It's unclear how many have been let go.The developer of hit coming-of-age indie darlings Oxenfree and Oxenfree II, Night School Studio, has been hit by layoffs.Game Developer has reported that an "undisclosed number of employees" have been laid off at the Netflix-owned studio. This follows on from the streaming giant closing its internal triple-A studio Team Blue, which was headed up by Halo creative lead Joseph Staten, in October 2024.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

In BriefPosted:8:36 AM PST February 19, 2025Image Credits:Vincent Feuray / Hans Lucas / AFP / Getty ImagesMistrals Le Chat tops 1M downloads in just 14 daysA couple of weeks after the initial release of Mistrals AI assistant, Le Chat, the company told Le Parisien that it has reached one million downloads. In particular, Le Chat quickly reached the top spot for free downloads on the iOS App Store in the companys home country, France.Go and download Le Chat, which is made by Mistral, rather than ChatGPT by OpenAI or something else, French president Emmanuel Macron said in a TV interview ahead of the recent AI Action Summit in Paris.Of course, this isnt the first AI app that has taken off. Back in November 2023, OpenAI made a splash with its AI chatbot, ChatGPT. Despite being initially restricted to iOS users in the U.S., it managed to attract 500,000 downloads in just six days. (According to Appfigures latest metrics, ChatGPT has now been downloaded 350 million times.)Between January 10 and January 31, AI player DeepSeeks mobile app also recorded one million downloads. But that was just the beginning, as the Chinese app went viral in late January attracting millions of additional new users in just a few days.Mistral is also facing competition from veteran Big Tech companies, too. The likes of Google and Microsoft also want to take part in the AI assistant race and capture a spot on your phones home screen, starting with Googles Gemini and Microsofts Copilot.Topics

As anticipated, Apple revealed the long-awaited iPhone SE refresh Tuesday. The fourth generation device arrives three years after the last major update to the budget-minded smartphone. This one arrives with a twist, however. The SE branding has been dropped to keep the device more in line with the companys flagships. The new iPhone 16e starts at $599 and will begin shipping February 28.The top line feature is Apple Intelligence, iPhone makers answer to offerings like OpenAI ChatGPT and Google Gemini. It features small models that can run locally on-device, to provide text summaries, write letters, and generate images.The 16e is now part of an exclusive group along with the rest of the iPhone 16 line and iPhone 15 Pro of handsets capable of running Apple Intelligence. Thats thanks in part to the addition of an A18 processor the same in-house chip found across the flagship iPhone 16 line.Like the rest of the iPhone line with Apple Intelligence, the 16e lets users access ChatGPT via Siri for free, without an OpenAI account.The new handset is also the first to sport Apples own in-house modem, the Apple C1. The addition arrives as the company continues to lessen its dependence on chipmakers like Qualcomm and Intel in favor of silicon built specifically for its devices.As it shifts to a more updated design, the iPhone 16e ditches the Touch ID home button in favor of Face ID, while bringing back the iPhone Xs camera notch. The Lightning port is also gone in favor of USB-C, as the company standardizes the connector across its hardware devices.The handset sports a 6.1-inch OLED display and the best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone, per Apple. Thats up from a 4.8-inch screen on the third-generation SE, which means small phone devotees just lost a real one. Apple notes that the device delivers up to 12 hours more life on a charge than previous SEs, a fact due in no small part to the six-core A18. The chip also sport a 16-core neural engine for AI processing and a 4-core GPU down from the iPhone 16s five-core graphics processor and the 16 Pros six. There is a single rear-facing 48-megapixel camera, with 2x zoom. The company is positioning this as a two-in-one camera, meaning you can also shoot 24-megapixel images. On the front is Apples TrueDepth camera, which allows for face unlock. The new phone arrives at a pivotal time for Apple. The companys market share recently slipped 11% in China, one of its most consequential markets. Several things are at play here, including the rise of Huawei and other domestic phone makers, coupled with the fact that Apple Intelligence is still not available in mainland China.Image Credits:AppleApple has reportedly had conversations with Tencent and ByteDance in an effort to bring a localized version its generative AI offering to China. More recently, word has emerged that the company has partnered with Alibaba as its local generative AI partner.The original iPhone SE, which launched in 2016, has been a strong seller for Apple in both China and India, the number one and two smartphone markets, respectively. Unlike the annual flagship iPhone launch, the SEs release schedule has been irregular, with subsequent releases in 2020, 2022, and now 2025. While the $599 price tag marks a $100 premium over the last last SE, the more state-of-the-art budget handset should help the company regain lost ground in those markets.Pre-orders for the handset open Friday, February 21. The device starts shipping exactly one week later.

Breakdown & ShowreelsRed One: VFX Breakdown by Rodeo FXBy Vincent Frei - 19/02/2025 In Red One, Rodeo FX elevates Christmas storytelling with a high-octane chase through the North Pole, stunning reindeer characters, and the majestic polar bear Garcia. Experience how visual effects create a truly magical winter wonderland!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Rodeo FX: Dedicated page about Red One on Rodeo FX website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

IperionX Limited, a U.S.-based materials company, has secured a US$47.1 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). This funding is aimed at fortifying the U.S. Defense industrial base by advancing the development of a reliable, cost-effective, and fully integrated titanium supply chainfrom mineral extraction to metal productionthereby enhancing national security and economic resilience.The agreement represents a combined investment of US$70.7 million, which will fund a two-phase development program over the next two years. In the first phase, the DoD has allocated US$5 million through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program, with IperionX contributing an additional US$1 million. These funds will expedite the Titan Critical Minerals Project in Tennessee, advancing it to project-ready statusan essential step in establishing a new domestic source of titanium, rare earths, and zircon critical minerals. The remaining US$42.1 million will be allocated to IperionXs Titanium Manufacturing Campus in Virginia, ensuring vertical integration and scaling titanium production capacity.This award is a pivotal moment in IperionXs mission to re-shore the U.S. titanium industry. For too long, American industry has been reliant on foreign-controlled supply chains for this critical high-strength metal. IperionXs proprietary technologies, combined with the Titan Project, offer a pathway for a resilient end-to-end U.S. titanium supply chain. We are proud to be selected by the DoD as a key partner in strengthening U.S. industrial and defense capabilities, said Anastasios (Taso) Arima, CEO, IperionX.The news follows a broader national security trend seeking to secure critical material supply chains, ensuring the resilience of U.S. manufacturing.Why is Titanium critical for the US Defense Industry?Titanium is crucial to the U.S. defense industry for its strength, high temperature, and corrosion resistance. It is twice as strong as aluminum and is used in aerospace, naval defense, armored vehicles, and advanced technologies. In aerospace, titaniums strength-to-weight ratio is critical for military aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers, and for parts exposed to high temperatures. In naval defense, its corrosion resistance makes it ideal for submarines and ships. Furthermore, the silver metal is crucial in missile and rocket systems, as well as in developing next-generation military technologies such as experimental aircraft.Currently, much of the worlds titanium comes from the top three producers: China, Japan, and Russia. To address this challenge, in 2024, the DoD issued a competitive solicitation to bolster the resilience of the titanium supply chain. IperionXs Hydrogen-Assisted Metallothermic Reduction (HAMR) and Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT) technologies, which offer cost-effective and high-performance alternatives for titanium production, were selected for funding.Strengthening Supply Chains: Security and Economic ResilienceSecuring national supply chains has become a prominent focus of renewed interest in industrial sovereignty. With this in mind, a number of initiatives are underway.U.S. enterprise, 6K Additive was awarded a $23.4 million DoD grant to bring waste material back into the supply chain. Our countrys national security relies heavily on materials used across numerous applications, and controlling the supply chain from within the borders of the United States is paramount, commented Frank Roberts, President of 6K Additive. No other organization has the history, experience, infrastructure or potential 6K Additive has in upcycling materials like titanium, nickel superalloys and refractory metals, added Roberts.More efficient material production is another approach. In the UK, Metalysis is developing an alternative to the Kroll process. The company talks of a revolution in metallurgy not seen since the Bronze Age, in relation to its development of the Fray, Farthing, and Chen (FFC) Cambridge electrolysis method. Instead of using titanium sponge, the FFC method can use oxides, specifically titanium dioxide.What are the 3D printing trends to watch in 2025?To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter, you can also follow us on LinkedIn.While youre here, why not subscribe to our Youtube channel? Featuring discussion,debriefs, video shorts, and webinar replays.Featured image shows IperionXs Titanium Manufacturing Campus in Virginia. Photo via IperionX.

Today Gensler Detroit announced the promotion of Antoine Bryant from co-managing director to managing director. The move comes on the heels of a previous appointment of Bryant as a juror for ANs own Best of Practice Awards, an annual award that honors businesses of all kinds within the AEC community. With over 25 years of experience in design, planning, and development, Bryants focus on creating equitable cities and environments makes him an asset to the firm as well as the panel for Best of Practice. Before Gensler, Bryant served as the Director of Planning & Development for the City of Detroit. Under this title, as with all his titles, he focused on community empowerment and championed disenfranchised neighborhoods to have a larger voice in the growth of their own communities. During his term, Bryant helped oversee the redevelopment of the blighted Fisher Body Plant, Plan Detroit masterplan, and created a historic preservation plan for the city. He is also on the board of directors for National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). As a voice for inclusive spaces, backed by truly supportive systems and not merely surface-level representation, Bryant brings a discerning eye to the Best of Practice jury. AN spoke with the managing director to learn more about the state of practice in both government and private firms, as well as his advice to applying to Best of Practice ahead of the March 28 deadline.AN: What prompted or inspired the move from city government to a managing position at Gensler?Antoine Bryant [AB]: The opportunity to join Gensler, a global design firm, is a natural extension of my work with the Planning & Development Department for the City of Detroit. It was incredibly satisfying to direct and collaboratively work toward creating policy directives and framework for the entire city to move toward.Now, in my role at Gensler, I am leading an amazing group of architects and designers on numerous projects throughout greater metro Detroit and beyond.AN:How does your work in planning and advocating for community equity and inclusion translate to the internal organization of a firm? Do these approaches or techniques overlap?AB:One of the primary assets in planning and advocacy work is the ability to understand people with compassion. Ive made this the foundation of my professional career, and it has helped me successfully build rapport with the communities we serve.This same approach translates directly to the internal maturation of a team, as individuals want to feel included, appreciated, and valued. If Im successful, then the morale rises exponentially, leading to a team that is laser-focused on accomplishing our collective goals. AN: As someone who has worn many hats and titles, in what ways do you think different practiceslike city planners, developers, and architecture firmsshould improve upon their work and relationships with one another?AB:I believe there is a real opportunity for a more synergistic approach toward design and development, especially here in the United States. A healthy appreciation for collaboration, as well as a respect for the intrinsic value each discipline brings, will ultimately lead to more defined growth for the entire built environment. Working together, early and often, will result in greater allegiance and a far more inclusive and satisfying result for our communities.AN: How do you strive for good practice in your own work? What is the meaning of good practice? AB:Whether we are working with a neighborhood group, corporate entity, developer, or a university, we must ensure that we understand their goals while examining the project contextually, acknowledging its place within the larger landscape.This comprehensive view of the project and the resulting high-quality, inclusive design solution are critical elements of a good practice. AN:What are you looking for in Best of Practice applications?AB:Good design, which should include: innovation, or are we providing creative ideas that are leading (or even changing) the narrative around this practice area?; responsiveness, or does the solution compassionately and completely address a broad scope of desires from the client, community, and the larger city?; and sustainability, which asks does the solution satisfy the necessity of environmental resiliency? Will the design solution last the next 50 years or more?AN: What advice do you have for those applying to Best of Practice?AB: My advice is to highlight the differentiators, purpose, and impact of your project. How does it stand above the rest in areas including but not limited to design, impact, and sustainability? How does it address the challenges presented by the client and how can you communicate design solutions clearly? How can you qualify the impact for the client and the community Acknowledging each of these parameters will strengthen the submission.Best of Practice submissions will be accepted until March 28, 2025by midnight ET. Early Bird registration ends February 28, 2025. Learn more about the application process and start applications here.

Its been more than 60 years since Archigram hit the press, but the magazine founded by Warren Chalk, Peter Cook, Dennis Crompton, Ron Herron, David Greene, and Michael Webb still hasnt lost its charge.Now, Distributed Art Publishers (D.A.P.) is reissuing all ten issues of Archigram, the publication which eventually snowballed into the experimental architecture practice we know today. D.A.P. launched a Kickstarter to help raise funds for the project, which went live this morning. Original copies of Archigram are sold on the market for $600 a pop. The project by D.A.P. to reissue Archigram will help democratize the publications proliferation.The first issue of Archigram was two pages long. (Courtesy D.A.P.)The first issue of Archigram went out in 1961 and was two pages long; it was created in part using an electric typewriter. Beatriz Colomina called Archigram a protest magazine against the stodginess of the architectural establishment. It remains so. Ever little and huge in its impact. Michael Sorkin said Archigram was architectures version of The Beatles.Dennis Crompton, an Archigram cofounder and longtime friend of AN, who passed recently, said after he and his friends started the magazine, the name stuck, and they went on to build a movement that changed architecture forever. For those new to Archigram, a fully illustrated readers guide will help provide context with tributes by 28 contemporary architectural luminaries, including: Tadao Ando, Shigeru Ban, Aric Chen, Beatriz Colomina, Mike Davies, Odile Decq, Neil Denari, Norman Foster, Kenneth Frampton, Nicholas Grimshaw, Ivan Harbour, Tom Heneghan, Steven Holl, Bjarke Ingels, and others.The reprint will also include original essays by Cook, David Grahame Shane, Shirley Surya, Helen Castle, and Reyner Banham.The reprints will introduce a new generation to canonical projects, like Walking City. (Courtesy D.A.P.)D.A.P. noted that all of Archigrams exquisite idiosyncrasies will be faithfully reproduced including its flyers, pockets, a pop-up centerfold, posters, gatefolds and an electronic resistor. The reprints will also have 8 posters, 10 gatefolds, an electronic resistor. The issues will be contained within a large-format clamshell box designed by Miko McGinty.(Courtesy D.A.P.)The publishing project will introduce readers to canonical projects like Walking City, Plug-In City and Instant City in the manner in which they were received decades ago: In book form, not on a screen. D.A.P. described the reprint as perhaps its most ambitious publishing project to date and as a labor of love conducted over the past two years in partnership with Designers & Books and Archigram.ANis in conversation with D.A.P. about programming to support the title and its intersection with the interests of ANs cofounder Bill Menking for next fall.

Road Refrigerator (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 33 x 63 x 15 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Moskowitz Bayse, Los Angeles, shared with permissionRooms and Buildings Have a Life of Their Own in Eamon Monaghans Uncanny DioramasFebruary 19, 2025ArtKate MothesFramed by steel I-beams, aluminum cladding, or floor boards, Eamon Monaghans chaotic dioramas appear ready to burst from their own confines. Made from everyday materials like cardboard, tinfoil, wire, and epoxy clay, his sculptures capture harried moments of disarray seemingly frozen in time.In the artists current solo exhibition, Under the Floorboards at Moskowitz Bayse, the sculptures jump off the wall, angles jutting this way and that. Beams intersect with appliances; floor boards bend; stairways emerge from nowhere and terminate in open space; and radiator steam infiltrates everything in its path.Foggy Pipes (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 34 x 70 x 18 inchesMonaghan draws on the work of 20th-century underground legends like cartoonist R. Crumb or clay animator Bruce Bickford. In the artists three-dimensional scenes, tiny figures sometimes emerge comically half-concealed, sometimes grappling with the situation at hand and sometimes simply swept up in the action.He embraces unpredictability and farce, playfully examining the relationships between stability, movement, time, and a sense of control. In Stages, for example, a series of platforms and rooms shift around in a puzzle-like arrangement, with one figure apparently taken by surprise by a steel beam, another crawling behind a curtain, and yet another passed out on a sofa while helping to pull the strings of the entire uncanny production.Under the Floorboards continues through March 29 in Los Angeles. Find more on the artists Instagram.Stages (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 44 x 67 x 15 inchesDetail of Foggy PipesTrap Door (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 25 x 30 x 10 inchesSide view of Road RefrigeratorSecure The Spaghetti (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 16 x 35 x 10 inchesA Nice Night In (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 28 x 45 x 14 1/2 inchesNext article

Tech Smart home device maker exposes 2.7 billion records in huge data breach Chinese company that makes IoT devices database was unprotected Published February 19, 2025 10:00am EST Data breaches keep happening, and too often they come down to companies failing to take cybersecurity seriously. Some of the biggest breaches have been caused by negligence, and now theres another major one to add to the list. Mars Hydro, a Chinese company that makes Internet of Things (IoT) devices like LED lights and hydroponics equipment, left a massive database unprotected online. As a result, 2.7 billion records were exposed to anyone who knew where to look. Illustration of IoT devices (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)What happened?Mars Hydro, a Chinese manufacturer of IoT devices, suffered a massive data breach after a publicly accessible, unprotected database containing nearly 2.7 billion records was discovered online. The 1.17-terabyte database was not password-protected or encrypted, exposing a massive amount of sensitive information related to the companys smart devices, including LED grow lights and hydroponic equipment.The database contained logging, monitoring and error records for IoT devices sold worldwide. Among the exposed data were Wi-Fi network names (SSIDs), Wi-Fi passwords, IP addresses, device ID numbers and other details linked to user devices and the Mars Pro IoT software application. Plus, internal records referenced LG-LED SOLUTIONS LIMITED, a California-registered company, as well as Spider Farmer, which produces agricultural equipment.Security researcherJeremiah Fowler identified the database and immediately sent a responsible disclosure notice to LG-LED SOLUTIONS and Mars Hydro. Within hours, public access to the database was restricted.It remains unclear how long the database was publicly accessible or whether any unauthorized parties accessed the data before its restriction. The only way to confirm potential access or misuse would be through an internal forensic audit, but no such investigation has been publicly disclosed. Illustration of using an app to access smart home devices (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Should you be worried?The unprotected database contained highly sensitive user and device information, including SSIDs and passwords stored in plain text, which could allow unauthorized users to access home networks. Although the researcher did not indicate that any personally identifiable information was exposed, the presence of network credentials, IP addresses, device ID numbers and data about smartphones running the IoT software raises serious security concerns.The exposed credentials could theoretically enable an attacker to connect to the network, compromise other devices, intercept data or even launch targeted cyberattacks. This risk is particularly troubling, given the broader vulnerabilities within the IoT industry.According to a threat report by Palo Alto Networks, 57% of IoT devices across all industries are considered highly vulnerable, and an alarming 98% of data transmitted by these devices is unencrypted. The report further found that 83% of connected devices operate on outdated or unsupported operating systems, leaving them susceptible to attacks that exploit known vulnerabilities.This incident underscores a recurring problem in the IoT sector: poor security practices, weak data protection and the absence of encryption. Without proactive security measures, such breaches will likely continue, exposing users to risks that extend beyond just their IoT devices, potentially compromising entire home or business networks. Illustration of a IoT device (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)5 ways you can protect yourselfIf you own a Mars Hydro device or use the Mars Pro app, take the following steps to protect your data and secure your network:1) Change your Wi-Fi password: Since Wi-Fi network names and passwords were stored in plain text, the first step is to update your router password immediately.Even if you believe your credentials were not directly exposed, its best to assume otherwise. A strong password should be complex, combining upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Avoid using simple or easily guessable passwords, such as your name, address or basic numerical sequences.2) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): If your router supportstwo-factor authentication, enabling it adds an extra layer of security. This ensures that even if someone gains access to your login credentials, they would still need a secondary authentication code typically sent via text message or an authentication app to log in. This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access.3) Monitor your network for unusual activity: With Wi-Fi credentials and IP addresses exposed, attackers could attempt to access your network remotely. Checking your routers admin panel regularly to review connected devices is an important security measure. If you notice an unfamiliar device, remove it immediately and change your Wi-Fi password again.4) Keep your devices updated: IoT devices are notorious for running outdated or unsupported software, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Regularlyupdating the firmware and software of your smart devices ensures that you receive the latest security patches. Check your device settings for available updates and install them as soon as they are released. Keeping your routers firmware updated is equally important, as routers are a primary target for hackers.5) Beware of phishing attempts and use strong antivirus software: Hackers may try to exploit the data from this breach by launching phishing attacks. If you receive an email claiming to be from Mars Hydro or LG-LED SOLUTIONS, urging you to reset your password or provide personal details, be cautious. Cybercriminals often create fake login pages designed to steal credentials. Do not click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown senders.The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.Kurts key takeawayThe Mars Hydro breach is yet another reminder of the security risks that come with IoT devices. Companies need to do a better job of protecting user data, but at the end of the day, it is up to you to secure your own network. Updating passwords, enabling two-factor authentication and keeping an eye on your connected devices can make a big difference in keeping your data safe and your smart home secure.Do you think governments should regulate IoT security more strictly, or should it be left to the companies? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/Newsletter.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Asus' Zenbook S 16 is a striking laptop made from its proprietary 'ceraluminum' material, but the brilliant OLED display steals the show.