It looks like the Hellmouth is opening up once again. While Sunnydale is just a smoldering crater in the ground, Buffy the Vampire Slayeris ready to sink its fangs into a new generation of viewers. While fans have been here before, Sarah Michelle Gellar is officially locked in to reprise her role as the titular Slayer for a Buffy the Vampire Slayerreboot. If true, it brings Buffy back to the small screen for the first time since season 7 ended in 2003.

In-between showering Compton-born rapper Kendrick Lamar with gilded gramophones over the weekend, the Grammy Awards also crowned Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord as the shows third annual Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media.The first-ever Wizardry game introduced Dungeons & Dragons-style roleplaying to the Apple II in 1981 before being ported to several other PC models, home consoles, and even handhelds in the ensuing decades. Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlords legacy was further celebrated by developer Digital Eclipse with a 2023 remake, featuring a complete 3D overhaul of the classic wireframe graphics as well as an all-new soundtrack. Polygons Michael McWhertor praised the remake as a more playable, but not any less punishing, way to experience the old-school game.As the original games dungeon-crawling didnt feature any accompanying music, veteran composer Winifred Phillips (God of War, Borderlands) had to build the remakes score from scratch. The entire album is available for download on Bandcamp.Its like a bright light just exploded in my head, a giddy Phillips said during an on-camera interview conducted right after she was presented her award. We do a very unique thing. Were creating music that needs to accompany people who are having an experience and who are making choices and having adventures and living a grand story, and were kind of creating the music for that story. Its such a wonderful privilege, because you feel like youre sort of collaborating with the players, like you know them and they know you. Its really very special.Pinar Toprak (Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora), Bear McCreary (God of War Ragnark: Valhalla), John Paesano (Marvels Spider-Man 2), and Wilbert Roget II (Star Wars Outlaws) were also nominated. Past winners include Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor) and Stephanie Economou (Assassins Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok).Before introducing a category specific to the medium in 2023, the Grammy Awards rarely acknowledged video games. Christopher Tins Baba Yetu from Civilization 4 was the first piece of video game music to take home a Grammy in 2011, for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s), followed two years later by Austin Wintorys brilliant work on Journey, which was nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.Correction (Feb. 7): A previous version of this story said Journey won a Grammy when it was only nominated.

Sid Meiers Civilization 7 doesnt officially launch until Tuesday, but some strategy fans who purchased the more expensive deluxe edition of the game are already playing and already giving developer Firaxis some tough-love feedback. On Steam, more than 6,000 players have already reviewed the game, giving Civilization 7 a mixed reception. Less than 50% of the games reviews are positive, as of Friday.Firaxis responded to early feedback on Thursday, confirming that the team is well aware of players criticisms. Firaxis said it will focus on three key areas to improve the game, starting with Civilization 7s heavily criticized user interface. Our top priority is improving the UI, the developer said in a statement. We need some time to digest all of your feedback, but some areas that were already looking into include making UI interactions more intuitive, improving map readability, fixing areas of polish like formatting, and more. Were committed to getting this right, and will share more details as soon as we can.Civ 7 players on Steam have blasted the games interface as unrefined at best and total slop at worst. One popular user review on Steam calls the UI very poor here and feels ported over from console in the worst way possible. [] Civ 6 had this aced? Firaxis, this is a huge step backwards here. Given that updating the games UI is the No. 1 priority on Firaxis list, the developer would seem to agree.Firaxis said its also listening to community suggestions to improve the game, and is working on cooperative multiplayer teams, a wider variety of map types, and enabling custom city and religion names.Some relief will come in March, when Firaxis plans to release patch 1.1.0, which will include quality-of-life UI adjustments, ongoing AI balance and improvement, adjustments to diplomacy and crises, plus additional bug fixes.In Polygons review of the game, critic Cameron Kunzelman wrote that Civilization 7shines where it is already most comfortable, but noted frustrations with the game, calling it a little rough. Sid Meiers Civilization 7 is coming to Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on Feb. 11. It sounds like the games official launch is just the beginning for Firaxis latest grand strategy game.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.The best snack holiday of the year is finally upon us, and while I hope everyone has their cocktail weenie plans figured out, Id like to remind you that many other fillings rival the wee hot dog. One of my favorite things to wrap in a pastry blanket is a pickle, but this year I have a new obsession. Its fry-able, grill-able, bake-able cheese, and it is absolutely incredible wrapped in pastry. How to make the best cheese in a blanketUnfortunately, mozzarella doesn't cut it here. Grilling cheese, also called frying cheese, is the best choiceit's a high-protein cheese that doesnt completely liquify under heat. I tried wrapping mozzarella sticks and even cheddar for this job and it was a disaster. Those cheeses have too much water and fat strung throughout; by the time the Pillsbury crescent dough began to brown, the cheese would burst through the pastry and run out. (And yes, I tried an egg wash. My seams were sealed.)Then I remembered that frying cheese could do the trick. It melts and stretches just slightly, which makes for a soft, chewy, sometimes squeaky texture. Its creamy and salty, which is perfect for snacking and pairs well with any dipping sauces. Sure enough, it can stand up to the heat of the air fryer and oven while the pastry puffs and browns, without melting out into a terrible puddle. You can cut the cheese in small or large pieces, and wrap them in a strip or completely sealed in a pocket. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Ive been using it in agua panela con queso, a comforting hot drink, and pan frying slabs of it for meals. The most alluring part of this type of cheese is that when it directly contacts a hot panor air-fryer grate, in our casethe cheese crisps and browns. Thanks to the Maillard reaction, new delicious flavors form along with this tempting crisp and color. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann You can wrap these up in numerous ways. As you can see in the picture above, I wrapped them in small morsels to mimic the size of pigs in a blanket, but you can also cut the cheese into long sticks and fully encase them in pastry. Try wide planks for big cheesy pockets. Personally, I like the thin sticks, where the ends ooze out and brown.How to make this snack even betterYou can take or leave this advice, but I sprinkled a light dusting of garlic parmesan seasoning salt I got from Walmart over the surface before wrapping the cheese chunks. Best idea of my day. The tiniest amount brought out a wonderful savory flavor, but dont go crazy or it will become overwhelming. Of course, you can just do a sprinkle of your own seasoning choices. Try salt with chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Dont forget that cheese can pair with sweet, too. Dust them with cinnamon sugar for a surprising sweet treat.This recipe uses the air fryer because its speed cant be beat, but you could do this in a conventional oven for sure. Just raise the temperature up to 375F and bake them for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned to your preference. Cool them briefly on a wire rack before serving.Cheese in a Blanket RecipeIngredients:1 tube Pillsbury crescent dough sheet1 block grilling cheese (halloumi or any of the options above)Optional dry seasonings for sprinkling (garlic salt, or any seasoning mix)1. Set your air fryer to the air fry setting and preheat it to 325F. This likely only takes a minute.2. Unwrap the Pillsbury dough and sprinkle the surface with a light dusting of seasoning salt (if using).3. Slice the grilling cheese into your preferred size of rectangle. Wrap each piece of cheese with dough and make sure the seam overlaps. Let them rest seam-side down.4. Place the wrapped cheese (seam-side down) into the air fryer fitted with a grate. Make sure they have a bit of space around them because the pastry will puff. Air fry them for four to six minutes, or until browned to your liking. If theyre on a grate you wont need to flip them, but if youre using a liner then you may need to flip them to brown the bottoms. Cool briefly and enjoy alone or with any delicious dips that make their way to your Super Bowl snack spread.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.The Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera is currently $129.99, down from $249.99, its lowest price ever, according to price trackers. Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Security Camera $129.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $129.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $120.00 PCMag gave it an Editors Choice award with an Excellent rating, citing its 2K HDR video quality and powerful 3,000-lumen floodlight, all in a wire-free setup. Unlike wired floodlight cameras, this one doesnt require complex installationjust mount it using the included screws, connect to 2.4GHz wifi, and youre set. Its 160-degree field of view covers a lot of ground, and its color night vision works well, though colors arent as vibrant in low-light conditions. Motion alerts are reportedly fast and accurate, and thanks to its Advanced Object Detection feature, youll know if its a person, animal, or carnot just a random movement.The floodlight itself is dimmable and has a 4,000k white color temperature, making it bright enough to deter intruders but not blinding if you just need some visibility. You can turn it on manually via the Arlo Secure app or have it trigger automatically with motion detection. The camera also has a 12x digital zoom with Auto Zoom and Tracking, so it can follow movement in its frame. The battery is rechargeable and lasts several months, but if youd rather not deal with recharging, Arlo sells an optional solar panel (or you can get it bundled for $179.99, down from $309.98 right now) or an outdoor magnetic cable ($49.99) for continuous power. A small catch: To access recorded footage, youll need an Arlo Smart Plan subscriptionstarting at $2.99/month for one camera and $9.99/month for up to five cameras (or more if you want 4K recording).Performance-wise, the daytime video is crisp with excellent color, and night vision is solid up to 25 feet. Motion detection is reliable, notifications arrive quickly, and cloud-stored footage is sharp. Theres some minor barrel distortion, but its not a dealbreaker, notes the PCMag review. Additionally, it works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT applets, giving it solid smart home integration.

The Trump administration has ordered states to stop a program to build fast EV chargers on highways throughout the country, according to a memo released by the Federal Highway Administration. The letter informs state transportation directors, who are in charge of instituting the program, that any plans approved by the Biden administration are now suspended until new guidance is issued.The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program was approved by Congress as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It was intended to fill gaps in Americas EV charging network and was supported by $5 billion in grants. President Trump has long decried the program and regularly lied about the specifics during the 2024 campaign.The infrastructure law authorized $5B over 5 years for NEVI, a program that funds states to build fast EV charging stations. Buttigieg & DOE ensured this program set high quality standards.So far, 50 stations (green) are now open & 903 (purple) are underway#HappyBirthdayPete pic.twitter.com/KlgXMkMYKN Nerdy Pursuit (@nerdypursuit) January 20, 2025 To that end, Trump would often suggest that the Biden administration spent $9 billion to build eight EV charging stations. Sometimes he would lower the figure to just eight chargers. In reality, 55 charging stations have been built so far, according to data provided by The Washington Post. Just over $2 billion has been allocated to states, and much of it hasnt been spent yet.The mandate, as outlined in the new memo, will fulfill the financial obligations of NEVI, so long as a state already has a finalized contract with a charging company. Any unfinished contracts will likely be put on indefinite hold.Can an organization like the FHA unilaterally put the kibosh on a program that was approved by Congress? The legality here is unclear, but Loren McDonald, chief analyst at the EV charging analytics firm Paren, said I dont believe FHWA has the authority to do this.Ryan Gallentine, managing director at the national business association Advanced Energy United, said that states are under no obligation to stop these projects based solely on this announcement. He went on to call on state leaders to continue executing this program until new guidance is finalized.This move is also expected to be challenged in court. Im assuming the lawsuits from states will start soon, and this will go to court and Congress, McDonald said. But the Trump administration will succeed in just causing havoc and slowing things down for a while.Trump has been chipping away at EV policies since his first day in office. He issued an executive order that eliminated Bidens target to transition half of the countrys vehicles to EVs by 2030. Its expected that he will soon go after the federal tax credit for electric vehicles.But wont this hurt Trumps bestie Elon Musk? Tesla, after all, was one of the largest recipients of those NEVI grants. Its worth remembering that this mandate doesnt rollback any contracts that have already been finalized. In other words, Musk is probably perfectly happy with the $31 million his company already snagged from the government. He has also long-approved of the proposed elimination of the federal tax credit, likely because it would harm competitors much more than Tesla.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/trump-administration-stops-nationwide-ev-charging-program-172002768.html?src=rss

The latest edition of our weekly deal roundup includes a range of discounts on Apple's AirPods. The standard AirPods 4 are down to $100, which ties their lowest price to date, while ANC version of those earbuds and the higher-end AirPods Pro 2 are cheaper than usual at $149 and $169, respectively. If you don't need new headphones, we're also seeing discounts on Peacock and Apple Music subscriptions, our favorite robot vacuum and microSD card for those on a budget, Sonos speakers and more. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today. Spotlight deal The rest of the best tech deals this week Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $169 at Amazon ($80 off MSRP): If you're willing to pay extra and don't mind a traditional in-ear design, the AirPods Pro 2 are still the best wireless earphones Apple makes and our favorite pair for iPhone owners overall. They have the same set of Apple-friendly features noted above, but add stronger ANC, a more secure fit, fuller sound (thanks to that in-ear design), an hour or two of extra battery life and onboard volume controls. As of last fall, they can also function as an FDA-approved hearing aid. That said, if you aren't tethered to the Apple ecosystem, there are other pairs with superior noise cancellation, battery life and audio quality out there. This discount is $15 more than the all-time low we saw around Black Friday, but it's a good $20 to $30 below the pair's typical street price and $80 less than buying from Apple directly. Also at Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Peacock Premium (1-year) for $30 at Peacock ($50 off, new and returning users only): New and returning subscribers can grab a year of Peacock's ad-supported plan for $30 through Feburary 18. (Yes, it's called "Premium" even though it has ads.) If you're not a current subscriber and don't see the discount, use the code WINTERSAVINGS at checkout. NBCUniversal ran a similar offer around Black Friday that dropped the subscription to $20, but this is still $50 off the annual plan's usual price. While we wouldn't call Peacock essential, it should be worth checking out if you're big into Premier League soccer, WWE live events or most shows from NBC and Bravo The Office and Law and Order included. The Samsung Evo Select. (The 1TB model is on sale today, not the 512GB model pictured here.) Jeff Dunn / Engadget Samsung Evo Select (1TB) microSD card for $70 at Amazon ($10 off): The Evo Select is the budget pick in our guide to the best microSD cards: It's certainly not the fastest model we've tested, but it's quick enough if you just want to boost the storage of a Nintendo Switch or Android tablet on the cheap without feeling totally bogged down. Just don't expect it to be all that great for large file transfers. This deal matches the all-time low for the extra-spacious 1TB model. Also at Samsung and B&H. Sonos Era 100 for $199 at Sonos ($50 off): To address the elephant in the room, no, Sonos is not doing well right now. A redesign of the company's control app last May has been a colossal failure, eventually leading to the departure of the audio brand's CEO and chief product officer last month and sizable layoffs just this week. It's hard to get jazzed about discounts with all of that in mind, but this is a deal roundup, and we still do recommend much of firm's audio gear in our various buying guides, so we're obligated to mention that the company is still running a sale on its soundbars and home speakers through February 9. One highlight is the Sonos Era 100 for $199, a $50 discount that ties the lowest price we've seen. This is the top midrange pick in our guide to the best smart speakers: While the software situation is still iffy, the hardware still delivers impressively clean and balanced sound for its size. If you just want a single speaker for enjoying music at home, it remains a decent value at less than $200. Also at Amazon, Walmart, B&H and others. The Sonos Era 100. Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget $100 Apple Gift Card + $10 Best Buy Gift Card for $100 at Best Buy ($10 off): If you buy a $100 Apple gift card at Best Buy, the retailer will throw in a bonus $10 gift card to its own store for no extra cost. Both cards will be emailed to you digitally. For the unfamiliar, you can apply an Apple gift card to just about anything Apple makes, be it a new iPhone, an Apple TV+ subscription or purchases on the App Store. If you're looking to grab something along those lines and know you'll shop at Best Buy again anyway, it's hard to complain about a bit of bonus money. Apple Music (6-month) for $3 at Apple ($52 off, new subscribers and select devices only): Speaking of Apple services, the company is running a promotion that doles out six months of Apple Music for $3 total. Normally, a solo subscription costs $11 per month after a 30-day free trial, or a three-month trial if you've recently bought an Apple device. This newest promo comes with a few caveats, though: You must be new to Apple Music, not eligible for the aforementioned three-month trial and able to redeem the offer through an iPhone, iPad or Mac. If you meet all of that criteria, however, this is a nice way to get a half-year of music streaming for cheap. We praise Apple Music in our guide to the best music streaming services for its lossless streaming quality, ease of use with Apple devices and emphasis on letting actual people introduce you to new music. Apple says this deal will run through February 27. Just be aware that your subscription will be set to auto-renew until you cancel. The iRobot Roomba Vac Essential. iRobot iRobot Roomba Vac Essential (Q0120) for $130 at Amazon ($120 off): The Roomba Vac Essential is the top pick in our guide to the best budget robot vacuums. It's a basic entry-level model, as it navigates semi-randomly instead of mapping set paths and will still bonk into furniture every now and then. But it cleans well enough, especially on hard floors, and we've found it easy to set up and control through Roomba's mobile app. If you're on a budget and live in a smaller place that isn't inundated with pet hair, you could do much worse. This discount is the lowest price we've tracked and a $20 drop from the robovac's typical going rate in recent months. Also at Best Buy, Target and others. Anker 713 USB-C Charger for $20 at Amazon ($20 off): The Anker 713 Charger is a compact wall charger with one USB-C port that can deliver up to 45W of power. It's not the newest or fastest model out there, but it's easy to tuck in a bag and powerful enough to charge many modern smartphones and tablets at full speed. This discount matches the lowest price we've seen and takes about $8 off the device's common street price. Also at Anker. If you need something faster with a couple more ports, the 67W Anker Prime charger is also on sale for a low of $36. The Razer Viper V3 Pro. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Razer Viper V3 Pro for $145 at Amazon ($15 off): It's not a massive discount, but this $15 drop marks the lowest price we've seen for the Viper V3 Pro, which tops our guide to the best gaming mice. This is very much a niche device, aimed squarely at those who take competitive PC games seriously, but its 54-gram design is super lightweight, consistently responsive and comfortable for a wide range of grip types and hand sizes. Just don't expect it to keep you from getting owned in Counter-Strike 2 or Marvel Rivals on its own. Also at Best Buy. LG B4 OLED TV (48") for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off): This ties the lowest price we've seen for the 48-inch LG B4, which is the entry-level model in LG's 2024 OLED lineup. While it's not as bright or color-rich as some higher-end alternatives, it still offers the essential perks of any good OLED TV: superb contrast with deep black tones, clear motion, wide viewing angles and the like. It's also a nice value for gaming, as it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support refresh rates up to 120Hz. It's just better off in a darker room, and this particular model is relatively small. If you're curious about what other TV deals are available ahead of the Super Bowl, note that we have a separate roundup just for those. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-airpods-4-hit-an-all-time-low-of-100-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-170248131.html?src=rss

It looks like Amazon is plowing ahead with new Fire TV devices for Android 14, and we might see them soon.

Apple hasn't renewed Severance for a third season yet, but its creative team is already hard at work on developing it.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday that puts a pause on his closing of the de minimis trade exemption.