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Multiple people flown to various hospitals following ****** in Waupaca County Multiple people flown to various hospitals following ****** in Waupaca County WEYAUWEGA, Wis. (WFRV) – Authorities in Waupaca County say multiple people needed to be flown to various hospitals following a ****** Wednesday night that left them with serious injuries. According to a release from the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded at 9:02 p.m. to reports of a single-vehicle ****** on Pufahl Road to the north of Zabel Road in the Town of Weyauwega. Deputies say the driver was flown from the scene via Theda Star to Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Green Bay and is facing life-threatening injuries. Meth, fentanyl, ******** residue and more found during traffic stop in Wisconsin, suspects arrested One passenger with serious non-life-threatening injuries was flown from the scene to Theda Care Medical Center in Neena. Another passenger was taken by ambulance to Theda Care Medical Center in Waupaca while the last passenger was released from the scene. At this time, no additional information is available and an investigation into the ****** is ongoing. Local Five will update this story should any additional details be released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton. Source link #Multiple #people #flown #hospitals #****** #Waupaca #County Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meta plans to release a standalone Meta AI app Meta plans to release a standalone Meta AI app Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., arrives for the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 25, 2024. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Meta AI will soon become one of the social media company’s standalone apps, joining Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, CNBC has learned. The company intends to debut a Meta AI standalone app during the second quarter, according to people familiar with the matter. It marks a major step in Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to make his company the leader in artificial intelligence by the end of the year, ahead of competitors like OpenAI and Alphabet, said the people, who asked not to be named because the project is confidential. The Meta AI chatbot launched in Sep. 2023, with the company pitching it as a generative AI-powered digital assistant that can provide responses and create images based on user prompts within its existing apps. The company brought Meta AI to the forefront of its apps in April, when it replaced the search feature for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger with the chatbot. Meta AI has since become the primary method for Zuckerberg to showcase his company’s generative AI technologies to billions of consumers. “This is going to be the year when a highly intelligent and personalized AI assistant reaches more than 1 billion people, and I expect Meta AI to be that leading AI assistant,” Zuckerberg told analysts during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call in January. Unlike competing generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, Meta AI is currently only available to users via a website and the company’s apps like Facebook and WhatsApp. Although Meta’s vast user base across its family of apps can access Meta AI, users could potentially interact more deeply with the digital assistant if it was available as a standalone app, the people said. In January, Zuckerberg publicly agreed with a Threads user who said Meta should create a standalone mobile app for its digital assistant. The Threads user wrote that a separate Meta AI app could help the company unify the digital assistant across smartphones and different hardware platforms like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, help users organize their conversational histories with the digital assistant and allow for “Deeper personalization and customization.” Zuckerberg responded to the Threads users with a red “100” emoji, often used in online chatter to convey wholehearted agreement. Meta also plans to test a paid subscription service for Meta AI, similar to how OpenAI and Microsoft charge users monthly fees to access more powerful versions of their respective ChatGPT and Copilot chatbots, the people said. Meta finance chief Susan Li told analysts in January that while the company’s Meta AI efforts are focused on “building a great consumer experience,” there are “pretty clear monetization opportunities here over time, including paid recommendations and including a premium offering.” The company declined to comment. Meta’s push to be the top AI company Li told analysts in January that Meta AI has roughly 700 million active monthly users, up from 600 million in December. Still, analysts have found it difficult to directly compare Meta AI’s usage with ChatGPT and other rivals because it isn’t available as an individual app. David Curry, the data editor for insights firm Business of Apps, told CNBC in December that the Meta AI standalone website generates less than 10 million views per month, which he said was “far below the major services (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc) and even lower than some mid-range players like Anthropic.” India is the “largest market for Meta AI usage,” Li told analysts in July. That coincided with signs of retention and engagement on WhatsApp, Li added. In January, Li said WhatsApp experiences the most Meta AI usage, followed by Facebook, which is generating “strong engagement from our feed deep-dives integration that lets people ask Meta AI questions about the content that is recommended to them.” Meta’s planned debut of a standalone Meta AI app follows similar efforts by Google and Elon Musk’s xAI. The two recently released individual apps for their respective digital assistants Gemini and Grok. Google said in November that users could download a dedicated iOS app for its Gemini assistant, following the chatbot’s debut as an Android app in Feb. 2024. Last week, the company removed the ability for iOS users to access Gemini through the Google mobile app, telling them ,”To continue using Gemini, download the new Gemini app from the App Store.” In January, xAI debuted an official Grok iOS app along with a dedicated website, expanding the digital assistant beyond Musk’s X social media service. People who want to access Grok as an Android app must currently join a waitlist. ChatGPT continues to be the most popular AI-powered digital app as measured by app downloads, according to Sensor Tower’s State of Mobile 2025 report released in January. The top generative AI chatbot apps were ChatGPT, followed by Google Gemini, ByteDance’s Doubao and Microsoft’s Copilot, according to the report. Zuckerberg has been increasingly putting pressure on Meta’s generative AI teams to improve its products, including Meta AI, which he wants to be the most-used chat app in the world by the end of the year, sources said. Multiple employees working on the efforts said there is pressure to work seven days a week to keep pace in the AI race. “Meta is working on building some of the most important technologies of the world. AI, glasses as the next computing platform and the future of social media,” Zuckerberg told employees in a January memo announcing layoffs. “This is going to be an intense year, and I want to make sure we have the best people on our teams.” — CNBC’s Salvador Rodriguez contributed to this report. WATCH: What’s driving Meta’s stock run Source link #Meta #plans #release #standalone #Meta #app Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A U.K. Teen’s Parents Sent Him to Ghana. He Took Them to Court. A U.K. Teen’s Parents Sent Him to Ghana. He Took Them to Court. Fearful that their son was becoming entangled in a gang and having failed to change his behavior, two London parents tricked him into traveling to Ghana, where they enrolled him in a strict boarding school and left him. A judge ruled on Thursday that they were acting in his best interest. The boy, now 14, took his case to a London High Court after his parents duped him into traveling in March of last year to the West African nation, their home country. The boy, however, was born in Britain, and argued to the court that he was worse off, educationally and socially, in Ghana. “The decision falls within what I regard as the generous ambit of parental decision taking, in which the state has no dominion,” Justice Anthony Hayden said in his ruling. While every teenager has challenged their parents, and perhaps even fantasized about dragging them to court, the case in the London High Court may reveal less about familial tensions than it does about the concerns some immigrant parents have for their children amid rising fears in Britain. The boy’s father told the court that he did not want his son to be “yet another ****** teenager stabbed to death in the streets of London.” (According to British law, the boy and his family may not be named.) The judge, while criticizing the parents for using underhanded tactics, agreed that he was at greater risk in Britain than in Ghana. “I recognize that this is, in many ways, both a sobering and rather depressing conclusion,” Judge Hayden said. Although knife crime rates in England and Wales are lower than their recent peak in 2019, according to the most recent government data, they increased 4 percent in the 12 months before March 2024. And several high-profile cases of fatal stabbings have stoked fears. ****** children make up a disproportionate share of knife offenders, that data shows. But there is a misperception that ****** children, especially boys, are more susceptible to gang violence, said Bruce Houlder, the founder of Fighting Knife Crime London, a nonprofit. London’s demographics, with a higher ****** and immigrant population than the rest of Britain, had also contributed to this perception, he said, but data indicates that poverty is a larger indicator of violence than race. “Immigrant communities are very often exemplars of good parenting,” Mr. Houlder said. The ruling may also set a precedent for other parents who want to send children back to their home countries, though the court is likely to consider the stability and education system of each host country, said Amean Elgadhy, a lawyer specializing in family law at the firm representing the family. Two years before the family decided to send him to Accra, Ghana’s capital, the boy, then 12, went from a conscientious and hardworking student to a headstrong adolescent who began to cut school and get into fights, according to the parents’ account in court records. His school also suspended him for two days. His parents worried that his rebellion signaled a more dangerous turn: that he had been sucked into the orbit of a gang. He made friends with older boys and sported an expensive mobile phone and jacket that his parents did not buy, according to court documents. In one incident, his parents found a knife he had hidden in the garden, the documents said. The boy’s school in London and a police officer registered concerns that a gang might have been grooming him, especially after an incident when his phone was hacked and another student posted his messages online, seemingly to provoke a rival group. Terrified, the boy refused to go to school, his father testified. “No, Daddy, you don’t understand, these guys come with knives and guns to you after school to attack to ensure you are dead,” the father recalled his son saying. The boy denied that he was in a gang. “He feels that his parents have depicted him as some sort of gangland criminal, which he strenuously objects to,” the boy’s lawyer, James Netto, said. In Ghana, the boy was bullied, he told the court, and alleged that a security guard at the boarding school had manhandled him. (The school denied the assertion.) After the family agreed to take him out of the school, the boy went to live with relatives and enrolled in online classes. He worries, he told the court, that he is falling behind his British schoolmates. The move to Ghana has also severed his relationship with his two elder sisters, his lawyer said, and left him isolated in a country he does not see as his own. Deeply unhappy in Ghana, the boy first tried to get the British High Commission in Accra and child services in London to intervene. Eventually, a British nonprofit for vulnerable children, Children and Families Across Borders, connected him with Mr. Netto’s office, the lawyer said. In an interview, Mr. Netto said the judge’s conclusion that the boy was safer in Ghana cast a wide and unfair light as “a pretty damning indictment of young ****** men in London.” Source link #U.K #Teens #Parents #Ghana #Court Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Most Popular Demos From Steam Next Fest (February 2025) Most Popular Demos From Steam Next Fest (February 2025) The Steam Next Fest is live from now until March 3rd, celebrating upcoming games with dozens of playable demos. For many games with big aspirations, getting a demo into the hands of future players is crucial during Next Fest, and some are having greater success than others. Here are the demos that are attracting the most players during Steam Next Fest for February 2025. Most Played Demos at Steam Next Fest (February 2025) Player numbers are all current as of February 27th. Mecha BREAK With 317,522 players at its peak, the Mecha BREAK demo is greatly outpacing the other demos available during this Next Fest. The third-person multiplayer mecha shooter has become very popular with the international audience, though critical reactions have been mixed. Many players enjoy the mix of games modes and the numerous customization options, but the demo still fields a Mostly Negative review on Steam, which is attributed primarily to the game’s monetization and server issues. Insider Gaming was invited to the NA offices of developer Amazing Seasun Games, and got to talk to Mecha BREAK’s creator about the game’s development. Fellowship Fellowship, which has peaked at 16,721 players, is billed as a game for players that want to jump right into end-game dungeon content like you’d see in World of Warcraft. The game features “endlessly scaling dungeon runs,” and end-game WoW fans will feel right at home with the game’s user interface and group finder mechanic. Groups will need to kill packs of enemies to unlock the boss fight, which will feature unique mechanics and challenges that a team will need to overcome. Among Us 3D Among Us 3D, which has peaked at 6,729 players, is exactly what you think it is if you’ve ever seen Among Us before. 3D uses the same first-person perspective as Among Us VR, but without the need of a VR headset. Among Us 3D features built-in proximity chat, meaning you won’t need to use other programs to manually activate it. There will also be some new and returning mini-game tasks. The game will launch with the Skeld II and Polus Point maps from Among Us VR. RoadCraft RoadCraft, which peaked at 12,559 players, is developed by the same Saber Interactive who made Snowunner and Mudrunner. But rather than operating a vehicle offroad, RoadCraft tasks you with rebuilding and reconstructing areas that have been ravaged by natural disasters. In RoadCraft, players will be able to unlock over 40 vehicles to help them replace roads, bridges, and other critical pieces of infrastructure. While these demos may be the most popular, there are still dozens, it not hundreds of playable demos you should try during this Next Fest. And don’t fret, because another Next Fest is coming in October. Which Steam Next Fest demo are you putting the most hours into? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out our exclusive interview with the CEO of Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Popular #Demos #Steam #Fest #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Seven Planets Will Gather in the Night Sky This Weekend. Here's What to Expect During the Rare Alignment – Smithsonian Magazine Seven Planets Will Gather in the Night Sky This Weekend. Here's What to Expect During the Rare Alignment – Smithsonian Magazine Seven Planets Will Gather in the Night Sky This Weekend. Here’s What to Expect During the Rare Alignment Smithsonian MagazineA Parade of Planets Is Marching Through the Night Sky The New York TimesAstrophotographer captures ‘rare’ planetary parade as 7 planets align in the night sky (photo) Space.comSeven planets to align: How to watch the 2025 planetary parade Hindustan Times Source link #Planets #Gather #Night #Sky #Weekend #Here039s #Expect #Rare #Alignment #Smithsonian #Magazine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed's Open Zone Approach Is The Best of Both Worlds Avowed's Open Zone Approach Is The Best of Both Worlds Much like The Outer Worlds before it, Obsidian’s Avowed features an open zone approach to level design, and that gives it the best of both worlds. Source link #Avowed039s #Open #Zone #Approach #Worlds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jose Mourinho: Fenerbahce coach given four-match ban for comments after Istanbul derby Jose Mourinho: Fenerbahce coach given four-match ban for comments after Istanbul derby Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has been banned for four games and fined a total of £35,194 for comments made after Monday’s game with local rivals Galatasaray. Mourinho was accused by Galatasaray of making racist statements after the Istanbul derby and, on Tuesday, Fenerbahce released a statement saying his comments had been taken “completely taken out of context”. The 0-0 draw was refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested a foreign official take charge of the fixture. But the fourth official was Turkish and Mourinho repeated his criticism of Turkish referees during his post-match news conference. The Portuguese coach, 62, said that he went to the referee’s dressing room after Monday’s game, telling the fourth official that “if you were a referee, this match would be a disaster”. On Thursday, the Turkish Football Federation confirmed it would sanction Mourinho, external for two separate disciplinary matters. The TFF said it would penalise him for “his derogatory and offensive statements towards the Turkish referee” and because he “accused Turkish football of chaos and disorder with insulting and offensive statements towards both the Turkish football community and all Turkish referees”. The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss has been banned from the dressing room and dugout for two games and fined 117,000 Turkish lira (£2,543). Mourinho has also received another two-match ban for “an act against sportsmanship” during his post-match news conference and been fined £32,651. His comments included him saying that “after the big dive in the first minute and their bench jumping like monkeys on the top of the kid… with a Turkish referee you would have a yellow card after one minute and after five minutes I would have to change [substitute] him”. The TFF said “the statements used towards the members of the opposing team were contrary to the ethics of sports and the concept of fair play, contained expressions that could encourage violence and disorder in sports, were divisive and separatist in society and could cause fan incidents”. Fenerbahce officials confirmed to the BBC on Thursday that the club will appeal the penalties given to Mourinho. Source link #Jose #Mourinho #Fenerbahce #coach #fourmatch #ban #comments #Istanbul #derby Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Star Wars: Hunters Season 5 Extended Season 6 Delayed Until Mid-April Star Wars: Hunters Season 5 Extended Season 6 Delayed Until Mid-April Star Wars: Hunters Season 5 has been extended until mid-April, delaying Season 6. Get the latest updates on the game’s schedule and new content. Source link #Star #Wars #Hunters #Season #Extended #Season #Delayed #MidApril Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meta plans to release a standalone Meta AI app Meta plans to release a standalone Meta AI app Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., arrives for the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 25, 2024. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Meta AI will soon become one of the social media company’s standalone apps, joining Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, CNBC has learned. The company intends to debut a Meta AI standalone app during the second quarter, according to people familiar with the matter. It marks a major step in Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to make his company the leader in artificial intelligence by the end of the year, ahead of competitors like OpenAI and Alphabet, said the people, who asked not to be named because the project is confidential. The Meta AI chatbot launched in Sep. 2023, with the company pitching it as a generative AI-powered digital assistant that can provide responses and create images based on user prompts within its existing apps. The company brought Meta AI to the forefront of its apps in April, when it replaced the search feature for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger with the chatbot. Meta AI has since become the primary method for Zuckerberg to showcase his company’s generative AI technologies to billions of consumers. “This is going to be the year when a highly intelligent and personalized AI assistant reaches more than 1 billion people, and I expect Meta AI to be that leading AI assistant,” Zuckerberg told analysts during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call in January. Unlike competing generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, Meta AI is currently only available to users via a website and the company’s apps like Facebook and WhatsApp. Although Meta’s vast user base across its family of apps can access Meta AI, users could potentially interact more deeply with the digital assistant if it was available as a standalone app, the people said. In January, Zuckerberg publicly agreed with a Threads user who said Meta should create a standalone mobile app for its digital assistant. The Threads user wrote that a separate Meta AI app could help the company unify the digital assistant across smartphones and different hardware platforms like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, help users organize their conversational histories with the digital assistant and allow for “Deeper personalization and customization.” Zuckerberg responded to the Threads users with a red “100” emoji, often used in online chatter to convey wholehearted agreement. Meta also plans to test a paid subscription service for Meta AI, similar to how OpenAI and Microsoft charge users monthly fees to access more powerful versions of their respective ChatGPT and Copilot chatbots, the people said. Meta finance chief Susan Li told analysts in January that while the company’s Meta AI efforts are focused on “building a great consumer experience,” there are “pretty clear monetization opportunities here over time, including paid recommendations and including a premium offering.” The company declined to comment. Meta’s push to be the top AI company Earlier this week, Meta announced that its chatbot had officially launched in the Middle East and North Africa. Li told analysts in January that Meta AI has roughly 700 million active monthly users, up from 600 million in December.” Still, analysts have found it difficult to directly compare Meta AI’s usage with ChatGPT and other rivals because it isn’t available as an individual app. David Curry, the data editor for insights firm Business of Apps, told CNBC in December that the Meta AI standalone website generates less than 10 million views per month, which he said was “far below the major services (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc) and even lower than some mid-range players like Anthropic.” India is the “largest market for Meta AI usage,” Li told analysts in July. That coincided with signs of retention and engagement on WhatsApp, Li added. In January, Li said WhatsApp experiences the most Meta AI usage, followed by Facebook, which is generating “strong engagement from our feed deep-dives integration that lets people ask Meta AI questions about the content that is recommended to them.” Meta’s planned debut of a standalone Meta AI app follows similar efforts by Google and Elon Musk’s xAI. The two recently released individual apps for their respective digital assistants Gemini and Grok. Google said in November that users could download a dedicated iOS app for its Gemini assistant, following the chatbot’s debut as an Android app in Feb. 2024. Last week, the company removed the ability for iOS users to access Gemini through the Google mobile app, telling them ,”To continue using Gemini, download the new Gemini app from the App Store.” In January, xAI debuted an official Grok iOS app along with a dedicated website, expanding the digital assistant beyond Musk’s X social media service. People who want to access Grok as an Android app must currently join a waitlist. ChatGPT continues to be the most popular AI-powered digital app as measured by app downloads, according to Sensor Tower’s State of Mobile 2025 report released in January. The top generative AI chatbot apps were ChatGPT, followed by Google Gemini, ByteDance’s Doubao and Microsoft’s Copilot, according to the report. Zuckerberg has been increasingly putting pressure on Meta’s generative AI teams to improve its products, including Meta AI, which he wants to be the most-used chat app in the world by the end of the year, sources said. Multiple employees working on the efforts said there is pressure to work seven days a week to keep pace in the AI race. “Meta is working on building some of the most important technologies of the world. AI, glasses as the next computing platform and the future of social media,” Zuckerberg told employees in a January memo announcing layoffs. “This is going to be an intense year, and I want to make sure we have the best people on our teams.” — CNBC’s Salvador Rodriguez contributed to this report. WATCH: What’s driving Meta’s stock run Source link #Meta #plans #release #standalone #Meta #app Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump invited for unprecedented second *** state visit Trump invited for unprecedented second *** state visit Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from King Charles to visit Britain, making the US President the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer handed Trump a letter from Charles during a press conference with reporters at the White House. Trump immediately accepted the invitation. “This is really special. This has never happened before. This is unprecedented,” Starmer told Trump as he handed him the letter. “The answer is yes,” Trump responded, telling Starmer that he would attend with first lady Melania Trump. “We look forward to being there and honouring the king, honouring the country.” No date for the visit was announced. The late Queen Elizabeth welcomed Trump for a three-day state visit in June 2019 during his first term in office, during which he had attended an opulent state banquet and a private lunch with the sovereign, as well as having tea with Charles, who was then heir. That visit already put Trump in a select group of US presidents, as only Barack Obama and George W Bush were afforded official state visits to Britain during Elizabeth’s record 70 years on the throne. It would also turn out to be the last of the more than 110 she hosted during her reign before her death in September 2022. The visit was not the only occasion when Trump met Elizabeth. He was also invited to tea at Windsor Castle during a trip to Britain in 2018, when he was widely seen to have broken royal protocol by failing to bow to the queen and then walking in front of her as they inspected a military guard. Both his visits to Britain also attracted large protests, with his 2018 trip costing police more than 14 million pounds ($A28 million) as 10,000 officers were deployed from all over Britain. Source link #Trump #invited #unprecedented #state #visit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Teacher union head taking fight to Elon Musk through Tesla stock Teacher union head taking fight to Elon Musk through Tesla stock American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten is urging top Tesla investors to review the company’s current valuation on behalf of her union’s members. Weingarten, who heads one of the largest unions in the country, penned a letter Thursday pointing to drops in Tesla’s stock price, latest financial disclosures, electric vehicle (EV) competition and “deterioration” of brand as reasons for the review. “Given these mounting concerns and the potential material impact on pension fund portfolios, I would appreciate a response detailing your firm’s assessment of Tesla’s current valuation and the steps you are taking to protect AFT members who are your clients and beneficiaries,” Weingarten said at the end of the letter. The letter was sent to the CEOs of six asset managers, with the Tesla board and Elon Musk copied onto the message. In the letter, Weingarten goes directly after Musk, saying he is a big reason people are losing trust in Tesla. “According to the American EV Jobs Alliance, EV swing consumers—those open to EVs once costs drop—view Musk negatively, making customer expansion even harder. Just last week, Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro declared that Tesla’s net favorability is at an all-time low at 3 percent, down from 9 percent in January 2024,” Weingarten wrote. Weingarten, who represents 1.8 million education, health care and public-sector workers, says her members have an estimated $4 trillion of retirement security assets. “Every worker deserves a safe a secure retirement. Just this week we saw Tesla stock continue to sink faster than a Cybertruck in quicksand. So we’re asking asset managers to honestly look at their investments in Tesla,” Weingarten wrote on social media platform Bluesky. Weingarten is known for her advocacy for Democratic platforms and has made clear her opposition to many of the actions of the Trump administration. Recently, her union sued the Department of Education over a “Dear Colleague” letter that told K-12 and higher education schools to get rid of their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Source link #Teacher #union #fight #Elon #Musk #Tesla #stock Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Star Wars Battlefront II: Age of Rebellion Update Turns 5 – A Look Back Star Wars Battlefront II: Age of Rebellion Update Turns 5 – A Look Back JEECE7d ago They definitely look good, but my problem with BF2 2017 is that I never felt like I was in the middle of a large scale war. I always feel like I’m just being funnelled down corridors that happen to have a Star Wars skin. That’s what the original 2004 game got so right. Although it also has tighter, infantry only maps, it also has a number of large open maps with infantry, land vehicle, and air combat all happening simultaneously and affecting one another. BF2 2005 lost some of that because it removed many of the best maps, but it was still there to a degree. BF 2015 captured it to a degree in Walker Assault and Supremacy, but never to the same extent as 2004. Source link #Star #Wars #Battlefront #Age #Rebellion #Update #Turns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

SMCI Investors Use These ETFs for Heightened Exposure SMCI Investors Use These ETFs for Heightened Exposure As investors have followed the development of artificial intelligence and the companies making this technology possible, Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ:) emerged as one of the hottest trending stocks of early 2025. The company has faced significant challenges in recent months, including a broad decline in share price throughout most of 2024, allegations of accounting fraud, and the threat of being delisted due to financial reporting issues. However, more recently SMCI shares have spiked, climbing by more than 62% in the month leading to February 25, 2025, as analysts grow more optimistic about earnings and amid a massive surge in demand for data center services—Super Micro Computer’s direct-liquid cooling technology is a common feature of about a third of all data centers, and that figure is likely to grow. The most direct way for bullish investors to capitalize on potential gains for SMCI shares is to invest in the stock directly. However, those optimistic about Super Micro Computer’s position in the fast-growing AI space and with sufficient risk tolerance can also look to a specialized ETF providing heightened exposure to the company via leverage. Though multiple leveraged and alternative SMCI ETFs are currently available, they are not all the same, so it’s worth exploring the differences between these targeted funds for those looking to supercharge their SMCI access. Defiance Daily Target 2X Long SMCI ETF: Risky Double Leverage, But Strong Volume One leveraged ETF aiming to track the performance of SMCI is the Defiance Daily Target (NYSE:) 2X Long SMCI ETF (NASDAQ:). Like most leveraged funds, SMCX aims for daily performance metrics—it seeks to double the daily percentage change in SCMI shares each day. Also like many other leveraged ETFs, SMCX is not intended for investors seeking a buy-and-hold strategy. 2X-leveraged funds have the opportunity to double daily gains, but they also can magnify losses over the same time *******. What’s more, SMCX is not guaranteed to achieve 200% daily returns either, as its leverage can fluctuate intraday. When it comes to leveraged funds, expense ratio and trading volume are key—these two parameters will have a big impact on how easy (and how expensive) it is to make frequent trades of SMCX. While this fund is not the least expensive leveraged SMCI play—its expense ratio is 1.29%—it has a strong trading history with a 1-month average volume of 3.1 million as of February 25, 2025. GraniteShares 2x Long SMCI Daily ETF: New Addition to the Leveraged SMCI Fund Landscape Like SMCX, the GraniteShares 2x Long SMCI Daily ETF (NASDAQ:) targets 200% the daily performance of SMCI shares through the use of leverage. This fund is the newest leveraged SMCI play, having launched in December 2024. This may be part of the reason why it has a lower average trading volume than SMCX—GraniteShares’ fund has a 1-month average volume of under 700,000 as of the same date as above. SMCI also trades with a slightly higher expense ratio of 1.50%, potentially contributing to its comparably low trading volume. Nonetheless, for investors particularly interested in this fund provider, or seeking alternative funds providing 2x exposure to SMCI, SMCL may be worth considering. YieldMax SMCI Option Income Strategy ETF: Alternative Distribution Focus The YieldMax SMCI Option Income Strategy ETF (NYSE:) provides indirect exposure to SMCI shares via the use of options. SMCY is part of a growing collection of option income funds that generate income for distribution to shareholders through writing call options. This means that the real benefit for investors in this fund is its monthly distributions, which have ranged from around $1.72 per share to about $5.35 per share since it launched in September. SMCY may be a good fit for investors seeking alternative exposure to SMCI that does not incorporate a leveraged strategy. This fund is likely still much riskier than many traditional ETFs, but its strategy is more suited to long-term buy-and-hold investors than one of the funds above. Further, SMCY allows investors the opportunity to generate passive income through distributions related to Super Micro Computer while the company itself does not pay a dividend.a Original Post Source link #SMCI #Investors #ETFs #Heightened #Exposure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Meta announces experimental Aria Gen 2 research smart glasses Meta announces experimental Aria Gen 2 research smart glasses At the Meta Connect developer conference, Mark Zuckerberg, head of the Facebook group Meta, shows the prototype of computer glasses that can display digital objects in transparent lenses. Andrej Sokolow | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Meta on Thursday revealed the latest version of its experimental smart glasses intended to help bolster research into artificial intelligence, robotics and machine perception. The Aria Gen 2 glasses, as they’re called, are designed for researchers to use as tools to assist with their studies into robotic systems, advanced sensors and other technologies, Meta said in a blog post. For instance, the startup Envision is using the new glasses to help it create services for the visually and hearing impaired, according to the blog. The new glasses are an improvement from the Aria Gen 1 glasses, which Meta announced in 2020. The Aria Gen 2 represent the latest step by Meta in its efforts to build out smart glasses into the next major computing platform after the smartphone. The company also sells the $300 Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which have an AI voice assistant and can be used to take photos and videos, and in September, the company unveiled its cutting-edge Orion glasses prototype that feature full augmented-reality capabilities. Among the Aria Gen 2 glasses’ improvements over its predecessor are upgraded sensors including one that measures heart rates, the ability to perform more complicated calculations on the device itself with Meta’s custom computer chips and “all-day usability,” the blog said. “Making them available to academic and commercial research labs through Project Aria will further advance open research and public understanding of a key set of technologies that we believe will help shape the future of computing and AI,” the company wrote. Meta did not reveal when the device will be more widely available to researchers, but said that there is an option for them to sign-up for updates. WATCH: What’s driving Meta’s stock run Source link #Meta #announces #experimental #Aria #Gen #research #smart #glasses Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Roblox is now much faster on Chromebooks Roblox is now much faster on Chromebooks In a fitting crossover, Roblox is getting a big speed boost on Chromebooks. Google said on Thursday that a new x86 version of the online game platform and creation system is twice as fast as the Android version, which was previously the only way to play Roblox on ChromeOS. Given the overlap between Chromebooks (popular in education) and Roblox (popular with kids, for better or worse), a better-performing version on ChromeOS seems like a good match. Although there are more ARM-based Chromebooks than before, most still use x86 architecture. Google says the new Roblox build provides smoother gameplay, quicker load times and “an overall better Roblox experience.” More specifically, you should see a 99 percent framerate increase in the virtual **** game Adopt Me! and a 67 percent boost in the role-playing sim Brookhaven RP. Load times are up to 29 percent faster when going from a fresh start to the login page. Alongside the x86 launch, Google and Roblox have some speed-themed in-game swag for Chromebook users. You can redeem a jetpack with a Chrome logo (of course!) for your avatar to fly around like a Google-sponsored Buzz Lightyear. You can also redeem a “hoverboard” (which looks suspiciously like a OneWheel) for faster ground travel. You’ll find both on Google’s perks page. This isn’t the first mashup between the two companies. Last year, they teamed up on a weird game that teaches kids about online safety, the, uh, “interestingly” named Be Internet Awesome World. Google told Engadget that you can install the x86 version of Roblox directly through the Play Store. Although that’s typically where you find the Android version, the storefront should automatically deliver the right build for your laptop. Source link #Roblox #faster #Chromebooks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

RIF watch: See which agencies are laying off federal workers – Government Executive RIF watch: See which agencies are laying off federal workers – Government Executive RIF watch: See which agencies are laying off federal workers Government ExecutiveDOGE’s next steps involve moving federal workers out of DC area WTOPE&E News: Trump fired these expert Interior staffers. Here’s what they say. POLITICO ProDOGE Was Just Rehearsing for Much-Larger-Scale Federal Layoffs New York Magazine Source link #RIF #watch #agencies #laying #federal #workers #Government #Executive Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PSA: The Last of Us: Escape The Dark Board Game Is Available At Amazon PSA: The Last of Us: Escape The Dark Board Game Is Available At Amazon The second season of The Last of Us hits HBO on April 13, continuing Joel and Ellie’s journey through the bleak, fungal-infected post-apocalypse. If you need something to bide your time until it premieres the next month, check out the recently released The Last of Us: Escape the Dark board game. Launched last December, the survival game supports up to five players and even offers a solo mode, making it a unique way to explore the haunting universe of The Last of Us. $71.85 Based on the hit series, The Last of Us: Escape the Dark was first announced way back in 2022, so it’s been a long road for this board game. However, it seems as if the lengthy development and delayed release were worth it, as it’s earning solid reviews. Players join familiar faces like Joel and Ellie as they trek from the Quarantine Zone to Jackson. Along the way, you’ll encounter various scenarios via chapter cards, which put you up against FEDRA agents, the Infected, and other obstacles. Your only way to survive is quick thinking and constantly upgrading your weapons, ensuring you always have the best gear available for your next battle. Matches last up to 90 minutes and support anywhere from one to five players. That makes it a great choice even if you don’t have an established group for weekly game nights, as you can attempt to survive the unforgiving landscapes on your own. The board game and all its pieces look pretty sharp, too, thanks to a ******-and-white color scheme that does an excellent job of recreating the foreboding atmosphere of the video games and TV show. Cards, tokens, and dice from The Last of Us: Escape the Dark Gallery While The Last of Us: Escape The Dark is a great way to experience Joel and Ellie’s story in a new way, if you’re looking to catch up on The Last of Us TV series, The Last of Us: The Complete First Season 4K Steelbook is up for preorder ahead of its release on March 18. It has already gone out of stock at Amazon, but copies are still available at Walmart. You can also pick up the cool Joel & Ellie Action Figure 2-Pack, which is discounted to $40.20 (was $50). And for those who haven’t played the games, you can grab The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part 2 Remasterd at Best Buy. Looking for even more board games based on video games? Here’s a quick look at a handful of our favorites, and be sure to check out this Amazon hub for even more options. More Board Games Based on Video Games Source link #PSA #Escape #Dark #Board #Game #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Perplexity’s voice mode gets a futuristic makeover on your iPhone Perplexity’s voice mode gets a futuristic makeover on your iPhone Perplexity’s iOS app has updated with a revamped voice mode The upgrade adds six new voices and real-time search integration Perplexity also included new personalization features and a fresh design to the iOS app AI conversational search engine Perplexity is speaking up in its latest iOS update. The AI chatbot’s voice mode brings a new look and more natural-sounding voices to the app, along with some new interactive features. The upgrade sets up Perplexity’s app to better challenge rivals with their own voice options like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. Before this update, Perplexity’s voice feature was somewhat limited. It could read answers aloud but without much emotion and with a walkie-talkie sort of interface that slowed things down. Perplexity has now added six different voices. While it’s still a text-to-speech system, meaning it won’t have the emotional nuance of ChatGPT’s advanced voice mode, the improvement is noticeable. You can finally pick a voice that doesn’t sound like an audiobook narrator from 2005. So, how does Perplexity’s voice mode stack up against the competition? From an unscientific comparison, I’d say ChatGPT’s advanced voice mode wins in sheer realism, with an expressive sound, conversational tone, and surprisingly natural-feeling laughter and outright interruptions. Google Gemini is a little less fluid, but still very natural overall. And while Google Gemini’s voice is very good, it’s a little less fluid than ChatGPT. Perplexity’s offering is very clear and easy to understand, but its voices linger in the more neutral tone that sounds a little more artificial. It’s not a negative though, just a different approach. Instead of focusing on making AI sound human, it’s doubling down on utility and making sure that when you ask a question, you not only get an answer but also the sources to back it up. Perplexity’s voice mode is embedded in the AI’s other features too. That means the real-time search tool links to the voice mode. When you ask a question, you don’t just get a spoken response, you also see live search results, with links to the sources. It’s an ability that’s crucial since so much of Perplexity’s appeal is in how it melds AI with search capabilities. Perplexity resolved The way you start voice mode and the look of the app when using the feature have also been changed. The microphone icon you tap to start talking has been replaced by a sphere of shifting dots that respond to your voice and touch, scattering and reforming at your touch. It’s an unnecessary but fun touch to the app. You can also now personalize the app with widgets like stock tickers or sports score updates. It adds another layer of customization that makes Perplexity feel a little more like your assistant rather than just a generic chatbot. Those kinds of options will likely be necessary for Perplexity to keep up with and perhaps beat other AI chatbots. That ambition is also evident in the other major upgrade to the app. Perplexity has also added the new Claude 3.7 Sonnet model to its lineup. Anthropic’s new model is aimed at enhancing Perplexity’s ability to respond capably to complex or multi-step questions. Claude 3.7 is still very new, and reviews haven’t been unanimous, but it could exceed or at least match the models employed by ChatGPT and Google Gemini for reasoning and conversational engagement. Perplexity’s voice mode revamp suggests Perplexity isn’t looking to beat ChatGPT and Gemini at where they are strongest, but to augment its own strengths with features that make the whole interaction feel (and sound) smoother, more immersive, and more natural. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. You might also like… Source link #Perplexitys #voice #mode #futuristic #makeover #iPhone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Manchester City: La Liga boss Javier Tebas reports club to European Commission Manchester City: La Liga boss Javier Tebas reports club to European Commission La Liga president Javier Tebas says he has reported Manchester City to the European Commission for alleged breaches of rules relating to state-owned companies. Tebas – a long-standing critic of City – told media at the FT Business of Football Summit that the complaint was made in 2023. He said he believed the case was currently in an “investigation phase” by the European Commission – the executive body of the European Union which develops and enforces laws for its member states. Tebas said that the complaint centres on his belief that “City have a structure that circumvents the rules” including a group of companies in the United Arab Emirates outside the City Football Group. La Liga argues that has given the Premier League champions a competitive advantage in both English competitions and the Champions League. City have not commented on Tebas’ allegations but club sources are aware of them, and strongly refute them. Tebas said: “City have a lot of companies in their group which lie outside the City Football Group structure, extra companies where they put their expenses. “These other companies lose the money but not the club itself. We have reported Manchester City to the EU. We have the facts and figures. “We asked for City to be checked. It’s very important that all clubs are subject to the same transparency rules and governance on both the sporting and financial side. “The City case is one where we believe they have put the losses on the companies that are not officially part of City Football Group.” He added: “They have a scouting company, a marketing company. That’s where they have very high expenses. They invoice City for less money. “City have costs that are less than if they didn’t have this circle of companies around.” Tebas said the complaint has been made under Foreign Subsidies Regulation that came into effect on 12 July 2023 and grants the EU powers to investigate state-controlled foreign subsidies. City declined to comment, but sources close to the club said Tebas has a long history of attacking City. City sources point to the club’s accounts, which are a matter of public record, as proof of no wrongdoing. City are awaiting the outcome of the hearing into their 115 charges for alleged Premier League financial rule breaches. If they are found guilty, they could face a massive points deduction or relegation. In 2022, La Liga filed a complaint to Uefa about what it believed to be “irregular financing” of City and Paris St-Germain, who Tebas previously described as “state clubs”. BBC Sport has contacted the European Commission for comment. Source link #Manchester #City #Liga #boss #Javier #Tebas #reports #club #European #Commission Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EA “Won’t Rule Out” Returning To College Basketball After Success Of College Football EA “Won’t Rule Out” Returning To College Basketball After Success Of College Football EA Sports College Football 25 was the biggest sports game ever in the US according to Circana, and it seems that the publisher is considering bringing back its take on college basketball, which has been dormant for more than a decade. In a recent report from The Athletic, EA Sports senior vice president Daryl Holt said that college basketball (and other sports) remain a possibility, but reiterated that American football is still the publisher’s main priority. “There was a clear need, want, desire from our community and the faithful were there [for college football],” Holt said. “As developers, we try to figure out how we can get creative on reaching other aspects of sports, whether that be a smaller sport or one that doesn’t have a game. But right now, my focus has been on American football. We’ll keep looking for those things, but as a developer and working in sports, you’re always tapping your head going, what else could be possible?” The last EA Sports-published NCAA basketball game, NCAA Basketball 10, came out in 2009 and featured the now-retired dunk contest champ Blake Griffin as the cover athlete. While any plans for a new college basketball game remain quite nascent, it’s likely that EA would try to get as many student athletes as possible to sign to a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal. More than 11,000 FBS football players opted into CFB 25’s deal last year, receiving $600 and a copy of the game as compensation for their NIL rights. The NIL deal for CFB 26 is reportedly still being negotiated, though EA declined to comment on those plans. The CFB series itself lay dormant for more than a decade, the last release coming in 2012 before last year’s revival restored its fortunes. Holt teased new features coming to this year’s sequel, CFB 26, including possible improvements to the single-player career mode Road to Glory. CFB 25 was the second-best selling game of 2024 in the US, second only to Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6. Source link #Wont #Rule #Returning #College #Basketball #Success #College #Football Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Twitch will open some monetization tools to even first-time streamers Twitch will open some monetization tools to even first-time streamers At some point in 2025, Twitch plans to offer monetization tools like subscriptions and Bits for all streamers, according to an open letter from Twitch CEO Dan Clancy. Monetizing Twitch streams previously required reaching “Affiliate” status on the platform. Having viewers subscribe to a Twitch channel or cheer with Bits (Twitch’s digital currency) during a stream are the two most prominent ways the average streamer can make money from their streams, outside of passive ad revenue or sponsorships. Currently, each subscription earns you a 50/50 split on subscription revenue after processing fees and taxes, while each Bit earned during a stream translates to around $0.01. Opening up subscriptions and Bits to “most streamers, from day one,” should serve to make streaming on Twitch more enticing to anyone worried about the long process of becoming a Twitch Affiliate or Partner. Reaching either status on Twitch requires earning a certain amount of followers and streaming a certain amount of hours, on top of other criteria. With at least some monetization tools becoming available to everyone, climbing Twitch’s ladder seems like it could become more about unlocking access to tools rather than the ability to earn money at all. (Thought novice streamers should keep in mind they must get a minimum of $50 to withdraw their earnings from Twitch at all.) Alongside these changes, Clancy also announced that Twitch will introduce more ways for streamers to earn money together, new editing tools for creating clips of streams and expanded moderation tools on mobile. Twitch’s has been rethinking its approach to moderation and policy violations over the last few months. Earlier in February, the company tweaked how it enforces community guideline violations, making it so violations can “expire” after a certain amount of time. Source link #Twitch #open #monetization #tools #firsttime #streamers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Post-mortem into businessman murdered in Kenya inconclusive Post-mortem into businessman murdered in Kenya inconclusive A post-mortem examination of the body of a Scottish businessman found dead in Kenya has failed to determine his cause of death, according to reports. Campbell Scott’s body was found in a sack of pineapples in a forest 60 miles (96.5km) from Nairobi days after he went missing from his hotel on 17 February. Mr Scott, 58, had been bound with rope around his hands and legs and the country’s ********* unit is treating the case as *******. Two people have been arrested but local reports said injuries found on Mr Scott’s body were “too minor” to have caused his death. The Kenyan government’s chief pathologist, Johansen Odour, told Nation Africa the post-mortem examination on Mr Scott’s body was inconclusive. Investigators have since taken samples for further screening, including toxicology tests to determine the cause of death. Dr Odour told the media outlet Mr Scott sustained “head injury and multiple soft tissue injuries…blunt trauma.” But he added: “Though just to clarify, the injuries as per the pathologists looked too minor to cause death. So they have taken samples to further investigate.” Mr Scott is believed to have visited a nightclub after his arrival in Nairobi and was seen with an unidentified man who police are treating as a suspect. Nation Africa reported a taxi driver and waiter from the nightclub were in custody, but had helped direct police to a house in the Pipeline district on the outskirts of Nairobi where the suspect is believed to have taken Mr Scott. Mr Scott, from Dunfermline in Fife, was a senior director at credit scoring firm Fico and was attending a conference at the JW Marriott Hotel in Nairobi when he went missing. He was due to meet colleagues to deliver a presentation later but did not return to the hotel on 17 February, the day after he had arrived in the city. Colleagues filed a police report after failing to reach him. His body was found by a cattle herder in Makongo Forest on Saturday. Source link #Postmortem #businessman #murdered #Kenya #inconclusive Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Free Severance Browser Game Lets You Refine Macrodata Like A Pro Free Severance Browser Game Lets You Refine Macrodata Like A Pro For those who have watched the hit AppleTV+ show Severance and thought, “macrodata refinement sure looks fun,” you’re in luck. A new in-browser macrodata refinement “game” lets you refine mysterious numbers just like the characters in the show do, and you, too, have no idea what it’s for or why you are doing it. The game can be played in your browser over at lumon-industries.com, transforming your computer or phone into an official Lumon MDR workstation. Just like in the show, certain groups of numbers will start to stand out, allowing you to drag your mouse cursor over them. This collects the numbers and sorts them into various bins (unlike in the show, the game does this part automatically). It’s all extremely simple. Numbers get big. Scary even. Then you just highlight them and profit. Praise Kier! Once you get the hang of it, you do go into a bit of a flow state like the characters in the show do, as groups of numbers start to rapidly grow larger and practically beg for refinement. A percentage bar at the top of the screen shows you how close you are to “completing” the game. At 75%, the screen transforms into a dance party hosted by Lumon severed floor supervisor Mr. Milchick. What happens at 100%? Nothing as exciting as the waffle party reserved for top quarterly performers depicted in the show, but you’ll have to complete it for yourself to find out. Don’t worry, reaching 100% can take as little as five minutes (a far cry from in the show, where it seems like Adam Scott’s character Mark S. has been refining for ages and is just now nearing 100% completion). Just don’t expect to learn anything about what, exactly, the macrodata being refined is actually used for or what the heck project “Cold Harbor” is. If you’re keen on continuing to pretend you live in the peculiar world of Severance, you can read the free ebook by Dr. Ricken, The You You Are, to further blur reality. AppleTV+ has even provided some official music to refine to. Severance season 2 is currently airing on AppleTV+ after a lengthy wait between seasons, with new episodes currently dropping on Fridays. Source link #Free #Severance #Browser #Game #Lets #Refine #Macrodata #Pro Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

2025 Isuzu MU-X review | The West *********** 2025 Isuzu MU-X review | The West *********** One of Australia’s most popular seven-seat off-road SUVs now looks, drives and infotains even better. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert The Isuzu MU-X has come in for a comprehensive mid-life makeover for 2025, bringing a series of cosmetic, equipment, multimedia and chassis upgrades, plus a new X-Terrain flagship (as tested here). Finding more than 100,000 *********** homes since 2013, the D-Max ute-based wagon entered its second generation in mid-2021 and became the nation’s second best-selling large SUV behind the Ford Everest in 2024, when almost 18,000 examples were sold locally – up almost 30 per cent on 2023 – helping Isuzu Ute Australia to remain a top-10 auto brand with just two models. On ***** from March 1, the facelifted MU-X brings carryover four-cylinder turbo-diesel powertrains, but now adds more standard features, an enhanced safety suite, upgraded infotainment and improvements to the way it drives both on-road and off. The broadest MU-X range ever now includes four equipment grades for a total of 10 model variants – more than its seven-seat ladder-frame SUV rivals including the Ford Everest, Toyota Prado and Fortuner, LDV D90, SsangYong Rexton and the soon-to-depart Mitsubishi ******* Sport. And there’s a hardcore Blade flagship version to come. Bringing it into line with the facelifted D-Max, revised exterior styling across the range includes sleeker ***-LED *********** that still incorporate LED daytime running lights, but along with the new lower foglight surrounds they’re more aggressively angled towards a new take on Isuzu’s ‘Hexa Pod’ grille. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert A new bonnet with full-length creases completes the taller and squarer new front-end design, which is complemented by gloss ****** fender accents, sidesteps, rood rails and mirror caps on LS-T and XT variants (magnetite, material ****** or chrome on LS-M and LS-U). At the rear, a new full-width trim piece links the now all-LED tail-lights and there’s a new integrated spoiler below the glass. The base LS-M retains the same 17-inch six-spoke alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres from 2024, but the rest of the range features new alloys with highway terrain tyres. The LS-U wears 18-inch 12-spoke alloys finished in titanium metallic, while the LS-T gets 20-inch six-spoke machined-face alloys with a 3D texture. Available in an exclusive new hero Slate Grey metallic hue, the new ******-themed ‘XT’ hero variant is distinguished by a unique take on Isuzu’s signature double horizontal-bar grille, and features fog light surrounds, 20-inch alloy wheels and fender flares all finished in gloss ******. Lower rear and side body skirts complete the sportier aesthetic, alongside embossed ‘XT’ badges on the fenders, grille and tailgate. To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool How much does the Isuzu MU-X cost? The updated MU-X has received price hikes ranging from $1000 and $2000 over the pre-update model. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert Pricing now ranges between $46,990 drive-away for the entry-level 1.9-litre LS-M 4×2, and $73,990 drive-away for the range-topping 3.0-litre X-Terrain 4×4, which replaces the Tour Mate as the top-shelf MU-X. All pricing excludes on-road costs unless noted otherwise. To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool What is the Isuzu MU-X like on the inside? Changes inside are less extensive, but also as per the D-Max the headline act here is a new touchscreen infotainment display now with tuning and volume dials, which are vastly more intuitive and easier to use than the push buttons they replace, addressing a major criticism of the previous MU-X. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert It’s a ******* unit (8.0-inch, up from 7.0-inch) and is paired with a four-speaker sound system in the entry-level LS-M, but it still measures 9.0 inches from LS-U variants and upwards, which come with an eight-speaker sound system. Both new touchscreens offer higher-resolution clarity and faster-reacting processing speed. All models now also come with both wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus voice recognition, DAB+ digital radio, and displays for the Terrain Command 4×4 drive modes, ADAS, inclinometer and electrical systems. The MU-X’s interior has always been better appointed than that of its D-Max sister model, with more soft materials applied to common touch points like the arm rests, centre console and also the front and top of the dashboard, all with white stitching. Making it a nicer place to sit in than its ute sibling, this material is matched on the door cards and centre tunnel, where the inboard knees of front occupants rest. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert For MY25, all variants now also receive new interior seat upholstery and cabin accents. LS-M and LS-U grades gain updated cloth trim with a vertical wave pattern, and LS-T and XT grades receive perforated leather-accented seat trim (plus seat heating and power adjustment up front). In response to feedback, all models also receive a new-look steering wheel with ‘Hexa Pod’ centre boss (plus leather trim in LS-U, LS-T and XT grades). And like the MY25 D-Max, there’s an updated 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen for the LS-M, with LS-U, LS-T and XT variants scoring a high-definition 7.0-inch screen that adds navigation prompts, tyre pressure monitoring and other information. There’s more hard plastic surrounding the smaller central multimedia screen in the entry-level LS-M, which also lacks dual-zone climate control, piano ****** centre stack highlights and partial leather seat trim, but its cloth-trimmed seats are still comfortable and supportive enough. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert But all MU-X variants get seven seats, with overhead air-conditioning vents and twin cupholders for all three rows, including handy pop-out units at each end of the dash, as seen in premium versions of the Ranger. Access to the third row is via a simple one-touch tumble-fold mechanism for the middle-row bench, making ingress/egress relatively easy, and all three rows fold down to create a long and fully flat load space. But while head and shoulder room is okay, the third row is very much a knees-up proposition for adults and there’s no USB-A or USB-C back there (as there are in the front two rows), and no child seat anchors as seen in the middle row, where there are two ISOFIX and two top-tether points. The new X-Terrain flagship goes one step further than the rest of the range and takes interior design cues from the D-Max XT by adding double red stitching across the dashboard, centre console and the leather-accented seat trim, plus red ambient lighting for the dash, all four doors and footwells (instead of white as in the LS-T). Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert In addition, the X-Terrain gains a unique red theme for the new 7.0-inch instrument cluster screen, plus dark grey and piano ****** cabin appointments in lieu of the chrome, silver, ****** and grey accents seen across the rest of the range. There’s not a lot of difference, but it does lift the interior ambience a little for the most expensive MU-X ever sold. To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool What’s under the bonnet? The MU-X range continues to be available with two four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines, matched to a six-speed automatic transmission as standard, including Isuzu’s trusty big-bore ‘4J’ 3.0-litre oil-burner producing 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque, and the newer downsized 1.9-litre turbo-diesel offering 30kW and 100Nm less. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert While the ******* 3.0-litre engine is available across the range with both 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrains (excluding the 4×4-only X-Terrain), the smaller 1.9-litre engine can be had in just 4×2 and 4×4 versions of the base LS-M, and the LS-U 4×4. There’s potential for a new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel with eight-speed auto to join the range in future, along with a range of electrified powertrains including mild-hybrid and full-electric versions to meet Australia’s tightening CO2 emissions regulations. However, the cheapest and most efficient rear-wheel drive versions of the MU-X will eventually be axed to avoid penalties from the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, because they don’t meet the lower CO2 limits for passengers cars, which they are classed as since they lack four-wheel drive. 4×4 models have a switchable 4WD system with high- and low-range gearing and a locking rear differential. To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool How does the Isuzu MU-X drive? This thorough midlife makeover extends to a fresh locally tested and validated suspension tune bringing new dampers with 6.6 per cent larger diameter pistons and revised valving, which is claimed to improve body control and stability at mid-to-high speeds and on corrugations. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert We didn’t notice much difference on the launch, but that’s because the MU-X was already a very solid highway, backroad and outback tourer, with a relatively quiet cabin, solid refinement and great stability at speed making this seven-seat wagon well suited to anything from eastern seaboard holidays to cross-country treks. No, it’s not as nimble, dynamic or efficient as any car-based (monocoque) large SUV, and if you don’t plan to head off-road you should really look elsewhere. But for adventurous families, weekend warriors or grey nomads doing the Big Lap, this split-personality SUV’s trumpcard is its off-road ability, which was reinforced by some seriously challenging rocky hill climbs at Queensland’s recently reopened ****** Duck Valley 4×4 park that formed part of our launch drive. Nothing stopped progress of the large convoy of press vehicles, all of which completed the Blue-graded course (tougher than the Yellow boundary and Orange intermediate tracks, but easier than the Red-graded tracks reserved only for modified off-roaders) without any damage, despite various levels of off-road driving experience. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert Even on its highway-terrain tyres (albeit in 4L and with a lower 24psi of pressure), the X-Terrain crawled slowly and purposefully up the steepest, loosest sections littered with large rocks and ruts, demonstrating the worth of the recalibrated Rough Terrain Mode, which as in related D-Max 4×4 vehicles now works in tandem with the rear differential locked. It’s a very effective low-speed traction control system for the front axle and it works by sending torque to the tyre with the most traction. It comes in especially handy when one of them is cocked high in the air, working faithfully even when you’re asking so much from the one on the ground that air is puffing out past the bead. Despite its even greater off-road capability, it doesn’t come at the expense of on-road friendliness. It might lack the Everest’s ultimate panache and V6 availability (something the Prado doesn’t offer either), but the MU-X delivers plenty of punch despite its lower engine outputs, plus the benchmark 3500kg towing capacity, or 3000kg for 1.9L versions. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert The lack of a factory wireless phone charger is about its only shortcoming when it comes to technology, and the new reversing and 360-degree cameras are a big step forward, especially the latter with its clever under-vehicle view. But there’s no lane centring so the MU-X still ping-pongs between lane markings, and its upgraded active cruise control system slowed down dramatically on the highway a couple of times after sensing mystery vehicles ahead. To its advantage, however, it still offers a very analogue driving experience that’s largely devoid of annoying safety nannies. To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool What do you get? The 2025 Isuzu MU-X comes with a host of standard equipment additions, headlined by new infotainment touchscreens now with tuning and volume dials rather than push buttons. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert 2025 Isuzu MU-X LS-M equipment highlights: 17-inch six-spoke silver alloy wheels with 255/65R17 Dunlop AT25 All-Terrain tyresBi-LED headlightsAutomatic high-beamRain-sensing wipersElectronic park brake with auto holdPolyurethane steering wheel and shifterCarpet flooringCloth upholsteryDual vanity mirrorsPush-button start4.2-inch instrument cluster screen8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment systemWireless Apple CarPlayWireless Android Auto (NEW)4-speaker sound system3 x USB-C outlets (2 front, 1 in second row) (NEW)USB-A outlet for aftermarket dash camera (NEW)Air-conditioning with rear passenger air vents and controlsDoor mirrors and door handles finished in blackSidesteps finished in blackWindow trims finished in ****** MU-X LS-U adds: 18-inch 12-spoke titanium metallic alloy wheels with 265/60R18 Bridgestone 684II HT tyres (NEW)Smart Entry and StartLED fog lightsRear privacy glassHands-free power tailgateRain-sensing wipersPower-folding and heated body-colour door mirrorsBody-colour door handles7.0-inch instrument cluster screen (NEW)9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment systemSatellite navigationDAB+ digital radio8-speaker sound systemLeather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter6-way adjustable driver’s seat, with electric adjustable lumbar supportDual-zone climate control with rear passenger air vents and controls4 x USB-C outlets (2 front, 2 in second row) (NEW)Tyre pressure monitoring MU-X LS-T adds: 20-inch six-spoke two-tone machined face alloy wheels with 265/50R20 Bridgestone 684II HT tyresDoor handles, window trims, front fender accents, roof rails, side steps in gloss ****** (NEW)Rear privacy glassRemote engine startPower-folding and heated door mirrors w/ side cameras finished in gloss ****** (NEW)White ambient interior lightingBlack headlinerHeated front seats8-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar4-way power passenger seatLeather-accented upholstery with grey stitching and leatherette across door trims, centre consoleCamera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert MU-X X-Terrain adds: 20-inch gloss ****** alloys, coated with a smoked clear coat with 265/50R20 Bridgestone 684II HT tyresUpdated LED fog lights with ****** fog light bezels and gloss ****** surroundsGloss ****** fender flaresLower body side skirtLower rear underbody spoilerPiano ****** and silver metallic interior trimRed interior stitching detailsRed LED ambient interior lighting7.0-inch instrument cluster screen with red fonts, graphics To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Colours There is a wide range of colours available. The flagship X-Terrain is also offered with a unique finish. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert The LS-M, LS-U and LS-T are available in the following finishes: Mineral WhiteMercury Silver metallicObsidian Grey metallicNeptune Blue mica (NEW)Basalt ****** micaMagnetic Red micaMoonstone White pearl (LS-U and LS-T only) The X-Terrain is offered exclusively in the following finishes: Moonstone White pearlMercury Silver metallicBasalt ****** micaSlate Grey metallic (NEW) All premium paints (pearl, metallic and mica; or anything other than standard Mineral White) cost an additional $695 (up from $650). To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Is the Isuzu MU-X safe? The Isuzu MU-X has a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, issued in July 2022 after a redesign to the driver’s knee airbag and instrument panel. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert It received an adult occupant protection score of 86 per cent, child occupant protection score of 85 per cent, vulnerable road user protection score of 69 per cent, and safety assist score of 84 per cent. For MY25, the MU-X’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) safety suite gains new hardware, features and refinements, including a new ‘Gen4’ stereo camera that detects pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles and other vehicles with greater speed and accuracy. This improves its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system thanks to increased peripheral vision and depth perception, with a field of view (FOV) increase of 200 per cent and from 40 to 120 degrees, while vehicle detection range increases by 25 per cent, from 120 to 150m. The new Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (IACC) works with traffic sign recognition to read temporary roadwork speed signs and overhead digital gantry signs to assist the driver in matching the posted speed limit. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert The new Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) function is an extension of IACC and maintains vehicle speed and distance with the vehicle ahead at speeds below 60km/h. There’s also updated lane-keep assist, said to provide smoother steering correction inputs and to actively maintain the vehicle’s position in the centre of the lane, rather than reacting to the outer lane markings, across a wider range of vehicle speeds from standstill up to 140km/h. Also in response to customer feedback is a new digital reversing camera for all models, which enhances image quality and low-light performance, increases the field of view, includes revised dynamic guidelines with a hitch guide, and has a hydrophobic coating to prevent water and dirt build-up, providing better visibility especially off-road. Other new MY25 safety features include Rear Cross Traffic Brake (RCTB) a rear AEB system that detects and reacts to approaching vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians when reversing. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert A surround-view camera is standard on the LS-T and X-Terrain, giving you bird’s eye, hitch, and under-body views that automatically engage during specific scenarios such as reversing or driving at low speeds near potential obstacles. Standard safety equipment includes: 8 airbags – dual front, dual seat side, dual full-length curtain, front knee and centre (far-side)Autonomous emergency braking with Turn AssistAdaptive cruise controlBlind-spot monitoringDriver attention monitoringLane-keep assistEmergency lane-keep assistMis-acceleration MitigationRear cross-traffic assist (NEW)Intelligent speed limiterReversing cameraRear parking sensorsTraffic Jam AssistTraffic sign recognitionTrailer sway controlTyre pressure monitoring The LS-U adds front parking sensors, while the LS-T and X-Terrain also get a surround-view camera. To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool How much does the Isuzu MU-X cost to run? The 2025 Isuzu MU-X is covered by a six-year, 150,000km warranty. When you service on schedule at an Isuzu dealer, up to seven years of roadside assistance is offered. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, apart from a complimentary three-month service. Each of the first five scheduled services are capped at $469, which is $20 more than before. To see how the Isuzu MU-X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool CarExpert’s Take on the Isuzu MU-X As evidenced by its popularity, the current generation MU-X has long been one of the best large off-road SUVs available, offering benchmark safety equipment and competitive multimedia, refinement, performance and capability, both on road and off. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert Now, less than four years after its release, a thorough midlife upgrade addresses the few complaints levelled at it by customers and the media, and adds a classier new X-Terrain flagship that takes this model line to new heights in terms of pricing and market positioning. Indeed, the MU-X has never been the cheapest in its class, but it’s a better vehicle than the cheaper D90, Rexton, Fortuner and ******* Sport, so the minor price rises are well worth the improvements to its exterior design, infotainment ergonomics and technology suite, especially in light of the new Prado’s starting price, which is around the same as the Isuzu’s finishing price. If you’re in the market for an accomplished go-anywhere seven-seater with a long warranty, you’d now be even sillier not to consider this one before you sign up for an Everest or Prado. Camera Icon2025 Isuzu MU-X Credit: CarExpert Interested in buying an Isuzu MU-X? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Isuzu MU-X ProsSmarter new exterior designFinally there are physical volume and tuning controlsUpgraded Rough Terrain Mode makes it even more capable off-roadConsPrice hikes across the rangeStill no standard wireless phone chargerCheapest and most efficient 4×2 versions will be axedTop Line SpecsPower: 140kWFuel Type: DieselEconomy: 8.3L/100kmCO2 Emissions: 220g/kmANCAP Safety Rating: 5 Source link #Isuzu #MUX #review #West #*********** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Former Metro Devs Working On ‘La Quimera’, a Sci-Fi Shooter That Looks Like Killzone, Leaks Suggest Former Metro Devs Working On ‘La Quimera’, a Sci-Fi Shooter That Looks Like Killzone, Leaks Suggest darthv7212m ago I guess Im doing it right… for one low price I can play the widest assortment of games in the service. Any that I want to own i can do just that and even get a discount because Im a member. I can’t do that on PC or Switch. I’d have to buy and then decide if it was worth my time/$. At least this way i can try before i buy. I know its a glorified rental service… that’s why its so good. There is no rule that says you can’t buy a game after test driving it in GP. It’s just like full game trials in PS+… only instead of 2 hours you have 30 days. GP is the evolution of the game demos that we all know and love. I have bought more games as a result from trying them in the service than without. If anyone in their younger years ever rented a game, and then later on bought that game, they know what I’m talking about. Only here the rental store is for an entire month (or longer) and you can play everything offered if you so desire. And yes this was a paid advertisement of Game Pass Ultimate. Microsoft thanks you for reading (and commenting) this particular post. Source link #Metro #Devs #Working #Quimera #SciFi #Shooter #Killzone #Leaks #Suggest Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]