Apple has just introduced the iPhone 16E, a spiritual successor to the iPhone SE line that has a significant first: it introduces Apples long-awaited in-house 5G modem called the C1. The chip, which Apple says is the most power-efficient modem in a phone, is Apples bid to end its reliance on Qualcomms 5G chips.Apple says the chip contributes to the 16Es longer battery life. The company says the phones internal design is optimized to support a larger battery, giving it up to 26 hours of video playback.According to Apples technical specifications for the iPhone 16E, its new chip covers much of the same low-end 5G spectrum as the iPhone 16 but lacks mmWave thats the 5G with gigabit-territory throughput.The C1 starting in the 16E makes sense: the $599 device is now the cheapest way to get one of Apples thin-bezel phones with Apple Intelligence. If this inaugural outing for the chip doesnt end up being great, people may chalk it up to this being a more affordable phone.This has been nearly six years in the making, with Apple having bought Intels cell modem business in 2019. Theres every reason to be skeptical that it will perform as well as Qualcomm. In 2023, the company extended its deal with Qualcomm. The news was followed by a report that it wasstruggling with its in-house modems design. But 2026 is coming, and the C1 may be the first step toward Apple weaning itself off of Qualcomm once and for all.The iPhone 16E is available to preorder tomorrow and ships on February 28th.

GameFromScratch.comGodot Programming Language Options in 2025An update on our 2020 guide to Godot game engine programming options today we look at the up to date and under active development programming language options for Godot developers. This list is composed mostly of GDExtension based projects for adding various programming language support to the Godot game engine.The post Godot Programming Language Options in 2025 appeared first on GameFromScratch.com.

For the last 20 years Capcom's Monster Hunter series has captured fans' hearts with its exhilarating mix of careful strategy and heart-pounding monster battles. From its humble beginnings on the PlayStation 2 in 2004 to topping the charts in 2018 with Monster Hunter World, the series has evolved a lot in the last two decades.While every Monster Hunter game is unique in its own way, weve ranked the entire list of games plus the biggest DLCs, to determine which is the very best. One note to consider given that Capcom has released multiple versions of some of the games, our ranking only takes into consideration the Ultimate versions of each of these. So with that cleared up, lets kick things off10. Monster HunterDeveloper: Capcom Production Studio 1 | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: September 21, 2004 (NA) | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter reviewThe original Monster Hunter laid the foundation for everything to come in the 20 years that followed. Its obtuse directions and control scheme might make it harder to revisit than most of the other games on this list, but the core pillars of what makes Monster Hunter great are still present. Taking on larger-than-life beasts with nothing but a weapon and a knack for survival helped set it apart in 2004, even if its steep learning curve made it a somewhat frustrating experience for players at the time. Developed as part of an initiative at Capcom to focus on online games for the PlayStation 2, Monster Hunter's primary focus is through its online event missions. While it's a bummer that official servers are no longer online outside of Japan, the single-player still lets players experience the hunts that kicked off a new genre.9. Monster Hunter FreedomDeveloper: Capcom Production Studio 1 | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: May 23, 2006 (NA) | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter Freedom reviewMonster Hunter Freedom released on the PlayStation Portable in Japan in 2005, and followed everywhere else a year later. It was the first handheld game in the series and is an expanded and re-tuned version of Monster Hunter G.Although Freedom includes everything from Monster Hunter G and adds in a number of quality of life improvements, the biggest jump was giving Monster Hunter a new home on a portable device. It was the catalyst that pushed Monster Hunter to a whole new audience, putting co-op front and center and bringing together millions of players as they teamed up to hunt, no matter where they were.Despite its clunky controls and wonky camera which really demonstrate how far the games have evolved Freedom is still a lot of fun to play. True, it's not the best Monster Hunter game but its certainly one of the most important, and became the blueprint for the future of the series handheld games. 8. Monster Hunter Freedom UniteDeveloper: Capcom Production Studio 1 | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: June 22, 2009 (NA) | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter Freedom Unite reviewMonster Hunter Freedom Unite is an expanded version of Monster Hunter Freedom 2, which itself is an expanded version of Monster Hunter 2, which was only released in Japan. It was easily the largest game in the series when it was released and introduced new monsters that have gone on to become high points for the series, including black panther-cross-lizard wyvern, Nargacuga. It was also the first time the much-loved Felyne companions joined you on the battlefield, and while they might not have helped overcome some of Freedom Unites tougher challenges, they made the journey a lot more enjoyable. 7. Monster Hunter 3 UltimateDeveloper: Capcom Production Studio 1 | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: March 19, 2013 (NA) | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate reviewMonster Hunter 3 Ultimate was built off of the bones of 2010's Monster Hunter Tri, but with a restructured story and difficulty curve to create a more streamlined experience that included new monsters and quests to keep things fresh. Furthermore, Ultimate 3 brought back the Hunting Horn, Bow, Gunlance, and Dual Blades which were missing from Tri to give a more rounded roster of weapons for players to wield. Its therefore no surprise that Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is the definitive Monster Hunter 3 experience. New encounters like underwater fighting added a lot of variety to keep everything feeling fresh, even if you had to wrestle with the camera to make it work properly. And while online multiplayer on the Wii U was not as advanced as it was on other consoles, co-op is so integral to the Monster Hunter experience that its inclusion was a must.Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is the natural evolution of everything that came before it and is a strong contender for one of the better monster hunting experiences. Its showing its age now though, leaving room for other games6. Monster Hunter 4 UltimateDeveloper: Capcom Production Studio 1 | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: February 13, 2015 (NA) | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate reviewMonster Hunter 4 Ultimate marked an important turning point for the series. While local co-op was always Monster Hunters bread and butter on handheld consoles, dedicated online multiplayer finally arrived in 4 Ultimate, delivering a true leap forward for the series. Now it didnt matter where your friends were as long as everyone had access to wifi you could party up and take on a hunt from anywhere in the world.Additionally, Capcom debuted Apex Monsters to give skilled players true endgame challenges to test their mettle against, and these are easily some of the toughest fights in the series to date. Other improvements included a huge roster of monsters to hunt and the addition of vertical movement, which transformed how the game played and almost doubled the size of the map. Monster Hunter 4 really was a leap forward for the series, but its still not the best the series has to offer.5. Monster Hunter RiseDeveloper: Capcom | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: March 26, 2021 | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter Rise review2021's Monster Hunter Rise brought the series back home to handhelds after jumping to consoles and PC with Monster Hunter World in 2018. Originally exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, Rise took what Capcom learned from making bigger-scale Monster Hunter games on consoles and refined them for handhelds, delivering a faster-paced game with more streamlined features for a smoother overall experience.Monster Hunter Rise introduced Palamutes, the rideable dog companions that allowed for easier and speedier movement around Rise's maps. It was a welcomed addition that Capcom seems to be repeating, by bringing back Seikrets in Monster Hunter Wilds. Combined with the new Wirebug mechanic, which unlocked new weapon attacks and let you grapple high up into the air like your favorite anime protagonist, Rise brought a sense of scale previously only found on the console versions of Monster Hunter games.Whether it was decimating monsters with acrobatic stunts or soaking up the serene vibe of Kamura Village, Monster Hunter Rise proves that, after scaling up for Monster Hunter World, all those big design ideas could be scaled down to create one of the best handheld Monster Hunter experiences in the entire series. 4. Monster Hunter Rise: SunbreakDeveloper: Capcom | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: June 30, 2022 | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak reviewThe follow up to Monster Hunter Rise was a massive expansion called Sunbreak, which added an all new location, ferocious new monsters, and a revised weapons system that added freshness to the fights. While Sunbreak doesn't reinvent the wheel, it makes Rises already amazing experience even better. Perhaps the most memorable thing about Sunbreak is how Capcom delivered full-fledged gothic horror vibes thanks to the new Citadel castle location and fascinating monster designs inspired by vampires and werewolves. It also addressed the series previous lack of endgame content by adding super tough hunts designed to challenge even the most experienced players.Sunbreaks gothic setting might be one of the most beautiful locales ever introduced in the series but the true brilliance of this monster-sized expansion remains the final fight against the vampiric flagship monster, Malzeno, and the horrors of its life-stealing abilities. 3. Monster Hunter Generations UltimateDeveloper: Capcom | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: August 28, 2018 | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate reviewIn many ways, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is Capcoms swansong to the last decade of Monster Hunter games. Alongside a hugely satisfying customization suite for hunters, Generations Ultimate also features the largest roster of monsters across the entire series. With 93 large monsters, Generations Ultimate is like a greatest hits from your favorite band.Unlike most other Monster Hunter games, Generations Ultimate features Hunter Styles, which can radically change the way you play. In addition to the usual weapon types, Hunting Styles gave every weapon four unique movesets to choose from, dramatically increasing the fighting styles on offer. Veteran players could stick with the standard Guild style theyre familiar with, or experiment with new styles like Striker, which let players chain together Hunting Arts, turning them into special moves to learn and master. This deep level of customization was hugely experimental and tremendously fun. Combined with endless hours of hunts, Generations Ultimate is a victory lap for the series, a triumphant showpiece of the iconic monster designs and the joys of playing with friends and family. 2. Monster Hunter World: IceborneDeveloper: Capcom | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: September 6, 2019 | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter World: Iceborne reviewCapcom followed up the hugely successful Monster Hunter World with the large-scale expansion, Iceborne, and to this day it remains our second-favorite Monster Hunter experience in the entire series. Icebornes massive new campaign and long list of hunts makes it feel like a proper sequel to World rather than just an expansion.The Guiding Lands a hodgepodge of previous zones mashed together created an entirely seamless experience that felt like a highlight reel of all the best parts of Monster Hunter World in one area. It also added countless quality-of-life improvements to what was already one of the best games in the series.But it was Icebornes new monsters that really stuck with fans, and Savage Deviljho, Velkhana, and Fatalis are considered by many to be some of the best monsters in any game in the series. Indeed, Iceborne couldve made it to the top spot in this list if it wasnt for the original game that came before it1. Monster Hunter: WorldDeveloper: Capcom | Publisher: Capcom | Release Date: January 26, 2018 | Review: IGN's Monster Hunter: World review2018's Monster Hunter: World kicked off a global frenzy for Monster Hunter like no other game in the series. After years of primarily being a handheld game and labeled with the caveat Big in Japan, World brought the series back to its console roots on PlayStation and Xbox, and rocketed it to an entirely new audience. Monster Hunter: World's foundation was rock solid because it offered players some of the largest open zones in the series and emphasized the pure excitement hunters have while tracking and hunting enormous monsters. Indeed, its Monster Hunter: Worlds sense of scale that sets head and shoulders above its peers. Whether its seeing a Rathalos swooping down and flying away with a weakened Anjanath, or witnessing a Diablos burst in on your hunt, Monster Hunter: World didnt just create a breathtaking setting to play around in, it made you feel like you were in the middle of a sophisticated ecosystem of apex predators all fighting for supremacy. From the dense jungle to the high cliffs of the Coral Highlands, exploring Worlds diverse environments felt like traveling the globe, bolstered by unique monsters designed to perfectly compliment its surroundings. There is a sense of place for everything, including the endemic life that makes Monster Hunter: World almost like a nature documentary, except, yknow, fun. Whats more, Monster Hunter: Worlds story was given a much needed facelift thanks to high quality cutscenes made possible by running on more powerful home consoles, which only added to the brilliant sandbox world.So World is not only a must-have for both fans of Monster Hunter and newcomers alike, but its an all-time great video game period. That's our ranking of the 10 best Monster Hunter games of all time. Which ones have you played, and which do you think are the best? Tell us your ranking in the Tier List above. Will you be preparing to hunt again with the release of Monster Hunter Wilds? Let us know in the comments.Jesse Vitelli is a freelance writer and published author. A former associate editor at Prima Games, he also has bylines at Kotaku, Inverse, Game Informer, and more.

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Game Pass February 2025 Wave 2 lineup, which kicked off with Obsidian entertainments single-player fantasy role-playing game Avowed on February 18.On February 20, EA Sports F1 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on EA Play. IGNs F1 24 review returned a 7/10. We said: In isolation, F1 24 remains a slick, deep, and marvellous motorsports experience, but its hard to argue its essential for returning players.Also on February 20, the well-received Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) enters Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an isometric RPG by Owlcat Games, set in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, reads the official blurb. As a powerful Rogue Trader, you command a starship, assemble a crew, and explore the Imperium, making fateful decisions in tactical, turn-based combat. IGNs Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader review returned an 8/10.Heres a big one: on February 25, Ubisofts Watch Dogs: Legion (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard. Explore a massive urban open world featuring Londons many iconic landmarks and fun side activities where you can recruit (and play as) anyone. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set for unique situations. Team up with your friends to complete new four-player co-op missions and PvP matches online. IGNs Watch Dogs: Legion review returned an 8/10.Xbox Game Pass February 2025 Wave 2 lineupEA Sports F1 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC) EA Play February 20Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassWarhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) February 20Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass StandardWatch Dogs: Legion (Cloud, Console, and PC) February 25Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass StandardAs usual, a number of games leave Game Pass this month as new games enter the subscription. You can use your membership discount to save up to 20% on your purchase to keep a game in your library.Leaving Xbox Game Pass on February 28F1 22 (Console and PC) EA PlayGris (Cloud, Console, and PC)Maneater (Cloud, Console, and PC)PAW Patrol World (Cloud, Console, and PC)Space Engineers (Cloud, Console, and PC)Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (Cloud, Console, and PC)Wo Long Fallen Dynasty (Cloud, Console, and PC)Yakuza 3 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC)Yakuza 4 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC)Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Genre filmmaker Osgood Perkins is on a roll after the moderate success of 2020s fairy tale terror Gretel & Hansel, as well as the summer phenomenon that was 2024s supernatural serial killer thriller, Longlegs. Now this week sees him tackling a story by the king of horror himself, Stephen King, with the comedic splatter film The Monkey. Its looking to be another ace in the hole for the rising director too.The Monkey was partly shepherded by Conjuring Universe impresario James Wan as a producer through his Atomic Monster banner. Wan is one of those guys like Jordan Peele, John Carpenter, andquite long agoAlfred Hitchcock whose very names became a brand for genre fans. Perkins can already see himself as one of those dependable genre names above the title, and he says he owes it to his recent benefactors who turned Longlegs into a $126 million global-grossing smash. This is all the more remarkable, too, once you know how that working relationship beganThats kind of happening, Perkins admits to us during a recent interview. Its sort of happening because Neon has treated me so well, right? Neon first called me and my producers when we were still shooting Longlegs and said, We want to buy Longlegs, and not only do we want to buy Longlegs, weve never seen it. Can we see any of it?The mid-shoot Perkins said yes provided theyre okay with seeing a single shot of the lead actor.We showed them a shot, one shot of [Nicolas] Cage in his makeup doing his voice. Then they said to me on this phone call, Well, what we want to do is make this our biggest movie ever. I was like, Yeah, okay. That sounds nice. Turned out to be more than true [though]. And we want your name above the title from now on. I said, Well, thats also super nice and cute, but Im far too niche a guy for that. But theyve done it! So yeah, you could say I have a beautiful partnership with them. I love those guys and gals and people, and hope to make a thousand movies with them.Something name filmmakers like Carpenter, Wan, and Peele have in common is they all consistently leveled-up to bigger and bigger movies as their careers progressed. In other words, they grew their brand. Perkins was already deep into making The Monkey for Neon when Longlegs had its success last year, and now hes wrapping up another small-scale horror film called Keeper (also for Neon and again featuring Tatiana Maslany). While he would like to keep up this prolific pace, Perkins is slightly hesitant to make something on a significantly bigger scale.I think I can probably do both, but bigger scale is a tricky one, he admits. I dont think anybody wants me making an Avengers movie. I dont want to do it. I dont think they would want me to do it. Frankly, that seems like a bad recipe, so Im not looking to get into that. Ive had really good luck with original material. I consider The Monkey original enough, because I personalized it to myself and was able to ride the coattails of the greatest author ever. That helps authenticate me in a really nice way. I think the next thing will be bigger, but not too big. Big budgets are nasty. That makes people nervous and everybody gets uptight. Its hard enough to do with a little money, right? More money seems harder to me. Im not that into that. Too much money doesnt necessarily work out. You never hear anybody say, Wow, that movie really worked well because we spent so much money on it.Perkins concluded by talking about the long period of being in the wilderness of development between Gretel & Hansel and Longlegs where he was in everybodys office but just not clicking. After chasing greenlights for years, the success of Longlegs and soon The Monkey suggests he doesnt need to chase anymore.Ive lucked into this weird time where my weird voice is all of a sudden worth money, he acknowledges. Its gnarly, dude. Its very much through the looking glass, and I guess Ill take it.Osgood Perkins The Monkey opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, Feb. 21.

What Muse Means for GamingAlthough its still early, this model research is pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible. We are already using Muse to develop a real-time playable AI model trained on other first-party games, and we see potential for this work to one day benefit both players and game creators: from allowing us to revive nostalgic games to faster creative ideation.Today, countless classic games tied to aging hardware are no longer playable by most people. Thanks to this breakthrough, we are exploring the potential for Muse to take older back catalog games from our studios and optimize them for any device. We believe this could radically change how we preserve and experience classic games in the future and make them accessible to more players. To imagine that beloved games lost to time and hardware advancement could one day be played on any screen with Xbox is an exciting possibility for us. Another opportunity we are exploring is how Muse can help game teams prototype new gameplay experiences during the creative process and introduce new contenttaking games players already love and enabling our developers to inject new experiences for them to enjoy, or even enable you to participate in the creation process. Well create opportunities for people to participate in this exploration, starting with short interactive AI game experiences for you to try on Copilot Labs very soon. Theres still so much for us to discover, and we cant wait to share more.Xboxs Approach to Generative AIXbox has been innovating with AI and machine learning for decades, including in partnership with Microsoft Researchconstantly working to find ways to delight players, and harness new computing capabilities to bring creative visions to life. While AI isnt new to gaming, were now seeing an acceleration of generative AI research, both within Microsoft and across the broader technology community. We believe its important to shape how these new generative AI breakthroughs can support our industry and game creation community in a collaborative and responsible way.For Xbox, game creators will always be the center of our overall AI efforts. We believe there is space for traditional game development and future generative AI technologies that serve as an extension of creative work and offer novel experiences. As part of this, we have empowered creative leaders here at Xbox to decide on the use of generative AI. There isnt going to be a single solution for every game or project, and the approach will be based on the creative vision and goals of each team.Whats Ahead: AI Experiences from XboxAs we look ahead, were focused on how AI can address the barriers and frictions to playing and developing games. This means that well share our AI product innovation earlier on, providing opportunities for players and creators to experiment with and co-build new AI features and capabilities with us. This allows us to make sure that our AI innovations address real problems and add new value to creating or playing with Xbox.To develop tools that are used in ways that benefit everyone, our innovation will continue to be built on our commitment to Responsible AI and dedication to developing AI solutions guided by six principles: fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability.You can expect more exciting announcements this year about how we are using AI to empower game creators and provide the best possible player experience across all devices. Stay tuned for more updates ahead of GDC 2025 on Xbox Wire and our AI Resource Hub as we continue to shape the future of gaming supported by AI.Want to hear more? Check out a conversation with Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Dom Matthews, Studio Head of Ninja Theory, and Katja Hofmann, Senior Principal Researcher and Lead of the Game Intelligence Team, about todays news:

As expected, Apple on Wednesday announced a new iPhone called the iPhone 16e, which aims to be a more affordable option for those who want a more modern phone at a cheaper price. After publishing the press release on its website, the company also shared a video with more details about the iPhone 16e.Introducing iPhone 16eThe 13-minute video is presented by Apple CEO Tim Cook and Kaiann Drance, VP of iPhone marketing. The video follows the same pattern as Apples other short videos to introduce new products, such as the M4 Macs and the latest iPad Pro.As we previously reported, the iPhone 16e has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a notch and Face ID. The new phone also has a USB-C port and the Action Button instead of the classic mute switch. Inside, iPhone 16e is powered by the A18 chip, which enables support for Apple Intelligence features. Apple says iPhone16e is 80% faster than iPhone 11.Another notable addition to the iPhone 16e is the C1 chip, Apples first wireless modem. According to Apple, the new modem is designed to be more energy efficient.Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity. Apple silicon including C1 the all-new internal design, and the advanced power management of iOS 18 all contribute to extraordinary battery life.iPhone 16e features a 48 Megapixel single-lens rear camera with HDR, Portrait Mode, and Night Mode. It can record 4K videos at up to 60 frames per second with Spatial Audio. The front camera has a 12 megapixel sensor.You can watch the full video below, or on YouTube:Pre-orders for the new iPhone 16 start on Friday, February 21, with the official launch scheduled for next week on February 28. Prices start at $599 for the 128GB version.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Today Apple launched its first product of the year, the brand new iPhone 16e. As part of introducing a new iPhone, however, the company has also discontinued three existing models: the iPhone SE, iPhone 14 and 14 Plus.New iPhone 16e replaces three existing models in Apples lineupIn the lead-up to todays iPhone introduction, many of us assumed the new model would be called the iPhone SE. Apple had used the same name for its entry model for several years.However, some rumors pointed to a name change, iPhone 16e, and thats exactly what happened.With the new 16e, however, Apple is replacing not only its existing iPhone SE but also two other models.Three iPhone models have been discontinued, effective immediately:iPhone SEiPhone 14iPhone 14 PlusIts an interesting move by Apple, especially since the 16e starts at $599significantly higher than the $429 starting price of the iPhone SE.Additionally, while its 6.1-inch display and general design makes it a great replacement for the iPhone 14, fans of larger iPhones will now have to splurge for an iPhone 15 Plus or something even more expensive.On the bright side, replacing three models with the 16e means the iPhone lineup is more streamlined and simple than before.However, those looking for a true budget option, or an iPhone with a Home button, will have to shop refurbished instead.Are you surprised that Apple discontinued the iPhone SE, 14 and 14 Plus? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

If you didn't already think we were hurtling toward a cyberpunk dystopia, this latest startup just might convince you.The Apple App Store has recently welcomed an app called Protector, an on-demand security platform that allows users to hire armed guards and drivers,or as the company's adviser Nikita Bier calls it: "Uber with guns."The app is sleek and black, invoking the same minimal startup vibes as Uber or Vrbo. With Protector, users or "Protectees," in the app's lingo can scroll through a selection of law enforcement and military retirees, which includes their name, photo, service background, and a brief bio.Once logged into the app, users can choose how many private operators, called "Protectors," to schedule at a time. If you're not sure how many goons to hire for the mission, the app tailors its recommendation to the number of Protectees. Selecting just one, for example, will lead the app to prompt, "based on the number of Protectees, we recommend assigning 1 protector to oversee your detail."From there, users can choose to construct a motorcade of black Escalades, which come with the service, or take just one. Users are also able to customize their Protectors' outfits, from classy black suits for upscale jobs tofull-on operator gear for what we can only imagine are messier operations.While Protectors presumably won't play accessory to, say, an armed robbery, the company isn't exactly transparent about its policies. When one poster on X-formerly-Twitter asked Bier whether app-hired goons will stand guard during a shady Craigslist deal, Bier replied cryptically: "All ex-military or ex-law enforcement."None of this comes cheap. The minimum contract is five hours of protection, and pricing starts at $629 for one protector. For just $129 more, Protectees can also become annual members, a status which affords them a "personalized threat assessment," and access to a "personal protection agent" and "personal chauffeur."At the moment, Protector's thug-on-demand service is only available in New York City and Los Angeles,but it has rocketed up the charts in the Apple App Store. At the time of writing, the app is ranked at number seven in the Travel category, and 115 overall.It's alsoset to expand; soon to join Protector is its sister app, Patrol, a similar Pinkerton-on-demandservice that'll allow homeowners to crowdfund off-duty cops and military veterans to rove around their neighborhoods in private security cruisers.Though details on Patrol are scarce, a promo video on founder Nick Sarath's LinkedIn profile reveals the involvement of former LAPD Chief of Police Charlie Beck, along with a few techno-solutions the startup hopes to put to work in the name of neighborhood watch."Whether it's a car parked in front of your house or on your block that's highly [identifiable], electronics such as license plate readers, cameras, drone technology," Beck says over 3D renderings of Patrol-operated robot dogs and quadcopter drones, "it's easily accessible by an app, and I think this is what makes it really something that is the future of policing."In 2021, a similar venture spearheaded by controversial neighborhood watch app Citizen came under scrutiny after it was found to be live-testing its "subscription law enforcement services" in Los Angeles. That app also had LAPD ties, according to Vice, with the police department calling security-on-demand a "game changer."If it sounds like a dystopian business model, that's because it is. Though private, for-profit security isn't a new phenomenon, it's typically a venture brokered between security companies and private landowners, involving copious amounts of paperwork, insurance mandates, and minimum contracting fees. The fact that deep-pocketed individuals may now be able to fast-track a small army of mercenaries at their fingertips is something entirely new.Though it's said that the huge majority of startups fail, it's not hard to imagine a world where municipal budget cuts and growing fear of crime lead to adoption of apps like Protector for those with cash to spend.Share This Article

The potential city-killer asteroid that could strike our planet in 2032 is looking more foreboding by the week.Spotted just after Christmas, the initial odds of the skyscraper-sized space rock, dubbed 2024 YR4, smashing into Earth was put at roughly 1.2 percent, or a 1 in 83 chance. Then it was upgraded to 2.1 percent, or 1-in-48, last week.And now, the latest analysis from NASA has raised the odds yet again. The likelihood of a collision is currently estimated to be 3.1 percent, or about a 1-in-32 chance, according to figures from NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies nearly three timesthe initial prediction.These are still slim odds, but they don't feel slim enough. With estimates putting it between 130 and 330 feet in length a pretty broad range, underscoring how little we know about the asteroid at the moment YR 2024's impact could potentially unleash an explosion 500 times as powerful as the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima, , at the upper end of the size range.And based on the asteroid's current trajectory, the "risk corridor" illustrating where the object could crash stretches across the Pacific Ocean, with countries ranging from Ecuador to India lying in its damage path.This extent of the carnage assumes that 2024 YR4 is as large as it appears and doesn't plunk into the ocean (where it could still cause a formidable wave), which makes up nearly three-fourths of the Earth's surface.At any rate, these visions of city-wide destruction may be extremely premature, even if the odds of planetfall have increased."Just because it's gone up in the last week, doesn't mean that it's going to continue to do that," Hugh Lewis, an astronomer at the UK's University of Southampton, told New Scientist.The asteroid is still only ranked at 3 on the 11-point Torino Impact Hazard scale, meaning that it's big enough and will pass close enough to warrant our attention, but is by no means a guaranteed hit. The numbers we're seeing now may simply represent temporary fluctuations."No one should be concerned that the impact probability is rising. This is the behavior our team expected," Paul Chodas, director of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, told The Associated Press. "To be clear, we expect the impact probability to drop to zero at some point."The window for observing 2024 YR4 will close in April, when it flies behind the Sun. It won't reappear until 2028, at which point we'll hopefully have a far better picture of where it's going to end up. In the meantime, astronomers hope to use the James Webb Space Telescope and other powerful observatories to glean as much data on the asteroid as possible before it performs its solar disappearing act."That will help us determine what we need to do about it, because if it's a stony asteroid, that's very different from a high proportion of iron-metal asteroid," Lewis told New Scientist. An iron-heavy asteroid would cause more damage, because it wouldn't break apart on impact, he explained. "The mass makes a huge difference in terms of the energy and whether or not the atmosphere has an effect on it."More on space rocks: Video Shows Meteorite Smashing Ground Right Where Man Had Been StandingShare This Article