused of makingnumerous false and misleading scientific claims, including those relating to autism and raw milk. If confirmed, he would oversee 13 federal agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, agencies regulating many of these important health issues.Democrats, including SenatorBernie Sanders of Vermont, pressed the nominee hard on his past support for abortion access and recent flip-flop against a womans right to choose. It remains unclear whether Kennedy has the votes, particularly from Democrats, to clinch the confirmation.Sanders quoted RFK Jr.s own 2023 support for womens autonomy over their bodies, adding, I have never seen any major politician flip on that issue quite as quickly as you did when Trump asked you to become HHS secretary.Kennedy replied, Senator, I believe and Ive always believed that every abortion is a tragedy. He refused to answer Sanderss question on whether healthcare is a human right.Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat from Nevada, asked RFK Jr. if pregnant women whose lives were in danger should be allowed to have emergency abortions in states where it is banned. His response: I dont know.RFK Jr. ran against Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate and after dropping out of the race, endorsed Trump (after reported conversations that Trump would reward him with a cabinet position). The son of formerU.S. Attorney General and SenatorRobert F. Kennedy, he is a member of the prominent Kennedy family, longtime Democrats, most of whom have been quick to say publicly he is unfit for office.His first cousin, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President John F. Kennedy, went one step further, writing a letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, urging the Senate to reject his nomination, referring to RFK Jr. as a predator and arguing that siblings and cousins who Bobby encouraged down the path of substance abuse suffered addiction, illness, and death.She read the letter ina video posted on Xby her son, Jack Schlossberg, a popular social media political commentator, who also has strongly denounced the nomination.

Whats more motivating than a punch card? Thats the simple idea behind a recent so-called punch party that creator @emiliamariehome hosted with friends.On January 24, @emiliamariehome posted a video on TikTok of a group of her friends creating punch cards (think: loyalty cards) as a Galentines Day activity. It quickly went viral, gaining more than 1.5 million views. Because whether its scoring a free cappuccino at your local coffee shop or a fresh loaf of bread at an independent bakery, the satisfaction from punching that final hole in a punch card is, well, unmatched.Now, social media users are hacking that dopamine hit to achieve their own goals, from dating to reading.In @emiliamariehomes video, each friend picked a goal and a reward for finishing punching all the holes on their card. One of her friends used their card as motivation to try new flower arrangements. Once they punched all four holes, they would allow themselves to buy one new vase. Another wanted to try 10 new recipes before buying another cookbook. A third promised themselves 10 croissants if they went on 10 dates (10 croissants are needed after 10 hinge dates, the creator joked in the comments).In the spirit of January, the celebrated month of goal-setting, the punch cards have quickly taken off. Love this idea, one person commented. Especially as someone that struggles to celebrate her wins. Another added, this is ridiculously cute. I am doing it.The first month of any new year is traditionally when millions take stock of how they live and want to set ambitious goals for the year ahead, often in terms of numbers. How many books will you read? How many exercise classes will you take? How many new meals will you make? A recent YouGov poll found 31% of Americans said they would be making New Years resolutions or setting goals for 2025. But skip to the end of January, and a good number of those will already have fallen short of their ambitions. However, if you keep at them, small lifestyle changes can often be transformative. And while there are a number of habit trackers that attempt to help us stick with things, from Apple watches and Oura rings to meticulously planned spreadsheets and Notion templates, punch cards may be a gentler way to keep yourself accountable in 2025. Just the act of punching all the holes is a kind of noble instant gratification.