Civilization 7 is barely one day old, but online retailer Newegg is already offering a substantial discount on the standard edition of the turn-based 4X title. If you were planning to pick up Civ 7 for PC or Xbox, you can currently grab a copy for just $54.99 when you use the code XVCVLZLCH at checkout (was $69.99).The seventh mainline installment of the Civilization franchise makes some substantial changes to the established 4X formula. While it isnt quite the monumental shift we saw with the introduction of the hex-based map in Civ 5, Civilization 7 brings a number of new mechanics to the table, like the soft-reset age transitions, giving diplomacy its own dedicated currency, and the ability to change your civilization mid-game.The game isnt without its problems, but many of the larger issues are being quickly addressed not only by the developers at Firaxis but by fans of the game as well. So it wont be long until this latest iteration of Civ matches the standards weve come to expect from the franchise.

When designer Monica Arango began envisioning a new office for her firm Cest ici Design, she wanted to create a functional studio, but also an inspiring center for collaboration to support her growing team. Set in a commercial building on Dubais Sheik Zayed Road, the extensive renovation involved merging two adjacent office shells into a single 1,800-square-foot space, with untapped potential just waiting to be realized. It was a blank canvas and the perfect place to showcase what we do, says Arango.The open-plan layout, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows and 3D-printed perforated paneling, blurs the boundaries between each section and encourages interaction among staff members. The workplace is divided into zones for a strong visual connection not hindered by standard walls.Rather than a formal reception desk at the entrance, visitors are greeted by a lounge area filled with luxe furnishings. Arango partnered with more than 30 global brands to outfit the office, allowing people to experience the firms ethos of understated luxury in every corner.Arangos private office is adjacent to the lounge, plus a conference room that includes the latest multimedia equipment, large-scale displays, and interactive design software. This embrace of technology allows the designers to bring a range of ideas to life.A strategically-placed co-working space with workstations links with the other zones allowing for an easy flow. This is utilized when more focus is required. Another lounge doubles as a sample room. Both of these areas also function as informal discussion hubs. Flexible furniture and writable surfaces are ideal for casual brainstorming sessions and impromptu meetings. Employees gather in the state-of-the-art kitchen (with extra, cleverly concealed storage) to enjoy meals or conversation during the day.The rich material palette is all about contrasts. Marble and wood are paired with fabrics like wool and leather to beckon touch. The colors throughout complement the updated branding, which Arango conceived of while working on the renovation, tying all of the elements together. Chocolate and terracotta tones, coupled with burgundy and olive tints, enliven the concrete and metallic finishes.The studio, while future-driven, still has the warmth of a hospitality setting. It mirrors the studios own evolution and serves as a second home to the employees, who were involved in the project during every phase. My team became my clients, so its quite personal, Arango adds. We have noticed such a change in this space. It has not only enhanced our creativity, but how we live.To learn more about Cest ici Design, visit cesticidecor.com.Photography by Oculis Project.

Android is redesigning its parental controls to give caregivers easier access to their childs data, as well as bring what were initially smartwatch-only School time features to phones and tablets for the first time. Credit: Google Its now easier to find screen time tools on AndroidFirst, all of Family Links screen time tracking tools are getting consolidated into one tab. This reflects changes Google made to Family Links screen time tools during the pandemic, which gave parents a more granular look at which apps their kids were using on their phone. This was a necessity for remote learning, when screen time was sometimes necessary, but also arguably introduced a bit of bloat to the apps interface. Now, aside from a general overview of total screen time, you wont be bothered by screen time data unless you go looking for it.More powerful controls and better support for multi-child homesSimilarly, the Controls tab now has direct and upfront buttons for approving app downloads, blocking specific websites, and adjusting data settings, so you no longer need to venture into your settings or scroll down multiple times to access these frequently configured options.Multi-child homes also get a bit of a bonus in this update, as a floating slider in the top-left corner allows parents to switch between their kids profiles without navigating away from the page theyre on. Credit: Google School time mode limits apps during school hoursBy far, the biggest updates here are the introduction of School time and Parent-managed contacts.While Google already promised it was bringing School time to Android, it seems that moment has finally arrived. Originally introduced, oddly enough, on the Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch, School Time will start rolling out to Android phones and tablets next week. Essentially, the feature allows parents to set up recurring time blocks, say, for school hours, that limit a phones functionality and silence notifications.Essentially, while School time is active, apps are limited to a specific list chosen by parents. This will ensure a child can only use apps they need for school, although parents can build breaks into the schedule, so a child can use their phones full functionality during recess or lunch, for example. This can also be used for planned days off and vacations, and because School time is set up on a day-by-day basis, weekends can easily be worked into a schedule as well. Plus, theres a Disable for today button on the childs phone that parents can use to quickly dismiss School time (presumably by using a code, although Ive reached out to Google for confirmation). Basically, School time takes what might have been a laborious processrestricting apps some of the time and allowing them at other timesand automates it.Previously, Google had also said that School time for Android phones would limit calling and texting to a specific list of contacts, although theres no mention of that in todays press release. As with the Disable for today button, Ive reached out to the company for clarification and will update when I hear back.School time also technically doesnt need to be active only during school hours, and works in addition to the separate Downtime mode that locks a child out of non-emergency phone use when theyre supposed to be sleeping. Credit: Google Get ready to start rubber stamping your kids contactsFinally, in the coming months, parents will be able to limit their kids general calling and texting to only specific contacts. This will let you set up contacts for your child through Family Link, at which point youll be able to limit all calling and texting to only those contacts (as well as emergency numbers). If your kid does make a new friend, though, they will be able to send over new contacts and request approval for them.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2, which came out in 2023, is Apple's latest and most expensive smartwatch. After Apple's latest event and the release of the new Apple Watch 10, it was expected the Ultra 2 would drop in price. As is the case with most Apple flagship products, the discounts aren't massive, but at this price point, anything helps. The GPS + Cellular Apple Watch Ultra 2 is currently $679 (originally $799), the lowest price it has been since its release, according to price-tracking tools. Apple Watch Ultra 2 [GPS + Cellular 49mm] Smartwatch with Rugged Titanium Case & Blue Ocean Band One Size. $679.99 at Amazon $799.00 Save $119.01 Get Deal Get Deal $679.99 at Amazon $799.00 Save $119.01 The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is different than the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch Series 10 (although for most people, the Series 10 is the best choice). It's the most premium Apple watch, with the biggest case size (screen), brightest screen (3,000 nits), deepest water resistance of 100 meters, and longest battery life of up to 36 hours. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is packed with fitness-focused features, but even if you arent a health nut, it still has a lot of great features for casual users as well. People who want a reliable sleep tracker can learn a lot about their sleep habits with the Ultra 2 as long as they keep it well-charged. There are other features not highlighted on the event like nap detection, a translation app, and a feature for Ultra users only that helps you keep track of your current progress in the gym. The model currently available for $679 is the cellular version, meaning you have an independent cellular signal on your smartwatch and can leave your phone behind on runs and still listen to music or make calls.

We're in the tail end of winter here, but it's snowing as I write this. Not a lot, but just enough to be a potential frustration to the move I have planned for later this week. Basically, winter weather sucks, and one of the worst things about it is how unpredictable it can be. The Weather Company, owners and developers of the Weather Channel app (but not the TV station) know this, and have just released a feature to try and make planning for storms a little easier.It's called probabilistic snowfall, and it aims to give you greater insight into just how severe or impactful a storm might be. You'll still see the standard "50 percent chance of snowfall" in your forecasts, but in the 72 hours leading up to snow, you'll also see the percent change for specific snowfall amounts. For example, you'll see that there's an 80 percent chance of snow overall, but you'll also see bars detailing how likely more specific snowfall amounts are. In this screenshot from the app, you can see that five to eight inches is the most likely outcome, followed by eight to 12 inches enough snow that you might want to change your plans to deal with it.According to Rachel Chukura, head of product at The Weather Company, that was precisely the vision behind the feature. "The idea is that users can see the different probabilities and know there could be variations, she said. "That's important because of all the decisions we make in terms of what weather we think is coming. What time do you need to leave for your commute, will there be a school delay, and so on." And while the company is starting with snowfall forecasts, they also hope to bring it to more forecasting tools over time.I've been using the feature for about a week, just in time to see it pop up for the small storm we had in Philadelphia last night. I obviously can't say how accurate it is, as I'm not out there measuring snowfall with a ruler. But the few inches we got overnight were in line with the probabilistic forecast, and it was helpful leading up to the storm to know I likely didn't have to worry about the weather truly being an inconvenience.The feature is part of the Weather Channel app's premium subscription, which costs $30 per year. Besides probabilistic snowfall, that also removes ads, shows longer-term forecasts on the radar, adds a 30-mile lightning strike map and provides more detailed 15-minute weather breakdowns. While most people out there will stick with the default weather app on their phones, or just use the free version of the Weather Channel or other similar apps, there's definitely something to be said for greater insight into how likely you are to get crushed by a snowstorm.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-weather-channel-app-can-show-how-likely-you-are-to-get-specific-snowfall-amounts-165900316.html?src=rss

Roll up, gamers. It's time for your latest influx of PlayStation knowledge. Sony is hosting its first State of Play stream of 2025 today (February 12) at 5PM ET. The showcase will focus on PS5 games. You'll be able to watch it on the PlayStation website or the brand's YouTube and Twitch channels. Or, you know, by hitting the big play button on the YouTube video embedded above.The State of Play will run for about 40 minutes, so there should be lots of juicy details here. Ghost of Yoteiand Death Stranding 2: On the Beachare both slated for 2025 debuts, so we could get release dates for those. For what it's worth, Death Stranding 2 director Hideo Kojima recently teased that he was working on a new trailer and he's appearing at an SXSW panel next month to talk about the game.Other first-party projects such as Marvels Wolverine, Marathon and Fairgame$ could get a look in during the State of Play. It seems far too early for us to get another peek at Naughty Dog's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, though there's a chance that we'll finally find out the exact release date for season two of The Last of Us on HBO.As for third-party games, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll see a trailer and release date for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater since, whoops, Sony itself leaked those last week. Forza Horizon 5and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are making the leap over from Xbox this spring, so release date reveals for those during the State of Play would make sense.Rumors also suggest that Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, a remastered collection of the first three Gears of War games and even the Halo series, Xbox's crown jewel, will cross the great divide to PlayStation. Perhaps we'll learn about some of those during the stream too. In any case, you'll be able to find coverage of all the big State of Play news on a cool website called Engadget dot com.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/watch-sonys-state-of-play-showcase-here-at-5pm-et-165148390.html?src=rss

Microsoft research suggests AI is rotting our brains but it might not be as dire as it seems

Rolling laboratory uses hand controls, and so could future EVs

Apple launched the new project called Apple Health Study with Brigham and Women's Hospital.

The top visual effects in movies, TV shows, animation, ads, and live projects were honored at the 23rd Annual VES Awards. The winners this year demonstrated exceptional storytelling skills, technical inventiveness, and ground-breaking craftsmanship.Notable Wins:Because of its amazing digital characters and settings, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes won Outstanding VFX in a Photoreal Feature.Dune: Part Two demonstrated its expertise of visual narrative by dominating several categories, such as CG Cinematography, Effects Simulations, and Compositing & Lighting.With awards for Outstanding VFX in an Animated Feature, Character Animation, Effects Simulations, and Environment, The Wild Robot made an impression in the animation category.With awards for Outstanding VFX in an Episode, Environments, and Effects Simulations, Shgun created waves in the field of episodic visual effects.The Penguins reputation as a visually striking series was cemented when it received praise for its compositing and practical effects.With Heres Neural Performance Toolset taking home the Emerging Technology Award and demonstrating the potential of AI-driven performance capturing, the awards also showcased technological developments. These triumphs stretch the limits of storytelling in television, movies, and other media, reflecting the constantly changing field of visual effects. To all the winners, congratulations!The post 23rd ANNUAL VES AWARDS appeared first on Vfxexpress.