The TikTok "Chromebook challenge" encourages kids to ruin their laptops. Thomas Koehler/Photothek via Getty Images 2025-05-16T16:25:11Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? The "Chromebook challenge" is a TikTok trend in which kids jam a paperclip into a laptop to make it smoke. Several kids are facing charges for messing with their Chromebooks. Take it from me, kids. Don't do it. *Grabs chair, spins it around, and sits on it backward.*Hey teens, it's me. Your friendly local 44-year-old tech blogger at Business Insider, every high schooler's favorite website. And I'm here to say: setting your Chromebook on fire is "skibidi Ohio." Don't do it.Sure, there's a viral TikTok challenge going around that encourages kids like you to jam a paperclip, gum wrapper, or other item into the USB drive of your school-issued Chromebooks, which will cause them to start smoking, shoot sparks, or even catch on fire.But don't do it.Even though you may be bored, and lighting stuff on fire is undeniably cool-looking, and it's almost summer break, and your teacher has negative aura, and Chromebooks represent the tyranny of the prison called "school" where they indoctrinate your mind with algebra and facts about the Treaty of Ghent that you will never need in real life because there's calculators, and Prussia isn't real, and there's ChatGPT anyway that can do this all for you, and adults will all be using it in the future, it's still not worth it. [Note: No AI was used to write this important public service message.]So please, do not light your Chromebook on fire — it can cause serious injury. This is a rizzles and sus road you don't want to go down. There is no sigma here.TikTok has taken some action. Searching "Chromebook challenge" on the app generates a warning message saying "some online challenges can be dangerous, disturbing, or even fabricated." (Though searching Chromebook still generates plenty of videos of smoking Acers.) TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.You're a teen, you know how silly grown-ups are about this stuff. We're always yapping about some moral panic "challenge" on TikTok that's not even real. But this time? No cap, it's real.Kids are facing charges in several states for messing with their Chromebooks. A 13-year-old was arrested on suspicion of arson in Long Beach, California, and students at schools in Arizona face possible criminal charges, according to the Bullhead City Fire Department. Two teens in Southington, Connecticut, are facing misdemeanor charges including criminal mischief and reckless endangerment.Fellow kids, I understand that you're currently living in a time where you might feel under the yoke of technology. You feel complicated about how much you use social media, and meanwhile your parents read "The Anxious Generation" and are now freaking out because they regret giving you a phone in sixth grade, even though that phone has had Life 360 survellience software installed this whole time. You know that the future of work involves AI, but your teachers get weird and mad about you using it for homework (even though literally everyone does). And this whole time you're supposed to be getting good grades to go to college, but the institution of higher education is under attack and kids are getting arrested on campus for protesting, and you're taking on a lifetime of debt for some degree for a job that could be replaced by a chatbot in five years anyway. So like the Luddite cloth workers of the Industrial Revolution, you take a stand and fight and break against the machine that yokes you. Why not just jam a paperclip in that Chromebook just to see if something real happens, something tangible, like smoke or fire, just to remember that you're here, you're alive, you're young, you exist?But kids, harming laptops isn't cool. So please, don't do the Chromebook challenge. Recommended video

Cool Finds These Ancient Scrolls Have Been a Tantalizing Mystery for 2,000 Years. Researchers Just Deciphered a Title for the First Time Mount Vesuvius’ eruption preserved the Herculaneum scrolls beneath a blanket of ash. Two millennia later, X-ray scans show that one of them is a philosophical text called “On Vice” The scroll previously known only as PHerc. 172 was written by the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus. Vesuvius Challenge / Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University In the 1750s, an Italian farmer digging a well stumbled upon a lavish villa in the ruins of Herculaneum. Inside was a sprawling library with hundreds of scrolls, untouched since Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 C.E. Some of them were still neatly tucked away on the shelves. This staggering discovery was the only complete library from antiquity ever found. But when 18th-century scholars tried to unroll the charred papyrus, the scrolls crumbled to pieces. They became resigned to the fact that the text hidden inside wouldn’t be revealed during their lifetimes. In recent years, however, researchers realized that they were living in the generation that would finally solve the puzzle. Using artificial intelligence, they’ve developed methods to peer inside the Herculaneum scrolls without damaging them, revealing short passages of ancient text. This month, researchers announced a new breakthrough. While analyzing a scroll known as PHerc. 172, they determined its title: On Vices. Based on other works, they think the full title is On Vices and Their Opposite Virtues and in Whom They Are and About What. The scan revealed letters spelling out the scroll's title. Vesuvius Challenge “We are thrilled to share that the written title of this scroll has been recovered from deep inside its carbonized folds of papyrus,” the Vesuvius Challenge, which is leading efforts to decipher the scrolls, says in a statement. “This is the first time the title of a still-rolled Herculaneum scroll has ever been recovered noninvasively.” On Vices was written by Philodemus, a Greek philosopher who lived in Herculaneum more than a century before Vesuvius’ eruption. Born around 110 B.C.E., Philodemus studied at a school in Athens founded several centuries earlier by the influential philosopher Epicurus, who believed in achieving happiness by pursuing certain specific forms of pleasure. “This will be a great opportunity to learn more about Philodemus’ ethical views and to get a better view of the On Vices as a whole,” Michael McOsker, a papyrologist at University College London who is working with the Vesuvius Challenge, tells CNN’s Catherine Nicholls. When it launched in 2023, the Vesuvius Challenge offered more than $1 million in prize money to citizen scientists around the world who could use A.I. to help decipher scans of the Herculaneum scrolls.  Spearheaded by Brent Seales, a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky, the team scanned several of the scrolls and uploaded the data for anyone to use. To earn the prize money, participants competed to be the first to reach a series of milestones. Reading the papyrus involves solving several difficult problems. After the rolled-up scrolls are scanned, their many layers need to be separated out and flattened into two-dimensional segments. At that point, the carbon-based ink usually isn’t visible in the scans, so machine-learning models are necessary to identify the inked sections. In late 2023, a computer science student revealed the first word on an unopened scroll: “porphyras,” an ancient Greek term for “purple.” Months later, participants worked out 2,000 characters of text, which discussed pleasures such as music and food. 5 Surprising Facts About Pompeii Watch on But PHerc. 172 is different from these earlier scrolls. When researchers scanned it last summer, they realized that some of the ink was visible in the images. They aren’t sure why this scroll is so much more legible, though they hypothesize it’s because the ink contains a denser contaminant such as lead, according to the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries, which houses the scroll. In early May, the Vesuvius Challenge announced that contestants Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak, computer scientists at Germany’s University of Würzburg, would receive $60,000 for deciphering the title. Sean Johnson, a researcher with the Vesuvius Challenge, had independently identified the title around the same time. Researchers are anticipating many more breakthroughs on the horizon. In the past three months alone, they’ve already scanned dozens of new scrolls. “The pace is ramping up very quickly,” McOsker tells the Guardian’s Ian Sample. “All of the technological progress that’s been made on this has been in the last three to five years—and on the timescales of classicists, that’s unbelievable.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

New owners of VPNSecure have been taking major flak recently after unexpectedly cancelling all lifetime subscriptions for users of the VPN service. The owners claimed that they didn’t know about the lifetime subscriptions when they first bought VPNSecure and are now unable to continue honoring them. Per Ars Technica, the first complaints from users losing their lifetime access began in March of this year. In April, users with lifetime subscriptions received an email stating, “To continue providing a secure and high-quality experience for all users, Lifetime Deal accounts have now been deactivated as of April 28th, 2025.” In response to a sudden wave—24 pages in total—of negative 1-star customer reviews on TrustPilot, a representative for the provider clarified, “In 2023, we acquired only the infrastructure and brand in a distressed asset sale after that company shut down. No contracts, payment data, or customer obligations were transferred.” VPNSecure has apologized to customers who were caught off guard by the sudden cancellations but reinforced its new position by saying it “never will” sell lifetime subscriptions. The whole ordeal seems to have been bungled from the start, but the company drew further ire with the way in which it so abruptly cut subscriptions. While it may have mitigated some of these issues by giving more advanced notice of the cancellations, it was never going to be an easy pill to swallow for previous lifetime plan holders. Adding insult to injury, there is no evidence that VPNSecure is offering refunds to those who purchased lifetime subscriptions. Instead, it’s offering affected users “an exclusive deal starting at just $1.87/month to continue using the service.” Insert eyeroll here. The whole ordeal is a great reminder that lifetime subscriptions are rarely as trustworthy as advertisements lead you to believe. Should the company ever go out of business or be sold, these previous ‘guarantees’ can be nothing but hot air. If you happen to be someone affected by these cancellations or are just looking for a VPN service that you can trust, refer to our list of the best VPNs.

A recent study found that people with diets high in fat and sugar had worse spatial memory than those who ate these foods less often. This may not be much of a surprise. We’ve long known that unhealthy eating can contribute to the onset of cognitive decline. What may come as a surprise is that the people in this study were between the ages of 18 and 38.Do we need to start protecting our brains from cognitive decline while we’re still young? “Definitely,” says lead author of the study, Dominic Tran, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Sydney who focuses on learning, memory, and cognition.Fat, Sugar, and Impaired Brain FunctionFor the study, college students were asked to navigate a virtual maze to locate a treasure chest. In order to find the treasure chest, the subjects had to estimate distance and direction and remember the location of landmarks. They did this six times; in a seventh and final trial, researchers removed the treasure chest from the maze, and the students had to find its location by memory. The subjects with diets higher in saturated fat and refined sugar were worse at remembering how to find the location of the treasure chest. The results held even after the researchers controlled for body mass index, suggesting that the difference in cognitive function was related to the types of food being eaten (fat and sugar) and not to body weight.Tran and colleagues point out that the study was small and did not involve altering the diets of the subjects and comparing the differences before and after. Still, the study adds to a growing body of evidence that fat and sugar can contribute to impaired brain function, even in young people. “Over the past 10 years or so, there has been a lot of research investigating the impact of high-fat/high-sugar diets on cognitive functioning, and the results are quite worrying,” says Tran.Cognitive HealthMost of us don’t begin thinking about our cognitive health until we start having achy joints, or worse yet, begin to have trouble remembering words. But Francesa Farina urges us to start thinking about brain health while we’re still young. Farina is a neuroscientist with the Global Brain Health Institute, and much of her work centers on the detection of risk factors for dementia in young adulthood and midlife. “I think we still have a perception of Alzheimer's and dementias as diseases of old age,” she says. “But more and more, the science is telling us that the brain changes that underlie these diseases are happening 10, 20 years before that.” That means we need to start paying attention to our risk factors while we’re still young.Farina points out that some of the lifestyle factors that can increase the risk of dementia, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, are becoming more frequent in young people. The good news is that lifestyle changes now can reduce the risk of cognitive problems down the road.It might be hard to convince young people that they need to make an effort now to reduce the risk of getting a disease they don’t expect to get until they’re older. But Tran’s research suggested that the effects of a poor diet can be felt right away. Perhaps we need a change in messaging. Farina recommends framing the discussion as “brain health” rather than dementia. And ensuring good brain health is a lifetime project. In fact, Farina says we need to consider these risk factors even in children.Not Too Late to Reduce Fat and SugarCan cognitive impairments like the ones in Tran’s study be reversed? Tran thinks it’s possible. “We are very hopeful that improvements to diet quality can improve cognitive deficits associated with unhealthy diets,” he says. His team plans to study that next. Meanwhile, his advice is to eat a healthy, balanced diet with reduced saturated fat and sugar. “You don’t have to cut these out completely,” he says, “but eating them in moderation, infrequently, should be the goal.”This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:International Journal of Obesity. Consumption of a diet high in fat and sugar is associated with worse spatial navigation ability in a virtual environmentNeuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. The impact of saturated fat, added sugar and their combination on human hippocampal integrity and function: A systematic review and meta-analysisAvery Hurt is a freelance science journalist. In addition to writing for Discover, she writes regularly for a variety of outlets, both print and online, including National Geographic, Science News Explores, Medscape, and WebMD. She’s the author of Bullet With Your Name on It: What You Will Probably Die From and What You Can Do About It, Clerisy Press 2007, as well as several books for young readers. Avery got her start in journalism while attending university, writing for the school newspaper and editing the student non-fiction magazine. Though she writes about all areas of science, she is particularly interested in neuroscience, the science of consciousness, and AI–interests she developed while earning a degree in philosophy.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)iSpeedToLead is a rapidly growing marketplace platform revolutionizing the real estate industry by connecting motivated seller leads directly to real estate wholesalers and investors. Our cutting-edge platform offers unmatched transparency, immediate access to fresh leads, and leverages powerful AI-driven analytics to ensure marketplace liquidity and optimize deal flow. We’re disrupting traditional lead generation with a streamlined, technology-first approach.Position Overview:We are seeking a visionary Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) who will drive exponential growth, significantly expand our user base, and cement our position as a dominant force within the real estate lead generation market. Reporting directly to the CEO, you’ll leverage your expertise in growth marketing, data analytics, AI implementation, and leadership to transform our marketplace into an industry benchmark.Responsibilities:Develop, execute, and continually refine comprehensive marketing strategies focused on aggressive user acquisition, retention, and marketplace liquidity.Lead, inspire, and expand a high-performing marketing team dedicated to delivering exceptional results and innovative marketing solutions.Utilize advanced data analytics, AI-driven tools, and cohort-based marketing strategies to optimize conversions, enhance user engagement, and drive substantial revenue growth.Spearhead multi-channel marketing campaigns, including SEO, SEM, social media, email marketing, content strategy, affiliate programs, influencer partnerships, and referral initiatives.Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships and affiliate programs to enhance our competitive positioning and fuel marketplace growth.Collaborate closely with product and sales leadership to ensure alignment of marketing strategies with overarching business objectives and product development initiatives.Build and maintain robust analytics frameworks to track, report, and optimize marketing performance, continuously improving customer acquisition costs, lifetime value, and overall marketplace performance.Requirements:Proven leadership experience as a marketing executive, ideally as a CMO or senior marketing leader, in high-growth marketplaces or successful SaaS platforms, preferably within Real Estate, PropTech, or related sectors.Demonstrable success in executing aggressive growth marketing strategies, significantly scaling user bases, and driving measurable increases in revenue and market share.Expert-level proficiency with modern digital marketing tools, analytics platforms, and AI technologies to inform decision-making and maximize performance.Strong experience in developing and managing high-impact affiliate, referral, and strategic partnership programs.Exceptional leadership abilities, with a track record of building, mentoring, and managing elite marketing teams that consistently exceed goals.Highly analytical mindset combined with creative problem-solving skills and a relentless drive for results.Why Join Us:Take on a pivotal executive role in a rapidly scaling, innovative marketplace reshaping real estate lead generation.Opportunity to deploy advanced AI and analytics in driving strategic marketing decisions and marketplace success.Work alongside a passionate and entrepreneurial leadership team committed to market disruption and sustainable growth.Competitive compensation package, attractive equity participation, and significant performance-based incentives.If you’re an ambitious, results-oriented marketing leader ready to scale an industry-leading marketplace, we want you on our executive team at iSpeedToLead!Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Sales and Marketing JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot

Digital empathy.The title of the article, “Digital Empathy: How product teams can support users with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges,” and a gradient blobUsing human psychology to “hack” a good user experience is not a new concept. In fact, understanding psychology and tactically applying those principles is user experience design at its core.The connection between psychology and product design is one of the main reasons I chose to transition careers from mental health social work; I entered the product design industry with over a decade of deep understanding of psychology and human behavior.According to the World Health Organization, about 1 billion people worldwide live with mental illness (source). Rates of adults suffering from depression have risen 8.7% from 2017 to 2023 (source), and about one-third of US adults experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime (source).A graph from the Gallup depicting the rising trends in depression from 2015 to 2023 (source).On top of that, the Federal Trade Commission has reported a rise in commercial companies using sophisticated digital designs called “deceptive patterns” (also known as dark patterns), manipulating users into giving up their money and personal data (source). These deceptive patterns exploit human psychology, especially in the most vulnerable users, like those with mental illnesses.Seeing the rise in mental illness and the simultaneous growth in deceptive patterns and bad UX, I began to connect product design, accessibility, and mental illness. Or rather, I have begun to expand my understanding and definition of accessibility to include mental illness. I began to ask myself:What does it mean to design products that are more accessible to those with mental illness?Co-creationThe process of designing and building products that are accessible to those with mental health disorders should always start with the people who live with mental illness. This idea is probably not surprising or groundbreaking for most product designers because empathy and the user are centered in the standard design process. However, due to the vulnerabilities those with mental illnesses have, the collaboration and co-creation process should be altered and adjusted to accommodate their needs and ensure an emotionally safe environment.An emotionally safe environment is one where someone “feels safe to express emotions, security, and confidence to take risks and feel challenged and excited to try something new” (source).When conducting research with participants who have mental health conditions:Create a comfortable, judgment-free environment. Adjust your style and methods based on the individual participants if possible to help them feel comfortable.Ensure that the participants know what is expected of them. When possible, explain the research structure, what your goals are, what types of responses you are looking for, and the time commitment.Be flexible with session timing and structure. Allow breaks when possible, and pay close attention to participants’ body language and facial expressions to catch discomfort that might not be expressed verbally.Offer multiple ways to participate (in-person, remote, written responses).Provide clear explanations of how their information will be used, including where and how it will be stored, and who will have access to it.Follow up sensitively after sessions to ensure participants feel supported.Simplify and streamlineOne of the most important and impactful ways to design for those with mental illnesses is to reduce cognitive load. In addition to benefiting those with mental illnesses, reducing cognitive load leads to better experiences for most users, making it an easy sell to skeptical stakeholders.“In the field of user experience, we use the following definition: the cognitive load imposed by a user interface is the amount of mental resources that is required to operate the system. Informally, you can think of mental resources as ‘brain power’ — more formally, we’re talking about slots in working memory.” -Kathryn Whitenton (source)Our brains, similar to machines or computers, have limited processing power. Those with mental illnesses can have even less capacity to process new information and make decisions (source). Basic usability principles can help with this, like chunking or framing content, optimizing response time, and embracing minimalism.Users experience cognitive load when interacting with products. (Image Source)Taking it a step further, I have found the following strategies help those with mental illness when using the products I am designing:Simplify designs further: Avoid using unnecessary images or videos in the UI, narrow down the typography and color palettes, and lean into the use of white space. Allowing the UI room to breathe helps users understand what decisions they need to make and reduces cognitive load.Step-by-Step Processes: Lead users on a streamlined journey through your product or feature with simple, bite-sized steps. Make sure the path is clear to users at all times, and they know what they should do next. This is particularly important for onboarding experiences because this is the user’s first introduction to the product, and reducing the learning curve will lead to a better experience.Limit Choices: Hold the user’s hand and give the illusion of freedom while limiting the number of decisions on one screen. There is not an exact science or number of choices for one page, but use a critical eye on your designs and think through ways to limit the decisions users have to make.Offload tasks: Look for anything in your design that requires user effort. Reading text or remembering information are key examples. Then look for alternatives: can you auto-fill information to prevent the user from having to memorize? Can you show a picture or video instead of forcing them to read? It’s not possible to shift all tasks away from users, but every task you automate leaves more cognitive space for the decisions that truly are necessary.Soften copywriting and avoid shamingShame is an extremely distressing emotional experience that can be debilitating to those with mental illnesses (source; source). Shaming, confronting, or aggressively persuading users has very serious consequences, both for the user and for the product. It is such a distressing experience that users with mental illnesses will begin to develop a poor impression of the brand, or worse, abandon the product altogether (source).As Regina Jankowski quotes Angie Chaplin in an article for Inclusion Hub (source): “If I feel something is a trauma trigger for me, then I will scroll past it.”How do you avoid shaming or confrontation in designs?A popup that uses shaming language to pressure users into providing their personal information.Use supportive language and avoid accusatory wording. Do not blame the user for mistakes or errors, and instead shift the focus to the abstract or the platform.❌ “You entered an invalid email”✅ “We couldn’t recognize this email”2. Design more thoughtful error states. Be specific about the error or issue presented, provide a path forward, and avoid technical jargon that could alienate users. Additionally, ensure that an error state only appears after the user has completed an action incorrectly, and not while they are attempting to finish. For example, an input box should not display an error message while a user is still typing, and should only appear once they have completed the task (incorrectly).❌ “The information provided doesn’t match our records. Please try again.”✅ “The username entered does not match our records. Please double-check and try again, or create an account here.”(image source) ; (image source)3. Frame messages positively. Highlight progress completed instead of work remaining, celebrate small wins, and use an encouraging tone. Avoid pressuring users to make decisions, and include inclusive language.❌ “20% remaining”✅ “80% completed”A screenshot depicting a progress bar that highlights the amount of work completed instead of the amount of work left to do. (image source)Providing control and safetyPeople with mental health conditions often experience feelings of powerlessness or anxiety when faced with unpredictable situations (source). Designing products that give users a sense of control can significantly improve their experience.Clear escape routes: Always provide obvious ways to exit processes or return to a previous state. Ensure that “back” and “cancel” options are prominently displayed, and confirm before irreversible actions.Save progress automatically: For users with attention difficulties or those who may need to step away suddenly, automatically save their progress so they don’t lose work or have to start over.Customizable experiences: Allow users to adjust aspects of the interface that might be triggering, such as animations, sounds, or high-contrast visuals (source). Consider options to:Reduce motionControl notification frequencyToggle between light/dark modesAdjust text sizeTurn off time-based featuresConclusionDesigning with mental health accessibility in mind is not just an ethical imperative — it’s good business. By creating products that are accessible to those with mental health challenges, we create better experiences for everyone.The principles outlined here — co-creation, simplification, thoughtful communication, providing control, and mindful content presentation — form a foundation for more inclusive design practices. These approaches reduce barriers for those with mental health conditions while simultaneously improving usability for all users.As designers and product creators, we have the power to shape experiences that either add to the mental burden our users carry or help lighten their load. By integrating these principles into our work, we can create digital spaces that support well-being rather than detract from it.Remember: accessibility isn’t just about accommodating physical disabilities — it’s about making our products work for diverse minds as well.Additional resourcesInterested in learning more about accessibility, mental illness, deceptive patterns, and product design? I’ve collected a few resources that could help.Microsoft’s Mental Wellbeing Prompts for Product CreatorsThis resource assists in thinking through the factors that make for positive and productive experiences for those with mental health concerns. These prompts can help product creators keep mental wellness in mind when developing inclusive products.Nielsen-Norman Group’s Psychology and UX Study Guide, written by Tanner KohlerThis study guide centralizes many resources and articles related to psychology and product design.What are Dark Patterns in UX? by Jay HannahAn excellent overview of deceptive (dark) patterns in UX to guide designers away from making manipulative choices that exploit users.Inclusion HubA community, directory, and resource hub for those attempting to make inclusive products.Supporting users with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

GTA 6 delay is to give Rockstar ‘no limitations’ as Take-Two commits to new date Adam Starkey Published May 16, 2025 10:59am Updated May 16, 2025 10:59am GTA 6 looks set to dominate 2026 (Take-Two Interactive) Take-Two Interactive has tried to explain the delay of GTA 6, as it implies a Switch 2 port is out of the question. While the delay of GTA 6 to May 26 next year wasn’t exactly surprising, if you’re familiar with Rockstar’s history, it has still had a sizeable impact on the industry at large. According to reports, the announcement has sparked panic at rival publishers, as they try to avoid the game’s release date, but also worry about another potential delay beyond May 2026. Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two, has now commented on the prospect of that happening, as it attempts to provide some reassurance. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the game’s delay in an interview with IGN, where it was described as a necessary move to allow GTA 6 to fulfil its ‘creative vision with no limitations’. ‘As we get closer to completion of a title that’s seeking perfection, the needs or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear,’ Zelnick said. ‘In this case there was an opportunity with a small amount of incremental time, we thought, to make sure Rockstar Games achieves its creative vision with no limitations. And I supported of course that approach.’ Earlier this month, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier claimed the delay to next year ‘seemed inevitable’, due to a mix of ‘too much work, not enough time, and what appears to be a real desire from management to avoid brutal crunch’. Will there be another delay? (Rockstar Games) As for whether Zelnick is confident GTA 6 will hit this new release date, he added: ‘I think historically when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we’ve been very good about reaching it.’ While this comment suggests GTA 6 will not be pushed back again, Zelnick doesn’t rule it out entirely. Rockstar is no stranger to delaying games multiple times either, as seen with Red Dead Redemption 2, so there’s still a chance this could happen with GTA 6. There’s also the fact that Zelnick repeatedly insisted that GTA 6 wasn’t going to be delayed at all… until it was. When it comes to things like that, his primary concern is placating investors, so his comments should be taken with a pinch of salt. Zelnick further addressed the game’s delay during Take-Two’s Q4 2025 earnings call, where he confirmed that GTA 6 began development ‘in earnest’ in 2020. ‘Rockstar expects to release GTA 6 on May 26, 2026, which is in our fiscal year 2027,’ Zelnick said. ‘I believe affording Rockstar additional time for such a groundbreaking project is a worthy investment. ‘The ambition and complexity of GTA 6 is greater than any previous Rockstar title, and the team is poised to release another astonishing entertainment experience that will exceed players’ expectations.’ In a Q&A with investors, Zelnick was asked about the publisher’s support of the Nintendo Switch 2, where he outlined how the company will bring titles to the console on a ‘case-by-case basis’. ‘We’re launching four titles with Nintendo Switch 2 [Civilization 7, Borderlands 4, NBA 2K26, and WWE 2K25], and that’s I think a bigger array of releases than we’ve ever offered before with a new Nintendo platform,’ Zelnick said. Historically, being a third party in the Nintendo business has been a bit challenging. I think Nintendo has been very forthcoming in addressing that. And we’re stepping up too, because we have great optimism for the platform. More Trending ‘In terms of what we would bring to any platform, we address it on a case-by-case basis, we obviously want to be where the consumers are. But we would not necessarily bring every title to every platform. There are also great catalogue opportunities as well.’ While the technical requirements of GTA 6 (based on the trailers, at least) seem to rule out any potential Switch 2 port, the last sentence suggests we could see past games in the series on the console – maybe even the rumoured remaster of GTA 4. Elsewhere in the earnings report, Take-Two announced GTA 5 has sold over 215 million copies, a five million increase from February this year. Meanwhile, Red Dead Redemption 2 sold three million copies within the past three months, bringing its lifetime sales to 74 million. Considering GTA 5 came out over a decade ago in 2013, it’s astonishing that it’s still selling millions of copies all these years later. Coupled with Take-Two’s strong release slate for the rest of this year, it’s perhaps understandable why Take-Two is in no rush to get GTA 6 out the door. A remaster of GTA 4 is rumoured to be in the works (Rockstar) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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Solar storms batter Earth every year, creating the occasional aurora and sometimes even paralyzing power grids. But these common phenomena pale in comparison to a monstrous event that inundated the planet with particles from the Sun around 14,300 years ago, identified as the strongest solar storm ever recorded in a recent study.The study, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, has shed light on the extreme solar particle event that Earth experienced in 12,350 B.C.E. Such extreme events have only occurred a handful of times throughout history, and this is the first time one has been observed before the Holocene, around the end of the last Ice Age. The Impacts of Solar StormsOccasionally, the Sun launches a burst of accelerated particles into space, prompting what is called a solar particle event. These are often too weak to have considerable impacts here on Earth, although stronger events can pierce the planet’s magnetic field and disrupt technological systems.   Extreme solar particle events (ESPEs), however, are in a class of their own. Only eight of these events have been identified during the Holocene (the current epoch, ongoing for almost 12,000 years) — notable storms took place around 994 A.D., 663 B.C.E., 5259 B.C.E., and 7176 B.C.E. A separate 2024 study states that ESPEs are “up to three orders of magnitude stronger than” any solar particle event that has been observed directly by satellites in the modern age. The same study predicts that if an ESPE were to hit Earth during a period when its magnetic field is weakened, it could cause DNA damage in humans and impair aquatic ecosystems.Measuring the Strongest Solar StormThe ESPE that occurred in 12,350 B.C.E. takes the word “extreme” to a new level, having been much stronger than solar storms that followed in the Holocene.“Compared to the largest event of the modern satellite era — the 2005 particle storm — the ancient 12,350 B.C.E. event was over 500 times more intense, according to our estimates,” said Kseniia Golubenko, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, in a statement.The researchers gleaned the details of this storm — including its strength, timing, and terrestrial effects — through a model they developed, called SOCOL:14C-Ex. The data used to assess the 12,350 B.C.E. event comes from a radiocarbon deposit in a tree from Southwestern Europe; tree rings act like records for solar particle storms, preserving radiocarbon spikes in the atmosphere (called Miyake events) that were once caused by ESPEs.  The model was first tested on an ESPE that occurred around 775 A.D., the previous titleholder of the strongest solar storm. It then determined the intensity of the 12,350 B.C.E. event, confirming that it was 18 percent stronger than the 775 A.D. event. Preparing for Solar StormsThe newly developed model has allowed researchers to better understand radiocarbon data in ancient glacial conditions, different from the relatively stable and warm conditions of the Holocene. In the present day, we likely won’t have to worry about an ESPE as intense as the 12,350 B.C.E. event in our lifetime; less intense, yet still formidable solar storms are still a cause for concern, however. For example, the Gannon solar storm that hit Earth in May 2024 caused a series of short-lived communication and navigation problems. Although the current solar cycle reached its peak near the end of 2024 (meaning an overall decline in solar activity is soon to follow), scientists are still determined to improve solar storm predictions. Details surrounding the 12,350 B.C.E. event may even assist preparation efforts in the future.“This event establishes a new worst-case scenario,” said Golubenko. “Understanding its scale is critical for evaluating the risks posed by future solar storms to modern infrastructure like satellites, power grids, and communication systems.”Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Earth and Planetary Science Letters. New SOCOL:14C-Ex model reveals that the Late-Glacial radiocarbon spike in 12350 BC was caused by the record-strong extreme solar stormJack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine.

It’s safe to say I’ve written about probably hundreds of EDC knives at this point – but hardly ever (if not never) written about an EDC sharpener. I’m not entirely sure if it’s even a category, but it is now, with the TiSpinx – a portable pendant-shaped knife sharpener that’s also a fidget spinner, and made almost entirely from titanium. Designed as jewelry, but functionally essential, the TiSpinx lets you keep your blades sharp no matter where you are. Three micro sharpening stones sit on the cylindrical surface of the TiSpinx, giving you a place to quickly (and effectively) jazz up any dull EDC blade you’ve got while outdoors. When you’re not whetting blades, the TiSpinx transforms into a fidget spinner, keeping your hands and mind occupied. All this sits in something the size of a piece of candy, making it perfectly portable, and ideal for stringing around a paracord, a keychain, a bracelet, or even a neck-chain. Designer: TIGO Click Here to Buy Now: $59 $89 (34% off) Hurry! Only 43 of 100 left. “The idea for TiSpinx was born from a common outdoor frustration. On a camping trip, a dull knife became a real problem—and sharpening it with rough stones just didn’t cut it,” said the folks at TIGO, who designed the TiSpinx. You see, EDC knives are a dime a dozen, and a decent amount of them are designed to stay sharp for years. But that promise is only good up until you’re faced with a dull blade that doesn’t slice through wood or cut paracord. That’s when the TiSpinx comes in handy, giving you a proper place to sharpen your blade rather than a random rock on a riverbank. But wearing a knife sharpener around your neck isn’t particularly glamorous – which is why TIGO took a subtle, yet sophisticated approach to making the TiSpinx. It had to be a sharpener, but it had to be more than just one too. The result, a pendant-shaped bead-like EDC that also doubled as a fidget spinner. With 3 micro sharpening stones, 9 tritium slots, and a hollow, compact design, the TiSpinx easily fits on bracelets, keyrings, or necklaces. It has the appeal of a dog tag, while being functional too. Spin it when you’re bored, sharpen knives when you’re equipped with dull blades, and show it off as haute outdoor jewelry when you’re just going about your day. The entire device is machined from GR5 titanium, a bona fide EDC-grade metal known for its lightweight, rugged nature. The TiSpinx measures under an inch high and wide (a 25.3mm x 19.9mm cylinder to be precise), and weighs a paltry 19.2 grams or 0.6 ounces. That officially makes it the smallest knife sharpener ever made, and the only one designed to be worn as EDC jewelry. The titanium construction houses 3 tiny sharpening stones that can easily be removed and flipped over if they get dirty. Meanwhile, an integrated ball-bearing system allows the TiSpinx to double as a silent fidget spinner. The tiny whetstones are made from Alumina or aluminum oxide – a hard, amorphous material extracted from bauxite ore. It’s known for its hardness and abrasion resistance, making it perfect for sharpening all kinds of blades, even ones made from tough high-chromium steel. Three strategically placed stones on the TiSpinx give you three surfaces to sharpen your blade on. You can choose to wet the stone too, for a cleaner experience – titanium is naturally rust-proof, making it the perfect material for the TiSpinx. The TiSpinx comes in 3 colors – a plain, sandblasted finish for lovers of the classic titanium color, an anodized yellow for people who want their sharpener/pendant to also have a little bling, and a PVD black for lovers of stealth. Each TiSpinx also comes with a total of 9 tritium slots, which you can put glow-vials into, giving the pendant a unique appeal while also allowing it to be visible in the dark. The TiSpinx starts at a discounted $59, which feels like a steal given most knives often cost the same amount, and this product basically extends the lifespan of every one of those knives. It’s jewelry, it’s EDC, it’s a fidget toy, but it’s also an investment in the longevity of your favorite blades, which is a laundry list of features that no other product I’ve ever written about has. I mean, a wearable knife sharpener that also happens to be a fidget pendant? And comes with a titanium construction that’s guaranteed to last a lifetime? It’s practically a dream for EDC enthusiasts, outdoor lovers, knife nerds, and just about anyone who adores functional jewelry. Click Here to Buy Now: $59 $89 (34% off) Hurry! Only 43 of 100 left.The post World’s Smallest Knife Sharpener Doubles as a Titanium EDC Pendant You Can Wear first appeared on Yanko Design.

Macworld Will the iPad ever become a true laptop replacement? The answer to that question heavily depends on who you ask. For certain students and professionals, the iPad Pro’s superior display, Apple Pencil input, and portability have made it the ideal productivity device. In fact, I earned my BA in English Language and Literature and worked as a TV script translator, all while relying solely on an iPad. However, it’s a different story for those with advanced workflows. Today, flagship iPads pack Apple’s M-series chipsets, similar to those powering the latest Macs. Nonetheless, the mobile operating system’s software limitations prevent the tablet from performing a range of desktop-class tasks. iPadOS 19 is rumored to address some of these shortcomings by improving multitasking, productivity, and window management. I’m all for that, but Apple needs to think big—these nine macOS features need to be at the centerpiece of the update to truly unlock the iPad’s full potential. App sideloading support macOS is the only Apple operating system that permits users to install apps outside the App Store without jumping through endless hoops. If an application fails the App Store’s unforgiving screening process, developers can still distribute it independently to users all over the world, which enables Mac users to install third-party apps that don’t necessarily comply with Apple’s guidelines.  I understand why Apple wants to keep sideloading away from the iPhone, but the iPad is a different animal. If your workflow depends on a noncompliant or niche app, there’s no straightforward way to obtain it on your iPad—and that’s a dealbreaker for many. To truly match desktop flexibility, iPadOS 19 should support direct .IPA file installation. Maybe then people can stop looking at it as a giant iPhone. Mac software compatibility The highest-end iPads now use the same processors as Mac computers. Yet, while macOS can run iPad apps, iPadOS still can’t run Mac software. Consequently, those relying on desktop-exclusive apps, such as Xcode, can’t completely ditch their computers. Similarly, those who already bought lifetime licenses for Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro on macOS can’t access these tools on their tablets (without paying recurring subscription fees for the mobile editions). Since the iPad has a cursor when connected to a Magic Keyboard, Apple could realistically address this limitation and expand the iPad’s app library by supporting Mac software on iPadOS 19. An improved cursor Speaking of the cursor, the one iPadOS has is significantly larger than that of macOS and features a magnetic effect that pulls it toward UI elements. I understand why it behaves that way, since iPadOS is a touch-first OS with large targets to accommodate human fingers, but it’s not conducive to getting serious work done. With iPadOS 19 and macOS 16 rumored to adopt similar looks, now is Apple’s chance to finally develop a more intuitive pointer for its tablet.  Window management needs to be priority No. 1 for iPadOS to be more like macOS.Foundry Enhanced window management Likewise, while iPadOS currently supports resizable app windows via Stage Manager, the feature is extremely limited compared to the Mac’s window management. The execution feels wonky and pushes me to use the traditional Split View and Slide Over multitasking features. iPadOS 19 is rumored to be getting a multitasking upgrade, and I can’t think of anything better than adopting a macOS-like approach that’s fully optimized for tablets. Upgraded built-in apps Ever since iOS and iPadOS split in 2019, Apple has been distinguishing its own iPad apps by offering new UIs exclusive to the larger displays. Nevertheless, in terms of functionality, these apps continue to mimic, even mirror, the iPhone and its limitations. So, macOS features such as Smart Playlists in Apple Music and system file browsing in Finder are absent from the iPad. To lure power users, iPadOS 19 should upgrade its stock apps by bringing over some of what we love about the Mac versions. Extended work environments Speaking of power users, the premium M4 iPad Pro still limits you to a single external monitor. Meanwhile, Macs support multiple physical screens and virtual desktops. This lets users jump between different sets of opened apps by creating several environments with distinct layouts based on the tasks they’re focusing on. Similar capabilities in iPadOS would help make it a much better platform for getting serious work done. Virtual desktops are a great thing for productivity and organization on the Mac, and they’d be just as good on the iPad.Foundry iPhone backup tools With a Mac and a USB-C cable, you can back up, restore, or update your iPhone just by plugging it in. While newer iPads can repair your bricked iPhone wirelessly, they’re incapable of creating local, full-device backups. Similarly, they can’t update your iPhone’s OS when it doesn’t have sufficient storage to download the package over the air. If Apple wants the iPad to be a true productivity device, it needs to have full control over the iPhone like the Mac. Multiple user profiles This is one that we’ve wanted forever. Many households have a single iPad shared by several people, but iPadOS is still tied to a single user. Apple has already built and shipped multi-user profiles, but confoundingly, it’s limited to iPads managed by educational institutions. We don’t know why Apple refuses to allow multiple users on the iPad, but that needs to change if Apple’s tablet wants to be more like the Mac. Continuity features Lastly, the Mac offers special Continuity features that work seamlessly with iOS. With macOS Monterey 12, Apple added support for AirPlay receiving, letting you cast media from your iPhone to the computer’s larger display. And with macOS Sequoia 15, the company introduced iPhone Mirroring, enabling users to fully control their iPhones, view iOS notifications, and more. Both of these features are missing from iPadOS, further chaining its potential. We don’t need to mirror our iPhone on the iPad as often as we do on our Macs, but it would be cool if we could.Foundry Could this be the year? The iPad seems to be stuck in limbo, and I struggle to figure out where it’s heading. There’s no denying that every annual OS update makes the device more capable, but ultimately, the new features all hit the same obstacles. For example, I had high hopes when Stage Manager was first announced, only to be disappointed by the same main set of limitations soon after trying it. When compared to Windows tablets such as Microsoft’s Surface, the iPad has a long way to go. But while I’m still skeptical, the iPadOS 19 rumors are a glimmer of hope. I’m doubtful that many of the features here make it to the iPad this year (or anytime soon for that matter), but iPadOS 19 is a chance for Apple to elevate the tablet above its iPhone roots and carve out a productivity niche for people who want something more versatile than a Mac. We’ll see if it happens.