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Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: all schtick, no substance Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: all schtick, no substance Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii MSRP $60.00 “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is fun bottle episode that’s a bit too invested in its schtick.” Pros Fantastic substories Great treasure hunting hook Fast, fun brawling Crew management is engrossing Cons Dull story Glacial pacing Slow sailing Repetitive naval battles Table of Contents Table of Contents Long-winded story A pirate’s life Slow sailing Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Goro Majima has amnesia. When the absurdly titled Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii begins, the Mad Dog of Shimano washes up on a beach with his memories left behind in the tide. After a few scuffles with some scalawags, he’s reborn as a pirate. We still get flashes of the eccentric antihero we know throughout his seafaring journey to find a lost treasure, but he’s a man lost in schtick. His long history of eccentric behavior has become a costume robe draped over his true identity. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii finds itself in a similar boat. The beefy spinoff of last year’s Infinite Wealth is an act of cosplay. While most of the pieces that make the long-running series so beloved are there, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio trades in strong writing for pirate pastiche with mixed results. Majima’s nautical adventure is at its best when flashes of memory break through its amnesia, reminding me that there’s more to Like a Dragon than its memeable moments. Long-winded story Though Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii presents itself as an action RPG starring Goro Majima, it’s not exactly the wish fulfillment fans are expecting. Since Majima has lost his memories, we’re not so much following the character we know and getting more insight into his unknowable brain. Sure, he’s still a loud mouth foil to the cool and collected Kazuma Kiryu, but we may as well be following a completely new character. The story only barely gets into his psyche, instead focusing on his fatherly relationship with a young boy named Noah and his cat (definitely not a tiger cub). As soon as Majima takes the wheel of a ship and begins assembling a pirate crew, he’s a new man. On paper, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is smarter than its title suggests. It draws a connection between its vision of the criminal underworld and pirates of yore. Both have similar politics, with competing clans and crew hierarchies. Both are nefarious operations out to get rich in seedy ways. It’s a fun bit of self-parody, translating the kind of story Ryu Ga Gotoku has told for two decades into a genre send-up that draws a line between a history of skullduggery. It’s the series’ weakest story yet … Or at least, I wish that’s what it was interested in. While that thread is there, the story itself doesn’t have much to say about any of that. Instead, its focus is on weaving a standard tale of adventure and riches, as Majima races rival criminals to find the fabled treasure of Esperanza. His journey intersects with other pirate gangs, an underground ship fighting ring dubbed Madlantis, and Palekana, the eye-rolling religious cult at the center of Infinite Wealth’s weakest story arc. You won’t realize just how long-winded Like a Dragon’s cutscenes can be until you’re sitting through hours of circular dialogue about treasure hunting with little substance. It’s the series’ weakest story yet, stretching the premise for a jaunty DLC into a 25 hour marathon that drags more than the 70+ hour game it’s spun off from. Part of it is a pacing problem born from an identity crisis. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii can’t establish a rhythm as it lurches through each of its five ever-changing chapters. A lot of my playtime feels like filler that doesn’t progress the story or any characters arcs forward in a meaningful way. The worst offender of that comes in Chapter 4, where I’m told I need to simply beat a rival pirate in Madlantis’ arena. That simple task turns into hours of exhausting diversion, as I’m bounced back and forth between crew conversations, trips back to Honolulu City, and repetitive battles — all leading to an anticlimactic clash that hardly feels worth all the hubbub. ***** It’s all a bit disappointing coming off the sleek and at times emotionally moving Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, though Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has one advantage over that spinoff. Its 31 substories might be my favorite batch in the series. It’s here where Ryu Ga Gotoku’s strengths bubble back up to the surface. They oscillate between absurd and sincere on a dime. One story follows a street performer, dressed as a bronze statue, desperate for his craft to be respected. Another turns a woman’s secret dominatrix fetish into a positive statement on sex work. It’s in these moments that the amnesia clears, revealing the heart underneath the costume. A pirate’s life Though the pirate schtick doesn’t make for a great story, it does allow Ryu Ga Gotoku to experiment with some new ideas. The adventure is the series most radically reimagined entry to date in some ways, even if it uses the same beat-em-up action RPG formula from the series’ past. Yes, Majima can still wander around a city, smack people around, eat at restaurants, play darts, snap photos of perverts, compete in Dragon Kart. Just about every system and activity present in Infinite Wealth returns here. Those familiar moments are its most consistent, even if they aren’t surprising a second time around. The tried and true brawling benefits most from the pirate theming. In addition to a basic brawling stance, Majima can activate a faster swashbuckling mode where he can cut foes up with two swords. A pistol lets him pick pirates off from afar, while a grappling hook allows him to latch onto far off enemies and yank himself to them. It’s a fighting style built for a character as unpredictable as Majima; he can bounce around a battlefield with the grace of a drunken master. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii goes as big as it can at every turn … There’s an entire second game dumped on top of this though, for better and sometimes worse. The idea here is that Majima runs his own pirate ship, the Goromaru. He needs to recruit crew members, assign them to jobs, sail in search of treasure, and take down other ships in sea battles. None of this is left to simple minigames; Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii goes as big as it can at every turn and feels more distinct for it, even when it doesn’t land. The core of that change is built around sailing. When not on a main island, I can take the Goromaru out for a spin around a series of small ocean maps. The main thing I can do out there is dock on small islands and complete bite-sized combat gauntlets to plunder treasure, the value of which can be used to upgrade my skills. Treasures can also be earned by reaching hidden high spots on the mainland with my grappling hook and partaking in minigames. It’s an excellent change of pace from the series’ usual open-city exploration, giving me small challenges that yield clear, useful rewards. Some of these encounters even reach towards Dynasty Warriors’ Musou formula, pitting me and my crewmates against 100 pirates. That’s the kind of violence that feels fitting for the Mad Dog. ***** Ship management is a highlight too, giving Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii a strong RPG layer built on the foundation of minigames like Majima Construction. I need to outfit my vessel with cannons and machine guns, increasing its offensive and defensive abilities as I progress. Crew members need to be assigned to each position and I need to manage their morale to make sure they’re operating at 100%. I can do that by giving them gifts and throwing parties catered by meals I cook. A net can be attached to my ship to pick up materials and fish. It’s these moments that best sell the high seas fantasy. Majima truly does feel like a captain by the end the more the ship functions like a well-oiled machine. Slow sailing Though I admire the effort put into everything, the ship system creates its fair share of problems. Sailing requires me to navigate around a few small maps that look identical to one another at an unbelievably slow pace. The ship moves inches along at a glacial speed unless it’s in a boosting through a current. The only way to fast travel to an area is to make it to a lighthouse and warp from there. That decision doesn’t just discourage me from exploring the seas, but it instills some bad habits in me too. Since getting from location to location is such a pain, I’m encouraged to do as many open-world activities as I can once I reach a city. I don’t know when the story will take me back there naturally and I simply don’t want to make the trip unless I have to. When I reach Honolulu City in Chapter 2, I wind up gobbling up over a dozen side stories and completing a chunk of bounties at once, stalling the main story out entirely. On another island, I get to manage my own little zoo full of critters who will give me supplies when I feed them. I barely ever engage with that system since it requires a trip. The same goes for Madlantis, where I can compete in combat tournaments. It’s in my best interest to do as many as I can at once rather than come back. ***** Even if sailing were faster, it would still suffer from tedium. When I’m on the seas, I eventually cross paths with small fleets of rival pirate ships. The core idea of naval battles is great: I need to execute wide turns so I can point my cannons towards a ship and let them rip. It’s a blast the first handful of times I do it. I throw some cannons on one side and an energy laser on the other, wedging myself between two ships and pressing down my controller’s triggers to hit them both at once while boosting away from their own attacks. This quickly becomes repetitive busywork, as ship health bars get ******* and *******. The tougher that battles get, the harder they become to manage. I’m able to zoom down to Majima’s perspective during battle to put out fires on deck or fire a rocket launcher, but doing so leaves my ship a sitting duck for incoming attacks. I’m better off just powering through battles, something that becomes easy once I’ve spent enough cash on my ship. All of this makes my long trips even longer, too. Fleets are specifically placed in the middle of currents, so the only way to avoid them is to take a slow detour that doesn’t save much time. I’d be more in favor of all of these perfectly enjoyable ideas if they were working in service of something greater. That idea fares a bit better in battles against larger vessels. After I incapacitate a rival ship, I board it with my crew and partake in a massive brawl on deck. These fights are delightfully hectic, with dozens of bodies (including weirdo recruits from the series’ past) cutting each other down in a blitz. Even that too gets old after a while, though, as strategy is traded in for higher body counts. I’d be more in favor of all of these perfectly enjoyable ideas if they were working in service of something greater, but Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii rarely aims to be more than a pirate-themed schtick. If Like a Dragon were a TV show (another one, I mean), this would be its gimmicky bottle episode; think Lost’s divisive Nikki and Paulo one-off. That’s not a bad thing — I love that episode, for the record. A lighthearted diversion is sometimes a necessary breather. That’s especially true coming off Infinite Wealth and Kiryu’s fight against *******. There’s value in a Like a Dragon chapter that’s just having fun playing dress up. I just wish there was more to Majima than his wacky antics. I think back to that substory about that bronze street performer. He’s the butt of the joke in Honolulu City, with onlookers mocking his dedication to standing perfectly still. It’s one of those tales that goes from hilarious to sad as I learn to empathize with him. He’s made out to be a weirdo at a glance, but there’s a real guy under all that body paint. He’s not just a sideshow attraction in a silly costume. I hope that’s true for Majima one day too. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was tested on PS5 Pro. Source link #Dragon #Pirate #Yakuza #Hawaii #review #schtick #substance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NAB posts $1.7bn profit, down on previous quarters NAB posts $1.7bn profit, down on previous quarters National Australia Bank profits have slipped due to competition among lenders, plus increased anti-crime expenses. Releasing quarterly results on Wednesday, NAB points to its internal wage bill and competition in the financial sector as reasons for a dip in cash earnings. In the three months to the end of December, NAB recorded a $1.7bn net profit, down 1 per cent on the average of the previous two quarters. Camera IconNational Australia Bank chief executive Andrew Irvine says cost savings are ‘keeping our bank safe’. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Cash earnings fell 2 per cent, driven by a “small decline in net interest margin” because of higher funding costs and competition in lending and deposits. The bank’s expenses rose 2 per cent because of “higher personnel and financial crime-related costs, along with increased technology spend”, it says in the results. Income tax expenses rose 6 per cent. “The economic outlook is improving,” chief executive Andrew Irvine said. “But cost of living and interest rate challenges persisted during 1Q25. “While most customers are proving resilient, we have maintained prudent balance sheet settings to allow us to support customers while keeping our bank safe.” NAB instantaneously joined the other big four banks on Tuesday to confirm the RBA cash rate cut would be passed onto its customers. NAB’s share price lags behind Commonwealth and Westpac for gains in the past year, up a shade more than 19 per cent. Source link #NAB #posts #1.7bn #profit #previous #quarters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump signs executive order on expanding access to IVF – Axios Trump signs executive order on expanding access to IVF – Axios Trump signs executive order on expanding access to IVF AxiosVideo Trump signs orders on cost of fertility treatments, government transparency ABC NewsTrump signs executive order on IVF, takes questions on Ukraine and more CBS NewsLive updates: Trump signs IVF executive order; Senate GOP to take up budget plan The Hill Source link #Trump #signs #executive #order #expanding #access #IVF #Axios Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best platformers on Xbox Series X The best platformers on Xbox Series X When most people think about the best platformers, their minds immediately turn to the best Switch games. While the Xbox Series X is certainly home to some of the best FPS, open-world, and co-op games, it also has a strong library of platformers. These range from kid-friendly adventures where the challenge and tone are light, to more demanding tests of your precision and even providing some deep storylines. In fact, between the 2D and 3D offerings, you’re spoiled for choice on Xbox for amazing platformers if you know where to look. If you would rather jump right into the action with your next favorite platformer, here are our picks for the best ones you can play on Xbox Series X. If you are a Game Pass subscriber, make sure to check if any are currently on the service to save some cash! Source link #platformers #Xbox #Series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dell Tech Days: Big Savings on AI-Ready PCs and More Dell Tech Days: Big Savings on AI-Ready PCs and More Dell / Dell Good news if you’ve been waiting for the right time to upgrade your PC setup, Dell Tech Days is offering deals that make waiting worth it. on top PCs, monitors, and accessories, plus 2x Dell Rewards. Pull the trigger and get yourself an AI-ready machine and score big on premium hardware. Savings on Products Recommended by our Staff This little Alienware PC fits just about anywhere. Jacob ****** / Digital Trends The Alienware Aurora R16 is a serious contender for gamers and power users alike, and during Dell Tech Days, it’s on ***** for $1,999.99 – a $210 discount off its regular price ($2,209.99). Our Digital Trends team had hands-on time with this beast (read the Aurora R16 review) and was impressed with its smaller form factor compared to previous versions, cool and quiet operation, and configurability to suit different performance needs. If you’re looking for a gaming rig that balances power and efficiency, this is a good pick. Dell / Dell Not every upgrade needs to be about raw power, though, sometimes it’s about visuals. The Dell 27 4K UHD Monitor (S2721QS) is discounted to $199.99 (down from $279.99, saving you $80). Our product testers gave this 4K monitor (read the Dell S2721QS review) solid marks because of its accurate colors, crisp resolution, and excellent build quality. This is a great deal to go for if you need a solid 4K display for work, gaming, or content creation. Can’t Decide Which Gaming Laptop to Buy? Let Us Help Luke Larsen / Digital Trends Dell is also offering a major discount on the M16 R2 ($400 off) and the X16 R2 ($900 off). Both are powerhouses, but if you’re unsure which model to buy, check out our head-to-head buying guide to see which Alienware machine is best for you. More Ways to Save These are just some of the deals on PCs, monitors, and accessories available at Dell Tech Days. With 2x Dell Rewards, your purchase gets you closer to even more discounts down the road. Whether you want an AI-ready PC, a high-end gaming setup, or just a great monitor deal, this is the week to buy. Act fast – deals end February 23! Source link #Dell #Tech #Days #Big #Savings #AIReady #PCs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Michael Schumacher’s 1996 Ferrari F355 GTS Heads To Auction Michael Schumacher’s 1996 Ferrari F355 GTS Heads To Auction Images courtesy of RM Sotheby’s [Hidden Content] From JustLuxe Content Partner MensGear RMFrom JustLuxe Content Partner MensGear Sotheby’s is starting the year with a bang as it prepares for the upcoming Paris 2025 auction. The venue will be the Salles du Carrousel in the Louvre Palace, close to Place Vendôme in France. As always, interested bidders will have many remarkable automotive examples up for grabs. One of these is a unique 1996 Ferrari F355 GTS. The vehicle will surely appeal to motorsports enthusiasts, given that it was once owned by a Formula 1 legend. The listing tells us that ******* professional driver Michael Schumacher previously owned the 1996 Ferrari F355 GTS. With several records and championships in his career, everyone in the racing scene holds the man in high regard. “By 1995, it was clear to everyone in Formula 1 that Michael Schumacher was a generational talent, and perhaps a driver the sport had never seen,” writes RM Sotheby. After a short stint with Benetton, he signed a contract with Ferrari. The Italian marque provided this sleek machine for his personal use. It has a beautiful Blu Le Mans (516/C) exterior and an interior upholstered with Pella Crema (A 3997) leather. Documentations show the supercar was his main ride in Monaco. Eventually, it exchanged hands with Pierre Valentin, Christopher Allen, and the current owner. Instead of a Formula 1-style automated manual, it touts a six-speed manual gearbox. According to the auction house, it was Ferrari Classiche certified in 2020. Whoever outbids everyone else will receive all original manuals, service books, and other relevant documentation. RM Sotheby’s says bidding for the 1996 Ferrari F355 GTS will begin on February 4, 2025. Learn More More From MensGear: Source link #Michael #Schumachers #Ferrari #F355 #GTS #Heads #Auction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********** Karl Vilips becomes first PGA Tour golfer to sign with Tiger Wood’s Sun Day Red clothing line *********** Karl Vilips becomes first PGA Tour golfer to sign with Tiger Wood’s Sun Day Red clothing line Karl Vilips went to the same college as Tiger Woods and now the rising Aussie star has become the first PGA Tour player picked by the 15-time major champ to join his Sun Day Red clothing stable which he’ll wear in his first start for 2025 in Mexico this week. The PGA Tour rookie, who only finished his college career at Stanford last May, will be decked out in Sun Day Red gear from his shoes to his hat having been chosen by Woods who said the young ***********’s rise had been “marked by success at every level he’s played”. “We were drawn towards his relentless work ethic and pioneering spirit that embody what we stand for and look for in our athletes,” Wood said. “With his impressive track record and determination, I have no doubt he will make a significant impact quickly on the PGA Tour.” Vilips had to recover from a bulging disc in his back, discovered after a “nagging” issue at the *********** Open to make his first start in his first season as a full card carrier. But Vilips, who already has a professional win under his belt, taking out the Utah Open on the secondary Korn Ferry Tour in the US last year, said he has put in a month of “solid work” to prepare for his season-opener. “I had a bit of a nagging back injury at the *********** Open and was diagnosed as one with a stress fracture and took some time off,” he said from Mexico on Wednesday morning. “We later Found out that it was a disc bulge and now I’m back earlier than expected. Camera IconAussie Karl Vilips is the first player signed to Tiger Wood’s Sun Day Red clothing brand. Credit: Supplied “I was supposed to be back at Valspar and once we found out it was just a disc bulge, we got to work pretty quickly and put in a good, good month of solid hard work to get me here already in mid-February.” Vilips said the deal to join Woods’ clothing brand has been in the works “for a while” having first met the former world No.1 when he was only six-years-old and a child prodigy. He said every meeting with Woods since then was “progressively a little bit better” going from “awe-struck” to “special” now he’s the first golfer set to play in the apparel. “I’ve had a handful of interactions with him,” he said. “All have been progressively a little bit better. I think the first time I met him, I was 6 and I was just awe-struck looking at him. Couldn’t really say anything. Just listening to whatever he had to say, which I couldn’t tell you what that was. “And then I met him again a couple years later. And then throughout this whole process, it’s been really cool to hear what he’s had to say by the things that he’s had to say about me in picking me as an ambassador. It’s a huge honour. And then I haven’t really spoken him too much during the process, but I’m sure we will in the near future.” Vilips said the clothing was “awesome” although he was waiting on the arrival of his missing suitcase full of gear he’ll wear at the Vidanta Vallarta Golf Course. He’ll be decked out from shoes, socks, pants, belt, glove as well as pants, shirts and hats tailor-made to fit his head. “I’ve been wearing the shoes for a few months, had time to get used to them,” he said. “I’m super comfy, and can’t wait to wear them out here.””His decision to have me on the team, I take to heart, and I want to represent him the best I can.” Source link #*********** #Karl #Vilips #PGA #Tour #golfer #sign #Tiger #Woods #Sun #Day #Red #clothing #line Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Lost Records: Bloom And Rage – Corey And Dylan Lock Code Guide For Heartbreak Trophy/Achievement Lost Records: Bloom And Rage – Corey And Dylan Lock Code Guide For Heartbreak Trophy/Achievement Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a nostalgic adventure that lets you explore a small town during 1995, capturing memories and causing some shenanigans along the way. There are some hidden objects you can encounter during your explorations. If you’re a completionist, this guide will help you unlock Lost Record’s “Heartbreak” achievement for Tape 1, which involves undoing a “lovelock” belonging to Dylan and Corey, characters you meet during the story. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Lost Records Bloom & Rage Trailer | Gamescom 2024 Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter The lovelock for this objective is first found when Swann is exploring the nature trails with her friends during the track (chapter) titled Lights, Camera, Action! This is a combination lock for Corey and Dylan, which you don’t actually find the combo for until near the end of the game. This information is also easily missed, but using this guide will help you score this achievement much sooner. Mild spoilers: During Lights, Camera, Action, continue down the nature trail with your friends until you arrive at the fence where Kat pretends to shock herself. The fence has several padlocks attached to it, but you can only interact with one. It’s labeled as Corey and Dylan’s. Padlock location for Corey and Dylan Enter their anniversary (August 27) into the combination lock: 0827. This will unlock the padlock and earn you the Heartbreak achievement. Note: Tracks can be replayed in Collectible mode to allow you to replay without interfering with your story choices. This means you can safely hunt collectibles and achievements without affecting the narrative. For more gameplay help for Tape 1, we also have a guide for Lost Record’s cabin door puzzle you’ll encounter later in the story. Source link #Lost #Records #Bloom #Rage #Corey #Dylan #Lock #Code #Guide #Heartbreak #TrophyAchievement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The RTX 5070 Ti may continue Nvidia’s disappointing streak The RTX 5070 Ti may continue Nvidia’s disappointing streak The disappointing “paper launch” continues. Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti is just a couple of days away from launch, but whether it’ll actually be readily available is another thing entirely. Although it could rival some of the best graphics cards, the GPU is said to be hard to come by, much like the RTX 5090 and the RTX 5080. It appears that my worries might be about to come true — the RTX 5070 Ti will only be available on paper and not in reality, at least if this new leak is to be believed. Channel Gate shared an update on the predicted pricing and stock levels for the RTX 5070 Ti, and it’s grim news all around. According to sources “close to the supply chain,” it seems that the demand for the RTX 5070 Ti will be higher than what Nvidia’s partners are prepared to meet. That’s been the case with the other two RTX 50-series cards that are currently out, too. They were sold out within minutes of the launch, and are still unavailable outside of expensive prebuilts right now. Some sources claim that the RTX 5090 won’t be back until Junethe RTX 5090 won’t be back until June, and the RTX 5080 faces a similar wait ahead. Jacob ****** / Digital Trends Meanwhile, the RTX 5070 Ti may appear on the shelves, but at highly inflated prices. Channel Gate expects the RTX 5070 Ti to be far pricier than the RTX 5080, with prices reaching up to $1,100. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming Some U.S. retailers have already listed the card, and VideoCardz spotted the RTX 5070 Ti with prices ranging from $750 to $1,009. Every model, bar one, was priced at $900 and up — a whopping $150 above the recommended list price (MSRP). Best Buy currently has a few different Asus models, and the cheapest one is priced at $900. Now, with reports of limited supply, it seems that there’ll be little incentive for these prices to drop. The RTX 5080 is currently unavailable at most retailers, and even when it does appear, models sold at way over MSRP are not unusual. The RTX 5070 Ti is likely to face the same fate, with low stock levels and high prices. Gamers in need of upgrades should probably hold off instead of paying scalper premiums (or even an extra $250 at legitimate retailers). The prices may drop over time, although I don’t see the situation improving for a good few months. Rumor has it that stock levels should improve by April, so if you’re in no rush, you might be better off waiting, as even the RTX 4070 Ti Super is overpriced right now in response to the “paper launch” of the new generation. Source link #RTX #continue #Nvidias #disappointing #streak Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fox News anchor says Trump’s EPA guy just found ‘$20 billion sitting in a parked car.’ But he definitely didn’t Fox News anchor says Trump’s EPA guy just found ‘$20 billion sitting in a parked car.’ But he definitely didn’t Fox News anchor John Roberts absurdly declared on Tuesday that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin had recently discovered “fraud” within the EPA when he found “$20 billion sitting in a parked car outside of a financial institution.” Needless to say, Zeldin did not come across piles of cash sitting in a vehicle outside of a bank, as it appears that Roberts misinterpreted a report about the EPA chief attempting to rescind grants awarded by the Biden administration aimed at clean-energy projects. Amid the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle federal government agencies and slash spending through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, Zeldin announced last week that he had “found” $20 billion of EPA funds that had been “parked” in an “outside financial institution.” While Zeldin groused that the funds were part of a “scheme” to rush government grants to “far-left activist groups,” likening the effort to “tossing gold bars off the Titanic,” it appears that the EPA head is actually revoking money that Congress approved years ago. At the same time, Zeldin has admitted that there is “zero reason to suspect any wrongdoing by the bank” but that he wants the money back in the EPA’s hands for oversight purposes. “The program, approved under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, is formally known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, but is more commonly called the green bank,” the Associated Press reported. “Two initiatives, worth $14 billion and $6 billion respectively, are intended to offer competitive grants to nonprofits, community development banks and other groups for projects with a focus on disadvantaged communities.” Fox News anchor John Roberts asks EPA administrator Lee Zeldin about the “fraud” he discovered in the form of “$20 billion sitting in a parked car outside a financial institution.” (Fox News) The GOP-controlled House attempted to repeal the “green bank” last year, claiming it was a “slush fund” without proper accountability, but the Democratic-controlled Senate blocked it. Setting up his interview with Zeldin on Tuesday afternoon, Roberts said that “as DOGE comes after federal agencies in an attempt to save taxpayers money,” the EPA had “discovered its own fraud.” While the control room aired a headline from a Fox News digital story on the grant money Zeldin was trying to claw back, Roberts offered up a very different interpretation. “$20 billion sitting in a parked car outside a financial institution,” the veteran anchor breathlessly exclaimed. “EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has demanded those funds be returned so they don’t go to waste.” After welcoming Zeldin to the broadcast, Roberts quipped that the two men had “rode up the elevator today” in the Fox News location, calling it a “record” that they shared an elevator “twice in one day.” He then pivoted back to the already-appropriated EPA funds that Zeldin was trying to recover, making it known that the two men had spoken about the issue earlier in the day. “So tell us about this $20 billion you found stashed away, and as we were chatting on the elevator, you said it was done in such a way that made oversight nearly impossible,” Roberts added. Zeldin, however, did not address the Fox News host’s claims that the EPA had literally found billions of dollars in cash “sitting in a parked car.” Instead, the EPA chief complained about how the Biden administration attempted to “rush” through the agreements beginning in September of last year, claiming that “$20 billion going out the door up front should be a big red flag.” He also said that because the funds were no longer being held by the EPA, it had drastically reduced “accountability and oversight” by the agency. “I want the EPA to be in possession of the funding and have control and oversight of the funding. But that was relinquished,” he continued. “So the whole scheme was something that was extremely irresponsible before you even get started on analyzing each individual recipient.” Meanwhile, it would seem that Roberts – or one of the show’s producers – may have misread the network’s own story on the “green bank” funds that Zeldin now wants back. “‘An extremely disturbing video circulated two months ago, featuring a Biden EPA political appointee talking about how they were ‘tossing gold bars off the Titanic,’ rushing to get billions of your tax dollars out the door before Inauguration Day,’ Zeldin said in a video posted to X, citing another video from December. ‘The ‘gold bars’ were tax dollars and ‘tossing them off the Titanic’ meant the Biden administration knew they were wasting it,’” the article notes. “Zeldin said the EPA has plans to recover the ‘gold bars’ that were found ‘parked at an outside financial institution,’ which he does not mention by name,” the Fox News story adds. The Independent has reached out to Fox News for comment. This isn’t the first time that Roberts has been left with some egg on his face over his on-air remarks. In June 2023, he apologized on air for mocking former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over his weight, saying he “immediately realized” it was “hurtful.” Two years earlier, Roberts also walked back his and the network’s reporting that Biden was planning to limit Americans’ red meat consumption to combat climate change. Source link #Fox #News #anchor #Trumps #EPA #guy #billion #sitting #parked #car #didnt Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

HP Pavilion Laptop 16 review HP Pavilion Laptop 16 review HP Pavilion Laptop 16 MSRP $1,509.00 “The HP Pavilion 16 is a decent 16-inch machine, but it should cost a lot less.” Pros Reasonably solid build Good enough performance Cons Disappointing battery life IPS display has poor colors Too expensive Table of Contents Table of Contents Specs and configuration Design Keyboard and touchpad Connectivity and webcam Performance Battery life Display A near-budget laptop that doesn’t have a near-budget price I’ve been reviewing more budget laptops lately, or at least those that are near-budget at $1,000 or less. That’s on purpose, because not everybody has $1,500 or more to spend on a laptop. HP’s Pavilion lineup, which will be transitioning to the budget version of its new OmniBook line that covers all the company’s consumer machines, has served that kind of consumer in the past. Right now, the Pavilion Laptop 16 is a machine that people might look to for a large-format laptop that won’t break the bank. And it has a number of features that straddle the fence between premium and budget but aren’t quite midrange, either. The problem is, the Pavilion Laptop 16 starts at $1,100, where it seems like it should be offered at a few hundred dollars less. Specs and configuration HP Pavilion Laptop 16 Dimensions 14.08 x 10.03 x 0.70 inches Weight 3.92 pounds Display 16.0-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS, 60Hz, touch or non-touch CPU Intel Core Ultra 7 155U GPU Intel Iris Xe Memory 16GB 32GB Storage 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD Ports 2 x USB-C 2 x USB-A 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 3.5mm audio jack Camera 720p with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello Wireless Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 Battery 59 watt-hour Operating system Windows 11 Price $1,100+ The Pavilion Laptop 16 starts at $1,100 for a Core Ultra 7 155U, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 16.0-inch FHD+ IPS display (with or without touch). Upgrading to 32GB costs $150 while storage can be upgraded to 1TB ($70) and 2TB ($210). That makes the most expensive configuration with a touch display come in at $1,509. Most often, laptops like this one are heavily discounted, but HP currently offers this one at list prices only. And frankly, that’s just too expensive. You can get laptops for under $1,000 with better displays, performance, and battery life. If the Pavilion Laptop 16 cost $800, I’d look at it very differently. Design Mark Coppock / Digital Trends The Pavilion Laptop 16 is constructed of all aluminum, and it’s reasonably solid. There’s a little bit of bendiness in the lid and the keyboard deck depresses a little under pressure. But overall, the build quality is fine. HP’s OmniBook lineup is a lot more solid, though, and they’re not that much more expensive (or around the same price). The machine is also fairly large, with plastic bezels that are thin along the edges but rather large on top and bottom. That makes the Pavilion Laptop 16 fairly side and deep, although it’s reasonably thin at 0.70 inches and it’s just under four pounds in weight. You can get smaller and thinner 16-inch laptops, with the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 being a prime example at just 0.50 inches thick and 3.73 pounds. Aesthetically, the Pavilion Laptop 16 is very plain, and that’s fine. Many laptops today have minimalist designs with no bling. I keep referring to HP’s own OmniBook lineup, because the company knows how to make elegant laptops that are also simple in design. This one is not the best example of that, though. Keyboard and touchpad Mark Coppock / Digital Trends HP makes some great keyboards, most notably the excellent version they used on their older Spectre lineup and most recently on the new OmniBook machines. This one isn’t quite the same. Its keycaps are a little small, and while there’s a lot of key spacing, the switches are too loose. It’s not a bad keyboard, exactly, it’s just that HP has done a lot better. The touchpad is smaller than it could be given the available space on the palm rest, and it works well enough as a mechanical version with reasonably quiet button clicks. It’s not bad, either, but not as good as the excellent haptic touchpad HP uses on some of its machines. Connectivity and webcam The Pavilion Laptop 16 is a large laptop and so there’s plenty of room for connectivity. While there’s a large selection of ports, it’s disappointing that none are Thunderbolt 4. Once again, I’m reminded that this is a near-budget laptop in design but not in price. Wireless connectivity is just one step behind, which is fine. The webcam is the first I’ve seen in a while that’s less than 1080p, at just 720p. Its image isn’t great, and the Core Ultra 7 155U chipset doesn’t have a fast Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to support any on-device AI features. There’s an infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition, which worked well. Performance Mark Coppock / Digital Trends The Intel Core Ultra 7 155U is a 15-watt chipset that’s Intel’s previous generation chipset. It has 12 cores (two Performance, eight efficient, and two Low-Power Efficient) and 14 threads, running at up t0 4.8GHz. It’s been superseded by Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipsets that are aimed at much better efficiency. The very first problem is that you can get the newer chipsets in laptops costing the same as or less than the Pavilion Laptop 16. The second problem is that the Pavilion Laptop 16’s performance doesn’t stand out. It’s considerably slower than Lunar Lake and even more so than Qualcomm’s latest chipsets. It’s okay for basic productivity tasks, but it’s not going to keep up with other contemporary laptops. As we’ll see, it also doesn’t have the efficiency benefits of Lunar Lake, so there’s no good reason for the compromise. And, its Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics aren’t very fast, meaning it’s not a great choice for gamers or creators. Handbrake (seconds) Geekbench 6 (single/multi) 3DMark Wild Life Extreme HP Pavilion Laptop 16 (Core Ultra 7 155U / Intel Iris Xe) 123 2261 / 9729 2529 Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i (Core i5-1235U / Intel Iris Xe) 139 2228 / 8287 2971 Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Ryzen 5 7530U / Radeon graphics) 121 1488 / 8207 N/A Acer Swift Go 14 AI (Snapdragon X Plus / Adreno) N/A 2413 / 11388 3231 Acer Swift 14 AI (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 92 2755 / 11138 5294 HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 99 2483 / 10725 7573 HP Spectre x360 14 (Core Ultra 7 155H / Intel Arc) 83 2176 / 11980 N/A Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 88 2485 / 10569 5217 Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) N/A 2738 / 10734 7514 HP OmniBook X (Snapdragon X Elite / Adreno) N/A 2377 / 13490 6165 MacBook Air (M3) 109 3102 / 12078 8098 Battery life Mark Coppock / Digital Trends The Intel Core Ultra 7 155U chipset is a member of the previous generation that wasn’t as focused on efficiency as newer chipsets like Intel’s Lunar Lake and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X. But, it’s the lower-power version of its generation, so when combine with a low-resolution IPS display but only 59 watt-hours of battery capacity, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I’ve provided more than a few comparison laptops to give an idea of what to expect from the Pavilion Laptop 16. It didn’t do badly, exactly, compared to earlier laptops, but it’s nowhere near the current crop of machines. You won’t get nearly a day’s worth of battery life, even running basic tasks, compared to many other laptops that will get a full day and then some. Web browsing Video HP Pavilion Laptop 16 (Core Ultra 7 155U) 6 hours 9 minutes 10 hours, 15 minutes Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i (Core Ultra i5-1235U) 4 hours, 47 minutes 9 hours, 24 minutes HP Spectre x360 14 (Core Ultra 7 155H) 7 hours, 9 minutes 14 hours, 22 minutes Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Ryzen 5 7530U) 12 hours, 13 minutes 17 hours, 19 minutes Acer Swift Go 14 AI (Snapdragon X Plus) 15 hours, 29 minutes 21 hours, 38 minutes Acer Swift 14 AI (Core Ultra 7 258V) 17 hours, 22 minutes 24 hours, 10 minutes HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V) 11 hours, 5 minutes 15 hours, 46 minutes Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V) 16 hours, 47 minutes 18 hours, 35 minutes Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100) 14 hours, 21 minutes 22 hours, 39 minutes HP Omnibook X (Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100) 13 hours, 37 minutes 22 hours, 4 minutes Apple MacBook Air (Apple M3) 19 hours, 38 minutes 19 hours, 39 minutes Display Mark Coppock / Digital Trends The Pavilion Laptop 16 has just one display option, a 16.0-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS panel running at 60Hz, which is available with and without touch. That’s not high enough resolution for me at this screen size, with text that comes across as quite pixellated. The display seems plenty bright and ******* aren’t too gray, so those are plusses. But, colors did seem muted to me. My colorimeter confirmed those impressions. Brightness is definitely great at 404 nits, and contrast exceeds our 1,000:1 threshold at 1,210:1. That’s not OLED-level of inky *******, but it’s good for IPS technology. Colors, though, weren’t very wide, at just 69% of sRGB, 49% of AdobeRGB, and 49% of DCI-P3, where average IPS displays today come in at 100%, 75%, and 75%, respectively. And color accuracy wasn’t very good at a DeltaE of 2.70, where productivity users want 2.0 or better. If this were bona fide budget laptop, I would be more forgiving. But starting at $1,100, this display just isn’t good enough. A near-budget laptop that doesn’t have a near-budget price It might very well be that I caught the Pavilion Laptop 16 in between a ***** price that would make it a lot more attractive. It’s fast enough for most productivity users, and it’s built well enough. But its battery life isn’t great and its display just isn’t colorful enough. That makes the Pavilion Laptop 16 hard to recommend. You can get some much better laptops for the same or less money, and they’ll have better displays, better performance, and better battery life. If HP drops the price a bit, I’ll be happy to revisit the machine. Source link #Pavilion #Laptop #review Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best Metroidvania games on Xbox Series X The best Metroidvania games on Xbox Series X This far into the console generation, it is hard to pick the best Xbox Series X games. The system has some of the best FPS games, best platformers, and best co-op games on the market, and that’s not even mentioning all the upcoming Xbox Series X games we are looking forward to or the massive Game Pass library. Metroidvanias are one of the most popular genres on Xbox, with new interpretations of the formula coming out all the time. These games are especially appealing to those who love exploring and filling out complex maps, unlocking new abilities, and taking on hard boss fights. There are so many that are worth your time that we decided to narrow down the competition to only the best Metroidvanias on Xbox Series X that you should put on the top of your must-play list. Source link #Metroidvania #games #Xbox #Series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo is discontinuing My Nintendo Gold Points this year Nintendo is discontinuing My Nintendo Gold Points this year Nintendo is sunsetting its My Nintendo Gold Points system, which unsurprisingly has left fans pretty frustrated. Starting on March 24, Gold Points will no longer be earned. Nintendo revealed (via Nintendo Everything) that the service is coming to a close, as well as an FAQ surrounding the closure. It answered questions like how pre-orders work, which basically goes something like if the pre-order was made up to or on March 24, points will be granted regardless of the game’s release date. In case you don’t know what My Nintendo Gold Points is, it’s a promotional thing for Nintendo, after purchasing select games, you’ll earn points, typically 5% of the game’s value or 1% if it’s a physical copy. These points can be turned around and used to purchase digital goods, such as new games or DLC. All-in-all, if you’re a big Nintendo buyer, it’s not a bad deal. What with the closure, we can only assume this is in preparation for the Nintendo Switch 2. Perhaps Nintendo doesn’t want Gold Points to apply to games on the new console and rather than keep things up for the Switch games, it’s just more logical to cull the service altogether. Gabriel Stanford-Reisinger Editor-in-Chief Gabe has been a gamer since he was young, playing games like Pajama Sam, Freddi Fish, Guitar Hero, and whatever looked cool on GameFly. Ever since 2018, he’s been infatuated with the inner workings of the gaming and entertainment industries, covering a wide range of topics from video games to TV and film. Starting as a contributor for PSX Extreme, he’s worked his way up to its Managing Editor. Using what’s he learned over the years, he founded Smash Jump to remind everyone to smash jump. Source link #Nintendo #discontinuing #Nintendo #Gold #Points #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Mass whale stranding on remote beach Mass whale stranding on remote beach More than 150 whales are beached on Tasmania’s remote west coast, a notorious hotspot for strandings. Conservation experts and veterinarians have arrived at the hard-to-reach location near the Arthur River, the state’s environment department said on Wednesday. Initial observations suggest 136 of the 157 stranded mammals, which appear to be false killer whales, are alive. Further assessments are being undertaken and a response plan is being developed. “Stranding response in this area is complex due to the inaccessibility of the site, ocean conditions and the challenges of getting specialist equipment to the remote area,” the department said. “If it is determined there is a need for help from the general public, a request will be made through various avenues.” Australia’s worst-ever stranding involving 470 pilot whales occurred in 2020 at Macquarie Harbour, south of the Arthur River on Tasmania’s west coast. In 2022, around 230 pilot whales got into trouble in shallow water at the heads of Macquarie Harbour. People have been advised to avoid the area of the latest stranding because of an active bushfire in the area. “All whales are protected species, even once deceased, and it is an offence to interfere with a carcass,” the department said. Source link #Mass #whale #stranding #remote #beach Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo is doing away with Gold Points after March 24 Nintendo is doing away with Gold Points after March 24 Nintendo’s excellent Gold Points reward program is going the way of Ultima on March 24. The program first launched in March 2016 and allowed customers to earn points for purchasing both physical and digital games, and those points could be used toward future purchases. Earned points were equivalent to roughly 5% of the price, so a $60 purchase would give the shopper around $3. That said, you can still use any Gold Points you have saved up, and you can continue to earn them until March 24. After that, you won’t be able to earn additional points, but any existing points will remain valid for 12 months after you received them. There’s another caveat: any physical game purchases can still be redeemed for points, even after the cutoff date. The reasoning behind Nintendo’s decision isn’t clear. The company issued a statement, but it provided no information beyond boilerplate comments. “We thank you for supporting the My Nintendo Rewards program, and hope you will continue to enjoy the other features of the program.” Nintendo The timing of the decision is also suspect, falling ahead of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct on April 2. Although the company has not explicitly stated the discontinuation is related to the launch of the Switch 2, it’s difficult not to suspect otherwise. However, it’s also likely that Nintendo plans to introduce a new or re-structured loyalty program with the announcement of the console. Please enable Javascript to view this content If you have physical games that you haven’t redeemed yet, now is a great time to do so. The Nintendo eShop holds regular sales, and using your Gold Points is a great way to stock up on low-cost indie titles for next to nothing. The sudden announcement isn’t out of the ordinary for Nintendo. The company has a history of axing existing programs, often with next to no warning ahead of time. A similar situation occurred with the closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops in 2023. Source link #Nintendo #Gold #Points #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google’s new policy tracks all your devices with no opt-out Google’s new policy tracks all your devices with no opt-out Google has begun enforcing new tracking rules across connected devices, such as smartphones, consoles, and smart TVs, as BBC reports. The tech giant once called the fingerprint tracking technique “wrong” in 2019, but has since reintroduced it. Google has commented that other companies broadly use the data, and it started using it on February 16, 2024. However, that may not sound any better since fingerprinting gathers user data about devices’ hardware and software, which can then uniquely identify a specific device or user. “Privacy campaigners have called Google’s new rules on tracking people online ‘a blatant disregard for user privacy,” BBC News reported this weekend, citing Mozilla’s Martin Thomson warning that “Google has given itself – and the advertising industry it dominates – permission to use a form of tracking that people can’t do much to stop.” Google also told BBC News that the “privacy-enhancing technologies offer new ways for our partners to succeed on emerging platforms… without compromising on user privacy.” Google first announced the feature in December and caused little backlash, but it is now facing significant pushback. Additionally, the tech giant stated that it was hard to target ads to users when they used conventional data collection on devices such as consoles and TVs because users controlled it with cookie consent. What is fingerprinting? It is a tracking technique that gathers information about your browser and device to create a profile about you. The collected data is used to target specific ads, and this data allows advertisers to tailor ads based on factors like screen size and language settings. Furthermore, since that information is combined with other data such as battery level, time zone, browser type, and other points, it’s easier to work out who is using the web service. Source link #Googles #policy #tracks #devices #optout Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

These three tech stocks are nearing key technical indicators after Tuesday’s trading These three tech stocks are nearing key technical indicators after Tuesday’s trading Recent moves by three major tech stocks are putting some technical trading theories to the test, according to Jessica Inskip, director of investor research at StockBrokers.com. Inskip said during a “Three Stock Lunch” segment on Tuesday that Meta Platforms , Intel and Amazon are all near key areas on their technical charts. Meta’s winning streak Meta Platforms fell about 2.8% on Tuesday, breaking the stock’s 20-session winning streak. Inskip said Meta is still in a “bullish trading cycle” overall but is near the top of the expected range after the recent hot streak. “If you look at the bollinger bands, which represent two standard deviations, it reaches that, loses its momentum, and then it has a pullback and finds support around the 13-weekly moving average,” Inskip said on ” Power Lunch .” It could take four-to-six weeks until the stock drifts down to that support level, she added. Intel’s bounce Intel, on the other hand, appears to have shifted into a new trading pattern. The stock rose 16% on Tuesday after a Wall Street Journal report that the chipmaker could be broken up and sold to competitors. The rally is sign of life for a stock that fell about 60% in 2024. INTC 5Y mountain Shares of Intel jump 15% on Tuesday, erasing some of their losses from last year. “This one actually overcame all of its major milestones to shift into a bullish trading cycle and it’s forming a base,” Inskip said. The stock, which closed above $27 per share Tuesday, has areas of support around $24 and $21 that could help confirm the change, Inskip explained. “This is a base. We need it to stay. If we go below $21, that is bad,” she added. Key levels for Amazon Shares of Amazon fell 0.9% on Tuesday, and the stock is now underperforming the S & P 500 year to date. The chart for the e-commerce giant is still positive, but the stock is nearing a key support level, Inskip said. “A sell-off could be triggered if we have a weekly close below the 13-weekly moving average, which is around $225, so watch that,” she said. Amazon closed at $226.65 per share Tuesday. Source link #tech #stocks #nearing #key #technical #indicators #Tuesdays #trading Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Palantir Jumped Today — Is the Red-Hot Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Still a Buy? Palantir Jumped Today — Is the Red-Hot Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Still a Buy? Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) stock posted another day of gains in Tuesday’s trading. The software company’s share price closed out the daily session up 4.6% and had been up as much as 4.9% earlier in trading. Palantir’s valuation continued to climb today following news that Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had purchased new shares in the company recently. As a member of Congress, Greene is required to disclose her stock purchases and sales. Earlier this month, she purchased new Palantir stock worth between $1,000 and $15,000 and also purchased shares in other companies including Intel, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms. Palantir has been on an incredible run. The company’s share price is now up 410% over the last year. On the heels of that incredible rally, the company’s market capitalization has been pushed up to approximately $284 billion. Palantir is now valued at approximately 225.5 times this year’s expected earnings and 75 times expected sales. That’s a risky, growth-dependent valuation even for a company with a leading position in artificial intelligence (AI) software. Some very strong growth is already priced into the stock at current levels, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the company’s share price take a substantial hit in conjunction with even modest unfavorable news. On the other hand, I think that long-term investors who buy Palantir stock at today’s prices will likely still see strong returns. The business is posting fantastic profit margins and has proven to be highly scalable, and it still has a long runway for continued expansion. With its category-leading product offerings for both private-sector and government customers, the company appears uniquely well positioned to benefit from the adoption and ongoing evolution of artificial intelligence. The company’s strong presence in the defense industry should also give it some valuation protection in the face of rising geopolitical tensions. So while I think investors should build a position in Palantir through a dollar-cost-averaging strategy rather than all at once, I think shares are still worthwhile for long-term investors at current prices. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Story Continues Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $360,040!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $46,374!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $570,894!* Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. Learn more » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 3, 2025 Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Keith ******* has positions in Intel. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Intel, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft, short February 2025 $27 calls on Intel, and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Palantir Jumped Today — Is the Red-Hot Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Still a Buy? was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Palantir #Jumped #Today #RedHot #Artificial #Intelligence #Stock #Buy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Marvel Rivals developer hit with layoffs despite the shooter’s success Marvel Rivals developer hit with layoffs despite the shooter’s success The game director for Marvel Rivals has just reported that he and his entire team have been laid off from NetEase games, despite the game’s undeniable success. To put things in perspective, Marvel Rivals is currently in the top five most-played games across PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam, and it’s the number-one most played game on Steam. In an industry where live service games struggle to get any traction, much less maintain their growth, the news of the layoffs is surprising. To clarify, NetEase laid off the Seattle-based team. No reason was given as to why they were laid off, nor do we know if other teams were affected. Some fans speculate the reason could be politically motivated, while others place the blame on corporate hubris. What this news means for the future of the game — which the developers recently hinted could come to the Nintendo Switch 2 — isn’t clear. Game director Thaddeus Sasser shared his thoughts on LinkedIn, opening the post with “This is such a weird industry.” Jack Burrows, one of the level designers, said “Just couldn’t dodge that big boot I guess, no matter how big the success of the gig.” Please enable Javascript to view this content Marvel Rivals is currently among the top 5 games in US weekly active users across PS5, XBS and Steam, according to Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker.It has been a massive hit, and one of the few games that has been able to break through the live service wall.I dunno, folks. I just don’t know. — Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2025-02-18T19:26:12.575Z The Marvel-inspired hero shooter is estimated to have earned over $130 million in its first month alone. Its popularity shows no signs of slowing down, with two new characters and a new map expected within the next two weeks. Ostensibly, those targets will still be met, but there are a lot of unknowns at the moment. If that pace continues, the game could generate more than $1 billion in revenue in its first year. Digital Trends has reached out to NetEase for comment and will update this story when we get a response. Source link #Marvel #Rivals #developer #hit #layoffs #shooters #success Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Lenovo ThinkPad is normally $3,229 — today it’s $1,453 This Lenovo ThinkPad is normally $3,229 — today it’s $1,453 If you’re on the hunt for a powerful but portable laptop, you may want to consider going for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11. It’s tagged with an estimated value of $3,229 by Lenovo, but it can be yours for $1,453 for huge savings of $1,776. It’s rare to see a 55% discount from laptop deals, so you wouldn’t want to miss this chance to take advantage of this bargain, but you’re going to have to hurry because we’re not sure how much time is remaining before this clearance ***** ends. Why you should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 laptop The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 is already out in the market, but that doesn’t make the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 obsolete. In fact, the laptop still provides reliable performance with its 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and 32GB of RAM that’s necessary for handling intensive applications or creating content, according to our laptop buying guide. The device runs on Windows 11 Pro out of the box for access to the operating system’s more advanced features, and it’s got a 512GB SSD for ample storage space for your files and apps. The 14-inch screen of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is bright and colorful with WUXGA resolution, and it’s also small enough to keep the laptop portable along with its weight of less than 3 pounds. The device is protected by a fingerprint reader to prevent unauthorized access, and it features a 1080p Full HD webcam so that you’ll be seen clearly when you take video calls and join online meetings. It’s even got a privacy shutter if you’re worried about unwanted surveillance. There are some amazing Lenovo laptop deals that are up for grabs, and one of them features the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11. It will be yours for $1,453, which is 55% lower its estimated value of $3,229. That’s $1,776 in savings that you probably wouldn’t find anywhere else, but you need to act fast if you’re interested. That’s because there’s no assurance that the offer will still be available tomorrow, so we highly recommend completing your purchase for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 laptop today, if possible. Source link #Lenovo #ThinkPad #today Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kevin Spacey Fires Back After Guy Pearce Says He Was ‘Targeted’ on ‘LA Confidential’ Set: ‘Grow Up, Guy. You Are Not a Victim’ – Variety Kevin Spacey Fires Back After Guy Pearce Says He Was ‘Targeted’ on ‘LA Confidential’ Set: ‘Grow Up, Guy. You Are Not a Victim’ – Variety Kevin Spacey Fires Back After Guy Pearce Says He Was ‘Targeted’ on ‘LA Confidential’ Set: ‘Grow Up, Guy. You Are Not a Victim’ VarietyGuy Pearce Alleges Kevin Spacey ‘Targeted’ Him on the Set of L.A. Confidential : ‘I Was Scared’ of Him PEOPLEKevin Spacey Responds to Guy Pearce Claims He Was “Targeted” By ‘L.A. Confidential’ Co-Star: “Grow Up, You Are Not a Victim” Hollywood ReporterKevin Spacey Denies Targeting Guy Pearce After ‘L.A. Confidential’ Accusation: ‘You Are Not a Victim’ | Video Yahoo Entertainment‘He targeted me’: Guy Pearce says he ‘sobbed’ over Kevin Spacey encounters The Guardian Source link #Kevin #Spacey #Fires #Guy #Pearce #Targeted #Confidential #Set #Grow #Guy #Victim #Variety Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fortnite Festival Nintendo Switch Controller With Fret Attachment Gets First Discount Fortnite Festival Nintendo Switch Controller With Fret Attachment Gets First Discount Fortnite Festival fans who play on Nintendo Switch (or PC) can save on the recently released CRKD Neo S Purple Wave Controller for the first time. Normally $60, the recently released wireless controller is discounted to $50 for a limited time. The officially licensed gamepad adds a 5-fret attachment to the compact Neo S, making it the ideal way to play Fortnite’s Guitar Hero-esque game mode with a standard controller. Released at the end of 2024 and designed by the team behind Guitar Hero and DJ Hero controllers, the Neo S Fortnite Festival Edition is reminiscent of the 4-fret attachment that slotted into the Game Boy Advance slot on the DS. Playing Guitar Hero with cartridge slot attachment was actually pretty fun, so the Fortnite Festival Edition Neo S for Switch and PC sounds cool. Plus, the “Purple Wave” color scheme is arguably best-looking officially licensed Fortnite controller around. CRKD Neo S Purple Wave Controller: Fortnite Festival Edition Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile Smart TV Release Date: December 20, 2024 Price: $50 ($60) with limited-time Amazon deal CRKD Neo S Purple Wave Controller: Fortnite Festival Edition Gallery The controller comes with a velcro wrist strap to keep it from flying across the room when in the middle of a guitar solo and a microfiber string bag for travel. The controller is also compatible with Fortnite Festival on streaming platforms like Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming, plus a wide range of other rhythm games. Outside of the detachable five-button module, the Fortnite Festival Edition has the same features as the conventional Neo S controllers. It’s a pro-style controller with a compact form factor. It has Hall Effect analog sticks as well as swappable thumbstick tops. Additional stick tops are sold separately in bundles of eight. Amazon has $20 stick top bundles in gray, ******, and an orange and ****** combo pack. The Neo S also also has Hall Effect triggers with customizable sensitivity via the CRKD mobile app. The easy-to-use app is where you go to map inputs, including the pair of remappable back buttons. The Neo S has adjustable rumble and motion controls, though motion controls will only work on Nintendo Switch. Within the app, you can turn on optional preloaded configurations, including a turbo mode. If you play Fortnite Festival on PlayStation, Xbox, or PC, PDP’s Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller offers the authentic Guitar Hero and Rock Band experience. The PlayStation edition is currently on ***** for $105 (was $130) at Amazon and Best Buy. Other CRKD Neo S models $40 ($50) CKRD Neo S controller CRKD’s Neo S first released last April. Like the manufacturer’s Nitro Deck handheld controller (more on that below), the Neo S aims to be a useful controller and a collectible. Each CRKD controller can be registered on the app by tapping your smartphone against the the company’s logo on the back of the controller. Considering CRKD’s approach to controller releases, it’s not surprising the Neo S already has some fairly unique and stylish designs, including a Famicom-inspired Retro Gold controller, “Junkyard” theme, and a number of transparent shells, including the clear model shown above. The standard Neo S controllers without the fret attachment normally cost $50 each, but Amazon is offering $10 discounts on all styles right now. Nitro Deck Nintendo Switch Controller + Carrying Case Bundles Nitro Deck and carrying case Switch owners who want better ergonomics in handheld mode should also check out CKRD’s Nitro Deck, one of GameSpot’s favorite handheld controllers for the Nintendo Switch. Currently discounted to $40 (was $50) or $60 (was $80) when bundled with a hardshell travel case, the Nitro Deck is a U-shaped cradle that offers a premium feel, full-size inputs, four remappable back buttons, and the customization options via the official CRKD app mentioned above for the Neo S. The limited-edition bundles have pretty awesome color schemes, such as the GameCube-inspired model above, and the range of transparent colors like Atomic Red and Emerald Green. It also has a built-in kickstand for tabletop mode and passthrough USB-C for charging. If you buy the Nitro Deck separately, you can get CRKD’s hardshell carrying case with a shoulder strap for $30 at Amazon. Alternatively, there’s a shoulder bag for travel with room for a bunch of additional accessories for $38 (was $50). It’s worth noting there’s a Nitro Deck+, too. This newer model swaps the locations of the face buttons and analog stick on the right side, adds a pair of side buttons, and supports both USB-C passthrough for charging as well as HDMI passthrough for video output. You don’t need to remove the Switch from the Nitro Deck+ to play on your TV. Nitro Deck Nintendo Switch Controller + Carry Case Bundle Deals Nitro Deck Nintendo Switch Controller Deals Nitro Deck+ Nintendo Switch Controller Deals Source link #Fortnite #Festival #Nintendo #Switch #Controller #Fret #Attachment #Discount Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

USA & Oman make history with first all-spin men’s ODI USA & Oman make history with first all-spin men’s ODI USA and Oman made history by not bowling a single ball of pace during their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Al Amerat on Tuesday. All 61 overs were bowled by spinners, making it the first time in 4,671 men’s one-day internationals that no pace or seam was bowled. The USA beat hosts Oman by 57 runs after being bowled out for 122 in 35.3 overs – making it the lowest total successfully defended in a full men’s ODI. The previous record in a full unaffected match was India’s 125 against Pakistan in 1985, when they won by 38 runs. USA bowler Nosthush Kenjige took a career-best 5-11 as Oman were bowled out for 65 in 25.3 overs. The total of 19 wickets that fell to spin also matched the record, set in a Bangladesh-Pakistan match in 2011, for the most wickets claimed by spinners in an ODI. The other wicket was a run out. The combined 187 runs is the second-lowest aggregate score in a full men’s ODI, behind the 163-run match between India and Bangladesh in 2014. It follows Paarl Royals becoming the first side to bowl 20 overs of spin, external in a T20 during their SA20 win over Pretoria Capitals in January. Source link #USA #Oman #history #allspin #mens #ODI Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle rebrands American Riviera Orchard to ‘As Ever’, Netflix partner with royal Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle rebrands American Riviera Orchard to ‘As Ever’, Netflix partner with royal The Duchess of Sussex has revealed a major change is underway involving her business, something she is shocked she kept secret for so long. In a video uploaded to her Instagram account, Meghan revealed that Netflix is not only the streaming platform for her forthcoming series With Love, Meghan, but a partner in her business which had been called American Riviera Orchard. “Cat’s out of the bag. I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long,” The Duchess of Sussex has renamed her lifestyle brand “As Ever” and posted a rare image of her young daughter Lillibet. If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. At the start of the video, Prince Harry can be heard in the background saying “It’s recording” before his wife tells her followers the news about her business. “In two weeks, my show is coming out, which I’m so excited for, and also my business, which I think there’s been a lot of curiosity about,” she says. “Last year, I had thought ‘you know what, American Riviera that sounds like such a great name, it’s my neighbourhood, it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara’, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area. “Then Netflix came on, not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in my business, which was huge.” A trademark application filed in February 2024 shows the company wishes to offer downloadable and printed recipe books, table wear, textiles, and jams and marmalades. The duchess said she secured the new name in 2022. “As Ever, essentially means as it’s always been, and if you’ve followed me Since 2014 with the Tig, you know, I’ve always loved cooking and crafting and gardening,” said Meghan. “This is what I do, and I haven’t been able to share it with you in the same way for the past few years but now I can.” The new website for the venture features a picture of the duchess and her three-year-old daughter photographed from a distance, walking hand-in-hand across a sunny lawn with palm trees in the background. Meghan joked about the first product released by her business in 2024, a limited edition jar of strawberry jam. “Of course there will be fruit preserves, I think we’re all clear at this point that jam is my jam,” she said. “But there’s so many more products that I just love that I use in my home and now it’s time to share it with you, so I can’t wait for you to see it.” – With AAP Source link #Duchess #Sussex #Meghan #Markle #rebrands #American #Riviera #Orchard #Netflix #partner #royal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

See which Middle Tennessee school districts are closing ahead of winter storm See which Middle Tennessee school districts are closing ahead of winter storm Many students across Middle Tennessee will enjoy a second day off from school this week, as the region is set to experience a potentially significant snow event. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for portions of Middle Tennessee, warning of widespread travel impacts including slippery roads and travel delays. The warning is in place for 9 p.m. Tuesday to noon Wednesday for northern counties. A winter storm advisory is also in place for areas south of I-40. According to the weather service, one to three inches will be common across the region, with areas to the northwest receiving between four to six inches. Nashville is anticipated to receive between two to three inches of dry, powdery snow said National Weather Service Meteorologist Mark Rose. Here are the schools that will be closed Wednesday. More: NDOT, mayor say Nashville is ready for potential 4-inch snowfall Middle Tennessee school closures due to snow Bedford County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19 Dickson County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. All after school activities and daycare facilities will also be closed. Cheatham County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. Extended daycare will be closed and there will be no extra-curricular activities. Marshall County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19 Rutherford County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. The district’s central office will also be closed and 12-month school-based classified employees should not report to work. Wilson County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. Kids Club and all extra curricular activities canceled. Humphreys County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. Stewart County Schools: Closed Wednesday, Feb. 19. Belmont University: Classes will be held online Wednesday, Feb. 19. Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at *****@*****.tld or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville area schools closing tomorrow due to winter storm Source link #Middle #Tennessee #school #districts #closing #ahead #winter #storm Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]