The new game releases this week are full of action in different flavors. You can travel back in time and pick up a sword, strap on a guitar and noodle away monsters, or fight literal boredom as you wait for a bus to arrive. Or you can skip all that and be a spell-thirsty witch. Its a big week for RPG and puzzle fans who want to play something a little outside the norm.The week starts off strong with Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To, a gem-matching game with an adorable art style. The long-awaited sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance drops right after, with an even bigger open world to explore. And near the end of the week, you can risk it all on a slot machine roguelike deck builder called Luck Be a Landlord a game that heavily inspired our 2024 Game of the Year, Balatro, and is now being released on new platforms.Here are our most anticipated game releases for the week of Feb. 3.Big game updates to watch out forOn Feb. 4, Overwatch 2 will get a limited-time mode that turns the clock back to a Mercy-focused meta.On Feb. 4, Diablo 4 will celebrate Lunar New Year with a new loot-filled event.On Feb. 5, Mai Shiranui will join the Street Fighter 6 roster.On Feb. 6, you can suit up one more time and try out the Monster Hunter Wilds beta before its out later this month.

At this years textile trade fair, Heimtextil, among-us is a 650 m design installation designed by Patricia Urquiola with Moroso that transformed Hall 12.0. The layout provides a perfect backdrop to encourage experimentation in textile concepts, discussions of design, and sustainability. Open-concept and cavernous, among-us underscores Patricia Urquiolas vision of the endless possibilities of textile design, a force that has shaped and transformed our world since the beginning of civilization. The title, among-us, refers to the concept of being together and reflects the intent of the installation to celebrate hybrid new relations, says Urquiola. The installation creates a playful landscape populated by hybrid creatures of our fantasy.Urquiola tapped select partners to round out the textile landscape, including lounge islands by Kettal with Kvadrat fabrics, hanging textiles from cc-tapis made from Aquafils regenerated nylon yarn, and, of course, seating by Moroso.Moroso steps in to round out the installation space with plush lounge seating Gruuvelot, Mushmonster, and Giano that redefines the way we consider furniture. Playful, organic, and seemingly alive, these creatures are covered in dynamic upholstery that adds texture and a mottled, almost squid-like coloring.Heimtextil is an international trade fair focusing on innovations within the textile field, including sustainability developments as well as exciting releases. Heimtextil is a perfect fit for us, providing dialogue opportunities that start at the fair and continue throughout the year. We engage with everyone interested in textiles, aiming to listen as much as we present, valuing personal exchange, explains Urquiola, founder of Studio Urquiola.It is a privilege to work with such a renowned international designer like Patricia Urquiola and the Studio Urquiola team. The collaboration was prompted by a shared passion and vision for creative undertakings, trend dialogues, and sustainability solution in the world of textile design, shares Olaf Schmidt, Vice President of Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt.Moroso was established in 1952, when Agostino Moroso and his wife Diane set out to create sofas, armchairs, and furnishing accessories. A strong eye for design and clever manufacturing processes defined the brand as a go-to for uncompromising quality, innovation, and creativity. In the 1980s, the company welcomed the second generation of Morosos to lead the brand, propelling the firm to new heights. Today, Moroso has worked with top designers across the globe, such as Ross Lovegrove, Konstantin Grcic, and Tord Boontje. Defining a new generation of furniture is a tall order, but certainly nothing Moroso hasnt done before.Studio Urquiola was founded in 2001 by Patricia Urquiola and her partner, Alberto Zontone, bringing a fresh, unimpeded eye to the design scene. Studying architecture and design at Universidad Politcnica de Madrid and completed her studies at the Politecnico di Milano, she graduated under the mentorship of Achille Castiglioni. Using Castiglionis principle of the fundamental element, in which spaces must be thought of in relation to people, Urquiola embodies this theory fully in her work, delighting the human animal as well as the rational mind.To learn more about the Moroso installation designed by Patricia Urquiola at Heimtextil 2025, please click here.Studio photography by Studio Eye and exhibition photography by Daniele Ansidei.

Air conditioning in certain regions can sometimes be tricky. If youre a renter, its harder to permanently install a window unit, and swamp coolers are often ineffective in humid locations. Chinese company Xiaomi, however, has a new take on air conditioners that might be perfect for these situations while looking pretty sleek in the process.The so-called Xiaomi Mijia Air Conditioner Natural Wind Pro with Top Air Vent (yes, thats its actual name) mounts towards the top of a wall, and doesnt necessarily need to be placed near a window. Unlike other air conditioners, it pulls air in through a vent at the bottom, then pushes cool air along the ceiling.The concept is essentially that since hot air rises, cooling a whole room means starting from the top. That also means that you wont get freezing air blasted directly at you while youre in the room. Thats without pulling air in from outside a key component for anyone who hates the look of window units or those giant air ducts that pull air from outside.The unit tackles heating too, in a very different way. Since, again, hot air rises, it switches the direction of the vents when its heating, instead blasting hot air directly towards the floor and along the ground.Sure, its not as invisible as central systems that cool a whole home, but the very fact that it doesnt have to pull air from outside means no ugly air ducts. Its unclear exactly what its built from, and to be fair, its likely made from a plastic exterior. But, at least that plastic attempts to imitate a silver stainless steel, instead of being that white plastic that A/C units are typically built from.The only downside? It seems as though the Xiaomi air conditioner is for Asian markets only, and likely wont make it to the United States or Europe. Hopefully thatll change or someone will get inspired to build something similar that does get a global release.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.People tend to start gardening the same way: They grow their first plant outside, feel the pride of eating their own sun-ripened tomato, and decide to plant two plants the next year. Most of those plants are bought from a nursery, but as you build a garden, buying starts from the store begins to make less sense. If youre at the point where youre considering planting, say, eight tomato plants, it might make sense to start growing your own. And you should. You can save a lot of money by growing your own from seeds. Buying garden starts makes sense at firstPeople buy garden starts for simple reasons: By the time the weather cooperates and the soil is warm enough to grow in, you don't want to waste time waiting for seeds to germinate. Planting grown plants instead of seeds can save weekssometimes monthsand plants at the nursery are usually tough, resilient, and close to fruiting. Buying grown plants also allows you to space them appropriately in your garden, and bigger plants are more likely to survive the elements, including weather and predators. All in all, its not a bad deal. But youre paying for it.For an investment, someone else has done most of the work.The downside of buying seedlings for your gardenAside from being limited to a nursery's inventory, the downside of buying seedlings is the cost. Starts tend to come in three sizes: a six pack for smaller vegetables, a six pack for larger vegetables, and four-by-four inch singles.In my city, prices of single plants have gone from $3.25 to $6 since 2020, and a jumbo six pack has jumped from $5 to $7. I browsed prices in Utah, Arizona, and Massachusetts for comparison and found that prices have jumped 25% of more in the last few years. It quickly adds up. If youre planting twenty five vegetables in your garden (an average of how many plants gardeners buy each spring from my local nursery), that means your costs would have gone from around $100 to $150.Conversely, growing your own seedlings means that you get to choose specifically what plants you want to grownot tomatoes versus peppers, but what kind of tomatoes or peppers. You can grow what you want, when you want, and you can start them much earlier than the nursery, which is great if you're someone trying to extend your season by using low tunnels or greenhouses. And growing your own seedlings teaches so much about plants.The costs of growing your own seedsThe downside of growing your own seeds is that it involves more work and comes with start-up costs. You need a place to grow your seedlings, and since most people dont have a greenhouse, you might use a simple freestanding wire rack or shelving unit that you can buy at Home Depot (although I found mine by watching Craigslist, as people are always giving away garage storage units). You also likely need grow lights to hang over your plants, and that cost can add up too, as people commonly miscalculate how many lights they need. (For the shelves linked above, for example, most people would need two sets of the grow lights linked together.) You also need trays to plant your seeds inlike these nicer air pruning trays, but you can also ask your local garden group or garden center for old, free onesand bottom watering trays for each one so you can water your seedlings. To keep your seedlings warm and humid enough to germinate, you'll also need heat mats and tray domes. At this point, youre in for a few hundred bucks, which admittedly seems like a lot. If you plan to garden into the future, though, it's a capital investment into equipment you'll use year after year. You can also scale your operation up or down easily: You really only need one tray of seeds (a tray can hold between fifty to one hundred twenty eight seedlings), a cheap dome, heat mat, and grow light, and to find a good spot in your home. With a little resourcefulness, you can likely bring that cost to under $75.Soft costs include the seeds themselves, obviously, which can go from $2 a packet to as much as $7-8 depending on how many you buy. I recommend starting with Burpee or Ferry Morse seeds, which are on the cheaper side, so you can learn with less expensive seeds before buying more expensive kinds. You can also often find free seeds at a local seed library or by asking neighbors or your local gardening group. Plenty of people save their own seeds and share them, and you can, too. Youre unlikely to use all your seeds each year, so you can organize your own seed library to spend less money year to year. Youll also need seedling mixoften confused with potting soilwhich is a specific blend of finer soil without nutrients that can cost you $7-15.Other soft costs like fertilizer and pest control cost the same whether you buy garden starts or grow your own.Comparing the costs of garden starts versus seedsLets say, for example, that youre buying the average twenty five plant starts for $150. If you grew them from seed, you could grow them in one tray for as little as $75 in startup equipment costs and, say, $40 in soil and seeds, bringing your total to around $115. More importantly, though, is that youd be set for year one of growing, plus have a head start for next year when you won't need to buy seeds or soil again. Once you have your equipment are are freed from some of the cost restraints, my bet is that youll also grow more. (For instance, annual flowersa few dollars for a packet of 100 seeds versus $6 for a pack of six startsare expensive to buy as starts but cheap to grow from seed.) Even if you decide to scale up your operation with more lights and trays, the cost for the same number of starts would far exceed your start-up costs. In my experience, $400 spent on start-up supplies could easily cost a thousand dollars at the nursery. Instead, you can grow your plants from start to finish, save a lot of money, and learn a lot in the process.

In this week's trip into the cultural zeitgeist of people too young to rent cars, I explain why everyone is arguing over robot abuse, take a look at a niche TikTok subculture dedicated to sticks, and explain why you should never say "sigh name cuff" on video. All that, plus warnings of dangerous TikTok trends and a look at gleeking. Viral video of the week: Kai Cenat buys a $70,000 robot Massively popular YouTube and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat may have doomed humanity in this week's viral video. On a recent live stream, Cenat and his pals unbox and assemble a human-like robot that set Cenat back $70,000. The video begins as a hilarious demonstration of impressive and creepy technology. But things turn sinisterto some. Very shortly after Kai and company get the robot up and walking around, they start attacking it, kicking it, hitting it and pushing it over. Here's a link to the relevant part of the video. At one point it almost looks like the poor little guy is trying to run away. The internet responded with a debate as to whether bullying a human-like machine is a sign of something troubling or just clean fun. As Ian Miles Cheong put it on X: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Overall, I think the video is funny and harmless. A robot isn't a person and isn't sentient, so there's no cruelty here. I don't think it reveals anything dark about the people in the video, either, just like shooting "people" in a video game doesn't reveal you to be secretly murderous. But still, I get why it's distressing to some. I can't help but feel bad for the poor little robot, even though I know my compassion is misplaced. It's in our nature to personify things, and that robot looks so helpless. It's easy to write off this specific video, but with machines (arguably) on the verge of something like consciousness, we may soon have to decide what rights they have and what responsibilities we have in how we treat them. This is why I always say "Thank you" to Siri; she might remember it later on and spare my life. Cenat is a goner, though.Welcome to SticktokI love that there's a corner of TikTok for every possible niche interest, like finding a cool stick and saying, "this one looks like a sword!" That's what the kids over at the sticktok and sticknation do. They find cool sticks! Sticks for hunched-over dwarves, sticks for smashing things, magic wand sticks, and any other kind of stick you could possibly imagine. If you like sticks, you can find your people here. It's a way cheaper way to get some views than buying a $70,000 robot. What is "gleeking?"I remember people talking about gleekingspraying spit directly from under your tongue, often when yawningwhen I was in high school in the 1840s, so it's not a new slang word, but it's having a culture moment among the kids. Gleeking has crossed generations and is blowing up, as the kids (used to) say, on TikTok. Tutorial videos are hitting hundreds of thousands of views and some are saying they're addicted to it. "Gleek" is also how a fan of the show Glee might refer to themself, so the hashtag is all over the place. Another interesting fact about "gleeking": no one really knows where the word came from. Shakespeare used it, but he was referring to a jest of jape, then hundreds of years past and it started to mean shooting saliva from under your tongue. It was prevalent in the 1980s basically everywhere, but how did a pre-internet nation of youth share this information? How did it spread? No one knows. Mysterious!(If you'd like a full glossary of slang the kids are using these days, I maintain one here on Lifehacker.)TikTok warnings: don't do any of these dangerous internet things!This is part eight of my 4,394 part series "Don't do anything you see on the internet or anywhere else, ever," in which I warn you of the terrible things children are doing because they saw them on TikTok. Do not eat tiramisu from your car's cup holderThe below TikTok video demonstrating how to eat the Italian dessert from your car's console should not be emulated! According to medical professionals like Dr. Shivram Singh, "Storing and eating food in your vehicle can lead to an increase of bacteria growth, which can result in many health implications."Do not shave off your eyelashes to look more manlyYoung dudes are not all right. Some are so weird about their masculinity that they're shaving their eyelashes so they don't look so girly. While I haven't spoken to an ophthalmologist about this, I do know that eyelashes help keep dust and detritus out of your eyes, and if you're shaving your eyelashes so women will like you, there are probably other reasons women don't like you. Do not bother to rub banana peels on your faceI'm on the fence about this one. Some beauty influencers are posting before and after videos of what happens when you rub banana peels on your face. The claim is bananas are like nature's Botox because they contain lutein, which can smooth wrinkles. According to skincare expert Dr Dave Reilly, "While it may be true that banana peel contains this antioxidant, it will not be topically absorbed through direct application to the skin. The concentration of lutein in the peel is also not high enough to produce significant results.But it doesn't seem like this one is dangerous, so I say rub banana peels on your face all day; what do I care? But do not tell any children that smoking banana peels gets you high. Let's keep that our little secret. What does "Sigh Name Cuff" mean? If a young person in your life points a camera in your face and asks you to say "Sigh Name Cuff," definitely do it, but understand what you're getting yourself into. The young person will take the video, reverse it, and you will be saying something very rude instead of "sigh name cuff." It's like backwards masking in heavy metal albums, except Satan isn't involved and it's real. Here's a video that demonstrates the phenomena: You can check out a ton of other examples here.

The Anker Charger (140W, 4-Port, PD 3.1) launched during CES 2025 with a discount of $10 off the original $90 price, and now that discount is back again. The only difference is you dont need to enter a coupon code since Anker is tacking on the discount immediately. Theres also a time-limited deal on the Anker 100W Laptop Power Bank, so youll have to move fast if youre interested. The Anker Charger has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Two USB-C ports can charge a 15-inch MacBook Air to 50 percent within 30 minutes. The built-in display also shows temperature, port-specific wattage and current maximum output. At less than 10 ounces, its a brick you can take anywhere. As for the Laptop Power Bank, it has a maximum single output of 100W and charges up to four devices at once thanks to its 25,000 mAh capacity. The retractable cables prevent the possibility of a tangled mess of wires. While capable of charging a MacBook Pro to 50 percent in 33 minutes, this power bank can be recharged to 30 percent in 20 minutes, allowing for frequent use. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-newest-charger-and-power-bank-have-dropped-to-record-low-prices-151555595.html?src=rss

Middleby Outdoor added smart grilling features to its Kamado Joe ceramic grills in 2023 with the Konnected Joe. Now, the company is introducing a larger model with more cooking space. With the Big Joe Konnected Joe, you get all the features from the Konnected Joe, but with an additional 200 square inches of cooking space. And since this is still a kamado-style grill, you'll get all the benefits of the ceramic construction, including fuel efficiency and heat retention. The Big Joe Konnected Joe is the continuation of the Big Joe line. The dimensions of this new grill match the Big Joe II, but the smart model is 60 pounds lighter. Like the Big Joe II, you can expect a temperature range of 225-700 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the Big Joe Konnected Joe has a digital controller and fan to maintain your desired heat level. The cooking area is also the same as the other Big Joe models at 450 square inches. With the Kamado Joe app, the company offers the ability to monitor and control temperatures from anywhere since the grill has Wi-Fi connectivity. That software also shows food probe temperatures, displays progress graphs, sends cooking notifications and hosts a wealth of recipes. There are multiple cook modes, so you can employ Automatic when you want a hands-off session or Classic when you want to maintain the temperature the old fashioned way. There are also dedicated modes for Kamado Joe's various accessories, like the JoeTisserie. Kamado Joe The so-called Kontrol Board on the front of the Big Joe Konnected Joe houses a digital display where temperature, graphs, alerts and cook modes are viewable. The grill allows you to use up to three wired food probes simultaneously and there's a dedicated button for the Automatic Fire Start (AFS) feature. That latter tool debuted on the Konnected Joe and returns here. It's a heating element in the bottom of the grill that ignites charcoal without the need for lighter fluid or fire starters. Honestly, it's the best feature on the Konnected Joe and I have no doubt it will come in handy on this model too. Since this is a Kamado Joe product, you get a lot of the trademark features from this brand of grills. The Kontrol Tower top vent maintains the correct airflow per guidance from the on-board display and app, while the Air Lift hinge raises the lid with ease. Inside, there's a two-tier cooking setup so you can prepare foods are various temperatures at the same time. A slide-out ash drawer makes clean up a breeze and the whole thing sits on a sturdy powder-coated steel cart with four locking wheels. There are also folding shelves on both sides of the grill. The Big Joe Konnected Joe is available from retailers and the Kamado Joe website for $2,999. That's the same price at the Big Joe III and $1,300 more than the smaller Konnected Joe. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/kamado-joe-debuts-the-big-joe-konnected-joe-a-larger-smart-charcoal-grill-150013634.html?src=rss

Nvidia will enhance RTX 4000 users' experience, with Smooth Motion making its way to the previous generation in a future update.

Healthcare company initially said cyberattack affected 5,000 people, but stressed the number is likely bigger.

Efforts to diversify workplaces and promote equality are under attackmost recently with a sweeping crackdown from the Trump administration. But advocates and professionals whove dedicated their careers to diversity, equity, and inclusion are still committed to seeing the work continue.Weve been here for years, said Amira Barger, executive vice president of communications and head of DEI advisory at Edelman. Im still encouraged, even in the midst of all this backlash.While a number of prominent companies have recently changed or scaled back their DEI initiatives, other big names have worked to reinforce commitments to diversity and inclusion. Barger expects the majority to find a way to continue these efforts and stresses that leaders need to stand up and defend the work now more than ever.Barger recently spoke with the Associated Press. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.Q: Tell me about your work at Edelman.A: I actually wear two hats here at Edelman. So 50% of my time is focused on communications specifically for the health ecosystem. Thats everything from pharma to hospital systems, medical schools, you name it. And then the other 50% of my time is broader U.S. DEI advisory, which is sector agnostic.Every day is a little bit differentdepending on whats happening in the world, what our clients are focused on and the goals that have been set for the year. Our teams work to help counsel clients on anything from executive orders that might come out around DEI rollbacks and initiatives, like were seeing today, to how to frame a particular communication for a multicultural audience in ways that are honoring peoples lived experiences.Q: Weve seen a handful of big names pull back from their DEI efforts recently. What has that been like to witness?A: The pendulum continues to swing on the world of diversity, equity and inclusion. And what Im feeling right now, in this moment of pushback that has been happening in this space, is that weve been here before.A lot of people earmark 2020 as a milestone for corporate DEI effortsin the movement following the murder of George Floyd. But weve been in the background doing this work quietly and sustainably for decades, going back to the writing of the Civil Rights Act. With all of the backlash and executive orders were seeing today, I think thats probably whats going to happen again. The work will continue, but executives might be a little more quiet about it.I foresee the majority of companies to continue efforts, but they might change the words or evolve in other ways. Were seeing a lot of that, and its not new. Weve also seen some big names reinforce their commitments to DEI, like Costco and Apple.Q: What other impacts do you anticipate from Trumps actions to dismantle DEI initiatives at the federal level?A: Specific language from Trumps recent executive orders dismantling federal DEI initiatives labels these efforts as being forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs. My concern here is that it undermines progress and ignores the systemic inequities that these programs are trying to address.And the orders may carry several implications for federal contractors. DEI initiatives could be deprioritized or deemed less relevant in the bidding process. Companies might encounter compliance or restructuring challenges. Suppliers that promote DEI principles may also face reduced preference in government contracting, potentially impacting existing partnerships. And businesses may find themselves navigating polarized stakeholder reactions.Q: What message would you give businesses navigating all of this?A: When DEI initiatives are attacked, companies need to be prepared to address the criticism by being really clear about demonstrating positive impacts of this kind of work. That means defending the work with facts. From increased innovation to a greater sense of belonging among employees, there are very real outcomes that companies can use to show measurable progress because of the existence of these programs. And its also important to invite input and take it seriously.What we need in this moment are leaders who have the nerve to be brave and to stand up for this work. Theres a lot of fear-mongering and uncertainty right nowand I think that can drive people to do things outside of what they might believe is true or rightso we need leaders to show that nerve in really big and powerful ways. My hope is that well see some of that over this next year, even in the midst of a new administration that is clearly very anti-DEI.Wyatte Grantham-Philips, AP Business Writer