While tech fans might find the iPhone 16e underwhelming, its practical features and fair price are exactly what many users need.iPhone 16eThe iPhone 16e, initially expected to be the new iPhone SE, has instead emerged as a fresh take on Apple's budget-friendly offerings. With its $599 price tag higher than the previous iPhone SE's $429 Apple has positioned the iPhone 16e closer to its mainstream models.The company's move fills the gap left by the now-retired iPhone 14 and nudges customers to consider upgrading to more expensive models. The 16e offers much of what the flagship iPhone 16 does, including Apple Intelligence and a comparable camera, but lacks MagSafe charging and accessories. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Here's an update to the Getty Trust-led philanthropic effort to provide relief for artists and designers affected by the Los Angeles Fires. As of this week, a total of $14.3 million is set to be distributed to 1,700 individuals in increments up to $10,000. Those who lost a home (with or without insurance) or an uninsured studio/workspace are being fully funded at their requested amounts. The majority (78%) of recipients were impacted by the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena.A separate fundraiser for artists affected by the wildfires is being staged currently via a specialshowcase of L.A.-centric architectural photography at the HenrybuiltArtsDistrict showroom throughMarch 28th.

I define Black architectural modernity as the spatial and formal [built] embodiment of the black cultural projects that emerged for African Americans throughout U.S. history. This goes all the way back to the time when they were enslaved peoples [...] through the Civil Rights Movement, through Jim Crow, disinvestment, and carceral projects. Through all of those things, Black people have been forced to think of themselves as human in a world that doesn't accept their humanity.For Black History Month, the National Trust for Historic Preservation asked Dr. Charles L. Davis II about his preservation work on the Watts Happening Cultural Center and Robert T. Coles Home and Studio in Buffalo, New York, the latter having received one of the Trusts Conserving Black Modernism grants in 2024. The two-part interview led to questions about his decision to focus on Black architecture specifically through in research, expanding to a new definition for Black modernism that he says should be based on social history rather than traditional academic constraints.In his words: "These [Black] architects are not just borrowing stuff from white practitioners, they're interpreting it in completely different ways. So [designs] that look the same have different meanings. To me, Black architectural modernity is a mode of living. [...] It's now become a way of being. Its a process of both aspiring to and attaining racial uplift, and the ways that our built environments embody t...

After recent reports that Warner Bros. Games has cancelled the Wonder Woman project that was in development at Monolith, comic writer Gail Simone has revealed more details about the title. In a series of posts on social media platform X, Simone wrote about the in-development title, referring to both Monolith and WB Games as enthusiastic and supportive.Simone worked as a long-term consultant on the Wonder Woman project, a job she happily took on because she was already a fan of Monoliths previous Middle-earth titles. She also wrote about work on the Wonder Woman game going quite smoothly thanks to the development team bringing their best to the projectThe game was gorgeous and expansive, wrote Simone. It was beautiful to look at. I am not going to give details for a number of reasons, but every effort was made to make this not just a great game, but a great WONDER WOMAN game. A showpiece epic.And all of that was because of the team. Everyone who worked on it brought their a-game. Programmers, artists, designers, everyone. I dont know that I have ever worked with a team that cared more about making sure the end product was perfect.Simone praised the fact that the Wonder Woman game was taking the DC universe quite seriously with regards to respect for the well-established lore and canon of the seminal comic series.They made sure it had WW and DC lore on every aspect of the game, she wrote. It was a thrill and honor to work with them. I know theres a lot of finger-pointing going on, but everyone I worked with from Monolith and WB both was enthusiastic and supportive. Everyone wanted to make the best game ever.Despite the cancellation of the game and the closure of the studio, however, Simone does mention that the teams from both companies had been great to work with.I know theres a lot of finger-pointing going on, but everyone I worked with from Monolith and WB both was enthusiastic and supportive, wrote Simone. Everyone wanted to make the best game ever.Sometimes, you give your all and it doesnt work out, she continued. But that was an amazing team and I can only hope they continue to make brilliant games. Someone is going to snap them all up and set a new industry standard, I know it.For some context about Simones role in the development of Wonder Woman, she is best known for her work on the Wonder Woman comics. She also happens to be the longest-running female writer on the comic so far.News of Monolith Productions being shut down, along with Wonder Woman being cancelled came in earlier this week. Alongside Monolith, Player First Games (the studio behind MultiVersus) and WB Games San Diego were also shut down.Monolith Productions was a well-regarded studio that had been making critically-acclaimed games for a long time. Along with more recent titles like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel Shadow of War, the studio has also previously worked on the F.E.A.R. series, as well as classic shooter No One Lives Forever.I was asked to do long-term consulting on the game, and I was thrilled to do it, it was a perfect storm of stuff I adore. Wonder Woman, video games, and one of my favorite games studios: Monolith, who produced the Game Of The Year MORDOR games, that I was completely addicted to. Gail Simone (@GailSimone) February 26, 2025

BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk has revealed that BioWare had higher hopes for MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic. In a recent episode of the My Perfect Console podcast (transcription courtesy of Time Extension), Zeschuk said that the potential success of The Old Republic could have led to him, along with BioWares other co-founder, Ray Muzyka, into making a bid to take over Electronic Arts from within the company.However, the dream was a longshot, with Zeschuk saying that Star Wars: The Old Republic would have needed to make an incredible amount of money around $2 billion a year for the move to be possible. And ultimately, as history showed us, Star Wars: The Old Republic was, at best, modestly successful.I lived in Austin for two-and-a-half years making Star Wars the Old Republic [and] I knew that was kind of a one-way trip, said Zeschuk. If it was super successful, super duper successful, Ray and I would have probably launched a bid to try and take over EA from the inside, being the corporate pirates that we are. But it needed to be like $2 billion a year successful. But it didnt work out so I was like, Ah, Im fine.'For some context, Star Wars: The Old Republic was, at the time, one of the most expensive video games being developed. The MMORPG was quite ambitious, and wanted to meld the multiplayer fun of other games in the genre with BioWares penchant for telling stories.Zeschuk also spoke about how he realised his dislike for big companies after having worked with EA. He described working with the publisher as being given enough rope to hang yourself, citing the need to work within the massive companys structure as being something you need to learn.EA gives you enough rope to hang yourself, Zeschuk said. And what I mean by that is you have to learn to work within the structure and I think we did quite well if you look at the Mass Effects came out there. It was actually a pretty successful run. But you have to understand how to work within a big company. And, for me, that was the end. It was like, Oh, I dont like big companies. So I knew by year two that I was going to leave at some point. I just didnt know when.Big companies exist to exploit properties, he continued. They exist to exploit games. Most of the big North American guys, theyre just good at Hey, lets just squeeze the most money out of this franchise. They dont kind of create a lot of them, and I kind of realized early on that I like making games. I dont like just operating.Zeschuk, along with co-founder Muzyka left BioWare back in 2012, shortly after the announcement of Dragon Age: Inquisition. More recently, BioWare released Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Check our review of the RPG for more details. Star Wars: The Old Republic, on the other hand, is still available to play as a free-to-play MMORPG on PC.

Konami partners with Bloober Team for another "joint project" based on unspecified Konami IP"Our collaboration has been incredibly fruitful, and the success of Silent Hill 2 speaks for itself," says Bloober CEOImage credit: Konami News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Feb. 26, 2025 Konami has partnered with Silent Hill 2 Remake developer Bloober Team for "a joint project."In a statement, neither party clarified the details of the project, but confirmed it was a game based on Konami's intellectual property, and Konami will retain its publisher rights.Bloober's "horror and atmospheric storytelling" expertise made it a fitting collaborator when Konami sought a partner to "breathe new life into one of its most iconic franchises - Silent Hill," with the "trust built upon the success of Silent Hill 2 la[ying] the foundation for signing another agreement for a new project."Bloober said the deal also aligns with its strategic plan to expand its "development division within a first-party framework.""Our collaboration with Konami has been incredibly fruitful, and the success of Silent Hill 2 speaks for itself," said Bloober CEO, Piotr Babieno."By sharing knowledge and experience, we have been able to create high-quality production together. Of course, we can't reveal too many details at this time, but we are confident that fans will be just as excited about our collaboration as we are. We can't wait to share something truly special with players when the time is right."At the end of January, Konami confirmed Silent Hill 2 Remake - the first mainline Silent Hill game since 2012's Downpour - topped 2 million sales.Konami recently released its financial results for the nine months ending December 31, 2024, during which revenues increased 22% and profits rose 38%.

Justin Carter, Contributing EditorFebruary 26, 20251 Min ReadImage via Alex Le Bell.At a GlanceFinnish developer Seven Stars has secured funding from Spintop, Sisu Game, and Behold to develop a new puzzle series.Finnish developer Seven Stars has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding to grow its team and development process.Per PocketGamer, the majority of funding came from venture firms Spintop, Sisu Game, and Behold. Additional funding came from other investors, and the European Union put money into the studio's "R&D project."Sisu noted this marks the firm's latest investment into a Finland-based team, and Seven Stars' "ability to craft excellent puzzle experiences efficiently."Seven Stars was founded in 2022 by ex-Tridify CEO Alex Le Bell. He is joined by fellow leaders CTO Olli Aurola and creative director Markus TuppurainenIn a statement, the developer expressed its aim to "build the next generation of puzzle games, blending innovation with deep industry expertise. Our team, with experience from Moon Active, Rovio, Seriously, Next Games, and Small Giant Games, is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of mobile gaming."Of that game, Sisu claimed the unannounced debut "showcases a strong creative DNA blended with the type of commercial mindset required to succeed in a demanding mobile market."Read more about:FundingAbout the AuthorJustin CarterContributing Editor, GameDeveloper.comA Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.See more from Justin CarterDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Of the three major gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X / S may have the most diverse controller selection, but Microsofts basic Xbox Wireless Controller is still the best Xbox controller for most people. Thats mostly because its the cheapest one you can buy with native support for Xboxs built-in wireless protocol (you can also use it with PC and mobile via Bluetooth or USB-C), but its also just really solid overall.Its hard to beat the value, especially when theyre on sale for as low as $39, just a few dollars more than their all-time low, as they are in select colors at Amazon and Walmart right now. Thatll get you the basic crop of colors such as black, white, and blue. You can spend a bit more to get the awesome translucent models, which are starting at $57.50 (about $12 off) at Amazon and Walmart.Xbox Wireless Controller$39$6035% off$39The official Xbox Wireless Controller has a dedicated share button for saving clips and screenshots and sharing them online, Bluetooth support, and a USB-C port for charging up Microsofts play-and-charge rechargeable battery.The Xbox Wireless Controller isnt loaded with fancy features and gimmicks like newer, more expensive controllers. You cant easily remove or replace any of its parts, for example, nor does it have back buttons, sensitivity adjustments, or built-in means for customizing and swapping button mapping configurations. But it still sets the standard for how a controller should look, feel, and work. The ergonomic shape and button layout are still the most widely emulated of any controller, perhaps ever.Some people still scoff that it doesnt have a rechargeable internal battery, but thats a point in its favor. Its versatile battery bay lets you either use standard AA batteries or slot in a rechargeable pack. Some of those batteries offer much more play time than controllers with built-in batteries. Youll never have to plug it in or dock it if you have a charged spare handy, and you wont have to dismantle an entire controller or shell out for a replacement once they run drySee More:

Exposure to extreme heat could lead to faster aging, a new study published today in the journal Science Advances suggests. Older people living in hotter areas of the US showed faster aging at the molecular level than people living in cooler areas.The study looked at measures of a persons biological, or epigenetic, age, which is based on how a persons body is functioning at the molecular and cellular levels and doesnt necessarily match a persons chronological age based on birth. Longer-term exposure to heat was associated with an increase in a persons biological age by up to 2.48 years. The impact on the body is comparable to the effects of smoking, according to the study authors.Extreme heat is already the deadliest type of weather disaster in the US, a threat thats growing as climate change leads to more frequent and intense heatwaves. The new research shows how there are more subtle, insidious ways that prolonged heat exposure can affect the body beyond heat illness or stroke in the moment.The impact on the body is comparable to the effects of smokingWere kind of surprised [at] how massive this impact could be, says Eun Young Choi, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral associate at the University of Southern California. The effects of extreme heat might not show up right away as a diagnosable health condition, but it could be taking a silent toll at the cellular and the molecular level which could years later develop into disability and disease.The research included blood samples collected from 3,686 adults aged 56 or older living across the US. The study authors compared those samples with heat index data, a measure of temperature and humidity, between 2010 and 2016. They found a correlation between greater exposure to extreme heat and a bigger jump in epigenetic age. A person living in a place where the heat index is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above for half the year experienced up to 14 more months of biological aging compared to someone living somewhere with less than 10 days a year that hot.Study participants living in areas where heat daysdefined as Extreme Caution or higher levels (90F)occur for half the year (darkest red in the figure) experienced up to 14 months of additional epigenetic aging compared to those in areas with fewer than 10 heat days per year (white in the figure). Image: Eun Young Choi and Jennifer AilshireThe thing that is interesting here is that a lot of observational data focuses on acute impacts of extreme heat exposure this paper underlines that there may be chronic impacts on epigenetic age that are important predictors of adverse health, Amruta Nori-Sarma, deputy director of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE and assistant professor of environmental health and population sciences says in an email to The Verge.Nori-Sarma and Choi say its important to keep in mind, however, that the study doesnt take into consideration whether a person had access to air conditioning or other ways to stay cool. Theres room for more research into what factors might make an individual more resilient or more vulnerable to heat.Our finding doesnt necessarily mean that every person living in Phoenix, Arizona, for example, has an older biological age. This is really an average impact, Choi says. Two people in the same neighborhood could have very different levels of personal exposure depending on whether they have air conditioning.That also shows that there are steps that can be taken to keep people safe in a warming world. Aside from stopping climate change, that can look like planting more trees and painting rooftops white to prevent urban areas from trapping as much heat, and opening up more public spaces where people can get access to air conditioning. Finding solutions gets easier to do when people are more aware of the potential risks. See More:

Mastering Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for Effective Data Science 0 like February 26, 2025Share this postAuthor(s): Mirko Peters Originally published on Towards AI. This blog post explores Principal Component Analysis (PCA), its importance in data science, and how it transforms complex, high-dimensional data into meaningful insights. Through real-world examples and practical steps, readers will learn how to effectively apply PCA and enhance their data analysis skills.This member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.Source: Data & Analytics YouTube ChannelImagine trying to find patterns in an ocean of data, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. This is the reality many data scientists face, akin to gazing through a foggy window. One powerful tool that brings clarity and structure to this chaos is Principal Component Analysis (PCA). In this blog post, well journey through the fascinating world of PCA, exploring its principles, applications, and how it can become your go-to technique for deciphering complex data sets.You might be surprised to learn that data is growing at an astonishing rate. In fact, its said that the amount of data in the world doubles every two years. Think about it: the sheer volume of information produced across industries is staggering. From social media posts to transaction records, we are generating petabytes of data daily.In the healthcare sector, the advent of genomics means whole genome sequencing can produce gigabytes, even terabytes, of data for a single patient. This data explosion creates a challenge for analyzing and extracting valuable insights. Traditional methods simply arent equipped to handle such vast quantities.To illustrate this complexity, lets look at Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post