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In Former East Germany, the Hard-Right AfD Party Finds Most of Its Support In Former East Germany, the Hard-Right AfD Party Finds Most of Its Support Three and a half decades after reunification, a line runs through Germany where the Iron Curtain once stood. Instead of barbed wires and dogs, that line now divides Germans by measures like income and unemployment — and increasingly by the willingness to vote for extremist parties. If East Germany were still its own country, the hard-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, which has been linked to neo-Nazis and is being monitored by domestic intelligence, would have scored a convincing win in the elections on Sunday, with nearly one in three voters there casting ballots for it. Only two of 48 voting districts outside of Berlin in the former East Germany were not won by the AfD. In a handful of districts in the east, the AfD got nearly 50 percent of the vote. That division — and the sense that Germans still to some degree inhabit two separate worlds, east and west — has become a persistent feature of Germans’ voting habits. It is one that was manifest not only on Sunday but also when Germans voted in elections for the European Parliament last June. The divide, analysts say, reflects not only a failure to fully integrate the east, but also its unique problems and culture, shaped by decades of ********** rule during the Cold War and close alignment with Moscow and the former Soviet bloc. “One important aspect of this is that many East Germans have never really connected emotionally or mentally with West ******* democracy,” said Benjamin Höhne, a political scientist who studies eastern Germany. On top of that, many of the metrics where eastern Germany still lags behind the western part are the very factors that make voters more likely to vote for the far right, Mr. Höhne said. The AfD also has close links to Moscow. On Sunday, only 42 percent of Germans in the east voted for traditional West ******* parties, including the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats, which look likely to form a governing coalition. The rest voted either for the AfD, Die Linke, which itself is a successor of the old Socialist Party that ran the East for nearly four decades, and a small splinter party run by a former **********. “The old western parties were never that well established in East Germany,” said Matthias Quent, a sociologist professor who has spent years studying the extreme right. In the former East, the AfD is increasingly visible. Many members are active in civil society — including several mayors — which means even people who do not vote for the party come in regular contact with it, Professor Quent said. “East Germany simply works differently and has not become more like the rest of the country either,” he said. Given that East Germans were not allowed to vote freely for four decades before 1990, it is perhaps unsurprising that they do not feel the same attachment to western parties, experts say. On top of that, parties called the Christian Democrats, Social Democrats or Liberal Democrats — like those in the West — existed in the old East Germany, but were not actual opposition parties because they were controlled by the ********** regime. It’s a narrative that allows the AfD to claim that it is the only real alternative to mainstream politics. The result on Sunday was not a surprise. The vote tally in the east mirrored state elections in three eastern races in September. In Thuringia, where Björn Höcke, who has been fined by a court for recycling Nazi language, runs the party, 33 percent voted for the AfD in September. The mainstream Christian Democrats came in a distant second place with about 24 percent of the vote. However, when compared to neighboring countries, the more unusual part of the country is maybe the west, not the east. “By European standards, the party landscape in eastern Germany is more the norm, while western Germany, with its still relatively stable mainstream parties, is actually the exception,” Professor Höhne said. It is a problem not lost on mainstream politicians in Berlin, who see their support eroding in the east and worry that it could be a harbinger of what’s to come for the whole of Germany. Friedrich Merz, the presumptive future chancellor of a center-right government, acknowledged the severity of the lopsidedness of ******* voting habits when he spoke to reporters a day after winning the national vote. “We are extremely concerned about what is happening in the east,” Mr. Merz said. To bolster the fortunes of mainstream parties, Mr. Merz plans to address problems both with irregular migration, which has been the AfD’s favorite issue, and with economics, as Germany struggles to improve competitiveness. “We have to work together to solve the problems in Germany to gradually deprive this party of its fertile ground,” he said of the AfD. Mr. Merz would be the first Christian Democratic chancellor since Angela Merkel, who was the first and so far only chancellor raised in East Germany. And while the two parts of the country have become more integrated, high-level politics have not. Of the 17 government ministers in the departing cabinet of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, two were born in East Germany — and there might be even fewer in Mr. Merz’s. Source link #East #Germany #HardRight #AfD #Party #Finds #Support Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sayonara Wild Hearts’ hypnotic new PS5 mode is worth the double dip Sayonara Wild Hearts’ hypnotic new PS5 mode is worth the double dip Six years after its initial release, Sayonara Wild Hearts is back and better than ever. As announced during the 2025 Annapurna Interactive Showcase, developer Simogo’s playable pop album is getting PlayStation 5 version as of today. The upgraded Sayonara Wild Hearts packs a surprising punch thanks to a few stellar additions, making it the perfect time to revisit this stylish gem or try it out for the first time. Before we dig into the meat of Sayonara Wild Hearts’ PS5 version, let’s go through the more technical additions. First off, if you already own it on another PS4, you can upgrade your copy for free. The PS5 version adds support for 4K resolution at 120 frames per second, which will make the dazzling neon color palette really pop. Simogo has also implemented haptic feedback through the DualSense controller, though in my experience this feature felt a little underwhelming. There are a few rumbles in tune with the music but nothing that takes advantage of the more complex adaptive triggers of the DualSense. With that out of the way, let’s talk about the main event: Remix Arcade. This is an entirely new game mode exclusive to the PS5 version that turns Sayonara Wild Hearts into an infinite runner of sorts. For the uninitiated, the main game takes place over a handful of levels that are a mix of rhythm mechanics and endless runners. Players control a woman as she runs, drives, flies, and more across long paths filled with obstacles and collectibles. Like an album, however, it is carefully curated across 23 levels running about an hour and a half in total. Remix Arcade takes these crafted levels and mashes them together to give players a version of the game that never ends and it does not disappoint. The only requirement to unlock the new mode is to complete Album Arcade at least once. Sayonara Wild Hearts, as a playable pop album, is very much a game about getting lost in the music and visuals of each level. This is a game that puts vibes above anything else. The combination of music, visuals, and rhythm mechanics lulls the player into a hypnotic flow state. This is why most playthroughs will happen in one uninterrupted sitting. Remix Arcade takes that same flow state and sets it free by removing the predetermined end of a level. In practice, this is done by chopping up the 23 levels of the base game into smaller sections that are then randomly stitched together as the player progresses through a run. The longer a run lasts, the more it will speed up. Whereas the base game has clearly laid out moments of rising and falling action, meant to give the player predetermined times they can relax, Remix Arcade is a constant upward spike of adrenaline. Annapurna Interactive This might sound like a small addition, but in reality Remix Arcade feels almost like an entirely different game. That is due to the different types of experiences each version is trying to give the player. As a playable pop album, the base game is a very guided journey that utilizes visuals, music, and gameplay to evoke an emotional response to its story. Players don’t even have to master the rhythm mechanics in order to get something out of the simple but evocative story. Remix Arcade, on the other hand, is a purely mechanical experience that deconstructs Sayonara Wild Hearts and uses its building blocks for something new. Simogo is clearly tapping into its mobile game development background here, as Remix Arcade is a more refined take on the endless runner. To excel at Remix Arcade, the player must completely master the mechanics of the game detached from the familiar order the base levels bring. In this way Sayonara Wild Hearts on PS5 becomes even more appealing to those who have played the base game to death Sayonara Wild Hearts’ PS5 version is available now. Source link #Sayonara #Wild #Hearts #hypnotic #PS5 #mode #worth #double #dip Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I’ve used Edge, Firefox, and Opera, and yet after ten years in tech journalism, I still come back to Chrome I’ve used Edge, Firefox, and Opera, and yet after ten years in tech journalism, I still come back to Chrome Chrome is a pain, isn’t it? It’s one of those browsers that just sticks with you, no matter what you try. For better or worse. I’ve personally shifted back and forth between a number of browsers over the years; mostly alternating between Firefox and Chrome, and using Opera as a backup, usually to see if one website or another is broken or not. Yet no matter how long I’m gone, even in the deepest of Firefox stints, inevitably, I always end up back with Google’s shiny metal goliath. Unlike phones, operating systems, processors, graphics cards, or even the best VPNs, browsers inherently don’t have that flux. It never feels like there’s a need to swap to upgrade. No single one has a significant advantage over the other, and no browser has ever really introduced any feature that’s quite as revolutionary as something like Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling tech or AMD’s CPU 3D V-cache. It’s all iterative change, trying to entice you over and keep you there, and I do believe a lot of Google’s initial success was down to societal peer pressure and just being one of the first alternatives that provided a slicker initial setup and user experience than anything else. Although it ended up as a browser that has a RAM footprint akin to the mass of a small brown dwarf star, it simply provided people with a slicker, seamless experience than what Internet Explorer, Safari, Netscape, or Firefox could back in the day. Chromed up So how did Google corner the market following on from the success of those early years? How did it manage to oust IE, Firefox, and later Edge as kings of the free browsers? Particularly given how Microsoft literally installs its own browser on Windows for you? It’s one of those questions that you genuinely have to step back, look at Microsoft, and ask: “No seriously, how did you mess this up so badly?”. In today’s era, the answer is simple enough. It’s not because of anything Google is doing directly with Chrome. There’s no killer app or silver bullet here, no feature that’s going to blow your mind wide open. It’s still easy to use and operates smoothly as it almost always has done (memory quandaries aside), but it’s the entire environment Google has built around it that really nails its dominance to the table. Google has woven all of the staple tools you need online into one seamless interconnected web, and it’s difficult to escape. (Image credit: Gmail) It’s effectively built out this beautiful, seamless ecosystem for us regular folk. Create a Google account, and you immediately have access to YouTube, Drive for office work, Gmail, and a Chrome account that’ll sync all of your settings, passwords, passkeys, bookmarks, cookies, and extensions, all in one place. On top of that, for Android users, it’ll tie into your phone too, syncing across platforms in the process. Dominant Search Engines Not only that, but Google as a search engine is just impeccable. Sure, its recent experiments with generative AI have been hit and miss, but it’s not utterly littered with ads or incorrect listings. If you try to use Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Yahoo, the experience by comparison is shocking. It’s like traveling back in time by five to ten years, depending on which one you use. As a web-based tech journalist, I’m conscious that Google often gets a lot of ire from those in my line of work for its constant iterative SEO changes and updates to how it ranks things. This can massively impact site rankings, and kill smaller brands, potentially leaving people without work. It’s a grim dance with livelihoods on the line, particularly with Google’s new use of Gemini AI prompts as well. The reality is, though, that as harsh as that is, it does this because it’s still trying to provide the best search experience for the user. It comes from a good place. Although that drive might be market-driven, it still needs to provide the best sources, the best answers to your questions. Those SEO changes are necessary, and you can see the way it’s going is centered around making sure it selects content and answers that align with its EEAT philosophy (‘Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness’ – basically, choosing authors and content that have good knowledge in a certain field) while providing information that is accurate, unique, and to the point. YouTube is a whole other kettle of fish, and it’s anyone’s guess as to which way the wind blows on that search algorithm, but for its core brand, its core product, Google’s search is unparalleled in many ways. And the fact is that this wider ecosystem and everything tied into it, as much as some of us might dislike it, still makes Chrome my go-to browser. No doubt in a year’s time, I’ll get fed up and dive back into Firefox for a few months, enjoying the new experience, the feel of being slightly edgy (and having adblockers on my phone), only inevitably to fall back into that old habit, to miss my army of extensions on a platform that just works, without fault, without hindrance. It’s sad, but it’s true. You might also like… Source link #Ive #Edge #Firefox #Opera #ten #years #tech #journalism #Chrome Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Adobe’s new Photoshop app for iPhone is more like the real thing – The Verge Adobe’s new Photoshop app for iPhone is more like the real thing – The Verge Adobe’s new Photoshop app for iPhone is more like the real thing The VergeAdobe brings free Photoshop app to phones, courting younger users YahooAt last, Adobe Photoshop comes to the iPhone (and it just might be great) Fast CompanyAdobe Brings Photoshop To Mobile Devices As Freemium App Investor’s Business DailyPhotoshop Is Officially Available on iPhone Lifehacker Source link #Adobes #Photoshop #app #iPhone #real #Verge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Call Of Duty Uses Generative AI For Some Content, Activision Admits Call Of Duty Uses Generative AI For Some Content, Activision Admits An update to the Call of Duty HQ page on Steam confirms that Activision’s development teams do in fact use “generative AI tools” as a means to “help develop some in-game assets.” About a year ago, it came to light that Steam would begin to ask developers to disclose if and how AI is used in any given game. The Call of Duty HQ page now discloses this, but it does not get into any specifics regarding the use of generative AI tools in the game. The Call of Duty HQ app encompasses multiple Call of Duty games, including ****** Ops 6, Modern Warfare 3, Modern Warfare 2, and Warzone. In 2024, it was reported that Activision developed the Yokai’s Wrath DLC bundle for 2023’s Modern Warfare 3 in part using AI-generated content. Later that year, Call of Duty fans noticed that some of ****** Ops 6’s holiday-themed content appeared to use generative AI, though this was never confirmed. An anonymous source within Activision told Wired in 2024 that people didn’t speak out about the use of generative AI for Call of Duty content out of “fear of losing our jobs.” This person went on to claim that “a lot of 2D artists” got laid off in early 2024 as part of Microsoft’s wider job cuts. The source said remaining concept artists were “forced to use AI to aid in their work.” GameSpot has contacted Activision in an attempt to get specifics on how the company’s development studios use generative AI. Call of Duty’s store pages on Xbox and PlayStation do not contain any disclosures regarding the use of generative AI. Valve said it’s asking for these AI disclosures for games sold on the Steam platform against the backdrop of “fast-moving and legally murky space of AI technology.” Valve said this issue is made more challenging due to Steam’s global reach. A number of actors who appeared in ****** Ops 6’s Zombies mode have reportedly quit due to a lack of protections pertaining to AI. Video game voice actors have been on strike since July 2024 due to, among other things, “existential” concerns regarding the use of AI. The Call of Duty series is owned by Microsoft following its blockbuster purchase of Activision Blizzard. Microsoft is one of the biggest players in the entire AI space, with the company investing billions upon billions of dollars to promote, enhance, and expand its efforts in the area. Microsoft’s own president, Brad Smith, has plainly admitted that these investments will lead to job losses. Microsoft has said AI will be baked into every product it has, including Xbox. That effort recently expanded with Microsoft’s announcement of Muse, an AI technology that developers at Hellblade studio Ninja Theory believe will help the team make games faster and more efficiently. Microsoft touted its new Muse technology as a means to help with game preservation, but experts in the space have warned that Microsoft cannot promise that. Source link #Call #Duty #Generative #Content #Activision #Admits Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump wants tighter AI chip export restrictions but may face staffing shortage and other issues Trump wants tighter AI chip export restrictions but may face staffing shortage and other issues The Trump administration is looking to tighten restrictions on exports of advanced AI processors from the country as well as persuade allies in Japan and the Netherlands to make Tokyo Electron and ASML stop servicing their tools installed in China, reports Bloomberg. While the move will certainly make the lives of ******** chipmakers harder, it will affect U.S. allies and not in a good way. Fewer AI processors for everyone When President Joe Biden was prepping to leave the White House in early January, his administration proposed its final set of export restrictions on advanced AI processors. Under the new guidelines, called the AI Diffusion Rule, only entities from the U.S. and 18 allies (Tier 1 countries) can obtain powerful AI processors — such as Nvidia’s H100 GPUs — without limits. Other foreign entities (Tier 2 countries) will have restricted access to AI GPUs unless they secure validated end user (VEU) status. Countries under arms embargoes (Tier 3 countries), including China, Russia, and Macau, will be almost entirely prohibited from importing AI GPUs. Trump’s government is reviewing this framework to streamline and reinforce its efficiency, according to the report. Under the Biden’s AI Diffusion Rule, companies from Tier 2 countries can get up to 1,700 Nvidia H100 GPUs (or equivalent) without any export license. These orders will also do not count toward the national AI processor limit of around 50,000 units. One proposed change is reducing the number of AI chips that can be exported without government approval (i.e., from 1,700 to a lower number). Some people in the government want to lower this threshold and increase oversight over AI processors exports. The move will not be exactly welcome by the industry as tech industry leaders were pushing back against AI Diffusion Rule restrictions. Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, has expressed optimism that the Trump administration would adopt a more flexible approach. Companies worry that stricter limits on chip exports could harm business interests while encouraging ******** firms to develop domestic alternatives faster. Another hit on ******** semiconductor sector Officials from the U.S. government have held meetings with representatives from Japan and the Netherlands to push for restrictions on maintenance services for semiconductor manufacturing equipment in China. The goal is to prevent companies like Tokyo Electron and ASML from servicing chipmaking tools in China, mirroring U.S. restrictions on domestic firms such as Applied Materials, KLA, and Lam Research. Without regular maintenance, tools from ASML and Tokyo Electron can quickly become obsolete. If allies agree to U.S. demands, ******** semiconductor production could face serious disruptions. However, ASML and TEL will also lose tens of millions of dollars that ******** companies pay for their services. In addition, there are discussions underway in Washington about imposing sanctions against specific ******** semiconductor firms. One proposal targets ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), a company that was considered for restrictions by the previous government, but was spared due to Japan’s opposition. Trump officials are now revisiting the possibility of blocking it from acquiring American chipmaking tools completely by adding it to the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) Entity List. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. The administration is also looking to impose tighter restrictions on Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), which makes chips for blacklisted Huawei. Biden had restricted shipments to certain SMIC facilities while allowing case-by-case reviews for others. However, this approach allows SMIC to obtain U.S. tools that could be transferred from one facility to another to support production of processors on advanced nodes. Despite these plans, it may take several months before any new regulations take effect. Trump’s administration is still in the process of staffing key federal agencies, and allies may not immediately support these initiatives. To that end, Biden’s AI Diffusion Rule will come into effect on May, whereas ASML and TEL will continue to service their tools at ******** fabs. Source link #Trump #tighter #chip #export #restrictions #face #staffing #shortage #issues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The seven bills set to rise in April The seven bills set to rise in April Getty Images Energy costs are one of a number of bill rises which will come into force at the start of what some commentators have described as “awful April”. The exact amount you pay will depend on your individual circumstances, and where you live. Although minimum wages will increase from April, and wages on average have been outpacing inflation, household finances could still come under extra pressure. Here are seven ways in which you could be affected. 1. Water bills Water bills for households are due to go up in England and Wales by £10 more per month on average, but there’s a lot of variation depending on the company. For example, the annual Southern Water bill will jump 47% to £703, while Anglian Water customers will pay 19% more, or £626. Factors including whether households have a meter and how much water used will also impact bills, which are being front-loaded for the next five years, meaning the big increase is coming in April. Water companies in England and Wales have said the increases are needed to invest in creaking infrastructure, including sewage, and to build more reservoirs. In Scotland, water bills are set to rise by almost 10%. Scottish Water, which is a public body, said spending was needed to cope with periods of “drought and intense rainfall” brought on by climate change. Domestic customers in Northern Ireland are not billed for water, with the system funded by the devolved government. 2. Energy bills The annual energy bill for a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will go up £111 a year to £1,849 from April. Regulator Ofgem increased the energy price cap because of higher wholesale costs and inflation. The cap is set every three months and limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity, but not the total bill, so if you use more, you will pay more. It affects 22 million homes in England, Wales and Scotland. Standing charges – fixed fees to connect to a gas and electricity supply and vary by region – are rising again for gas but dropping for electricity, but it depends on where you live. Ofgem is suggesting households consider a fixed tariff for a bit of stability, even though there’s speculation of prices dropping in July. 3. Council tax If you live in England, Wales or Scotland your council tax will go up from April. In England, local authorities with responsibility for delivering social care can increase council tax every year by up to 4.99% without triggering a referendum or local vote. Smaller councils without social care duties can increase bills by up to 2.99%. For 2025-26, the government is allowing Bradford, Newham, Birmingham, Somerset, and Windsor and Maidenhead to bypass the 4.99% cap, meaning they could raise council tax by more. Council tax rates in Scotland have been frozen or had limited increases since 2007, but they are expected to go up in April, in some cases by as much as 10%. The Scottish government says it is offering local authorities an extra £1bn in 2025-26 to help reduce the scale of any rise. In Wales, council tax rates could jump by as much 15% in some areas. Local authorities were given £253m by the Welsh government in its draft budget, but council leaders say more money needed. Northern Ireland uses a domestic rates system instead of council tax. All of Northern Ireland’s councils have reported district rate increases for the next year. 4. Car tax From April, the standard rate of tax for cars registered after April 2017 rises £5 to £195 a year. According to the RAC, you may pay less or more if your car was first used before 2017. The exact amount for your road tax will depend on the year your car was registered and the type of fuel it uses. One big change is that electric vehicles (EVs) will no longer be tax exempt. EVs registered from April 2025 will pay the lowest rate of £10 in the first year, then move to the standard rate. The standard rate will also apply to EVs first registered after April 2017. 5. Broadband, phone and TV licence Rule changes introduced by the telecoms regulator this year mean that mobile and broadband providers must now tell customers “in pounds and pence” about any price rises, as well as when they occur. The new rules typically only apply to new customers, so any price rise will depend on when you took your contract out. For instance, under the new rules, someone with a mobile Sim only contract with EE will see their bill go up by £1.50 a month, or £18 a year. But for the majority of customers who took their contract out before 10 April 2024, they will face an increase of 6.4%, based on the inflation rate last December, plus an additional charge. Similarly, most Virgin Media broadband customers will face a 7.5% rise in bills, but for anyone who took out a contract after 9 January this year, their monthly bill will go up by £3.50. The cost of a TV licence will also go up by £5 to £174.50, and for a ****** and white TV it will go up by £1.50 to £58.50. 6. Stamp duty and house prices House buyers in England and Northern Ireland will start paying stamp duty on properties over £125,000 in April, instead of over £250,000 at the moment. First-time buyers currently pay no stamp duty on homes up to £425,000, but this will drop to £300,000. Anyone starting a search for a property now would likely struggle to move before the stamp duty changes. 7. Hidden tax rises The government has kept in place the freeze on tax thresholds on income tax and National Insurance until 2028, a policy brought in by the previous government. This is often dubbed a stealth tax – as governments don’t explicitly label it as a tax. But the policy amounts to a tax rise because of a process called “fiscal drag”, which sees more people “dragged” into paying higher rates of tax as wages rises. According to figures from the government’s financial watchdog by 2028-29, nearly four million additional people will be expected to pay income tax – and three million more will have moved to the higher rate – due to the threshold being frozen. Source link #bills #set #rise #April Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Timberwolves erase 25-point deficit to defeat Thunder 131-128 in overtime Timberwolves erase 25-point deficit to defeat Thunder 131-128 in overtime The Minnesota Timberwolves completed a fearless comeback win for the ages Monday night. Minnesota erased a 25-point third-quarter deficit against the Western Conference’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder (46-11) to pick up a 131-128 overtime road victory at Paycom Center. With the win the Wolves (32-27) snap a two-game skid and, more importantly, inch closer to the LA Clippers for the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings. With just under 20 seconds remaining in the overtime *******, Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander attacked the rim, where he was met by Minnesota star Anthony Edwards, who swatted Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot with 13 seconds remaining. The Timberwolves’ Terrence Shannon Jr. recovered the loose ball en route to a Minnesota timeout with 10.4 seconds left. Following two made free throws by Naz Reid to put the Wolves ahead by 3, Gilgeous-Alexander hoisted a contested off-the-dribble 3-pointer to tie it, but the miss completed an epic comeback for Minnesota. ANT BLOCKS SGA’S GAME-WINNER ATTEMPT pic.twitter.com/Ap8SEet4VJ — NBA TV (@NBATV) February 25, 2025 With just under four minutes to go, Jalen Williams converted a layup to give the Thunder a 16-point margin and what appeared to be enough to seal another victory. The Timberwolves had other ideas. Williams’ field goal was the last Oklahoma City would make in regulation, and the Wolves caught just enough fire to spark a comeback in the waning minutes of regulation — all without Edwards. Inside the final minute of the fourth quarter, Jaden McDaniels converted an and-1 layup over Thunder guard Alex Caruso, tying the game with 12 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Nickeil Alexander-Walker missed a game-winning floater attempt at the buzzer, leading to overtime. McDaniels led Minnesota with 27 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and Reid added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Edwards finished with a near triple-double, contributing 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to round out three starters finishing in double-figures. Alexander-Walker added 21 points and five rebounds while Shannon Jr. tallied a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double off the bench. Gilgeous-Alexander also neared a triple-double with a 39-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist effort on an efficient 11-of-20 shooting from the field. Williams had 27 points and Aaron Wiggins finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in the loss. What this means for Timberwolves Minnesota has been one of the worst clutch teams in the league this season. The Wolves have lost 21 games in clutch time, defined as within five points in the final five minutes. This game looked like it was getting nowhere near clutch time until an unheralded group rallied them. With Edwards on the sideline with a sore calf, coach Chris Finch said he nearly pulled the plug when they were down 19 points with 6:28 to play. But Shannon Jr. converted a three-point play and another layup to cut it to 12 with just under five minutes to play. “When we got it down to 12, I thought we had a chance,” Finch said. “I wouldn’t have necessarily put money on us winning, but I thought at that point we had a chance.” This was the largest fourth-quarter deficit overcome in franchise history, per Elias. Minnesota also is just the second team since 2002-03 to come back to win a game after trailing by at least 16 points with 3:45 to go, per Wolves PR. The only other team to do it? The Sacramento Kings did it against Minnesota in 2020. Finch stuck with a five that included Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham, Alexander-Walker, McDaniels and Reid, and that group rallied to force overtime. The Wolves also were missing starters Julius Randle (groin), Donte DiVincenzo (toe) and Rudy Gobert (back), but Minnesota found a way to push through for what could be a season-defining win. This season has been disjointed as the Wolves have tried to move on from Karl-Anthony Towns. But one thing this team has never done is give up. There is a fiber to them that merits seeing this thing through. After losing to Houston and Oklahoma City in close games coming out of the break, the Wolves needed this one to show their fans that it’s not time to give up just yet. “We kept fighting. The team fights. It always has,” Finch said. “We don’t always play the prettiest basketball, but it’s been fighting for a long, long time.” — Jon Krawczynski, senior writer Finch’s moves finally paid off Finch has come under criticism from some Wolves fans with the team struggling to regain the form it had last season on the way to the Western Conference finals. He has not always been able to find the right lineup combinations. He also owns part of the team’s clutch time woes. But Finch made several huge decisions in the fourth quarter to help win this one. First, the Wolves started to blitz Gilgeous-Alexander to force the ball out of his hands early in the possession. They had deployed a similar strategy in their previous two wins over the Thunder, but Finch said he didn’t want to use the same approach at the start of this game because he figured OKC would be ready for it. He finally went to it in the fourth, flustering the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander had only nine points on 3-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter and overtime. His teammates only scored 17 points during that time, allowing the Wolves to roar back. Finch also decided to keep Edwards on the bench for much of the comeback. The Wolves star had struggled shooting in the game, including missing four free throws. Edwards used a therapeutic massager on his calf throughout the fourth quarter and felt good enough to get in for the final few minutes in overtime when he had that enormous block. Like he rarely has this season, Finch rode the young players and it paid off for him in a big win. — Krawczynski. McDaniels shines while offense struggles While the rest of his team couldn’t buy a bucket for most of the night, McDaniels carried the offense. He showed more playmaking chops than he ever has. Edwards and Reid couldn’t find their shooting touch, so McDaniels put it all on his slim shoulders. He made 9 of 16 shots and all nine free throws. “I saw growth,” Reid said. “I was struggling, Ant was struggling. He was the only one getting to his spots, making shots and rebounding.” McDaniels is often the fourth or fifth option on offense when the Wolves are fully healthy, but he is showing he is capable of much more. — Krawczynski Required reading (Photo: William Purnell / Getty Images) Source link #Timberwolves #erase #25point #deficit #defeat #Thunder #overtime Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Tuesday, February 25 NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Tuesday, February 25 Table of Contents Table of Contents How to play Strands Hint for today’s Strands puzzle Today’s Strand answers Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle. Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below. How to play Strands You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the “theme words” hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable. If you find a word that isn’t a theme word, it still helps! For every three non-theme words you find that are at least four letters long, you’ll get a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be revealed and you’ll just have to unscramble it. Every single letter on the grid is used to spell out the theme words and there is no overlap. Every letter will be used once, and only once. Each puzzle contains one “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) that describe the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted yellow. The goal should be to complete the puzzle quickly without using too many hints. Hint for today’s Strands puzzle Today’s theme is “Life is like a box of chocolates” Here’s a hint that might help you: the part you can’t see. Today’s Strand answers NYT Today’s spanagram We’ll start by giving you the spangram, which might help you figure out the theme and solve the rest of the puzzle on your own: Today’s Strands answers CARAMEL ALMONDS NOUGAT TRUFFLE TOFFEE LIQUEUR Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #spangram #answers #Tuesday #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AMD’s powerful Ryzen 7 7800X3D, one of the best CPUs for gaming, is in stock and on ***** for $449 AMD’s powerful Ryzen 7 7800X3D, one of the best CPUs for gaming, is in stock and on ***** for $449 Being a PC enthusiast at the moment is hard going, especially if you’re looking to build a high-end gaming rig. The supplies of the latest hardware are not keeping up with demand, and exorbitant prices are reigning supreme. If you’ve been eyeing the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, you know that this latest gaming CPU from AMD has been out of stock since its release, with any stock replenishment selling out nearly instantly. And as for Nvidia GPUs… let’s not go there today. Discounted to slightly below its average list price and actually in stock, you can pick up AMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3D from Newegg for $449 – reduced from $479. It’s worth noting that you can also grab the 7800X3D at Amazon for the same price. This processor has also been in and out of stock recently, reaching peak prices of up to $523. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AMD’s Zen 4 architecture on the AM5 socket platform. This processor has eight cores and 16 threads with a base operating speed of 4.2 GHz and a max boost of up to 5.0 GHz. AMD’s stacked 3D V-cache design lets this chip pack a whopping 96MB for the L3 cache, helping this processor to shine when used for playing games on your PC. We reviewed the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D when it first debuted in April 2023, and immediately recognized it for its fast performance speeds – especially in gaming. We also noted the processor’s good power efficiency and support for PCIe 5.0. For more information on how the Ryzen 7 7800X3D compares to the competition from other AMD CPUs and comparable CPUs from Intel, please take a look at our CPU hierarchy, where we list the latest CPUs in an easy-to-view chart and see how they stack up against each other. Don’t forget to look at our Newegg coupon codes for February 2025 and see if you can save on today’s deal or other products at Newegg. Source link #AMDs #powerful #Ryzen #7800X3D #CPUs #gaming #stock #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Athenahealth to offer Abridge’s AI scribe to its network of thousands of doctors Athenahealth to offer Abridge’s AI scribe to its network of thousands of doctors A doctor looks at an AI-generated clinical note. Courtesy of Athenahealth Health-care software vendor Athenahealth on Tuesday said it will offer Abridge’s artificial intelligence scribing tool to its network of more than 160,000 clinicians. Athenahealth has developed an electronic health record, revenue cycle management tools and patient engagement tools for ambulatory care providers, which include outpatient facilities like independent practices. The company introduced a solution called Ambient Notes in October that allows doctors to choose between various AI-powered documentation tools, and Abridge is the latest addition. Abridge uses AI to draft clinical notes in real time as doctors consensually record their visits with patients. The startup is part of a red-hot market that has exploded as health-care executives search for solutions to help reduce staff burnout and daunting administrative workloads. “The market is going to evolve rather rapidly, there are going to be winners and losers over time,” Athenahealth CEO Bob Segert told CNBC. “Different physicians will prefer different ways that notes are taken and that the information is delivered, and we want to be able to provide that flexibility.” Athenahealth and Abridge declined to share the financial details of the partnership. Clinicians spend nearly nine hours a week on documentation, according to an October study from Google Cloud. And more than 90% of physicians report feeling burned out on a “regular basis,” according to a survey commissioned by Athenahealth last February. Companies including Abridge, Microsoft’s Nuance Communications, Suki and others say their AI scribing tools can help. Suki and iScribeHealth already offer their tools through Athenahealth’s Ambient Notes solution. “It’ll be incumbent upon us to make sure that we’re able to demonstrate differentiation,” Abridge CEO Dr. Shiv Rao told CNBC. “So far, we’ve had good luck these last few years doing that.” Abridge has deployed its technology across more than 100 health systems in the U.S., including organizations like the Mayo Clinic, Duke Health and Johns Hopkins Medicine. The company announced a $250 million funding round earlier this month. It also unveiled a new Contextual Reasoning Engine that can pull information that’s relevant to a specific clinician and their clinic’s best practices. Abridge’s Rao said that technology will be available to Athenahealth clinicians. Athenahealth’s Ambient Notes solution is currently available in a limited capacity, but the company said it plans to widen availability for clinicians through 2025. “The more they try it, the more they like it, and I think we’re going to see a pretty steep adoption curve as this continues to move forward,” Segert said. Source link #Athenahealth #offer #Abridges #scribe #network #thousands #doctors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* Election 2025: Friedrich Merz Appears Poised to Be Next Chancellor ******* Election 2025: Friedrich Merz Appears Poised to Be Next Chancellor Germans voted for a change of leadership on Sunday, handing the most votes in a parliamentary election to centrist conservatives, with the far right in second, and rebuking the nation’s left-leaning government for its handling of the economy and immigration. The results almost certainly mean the country’s next chancellor will be Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democrats. Returns posted early Monday morning indicated that he had a path to governing Germany with only one coalition partner, the relatively stable scenario that his party had hoped for. “We have won it,” Mr. Merz told supporters in Berlin on Sunday evening, promising to swiftly form a parliamentary majority to govern the country and restore strong ******* leadership in Europe. The election, which was held seven months ahead of schedule after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular and long-troubled three-party coalition, will now become an essential part of the European response to President Trump’s new world order. It drew the highest voter turnout in decades. Mr. Merz, 69, has promised to crack down on migrants and slash taxes and business regulations in a bid to kick-start economic growth. He also vowed to bring a more assertive foreign policy to help Ukraine and stronger leadership in Europe at a moment when the new Trump administration has sowed anxiety by scrambling traditional alliances and embracing Russia. A businessman who has never served as a government minister, Mr. Merz was once seen as a potentially better counterpart for the American president than Mr. Scholz, but in the campaign’s final days he mused about whether the United States would remain a democracy under Mr. Trump. He strongly condemned what Germans saw as meddling by Trump administration officials on behalf of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “My top priority, for me, will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that we can gradually achieve real independence from the U.S.A.,” Mr. Merz said in a televised round-table after polls closed. “I would never have thought I’d be saying something like this on TV, but after last week’s comments from Donald Trump, it’s clear that this administration is largely indifferent to Europe’s fate, or at least to this part of it.” Returns showed that Mr. Merz’s Christian Democrats and their sister party, the Christian Social Union, won just under 29 percent of the vote combined. It was a low share historically for the top party in a ******* election, and the second-lowest showing ever for Mr. Merz’s party in a chancellor election. Both are signs of the multiplying fissures in the nation’s politics and the weaknesses of the centrist mainstream parties that have governed Germany for decades. There was great suspense on Sunday evening about the coalition Mr. Merz would be able to assemble, but he was clearly hoping for a rerun of the centrist governments that ran Germany for much of former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure: the Christian Democrats in the lead, with the Social Democrats as a lone junior partner. Near-final returns posted early on Monday morning suggested he might have squeaked it out — barely. They indicated that the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, a pro-Russia splinter from the old ******* left, had fallen just short of the 5 percent support it needed to get into Parliament. That apparent failure — by a margin of less than 14,000 votes — would mean that only five parties would make it into the next Parliament. In that scenario, Mr. Merz’s party and the Social Democrats could form a majority with no other partners. Had another small party made it into Parliament, Mr. Merz would have been forced to find a third coalition partner. That could have led to another potentially unwieldy and unstable government for Germany, reconfigured but with some of the same vulnerabilities as the one that recently collapsed. Mr. Merz has promised never to join with the second-place finisher, the AfD, which routinely flirts with Nazi slogans and whose members have diminished the Holocaust and have been linked to plots to overthrow the government. But the returns showed that the AfD is a growing force in ******* politics, even if it fell short of its ambitions in this election. The AfD doubled its vote share from four years ago, largely by appealing to voters upset by the millions of refugees who entered the country over the last decade from the Middle East, Afghanistan, Ukraine and elsewhere. In the former East Germany, it finished first. Its vote share appeared to fall short of its high mark of support in the polls from a year ago, however. Many analysts had been expecting a stronger showing, after a sequence of events that elevated the party and its signature issue. The AfD received public support from Vice President JD Vance and the billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk. It sought to make political gains out of a series of deadly attacks committed by migrants in recent months, including in the final days of the campaign. But that boon never materialized. Reaction to the recent attacks and the support from Trump officials may have even mobilized a late burst of support to Die Linke, the party of Germany’s far left, which campaigned on a pro-immigration platform, some voters suggested in interviews on Sunday. For all of that movement, the most likely coalition partner for Mr. Merz appears to be the one analysts have predicted for months: Mr. Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats, even though they experienced a steep drop in support from four years ago. Interviews and early returns suggested voters were angry at Mr. Scholz’s government over high grocery prices and inadequate wage growth, and polls suggested economic and migration issues topped voters’ minds. Many voters, even those who backed the Christian Democrats, said they were not enthusiastic about Mr. Merz personally. But they hoped that he could forge a strong government to solve problems at home and abroad and keep Germany’s far right at bay. “The biggest risk for Germany at the moment is that we will have an unstable majority,” said Felix Saalfeld, 32, a doctor in the eastern city of Dresden who voted for Mr. Merz’s Christian Democrats. “That’s why it’s best if the C.D.U./C.S.U. gets a lot of votes and we can somehow form a coalition with as few people as possible, even if it’s not my party.” Mr. Merz will seek to lead Europe in trade and security conflicts with the Trump administration, which has rapidly been reshuffling the United States’ global alliances. He is also likely to face a daunting task in trying to reinvigorate a slumping economy that has not grown, in real terms, for half a decade. Voters said they would look to the next government to stoke growth and cushion the pain of post-pandemic inflation. “Everything is getting more expensive, and at the same time, wages are not rising,” said Rojin Yilmaz, 20, a ******** at Allianz in Aschaffenburg, a city where an immigrant with mental illness killed a toddler and an adult last month. Mr. Yilmaz voted for Die Linke. In interviews in Dresden, a bastion of support for the AfD, some voters said they had lost faith in mainstream parties to address immigration and other issues. “I voted for the AfD,” said Andreas Mühlbach, 70. “It is the only alternative that is able to change things here.” With support for the AfD on the rise, Martin Milner, 59, an educator and musician in Potsdam who split his ticket between the Greens and Die Linke, said he hopes Germany’s defensive democracy holds fast against the right-wing threat. “I’m hoping that this system will show itself to be resilient enough,” Mr. Milner said, “that it can manage the problems we have without drifting to one extreme or the other.” Reporting was contributed by Christopher F. Schuetze, Melissa Eddy and Tatiana Firsova from Berlin; Sam Gurwitt from Aschaffenburg; Adam Sella from Potsdam; and Catherine Odom from Dresden. Source link #******* #Election #Friedrich #Merz #Appears #Poised #Chancellor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NHL trade board 7.0: The 4 Nations break is over, and things are about to get real NHL trade board 7.0: The 4 Nations break is over, and things are about to get real Just days remain for any NHL team sitting on the fence to determine which direction it’ll go before the March 7 trade deadline. There are currently 10 teams on the wrong side of the playoff cut-line that are within six points of the final wild-card spot in their respective conferences, which adds an air of uncertainty to a trade market that remained dormant throughout the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Among that chase pack, who is prepared to buy, sell or stand pat? As the clock ticks down toward clarity, here’s our latest Big Board. Players are listed by how closely they demand watching, based on their potential impact and the current amount of buzz around them. Note: Net Ratings and market values are via Dom Luszczyszyn’s model and are projected for the full season based on statistics through Feb. 23. Goals saved above expected (GSAx) are via Evolving-Hockey, also through Feb. 23. Contract info is via PuckPedia. Loading Try changing or resetting your filters to see more. Not only have the Islanders cooled off a bit but they also appear no closer to an extension with the pending UFA. And Nelson arguably has the highest trade value of any “rental” player who might be moved at this deadline. The 33-year-old all-situations forward is a big, sturdy man with a strong track record of scoring goals. He can be slotted as a second-line center or slide into a wing spot on the top line. Basically, he’s exactly the kind of difference-maker that contending teams would be falling over themselves to get their hands on, which is why multiple contenders are monitoring this file closely. Player type Big veteran second-liner Well on his way to topping 30 goals and 60 points this season, Rakell may be the most productive offensive player available ahead of this deadline. The right-shot winger is an above-average finisher who has a history of holding his own when playing alongside highly skilled linemates. With three years remaining on his contract after this one, the usual caveats apply: The Penguins do not have to move Rakell now, but they’d be willing to do it if the return helped them push along their organizational goal of getting younger. He’s signed to an extremely reasonable contract in a rising cap environment. Player type Proven offensive contributor A big name who comes with a big ticket, Jones is a player of intrigue because of a skill set that is in short supply around the league. The right-shot defenseman can shoulder big minutes in all situations and handle a shutdown role. He’s so anxious for a move to a team closer to contention than the Blackhawks that he recently went public with his desire to be dealt. Moving his contract in-season won’t be easy, but Chicago is believed to be open to retaining some of the remaining money to help facilitate a trade. Jones and the team are working together on trying to find him a new home. Player type Major-minutes defenseman The retooling Flyers are short on rental players to take to market in the lead-up to the deadline, but they could be compelled to part with the big, physical defenseman who has some term remaining. Ristolainen plays a rugged style best suited for third-pairing duty, and he’s taken meaningful steps forward over the past 18 months toward becoming a more reliable defender in his own zone. With a contract that stretches two seasons beyond this one, some salary retention might be needed to make a trade work. Player type Rugged veteran defenseman A relentless high-motor player who is enjoying a career season in Chicago, Donato is attracting serious attention on the trade market. As a pending unrestricted free agent, he profiles as a rental who can add to a team’s depth while playing basically anywhere in the lineup. Donato appears to have made some strides with his skating this season and has the hands to bury offensive chances when he gets them. He’s one goal away from hitting 20 for the first time in his NHL career. Player type High-motor depth player With the Sabres languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and in need of some kind of shakeup, two-thirds of NHL teams have at least checked in on Cozens’ availability. Even amid a down season, the 6-foot-3 center holds plenty of appeal. He’s got great speed and skill for a player his size and already has a 30-goal NHL campaign under his belt at age 23. Here’s the rub, though: It’s going to take a meaningful offer to pry him out of Buffalo — something built around an established player, not just prospects — and so far that hasn’t materialized. Player type Speedy young blue-chip asset The Sabres certainly aren’t shopping the 23-year-old defenseman, but he may be the piece they have to put in play in order to make a significant shakeup. Byram is an elite skater who can log big minutes and should still have his best and most productive seasons ahead. He’s also due for a new contract after the season as a pending restricted free agent. The Sabres control his rights, but they’re a team with a lot of money and years already tied up in their blue line, so decisions are looming. Player type Blue-chip prospect With Laughton signed for one season beyond this one and producing at a 40-point pace, the Flyers are under no pressure to trade him. But if a contender is willing to part with a first-round pick, they’ll probably be compelled to pull the trigger. Laughton would be a bottom-six upgrade for a lot of contending teams. He’s a glue guy who kills penalties and plays with an edge to his game. Player type Veteran glue guy A high-energy player who brings it on the forecheck and recklessly throws himself in front of pucks on the penalty kill, Tanev has a lot of the qualities contenders are looking for. Known for playing a grindy game that wears on opponents, he leads all Seattle forwards in short-handed ice time. He certainly doesn’t back down when faced with a contested piece of ice. As a bonus, he also comes with 46 games of Stanley Cup playoff experience. Player type Grindy penalty-killing forward Rantanen lands this high on the Big Board because 1) he’s a massive name and 2) he’s embroiled in an uncertain situation leading up to the deadline. The Hurricanes shocked the hockey world by acquiring him in late January and have since put their best foot forward to try to get him signed to an extension. So far, no dice. If Rantanen tells the Hurricanes he’s going to hit the open market on July 1 rather than negotiating with them, do they still want to keep him around as a rental? Keep in mind that Carolina has the ability to get his cap hit under $3 million if they flip him somewhere else with retention. Market value $10.4 million Player type Superstar scorer It has been an up-and-down campaign in St. Louis, with a coaching change and a few notable moves made already made with an eye toward shaking up the group. It also didn’t go without notice recently when general manager Doug Armstrong spoke publicly about the possibility of making changes to his core. Enter Schenn, the Blues captain, who the team is believed to at least be gauging interest on. That doesn’t guarantee a move, especially with Schenn in possession of a full no-trade clause, but it’s enough to land him on the Big Board. The veteran center is having a good season and brings value at both ends of the ice, plus all kinds of playoff experience. Player type Two-way vet with Cup experience The veteran right-shot winger remains a serious scoring threat into his 15th NHL season. He hit 30 goals in 2023-24 and is on pace to comfortably cruise past 20 this season. As a pending unrestricted free agent, Palmieri is an attractive rental option, especially with his willingness to battle his way to the hard areas of the ice. Not unlike the situation with teammate Brock Nelson, the only real question is if general manager Lou Lamoriello will willingly part with a valued member of his team while it’s still hanging around the playoff race. Player type Veteran scorer After acquiring Marcus Pettersson and signing him to a six-year extension, the Canucks have made the 6-foot-5 Soucy available on the trade market. Minutes are going to be tougher for him to come by now. Soucy is a prototypical shutdown defender who has performed well in the playoffs for the Canucks and during his previous stop in Seattle. As a bonus, the left shot is comfortable playing on either side of the ice. Soucy will have a lot of say in where he lands because of a no-trade clause that runs through the end of the season. Player type Shutdown defender The writing has been on the wall since Montreal acquired Alexandre Carrier in December. At a minimum, it made the veteran defenseman on an expiring contract much more expendable. Savard should have suitors as a depth option and penalty killer, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he carries the experience of a Stanley Cup win with Tampa Bay in 2021 after being acquired midway through that season. He’s also a right shot who routinely sacrifices his body to block shots, both of which are attributes good teams can always use more of. Player type Veteran defensive defenseman Mittelstadt’s name started surfacing in trade discussions after the Avalanche dealt away Mikko Rantanen in a late-January blockbuster. Colorado is willing to get creative in an effort to upgrade its top-six forward group. Mittelstadt has good hands and is known as a puck distributor and playmaker rather than a goal scorer. While still young enough at age 26 to carry some upside, his play on the defensive side of the puck can leave something to be desired. Player type Playmaker with upside Nyquist has found a nice home in Nashville and might prefer to stay, but it has been a rough ride for the Predators this season and he is the most marketable rental asset currently in their stable. One year removed from an unexpected 75-point season, Nyquist’s production has dipped significantly. But the 35-year-old remains a strong skater and talented playmaker, and he could be had for a reasonable price. Player type Veteran playmaker While Frederic has seen a decline after posting career bests with an 18-goal, 40-point campaign last season, he still brings intangibles teams appreciate. He’s a big man who skates well and can effectively be deployed as a checker. With senior leadership in Boston acknowledging publicly that the organization is considering becoming a seller ahead of the deadline, Frederic is a hot commodity. Player type Checker who can score A rough-and-tumble winger who boasts an impressive fight card, Olivier has caught the attention of at least a couple of teams currently eyeing potential depth forward options. The 28-year-old pending unrestricted free agent has even managed to chip in more than his share of expected goals this season. But what makes him most attractive is his size, strength and willingness to embrace an energy role. Olivier is built for playoff hockey. Player type Rough-and-tumble energy winger One of the largest men in the league at 6-foot-7 and nearly 260 pounds, Oleksiak represents the kind of depth contenders crave. While he’s seen a small decline in his minutes this season in Seattle, he’s shown he can handle second-pairing deployment at even strength while logging big minutes on the penalty kill. He can also line up on either side of the ice. The Kraken have a decision here since Oleksiak is signed through next season, but they may be able to maximize his value by trading him now. Player type Huge depth defenseman Contract talks haven’t produced any traction, which leaves the Canucks facing a decision while trying to hang tough in the playoff race: Keep Boeser as an own rental or cash in on him as an asset? The sniper has experienced a decline following a 40-goal campaign — not only in production, but also in the number of shots and shot attempts he’s generating. Still, he’s got good puck skills and a strong history as a power-play contributor. Marchand says he wants to spend his entire career in Boston, and the Bruins say they’re trying to sign their captain to an extension. But … talk is cheap. Marchand remains a pending UFA. Can a retooling franchise risk walking him to free agency? Fresh off helping Canada win the 4 Nations Face-Off, Marchand remains a high-end winger who can contribute offensively, kill penalties and, yes, get under an opponent’s skin. His slow start following multiple offseason surgeries appears to be in the rear-view mirror. Player type Veteran leader, scorer and agitator It’s not clear how deep the Bruins are prepared to cut, but they could certainly attract a nice return of futures by moving Carlo now. He’s still under contract for two more seasons, which could help an acquiring team justify paying a big price to get him. Carlo is a 6-foot-5, right-shot defenseman who is a trusted defender and penalty killer. He’s got plenty of big-game experience, too. Player type Defensive defenseman With Murphy having recently returned to Chicago’s lineup after a recurring groin injury, teams will want some assurances about his medical file before proceeding with a trade. Still, a 6-foot-4 right-shot defenseman is a pretty appealing asset. Murphy has also posted strong defensive results under less-than-favorable conditions with a Blackhawks team on its way to yet another lottery pick. Player type Big defensive stalwart ******* isn’t expected to return to the Kraken’s lineup before the trade deadline after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia in January. However, he should be ready to play games again at some point in March. So while his health situation may slightly diminish his trade value, it hasn’t completely submarined it. ******* is a strong skater and two-way player who owns a couple of Stanley Cup rings from his time in Tampa — which means that he’s exactly the kind of player a team gearing up for the playoffs will be looking at closely. Player type Feisty playoff performer An effective skater for a man of his size, Armia is known for his defensive instincts and consistent 200-foot play. He’s also a solid penalty killer who has chipped in with three short-handed goals for Montreal this season — third most among all NHL players through early February. A pending unrestricted free agent, he’s available as a bottom-six rental. Player type Bottom-six defensive help Reliable right-shot centers who can fill a depth role always have currency come deadline time. Bjugstad has shown that before — getting traded in 2022 from Arizona to Edmonton in a deal that brought back a third-round pick and defenseman Michael Kesselring — and he’s trending toward being that kind of asset again for Utah HC. He’s a reliable play-driver who profiles as an ideal bottom-six utility man. Of course, Utah may elect to hang on to him depending on how the next few games go. Player type Bottom-six utility man A huge winger at 6-foot-6 and 230-plus pounds, Greenway is on the radar for contenders seeking a bottom-six upgrade. As a pending unrestricted free agent, he can be acquired as a rental ahead of the deadline and the cost shouldn’t be too prohibitive given his limited offensive output this season. Consistency is a bit of a question mark here. Player type Huge depth winger Playing on an expiring contract, the depth center is having a career year at the perfect time. Evans appears poised to blow past previous career highs of 13 goals and 29 points. While the Canadiens like him, his surge in production may turn him into trade bait rather than someone they keep around with another contract. Evans isn’t overly big, but he’s a quick skater and an effective penalty-killer. He’d be a quality fourth-line option for a contender. Player type Quality fourth-line option The Blue Jackets will have a difficult decision on their hands if someone offers a first-round pick for Provorov. The team has overachieved this season, and the minute-munching defenseman has expressed a desire to sign an extension in Columbus, but the smarter move may be cashing in on his value as a trade asset now. We’ll see. Although there have been some contract talks with the pending unrestricted free agent on an extension, a gap exists between how the two sides see things. Provorov is an all-situations defender who can play either side of the ice and tends to help his team keep the puck moving in the right direction. Player type All-situations defender A minute-munching, shot-blocking defenseman who has drawn trade interest in the past, Ferraro is a valuable commodity. Signed through the end of next season at a $3.25 million cap hit, the 26-year-old is a strong puck mover and penalty killer with a competitive streak to match. Player type Minute-munching shot-blocker The 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner has two more seasons remaining on his contract and has already indicated a desire to stay in Nashville. However, it might not ultimately be his call. The organization wants to do right by O’Reilly, but general manager Barry Trotz will be forced to make a decision if he gets a strong trade offer amid a disappointing season for the team. O’Reilly is an excellent two-way center who can be counted on to chip in offensively and has the ability to be a true difference-maker for a contender. As an added bonus, he’s a menace in the faceoff circle, too. Player type Top two-way center A mountain of a man at 6-foot-6 and 232 pounds, McCarron may find himself in demand since he’s playing on an affordable cap hit for one more season. He’s a right shot who can kill penalties and win some draws. Even if he’s limited offensively, there’s value to be found in a fourth-liner who plays his style of game. Player type Mountainous depth forward A veteran left-shot defenseman with two Stanley Cup championships on his resume, Dumoulin profiles as a nice depth addition for a contender. Big and mobile, he can be trusted to move the puck effectively while handling a steady workload. He’s not known for being overly physical, but he won’t be pushed around. The 33-year-old is on an expiring contract and should be an easy piece for the Ducks to ship out before the deadline. Player type Depth defenseman with Cup rings Lindgren is poised to potentially walk as a free agent on July 1 and also has had a hand in some of the Rangers’ defensive struggles this season. That’s not a great combination. A frequent partner of former Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox, Lindgren has still seen his team take on water during his five-on-five minutes. However, he’s still considered a high-character player who doesn’t shy away from physical play and is at an age where he likely hasn’t yet hit his ceiling. Player type Struggling veteran A Big Board mainstay, this may finally be the season Gibson finds his way back to a competitive team. He’s lost the No. 1 job in Anaheim to Lukáš Dostál and is inching ever closer to the end of his contract with two years remaining on it after this one. That’s been the biggest impediment to finding him a new home. While Gibson’s numbers in recent seasons don’t jump off the page in a positive way, they should be viewed with the understanding that he’s played behind some horrific defensive teams. He’s also had a major bounce-back performance so far this season. In a trade market with very few goaltending options available, Gibson has the highest ceiling. Player type Former ace in need of a fresh start Injuries have kept Zegras from building any positive momentum the past two seasons. A fresh start could help that along. The Ducks are demanding more attention to detail from the offensive specialist, and getting it, but Zegras is still searching for a way to hang on to the parts of his game that once separated him. Remember that he already has two 60-point campaigns under his belt at age 23. The production has dried up, as has some of the player’s enthusiasm. Player type Distressed asset Another giant depth forward at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Brazeau traveled the long road to the NHL and has earned a raise on his league-minimum $775,000 contract. He’s already hit the 10-goal mark for the first time in his career this season. Brazeau is a hard-working player who doesn’t hesitate to finish his checks. Player type Late-blooming power forward Robertson has bit his lip since a summer trade request went unfulfilled by the Leafs, but the situation could still come to a head before the deadline. He has at least helped his trade value with some more productive outings since a brief string of scratches in December. However, in the big picture, Robertson hasn’t gained much traction under new head coach Craig Berube, and he may still get his desired fresh start once the Leafs begin looking at other acquisitions. Player type Diminutive winger who can score A bottom-six forward option who plays hard at both ends of the ice, what you see is what you get from Kunin. He can chip in a bit offensively and has plenty of experience as a penalty killer. The right shot has made strides in the faceoff dot this season, as well. A pending unrestricted free agent in Pittsburgh who has contributed some offense this season, Beauvillier could be on the move yet again. He’s bounced from Long Island to Vancouver to Chicago to Nashville to the Penguins in the past three seasons. Still, Beauvillier is a skilled winger with decent puck-handling skills. He’s a pretty good skater, too. A contract throw-in as part of the Flames-Flyers deal at the end of January, it would not be a surprise to see Kuzmenko flipped. The talented scorer has seen the goals disappear entirely this season and is on an expiring contract. But he remains a threat on the power play and could be due for a bounce back. For a few days at the 4 Nations Face-Off at least, Karlsson looked like he’d found the fountain of youth. He played extremely well for Team Sweden. Things have been much more up and down this season with the Penguins, and it’s only natural to wonder if he might benefit from a more competitive environment. His contract remains the biggest barrier to a trade since it covers two more years at a $10 million cap hit and the Penguins aren’t believed to be warm to the idea of salary retention. (Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic, with photos of Seth Jones, Mikko Rantanen and Brayden Schenn by Patrick Smith, Ellen Schmidt and Jamie Sabau / Getty Images) Source link #NHL #trade #board #Nations #break #real Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Reltio adds real-time data delivery to fuel fast decisions Reltio adds real-time data delivery to fuel fast decisions Reltio on Tuesday launched the Lightspeed Data Delivery Network, a new feature that nearly instantaneously delivers actionable data to inform real-time decisions. In addition, the vendor released its latest Reltio Data Cloud update, adding capabilities that address data privacy, unification and the complexity of location data. Many applications for data occur in the moment. In the past, data was largely used to examine past performance to discover trends that inform business decisions. Now, however, uses such as personal recommendation delivery or making a medical diagnosis take place in real time, requiring that data be available in milliseconds. The Reltio Lightspeed Data Delivery Network is designed to deliver data to applications and personalized experiences in less than a second, no matter where an end user is located worldwide, according to the vendor. Given the near instantaneous data delivery enabled by the new feature, it’s a meaningful addition for Reltio customers, according to Doug Henschen, an analyst at Constellation Research. “This is a big deal for Reltio customers because it gives them another option to satisfy fast-growing demands for low-latency applications and use cases,” he said. Other vendors offer real-time data delivery capabilities, such as Confluent and Qlik. However, for existing Reltio customers, the Lightspeed Data Delivery Network provides such capabilities without having to seek such capabilities from a third party, Henschen continued. “Customers might appreciate this if they are familiar and comfortable with Reltio and don’t want to have to turn to another provider, license its services/tech and learn its platform,” he said. “It gives them an opportunity to extend their current investment both in Reltio services and training.” Based in Redwood City, Calif., Reltio is a master data management (MDM) specialist whose tools enable customers to unify distributed data. Competitors include Informatica, Semarchy and Tibco. New capabilities Reltio’s Lightspeed Data Delivery Network is built on nodes that receive data in real time from the Reltio Data Cloud, according to Ansh Kanwar, Reltio’s EVP of product, technology and strategy. Data is then stored on the nodes to optimize it for queries and near instantaneous read times. In addition, the new feature delivers data through a REST API so it can be used by systems such as *** platforms and mobile applications. Reltio’s development of the Lightspeed Data Delivery Network represents the vendor’s recognition that real-time data is a necessity in the modern business world and is its attempt to meet that need, according to Kanwar. “We live in an ‘always on’ hyperconnected world where consumers expect personalized experiences at the point of engagement,” he said. “What’s missing in the world today is … having the right data available at your fingertips, when and where you need it. Reltio Lightspeed Data Delivery Network addresses this need.” Specific benefits of Reltio’s Lightspeed Data Delivery Network include access to data in a fraction of a second, a service architecture optimized for queries to help customers control costs and multi-region deployments to speed data delivery and resilience, the vendor said. In addition, with MDM a key part of data governance, the data delivered in real time through the Reltio Data Cloud to applications can be trusted to the same extent an enterprise’s governed historical data.. Like Henschen, Stewart Bond, an analyst at IDC, said the new feature is significant because it provides timely access to relevant data. In particular, the Lightspeed Data Delivery Network will benefit applications such as AI agents that are trained on an enterprise’s proprietary data to take on tasks in real time previously performed by human beings. “Organizations need access to timely, relevant and high-quality data to serve many digital processes,” Bond said. “This will be even more prevalent with AI use cases and as agentic AI begins to take hold [and] untimely, poor quality or irrelevant data could result in sub-optimal, incorrect, or unwanted agent actions and outcomes.” Henschen, meanwhile, noted that the service architecture raises potential concerns for Reltio customers. Some real-time data delivery tools are built on open source technology rather than a proprietary service. Open source technology is intended to integrate easily with other tools. Integrating proprietary services with tools from other vendors, however, is often complex. “I’m sure customers will want to learn more about compatibility and integrations with popular third-party applications and platforms, and open source technologies,” Henschen said. Beyond the addition of the Lightspeed Data Delivery Network, Reltio added new capabilities in Reltio Data Cloud. They include data masking to protect sensitive information, bulk-match review to accelerate data unification and reverse geocoding to convert location data to understandable addresses. Each is also provided by other data management vendors, according to Henschen. As a result, he termed the update “incremental” and “expected.” However, even if incremental, they are useful to Reltio customers given that fears related to data security keep some organizations from deploying AI applications that could otherwise benefit their business, according to Bond. “The enhanced data privacy, unification and usability capabilities are … valuable as we know that data privacy and protection is holding some organizations back from going further with AI projects. Looking ahead Reltio’s future product development plans include improving real-time data management and AI-powered data unification and adding new integrations to expand the Reltio ecosystem, according to Kanwar. One area Reltio would be wise to continue focusing is on finding a way to integrate its MDM capabilities into agentic AI architectures, according to Bond. MDM can ensure data quality, and high-quality data is a prerequisite for AI and agentic AI applications. “All master data management software vendors will need to find their role and place in agentic architectures,” Bond said. Henschen, meanwhile, suggested that, like its competitors, Reltio continue to expand beyond its MDM roots. Its foray into low-latency data services with the Lightspeed Data Delivery Network represents such expansion. Adding more data integration capabilities could be an opportunity for further expansion. “I’d expect [Reltio] to continue to move into adjacent markets and give new and existing customers an opportunity to do more with its cloud-based platform,” Henschen said. Eric Avidon is a senior news writer for Informa TechTarget and a journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He covers analytics and data management. Source link #Reltio #adds #realtime #data #delivery #fuel #fast #decisions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Panasonic takes on Canon with the full-frame, 45-megapixel S1R II mirrorless camera Panasonic takes on Canon with the full-frame, 45-megapixel S1R II mirrorless camera Panasonic’s mirrorless cameras are best known for their video powers, but with its latest model, the company is finally getting serious about photography as well. The $3,300 full-frame Lumix S1R II is not only the company’s first camera capable of 8K video but can fire off 40 fps bursts of high-resolution (45 megapixel) RAW photos. It also offers a more advanced autofocus system, putting it squarely into the conversation with Sony, Canon and Nikon. I’ve had a pre-production unit for several days now and so far, I’m impressed. The original S1R was a chunky 2.24 pound monster, but the S1R II is much lighter at 1.75 pounds and considerably smaller in size. That makes it less burdensome than before — though still a bit ******* than the Nikon Z8 and Canon R5 II. It also has one of the fattest grips I’ve ever seen that gave me a firm, secure hold on the camera. Panasonic made other substantial changes to the body, removing the top display and shifting the mode dial from top left to top right. In the latter’s place a dedicated burst mode dial and photo/video/S&Q switch was introduced, while a new autofocus dial was placed at the back. Handling is now near the top among high-end full-frame cameras in my book, matching or even beating my favorite, the Sony A1 II. Panasonic The rear 1.8-million-dot display was also overhauled and not only flips out for content creators but also tilts up and down for photographers — putting it on par with the excellent screen on Sony’s A1 II. The electronic viewfinder has the same 5.76-million-dot resolution and 120Hz refresh rate as before, but now offers a more natural 100 percent magnification. The S1R II supports both SD UHS II and fast CFexpress Type B cards (rather than XQD as before) with a slot for each, while also allowing SSD recording via the USB-C port like the S5 IIX and GH7. Other inputs include mic, headphone and a full-size HDMI slot, along with a 10Gbps USB-C port. The battery is the same as the one on the GH7 and G9 III but delivers just 350 shots max on a charge, unless you buy the optional DMW-BLK22 battery grip. The S1R II will also offer full-float 32-bit audio recording, but only with the optional DMW-XLR2 audio accessory. Steve Dent for Engadget Shooting performance is dramatically better with up to 40 fps (RAW 12-bit) burst speeds with continuous autofocus enabled, compared to a rather pitiful 6 fps on the previous model. It can also hit 10 fps speeds in mechanical mode or 9 fps with 14-bit RAW output. That matches the lower-resolution Canon R1 (though that model does it in 14-bit RAW mode) and is only below Sony’s A9 III that can hit a mind-boggling 120 fps burst speeds in RAW mode. Panasonic also overhauled the phase-detect autofocus system to add more speed and AI smarts. It can now lock onto a subject’s face and eyes quicker and follow their movements more smoothly, but also detect and automatically switch between humans, animals, cars, motorcycles, bikes, trains and airplanes. From my observations so far, it’s not quite up to the speed and fluidity of Sony and Canon’s latest models, but Panasonic is nearly there. Panasonic When it comes to image quality, JPEG photos look natural with realistic colors, though I wasn’t able to open RAW files on this pre-production camera. One big improvement is at high ISOs in low light thanks to the dual ISO sensor that keeps noise under control all the way up to about ISO 12800. On the video side, the S1R II now supports internal ProRes RAW and 8K video capture, but not both at the same time. ProRes RAW captured to CFexpress or USB-C is limited to 5.8K but uses the full width of the sensor, so it’s a good solution for 4K productions. 8K, meanwhile, can only be captured in 4:2:0 LongGOP MP4 formats at 30 fps (4K tops out at 120 fps in Slow & Quick mode). That compares to 60 fps max on the Canon EOS R5 II and Nikon Z8, and both of those cameras can do that format in RAW. Sony’s A1 II, by contrast, can also do 8K 30 fps video but doesn’t support RAW recording at all. And of course, the S1R II supports V-Log recording and promises up to 14 stops of dynamic range, slightly less than the S1R. It’ll also allow for external ProRes RAW recording at up to 8K to Atomos recorders via a firmware update coming after the initial launch. Panasonic Panasonic’s updated stabilization system promises up to 8 stops of shake reduction, but there are a few significant updates. It reduces edge distortion for video without cropping, though there’s a small amount of vignetting if you do that. As before, it supports e-stabilization at regular and high strengths, and now offers the high-strength mode for anamorphic lenses. That raises the issue of rolling shutter, since the S1R II doesn’t use a stacked sensor like its main competitors, the Nikon Z8 and Canon R5 II. Distortion is definitely more prominent than on those models, but readout speeds are relatively quick so it’s not offensive except when doing whip pans or filming very fast moving subjects. At $3,300, the S1R II is priced well below the $4,300 Canon R5 II but nearly on par with the Nikon Z8, which can currently be found at $3,400. It’s set to start shipping at the end of March 2025. Source link #Panasonic #takes #Canon #fullframe #45megapixel #S1R #mirrorless #camera Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Home Depot snaps its epic losing streak – CNN Home Depot snaps its epic losing streak – CNN Home Depot snaps its epic losing streak CNNHome Depot earnings beat Wall Street estimates, as retailer breaks comparable sales losing streak CNBCHome Depot Earnings Due As HD, Lowe’s Try To Put In A Floor Investor’s Business DailyHome Depot (HD) Expects to Reverse Sales Decline on Higher Demand Bloomberg Source link #Home #Depot #snaps #epic #losing #streak #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ostriches, butt cheeks and relentless energy: How Austin Hedges became an indispensable MLB teammate Ostriches, butt cheeks and relentless energy: How Austin Hedges became an indispensable MLB teammate After the Texas Rangers acquired Max Scherzer at the 2023 deadline, a number of their players were unsure of how to act, and almost distanced themselves out of respect for the future Hall of Famer. Catcher Austin Hedges, who joined the Rangers two days later in a separate trade, took the opposite approach. “He was like, I’m just going straight at this guy’s chin,” former Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe recalled. Hedges, 32, could not be further from Scherzer in career accomplishments. His .186 lifetime batting average is the second lowest in AL-NL history among players with 2,000 at-bats according to STATS Perform, ahead of only Bill Bergen, who batted .170 from 1901-1911. But teams continue to value Hedges for two reasons: his elite defensive skills and his rare ability to connect a clubhouse. The Cleveland Guardians, after reaching the American League Championship Series, made Hedges one of the first free-agent signings of the offseason, bringing him back Nov. 6 on a one-year, $4 million contract. Never mind that Hedges’ career OPS is .559, and .446 the past three seasons. The Guardians wanted Hedges’ energy. The confidence he instills in his teammates. And yes, the raucous, fun-loving environment he creates in a clubhouse, the way he did with Scherzer in 2023. “What does Max want? Max wants to talk trash,” Hedges said. “The best of the best, no one picks on them. These guys are dying for banter, just to be one of the boys.” Hedges does not remember what he said to Scherzer initially, joking, “I don’t remember half the things I say.” Scherzer believes mutual friends perhaps tipped off Hedges on how to rile him. No matter, Scherzer relished the verbal assault. “I love that he went for my throat immediately,” Scherzer said. “He immediately transformed the dynamic of the entire team instead of having Max be on his own separate island,” Lowe said. Hedges and his Rangers teammates celebrate winning the 2023 American League pennant in seven games over the Astros. (Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) With that, the Rangers were on their way. To a wild-card berth highlighted by Hedges’ smashing of an ostrich egg on the final weekend of the regular season, with yolk flying everywhere. To the team’s first World Series title, with Hedges entering the hitters’ meeting before every postseason game in his jockstrap, marking the number of wins needed for a championship with eye ****** scrawled on his naked butt cheek. “Without him that year, I’m not sure we become the team we became in the playoffs,” Rangers catching coordinator Bobby Wilson said. The banter between Hedges and Scherzer lightened a serious-minded Rangers’ clubhouse. The two sat at the head of the table during team dinners, were the ringleaders of fantasy football, the big bettors in cards, Lowe said. At one point, Hedges lost a sizable amount to Scherzer playing cards. Scherzer proceeded to order several bottles of expensive wine at a team dinner and forced Hedges to pick up the tab. “Look, this is coming out of your (playoff) share,” Scherzer recalled telling the backup catcher. “Everyone else here is helping you get paid. So these are friendship dues.” Hedges paid his debt, and then some. In a sport that quantifies virtually every aspect of a player’s performance, his contributions to the Rangers were immeasurable, and left an impact on manager Bruce Bochy. “I got to appreciate how much a player who is not a star player can impact a ballclub,” Bochy said. No one in uniform is immune from Hedges’ razzing, not even his coaches and manager. “Way to catch it Vogter!” Hedges will yell from the Guardians’ dugout if a catcher mishandles a pitch, poking fun at his manager, Stephen Vogt, a former catcher known more for his offense than defense. “Swing it, Albie!” Hedges will shout if a hitter takes a bad swing, singling out Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz, another former catcher who was a career .199 hitter in the minors. Hedges dishes it out, but takes it, too. If a hitter breaks his bat, someone in the dugout might take aim at the 10-year veteran, hollering, “Swing it Hedgie!” pointing out Hedges’ own offensive deficiencies. “That’s good chirp,” Hedges said. Hedges’ chatter eases tension, keeps players in the moment. The atmosphere he creates, Albernaz said, resembles a college dugout. “He doesn’t shut up,” Guardians first-base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. said, laughing before adding, “He’s another coach on the field.” For all his entertaining repartee, Hedges is keenly aware of when to lock in. On days he is not playing, he watches the game intensely, picking up tips on opponents, asking questions of Vogt and his staff, advising and encouraging teammates. Guardians pitcher Ben Lively recalls growing outwardly frustrated at times last season, and Hedges telling him, “Dude, no, you’re better when you’re calm. Keep it inside.” Shane Bieber, the Guardians’ 2020 Cy Young Award winner, said, “I’ve never met anybody who is so good at providing confidence for others.” Austin Hedges celebrates the Guardians’ playoff-clinching win over Minnesota with manager Stephen Vogt last September. (Ken Blaze / Imagn Images) After Major League Baseball introduced the wireless PitchCom communication system in 2022, Hedges developed a novel way to fire up his pitchers. In addition to recording standard voice commands like, “Fastball away,” Hedges made one that says, “F— yeah.” “You make a good pitch, you get a little, ‘F— yeah.’ And then I call the next pitch,” Hedges said. Every day, no matter what Hedges might be experiencing personally or professionally, teammates and staff members say he is the same. “That’s a conscious choice,” Vogt said. “You wake up. You have to make the decision, ‘I’m going to be a good teammate. I’m going to bring energy.’” Hedges does just that, relentlessly. The Guardians see it as no coincidence they reached the postseason with Hedges in 2020, 2022 and ‘24, but missed it without him in ‘23. Bochy and pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said without Hedges last season, the Rangers’ dugout was a different, less rambunctious place. “He’s coffee 24-7, it feels like,” Eovaldi said. “I don’t know how he sleeps.” Hedges started only five games for the Rangers in the final two months of the 2023 regular season, and played only three innings in the postseason. After joining the team, he would start to get loose and hit in the batting cage in the third or fourth inning in preparation for a possible late entrance. But in September, the Rangers asked him to work on his hitting before games. Bochy wanted Hedges’ presence in the dugout, from the first pitch to the last. Hedges loved hearing he was making a difference. “You think this matters?” he thought to himself. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” Watching Hedges’ antics with the Rangers, outfielder Travis Jankowski barely could believe it was the same uptight guy who also was his teammate with the San Diego Padres from 2015 to ‘19. “He wasn’t the Hedgie he is now,” Jankowski said. Hedges, who grew up in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., about an hour north of San Diego, was the Padres’ second-round draft pick in 2011. Scouts in Southern California told Baseball America he was the best defensive backstop to come out of the area in at least a decade. By 2014, the publication rated him the Padres’ No.1 prospect. Hedges envisioned himself becoming a perennial All-Star for his hometown team. But in those early years, he was overwhelmed by the responsibility of learning how to catch, establishing himself offensively and serving as a bellwether of a rebuilding club. “He was thrust into a leadership position in the major leagues before anyone else in the game really gets thrust into that,” former Padres manager Andy Green said. “He put so much stress on himself, it probably wasn’t healthy for him,” Jankowski said. Hedges does not dispute those assessments. “At a certain point,” he said, “I don’t know if I even wanted to play baseball anymore.” Only after the Padres sent him to Cleveland, including him in a nine-player trade during the shortened 2020 season, did Hedges start to see the game, and himself, differently. “My career changed when I got traded to Cleveland,” Hedges said. “I didn’t really figure out how to look in the mirror and acknowledge what was actually happening until I got out of San Diego.” Hedges viewed the trade as an opportunity to start over. No one with Cleveland knew him. Adopting a new, more outgoing persona, he “came in hot” trying to make a big first impression with his new teammates. The players and staff responded favorably. He always had been a caring teammate, taking particular pride in his relationships with pitchers. But now, he would hold himself to an even higher standard. Cleveland initially acquired him to be a backup. But in May 2021, the team’s starter, Roberto Pérez, endured two long stints on the injured list, increasing Hedges’ playing time. He remained the primary catcher in ‘22, then signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates in his first crack at free agency. The Rangers, seeking additional catching depth with their starter, Jonah Heim, on the IL, acquired Hedges at the deadline in ‘23 for international bonus pool space. “When I was in San Diego, nothing was ever good enough for me. There was no such thing as having a good day,” Hedges said. Now, he never has a bad day. As sparingly as he plays, Hedges always tries to find something to bring value to his team. “And maybe that something,” he said, “is making sure that one dude every day feels like they’re 10 feet tall.” Shortly after Hedges joined the Rangers, the team’s offensive coordinator, Donnie Ecker, asked for his assistance in pregame hitters’ meetings. Hedges, mindful of his woeful offensive numbers, thought the request odd — he wanted the Rangers to help him with his own hitting. But Ecker, recognizing the way Hedges brought people together in a humorous fashion, saw an opening to offer the team a new voice. Three hours before the hitters’ meetings, Ecker and Hedges would meet on their own, reviewing the message Ecker wanted to deliver that day. Ecker put no limits on Hedges’ creativity. However Hedges wanted to tell the day’s story — through video, graphics or various unprintable acts — was fine with him. At one point in September, Hedges noticed people on social media posting a fake speech by Dan Campbell, in which the Detroit Lions coach said he ate ostrich eggs for breakfast, drawing strength from “dino (dinosaur) protein.” Hedges adapted the speech to baseball, and the players loved it. Ecker, seeking to extend the bit, then purchased an ostrich egg in New Mexico for about $350 and presented it to Hedges. Ostrich eggs are the largest of all eggs, about six inches long and weighing about three pounds. Hedges named the would-be ostrich, “Oscar.” “Nobody believed it was real,” former Rangers catcher Mitch Garver said. “But Hedges treated it like it was everything. He would carry it on the bus. He kept it in the dugout next to all the hitters.” But when the Rangers lost two games in Seattle to start their final series of 2023 while needing only one win to clinch at least a wild card, Ecker asked Hedges, “How do you feel about sacrificing Oscar for the greater cause?” Hedges sprung into action, enlisting assistants to join him in dressing in ****** robes, bringing candles to the hitters’ meeting, playing music from “The Dark Knight Rises.” He capped the ceremony by destroying the egg with a mallet, creating a giant mess. “I have a video of it on my phone,” Hedges said. “And you hear everybody: ‘Oh, it was real.’” The Rangers clinched the wild card that day. And Hedges was just getting started. After the team’s Division Series sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, Bochy sparked the postgame clubhouse celebration, with TV cameras rolling, by shouting, “The only I thing I need to know, Hedgie, what’s the number on your **** right now?” Soak it all in, Rangers! pic.twitter.com/mGbTp3LN6Y — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 11, 2023 Hardly anyone outside of the team knew what Bochy was talking about. Bochy lamented, “That wasn’t my smartest move. I should have kept that within the club.” Inadvertently, he revealed The Legend of the Butt Cheek, the countdown to 13 postseason wins taking place in hitters’ meetings on Hedges’ bare behind. “In typical Hedges fashion, he’d walk in real slow, say, ‘Boys, we got a couple of games to win. Anybody know exactly how many games?’” Lowe recalled. “Then somebody would say the number, he’d turn around and bend over and the number was right there.” Hedges identified Wilson, the Rangers’ catching coordinator, as the person who applied the eye ****** most frequently. (“Not something I’m proud of,” Wilson said.) And the hitters were not the only ones who bore witness to Hedges’ posterior. “Unfortunately, I did see it a lot,” Scherzer said. With the Guardians last season, Hedges was somewhat more restrained — “The younger groups are a little less silly, more living in reality,” he said. Not that Hedges lived a joyless, fully clothed existence. “Any picture we have of him shirtless (during playoff celebrations), that’s prime Hedges,” pitcher Triston McKenzie said. The way Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan looks at it, “He’s always the loudest in the room, and he’s always saying really dumb things in the room. So, when he’s the loudest and dumbest, everyone else can be just a little less loud and a little less dumb. And then your regular personality comes out.” After the 2023 season, the Seattle Mariners‘ Cal Raleigh determined his catching was good, but not good enough. Well aware of Hedges’ defensive reputation, he reached out to his fellow catcher, who happened to live 10 minutes away in Phoenix. “Some guys don’t want to reveal their secrets,” Raleigh said. “But he was like, ‘No dude, I’m an open book.’” Hedges invited Raleigh to his home. The two spoke for about three hours, then began working a few days a week on everything catching entails — receiving, blocking, framing. Raleigh, 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, adjusted his stance, kicking out more as he dropped to one knee to get even lower for framing. He also adjusted his receiving, learning — as Hedges did in Pittsburgh — to grab a pitch as fast and hard as he could rather than rely on soft hands. Again, the goal was better framing. Raleigh struggled with the new receiving technique in spring training; Hedges recalled him calling in a panic over the ****** he was missing. But at the end of season, Raleigh was awarded the Platinum Glove as the best defender in the American League. “I credit him for a lot of my success,” Raleigh said of Hedges. “There were a lot of things I did last year that I just took right out of his playbook and put into my game.” So, while Hedges is an incessant talker, he’s also a catching whisperer. As much as his current and former teammates enjoy recounting his shenanigans, they want one thing clear: The foundation of Hedges’ value is his defense behind the plate. “It gets lost how good of a catcher he is,” Bieber said. “He’s the best catcher I’ve thrown to.” “His preparation is insane,” Alomar said. “Every single day, he prepares himself like it’s a World Series game.” Hedges prepares to take some swings before Game 5 of the 2024 ALCS in Cleveland. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Hedges ranks fifth in defensive runs saved for a catcher since Sports Info Solutions began tracking the metric in 2003, despite being 50th in innings caught. He finished 10th in that metric last season and did not even catch 400 innings. Yet, he is constantly trying to refine his skills. When Hedges joined the Rangers, he asked Wilson to help teach him how Heim threw out of the one-knee stance. Hedges, in turn, changed the way Garver and Heim pored over scouting reports, using heat maps to point out better ways to attack hitters. With the Guardians, Hedges is a particularly important resource for catcher Bo Naylor, who is entering his second season at 25. Recalling his days with the Padres, when he grew overly stressed trying to memorize scouting reports, Hedges tells Naylor, “All the information is there in the moment if you pay attention.” If a hitter, for example, is late on a fastball, don’t necessarily follow up with a breaking ball even if the report suggests such a pitch in a particular count. Pay attention. Watch the game. “There’s really no shortage of things he has helped me with,” Naylor said. “Especially on the receiving side, he’s been an amazing example of how consistent hard work in the bullpen, off the machines, making the right moves can go a long way.” His offensive numbers are an eyesore, among the worst in the game’s history. The Guardians, though, aren’t giving up on Hedges as a hitter. “The hitting’s in there,” Albernaz said. “It’s in there.” Hedges agrees. Catching comes naturally to him. Hitting does not. But he hit well in the minors, produced a career-high 18 homers for the Padres in 2017 and was close to a league-average hitter in ‘18. His goal is to be another Justin Turner, emerging as an offensive force in his 30s. “Honestly, one of the things that gets me out of bed in the morning is knowing that I’ve got to get better at this thing,” Hedges said. “And if I do, it’s going to be the coolest thing ever.” He works furiously on his hitting, envisioning a day in which he serves as an example for younger players of how things can turn. It’s not too late for that to happen. His defense alone will keep him in demand. And for examples of catchers who enjoyed prolonged careers, he need look only to his own clubhouse. Vogt played until he was 37, Alomar until he was 41. Yet, people in baseball already talk about the potential for Hedges when his playing career is over. Raleigh predicted, “He’ll be a great manager one day.” Green, Hedges’ former manager with the Padres, said, “I’d love to see him stick in the game. The game would be better for it.“ Hedges said he might rather be a bench coach than a manager, reasoning that as a coach, he could work more closely with players. Either way, he is hardly ready to retire. “I’ve thought plenty about the end of my career,” he said. “I want to stay in the game. I know that. But I’ve realized I want to play as long as I can. I feel like my value is actually as a player. “I feel like I’m a translator for the coaches and for Vogt. Vogter can’t come into the clubhouse and deliver a message every day. No one wants to hear speeches. But if he has something that needs to be said, I can say it in his words. When you hear it from a player that is actually out there, it goes a lot further.” Oh, and Hedges even can offer a pitching perspective, based on his four appearances for the Rangers in 2023 and another for the Guardians in ‘24. His career ERA, over 5 2/3 innings, is a sparkling 3.18. The Rangers joked he was a three-way player. And Ecker recalled Hedges comparing his $4 million salary last season to Shohei Ohtani’s $2 million annual take, excluding the two-way superstar’s $68 million deferred. “There’s a reason I’m making twice as much as Shohei,” Hedges cracked. Batting average means only so much, after all. (Top photo of Austin Hedges and Guardians pitcher Erik Sabrowski: Lauren Leigh Bacho / MLB Photos via Getty Images) Source link #Ostriches #butt #cheeks #relentless #energy #Austin #Hedges #indispensable #MLB #teammate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mecha Break Hands-On Preview – TheGamer Mecha Break Hands-On Preview – TheGamer Mecha Break might be this year’s breakout shooter. Source link #Mecha #Break #HandsOn #Preview #TheGamer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google Rolling Out Video Transcripts Feature for Google Drive, to Let Users View and Search Captions Google Rolling Out Video Transcripts Feature for Google Drive, to Let Users View and Search Captions Google is adding a new feature to Google Drive that will make it easier for users to navigate through videos. Dubbed video transcripts, this is an upgrade to the company’s automatic captions feature from last year. The Mountain View-based tech giant highlighted that users can now view and search transcripts in videos. This will make it easier to locate specific parts of a video as tapping on a sentence will directly jump the video to that time. Notably, this feature is currently rolling out to all Google Drive users. Google Drive Is Getting Video Transcripts Feature In a Workspace blog post, the tech giant announced the new feature. This builds on the automatic captions feature that was introduced in July 2024. That feature automatically generates captions in videos when they are uploaded (Workspace admins can change the setting to allow caption generation only when requested). When the feature was introduced, Google said that it uses speech recognition technology to transcribe the audio, given that spoken words have been used and the language used is English. While the company mentioned plans to expand the feature to other languages, that has not happened so far. While the automatic captions feature allowed users to see the captions as the video played, users could not separately view the transcripts. This is now being added with the new update. When a video plays on Google Drive, users will be able to open transcripts in a side panel on the right side. These transcriptions are shown along with time stamps. Sentences are separated into different items on the list. The side panel also comes with a search bar. Users can either scroll through the transcriptions or search specific words to find the exact time stamp. Clicking on the sentence will also jump the video to that time stamp, allowing users to easily find what they’re looking for. To access the feature, users will first have to play a video in Google Drive. Users should ensure that the chosen video has automatic captions. This can be checked by looking for a CC button at the bottom right corner of the video player. Once done, tapping on the Settings icon at the bottom right corner will show a new ‘Transcript’ option. Tapping this will open the side panel. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Samsung Galaxy M16 and Galaxy M06 5G India Launch Date Set for February 27 Source link #Google #Rolling #Video #Transcripts #Feature #Google #Drive #Users #View #Search #Captions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Every Planet in Our Solar System Will Be Visible at Night This Week Every Planet in Our Solar System Will Be Visible at Night This Week Astute skywatchers may have already seen the striking line of planets across the night sky in January. This week Mercury joins the ******. Now every other world in our solar system will be visible among the stars at the same time — if you know where to look. According to Gerard van Belle, director of science at Lowell Observatory in Arizona, an alignment of seven planets is neither mystical nor particularly rare. “On the scale of supermoon to death asteroid, this is more a supermoon sort of thing,” Dr. van Belle said. Still, the planetary parade, as the event is colloquially named, “makes for a very nice excuse to go outside at night, maybe with a glass of wine, and enjoy the night sky.” Why are the planets aligned? Whenever planets are visible in the night sky, they always appear roughly along the same line. This path, known as the ecliptic, is the same one that the sun travels along during the day. This happens because the planets orbit around the sun in the same plane. Dr. van Belle likened the configuration to a vinyl record: The sun is in the center, and the grooves are the orbits of the planets around it. Our point of view from Earth, then, is along one of those grooves, “looking out along the platter,” he said. This week, the planets are configured in such a way that all of them will be present in the sky at dusk from mostly anywhere on Earth. Around the end of the month, Saturn will slip below the horizon and into daytime skies, ending the seven-planet parade. But stargazers will get another chance to see a planetary alignment in August, when several of our celestial neighbors will be visible in morning skies. How can I see the parade? Only a handful of the planets can be seen with the unaided eye, and the best evening to catch them all may vary by location. Astronomers recommend using a software program like Stellarium to figure out when and where to look. To see the parade, find a dark place with a clear view of the western horizon at nightfall. Mercury and Saturn will be low in the sky, brushing past each other in the fading glow of the evening sun, which will make the pair difficult to spot. Trace that line of sight higher to find Venus, the most brilliant planet in the sky. “Venus, you cannot miss,” said Thomas Willmitch, director of the planetarium at Illinois State University. “You could be in a haze under streetlights, and there’s Venus, shining like a beacon to the west.” Even higher up, almost directly overhead, will be Jupiter, sparkling at about one-tenth the brightness of Venus. The string of planets ends in the eastern sky with Mars, easily discernible because of its pinkish tone. The planet is a few weeks past a close encounter with Earth, making it appear ******* than usual. According to Mr. Willmitch, this proximity has also cast the Red Planet in somewhat of a golden hue. The other two planets are too far away to be seen without binoculars or a telescope. Uranus is about two fists west of Jupiter, Mr. Willmitch said, while Neptune is hiding between Venus and the western horizon. But even if you can’t catch them all, Mr. Willmitch advised layering up and looking up anyway. “The sky is really beautiful in winter,” he said. “It’s a great time to go out and do some stargazing.” Source link #Planet #Solar #System #Visible #Night #Week Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s first female-focused league arrives with the Athena League Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s first female-focused league arrives with the Athena League Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s Women’s Invitation is coming up And esports org CBZN has launched it’s own female-focused Athena League too The league will form the official qualifier for players in the Phillipines One of the pitfalls of esports is that when it comes to gender representation it always feels one step behind. Trying to give female-oriented organisations and competitions the same representation as men’s has been an uphill battle, but that hasn’t stopped organisations like CBZN Esports from trying with their newly launched Athena League which reinforces an already formidable female presence in MLBB’s esports scene. The Athena League functions as a female-focused league in the Philippines for the popular competitive game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. The league is intended as an official qualifier for the upcoming Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s Invitational taking place at the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia this year. The Philippines has already proven to be a major contender when it comes to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, as team Omega Empress took home the win in the 2024 Women’s Invitational. And this new organisation is intended not just to support those duking it out to qualify for the invitational but to provide wider support for women getting into esports. Legendary I think that while it’s often lamented how little there is in the way of female representation in the esports world, a lot of that can be put down to lack of official support. For the longest time, it seems esports was, by default, male despite many female fans and players at the grassroots and amateur level. So it’s good to see these players getting more in the way of official support, and events like opens and qualifiers help up-and-coming players hone their skills and get the chance to step onto the world stage which might otherwise be closed off to them. It’s also another feather in the cap of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang which has been following many other esports-heavy releases in pitching in for the Esports World Cup, which it debuted at for its inaugural edition. With MLBB set to make its return with the Women’s Invitational once more. Source link #Mobile #Legends #Bang #Bangs #femalefocused #league #arrives #Athena #League Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia admits to rare RTX 5090 performance glitch Nvidia admits to rare RTX 5090 performance glitch While trying to get its Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card more solidly on the market, the component manufacturer and its retail partners have bumped into some functionality issues with the GPU that affect its performance. Several users have obtained the RTX 5090 GPU from multiple different retailers, and have reported a unique problem, where the GPU does not have as many ROPs (Raster Operations Pipeline unit) as it should to sufficiently render images in 3D post-processing. A member of the TechPowerUp forums reported that their graphics card, GeForce RTX 5090 GPU supplied by the retailer Zotac was registering as having fewer ROPs than it should. The member attempted to remedy the issue with software re-installs and switching the video BIOS, which was no help. Ultimately, this Upon further analysis, on a Zotac brand RTX 5090 GPU of their own, TechPowerUp observed that the component has 168 ROPs instead of the customary 176 ROPs. The 8 ROP difference can equate to a 4.5% difference in GPU performance; however, the publication observed performance losses of over 5% when performing benchmarks with the compromised graphics cards. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming With the problem affecting not only, Zotac brand, but also ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, Palit, and NVIDIA GPUs, enthusiasts have determined that this is a hardware issue more than a software challenge. Nvidia has acknowledged the reports of performance issues with the RTX 5090 GPU, indicating that only a small number of graphics cards have been affected. The component company has also made it known that the GeForce RTX 5090D, a chip localized to the ******** market, and GeForce RTX 5070 Ti have also been affected. We have identified a rare issue affecting less than 0.5% (half a percent) of GeForce RTX 5090 / 5090D and 5070 Ti GPUs which have one fewer ROP than specified. The average graphical performance impact is 4%, with no impact on AI and Compute workloads. Affected consumers can contact the board manufacturer for a replacement. The production anomaly has been corrected. – Nvidia YouTuber JayzTwoCents noted anyone concerned about the performance efficacy of their RTX 5090 can download TechPowerup’s GPU Information Utility here, or by searching for TechPowerup GPU-Z. Download the utility from the servers. Once it pops up, it will tell you everything you need to know about your GPU. For this instance, the ROPs section should read 176 for a healthy card. Anything less, such as 168 ROPs may indicate a problem. For preliminary assistance, the YouTuber recommends not returning the defective GPU, as it may just end up in circulation with another consumer– and you may end up having to wait for an extended time for a new GPU. He suggests reaching out to the customer service account of the vendor from which you purchased the card, using a headline such as ‘Missing ROPs, response required,’ and remembering to be kind, as there are likely many people reaching out with similar concerns at this time. Source link #Nvidia #admits #rare #RTX #performance #glitch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.K. to Raise Defense Spending to 2.5% of G.D.P. by 2027, Starmer Says – The New York Times U.K. to Raise Defense Spending to 2.5% of G.D.P. by 2027, Starmer Says – The New York Times U.K. to Raise Defense Spending to 2.5% of G.D.P. by 2027, Starmer Says The New York TimesStarmer to make surprise announcement on ‘defence and security’ in Commons, ahead of meeting with Trump – *** politics live The GuardianUK defence spending to rise to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, funded by cut in international aid BBCStarmer hikes defence spending to 2.5% ahead of crunch meeting with Trump The IndependentUK to hike defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 BBC.com Source link #U.K #Raise #Defense #Spending #G.D.P #Starmer #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault: release window, trailers, gameplay, and more Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault: release window, trailers, gameplay, and more Table of Contents Table of Contents Release window Platforms Trailers Gameplay Preorder It is hard for even the best indie games to stand out from the crowd, but in 2018 one little roguelike called Moonlighter managed to do just that. Besides evoking some 2D Zelda vibes, it mashed up its dungeon crawling with a shop sim where you needed to price, sell, and manage your shop between runs in the dungeon to collect more treasures to sell. Much like Ninja Gaiden 4 and Onimusha: Way of the Sword, we had no idea a sequel was on the way until Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault was announced. Now that it is, it has become one of our most anticipated upcoming video games. Let’s grab our oversized backpacks and head into the dungeon to see what nuggets of information we can about Moonlighter 2. For more indie and AAA releases we’re excited for, check out our lists of upcoming PS5 games, upcoming Xbox Series X games, and upcoming PC games. Release window 11 bit Studios For now, Moonlighter 2 only has a release window of 2025. We last got an update on the game at the end of February, so if it still doesn’t have a date, then it likely won’t be ready until the second half of the year if we had to guess. Please enable Javascript to view this content Platforms 11 bit studios Moonlighter 2 will come to all major platforms save the Switch. It is announced for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. There is a chance it could come to the Switch 2, though. Trailers Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault | Announcement Trailer was announced with a quick trailer at the end of 2024. The most striking change here is that the game is no longer a 2D pixel art game but 3D isometric game. We will once again take control of Will and the villagers from the first game who have become stranded in a new dimension. Your new hub will be the village of Tresna that is in dire need of restoration and upgrades while you attempt to find a way back home. The dungeons this time around will be various vaults full of loot and monsters. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault | A New Journey Unfolds Another brief teaser was shown during the ID@Xbox showcase in February 2025. This trailer gave us a quick look at some of the new villagers we will be able to interact with, but mainly focused on the combat. The story was always present in Moonlighter, but never the main focus so we suspect the sequel will also be more mechanics-driven. Gameplay 11 bit studios We already mentioned how Moonlighter 2 will shift to a 3D art style, but the gameplay loop doesn’t seem to be as big of a departure. You will still spend your days setting up your shop, haggling with customers, and spending your cash to upgrade the town. By night, you will venture into the vaults to fight enemies, collect loot, and arrange your relics within your bag for maximum effect. The further you make it into a vault, the more valuable the loot but more dangerous the foes. New additions we see are some new weapons, unlocking upgrades, and a greater variety in enemies and environments. You will also be able to decorate your shop to hopefully draw in more customers. Verticality will be a factor here, but moving and dodging appear to be your main tools. Preorder Without a release date, there are no preorder options for Moonlighter 2. That said, you can wishlist the game now on Steam and it is announced to be a day-one game on Game Pass so subscribers can play on release at no extra cost. Source link #Moonlighter #Endless #Vault #release #window #trailers #gameplay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft Testing a Free, Ad-Supported Version of Microsoft 365 Desktop Apps Microsoft Testing a Free, Ad-Supported Version of Microsoft 365 Desktop Apps Microsoft is testing an ad-supported free tier for the Microsoft 365 Copilot or Office apps. Typically, these apps are only accessible to those who purchase the Microsoft 365 subscription. However, some users are now seeing an option to opt for a free version that offers limited features and ads. Currently, the Redmond-based tech giant is only offering three apps, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in this tier. As per a report, the company is not looking to launch this new tier, and is only conducting a limited test in some regions. Microsoft Offers Ad-Supported Free Version of Office Apps to Some Users Gadgets 360 staff members spotted this free, ad-supported tier of Microsoft 365 on their PCs on Monday. The plan appears when a user clicks on the “Buy Microsoft 365” button placed on top of the Office apps. Usually, this opens a pop-up window that shows the different subscription plans. However, currently, a “Try Microsoft 365 for free” message appears, showing the free tier. The ad-supported, free tier of Microsoft 365 Normally, once the Office license expires, users can still use apps to view documents, but they cannot edit and create new documents unless they purchase a subscription. However, now, the free tier is offering three apps — Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — for free. The pop-up highlights that users can access limited features in these apps, will be shown ads, and will get 5G of cloud storage, which will be powered by OneDrive. First reported by Beebom, the ad-supported tier shows a persistent ad banner on the right side of the app interface, which cannot be removed. Additionally, Microsoft is reportedly also playing a muted 15-second video ad every few hours. The publication stated that the free tier does not allow users to save documents locally, and only cloud storage can be used. Some advanced features are also said to be greyed out in the free tier such as installing add-ins, adding watermarks, or analysing data. “Microsoft has been conducting some limited testing. Currently, there are no plans to launch a free, ad-supported version of Microsoft Office desktop apps,” a Microsoft spokesperson told PCWorld in a statement. It appears that India might be part of this limited testing region. Other regions are currently not known. Source link #Microsoft #Testing #Free #AdSupported #Version #Microsoft #Desktop #Apps Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]