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Cisco Roars Back: Is the Tech Giant Reborn? Cisco Roars Back: Is the Tech Giant Reborn? Cisco’s commitment to shareholder returns further reinforces the narrative of a company regaining its financial footing and expressing confidence in its future. The company’s Board of Directors authorized a $15 billion increase to its existing stock repurchase program. Stock buybacks are often seen as a powerful signal to the market that a company believes its stock is undervalued. By repurchasing its shares, Cisco will reduce the number of shares outstanding, potentially increasing earnings per share and driving up the stock price. This buyback authorization underscores management’s conviction in Cisco’s long-term prospects and its willingness to deploy its substantial cash reserves to benefit shareholders. Adding to this shareholder-friendly approach, Cisco also announced a 3% increase in its quarterly dividend, raising it to $0.41 per share, or an annualized rate of $1.64 per share, with a current yield of 2.50%. A rising dividend not only enhances the appeal of Cisco stock to income-oriented investors but also serves as another strong indicator of the company’s financial health and its commitment to sharing its success with shareholders. Cisco dividend has a solid track record of growth, with 12 consecutive years of annual dividend increases further solidifying its position as a reliable dividend-paying stock. Rebirth or Rebound? While the strong earnings and shareholder returns provide immediate positive signals, the question of Cisco’s true and lasting rebirth hinges on the company’s strategic direction and its ability to capitalize on key technology shifts, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Cisco has been actively positioning itself to be a leader in the AI era, and recent developments suggest these efforts are beginning to bear fruit. A critical element of Cisco’s strategy is its focus on building infrastructure for the burgeoning AI market. The company reported robust AI infrastructure orders, reaching approximately $700 million in the first half of fiscal year 2025, with over $350 million in Q2 FY2025 alone. This surge in AI-related orders indicates strong customer demand for Cisco’s technology in powering AI workloads. Furthermore, Cisco unveiled its new N9300 Series Smart Switches, specifically designed for AI data centers and embedding security directly into the network fabric through its Hypershield solution. These Smart Switches, powered by Cisco Silicon One and AMD (NASDAQ:) Pensando DPUs, represent a significant architectural innovation, simplifying data center design and enhancing efficiency for AI applications. Cisco is also expanding its AI-driven software and services portfolio. The launch of Cisco AI Defense demonstrates a proactive approach to securing AI deployments, addressing critical concerns around AI safety and security. Moreover, the strategic partnership with Mistral AI to develop AI agents, starting with the AI Renewals Agent for customer experience, highlights Cisco’s commitment to embedding AI into its operations and customer interactions. The integration of Splunk, a major acquisition for Cisco, further strengthens its hand in observability and security, key pillars for managing complex AI environments. This strategic shift is not limited to AI. Cisco is also emphasizing cloud-based solutions, software and subscription-based revenue models, moving beyond its traditional hardware-centric approach. This transformation towards recurring revenue streams and high-growth areas like AI, cybersecurity, and observability suggests that Cisco is actively reinventing itself for the future technology landscape. The recent positive earnings report could be an early indicator that this strategic pivot is gaining traction and laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and growth-oriented future. A Turnaround in Progress, Not Yet a Done Deal Cisco Systems has undoubtedly delivered a powerful earnings report, providing compelling reasons for investor optimism. The company’s Q2 FY2025 results demonstrate a clear financial upswing, fueled by strong product orders and strategic alignment with high-growth markets. The increased stock buyback and dividend hike further solidify the message of financial strength and commitment to shareholder value. Cisco’s strategic investments in AI, cloud, and cybersecurity, coupled with the integration of Splunk, suggest a company actively transforming itself for the future. However, the question of whether this “roar back” truly signifies a complete rebirth as a high-growth tech giant remains open. Market skepticism serves as a reminder that sustained performance and consistent execution will be crucial to fully convince all investors. While the recent earnings report is a significant step in the right direction, Cisco needs to demonstrate continued momentum in the coming quarters to solidify its turnaround and fully realize its “reborn” potential. Original article Source link #Cisco #Roars #Tech #Giant #Reborn Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kayaker swallowed by whale recalls feeling ‘slimy texture’ in its mouth Kayaker swallowed by whale recalls feeling ‘slimy texture’ in its mouth Andrea Díaz & Ayelén Oliva BBC Mundo BBC Adrián Simancas was kayaking when he was swallowed by a humpback whale The first thing kayaker Adrián Simancas noticed after he was swallowed by a whale was the ******. “I spent a second realising I was inside the mouth of something, that maybe it had eaten me, that it could have been an orca or a sea monster,” the 23-year-old told BBC Mundo. Adrián had started to think how he might survive inside the humpback whale “like Pinocchio” – then the creature spat him back out. The Venezuelan kayaker had been paddling through the Strait of Magellan, off Chile’s Patagonian coast, with his father when he felt something “hit me from behind, closing in on me and sinking me”. His father, Dall, was able to capture the short-lived ordeal on video just metres away. “I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, I realised I was inside the whale’s mouth,” Adrián told the BBC. He felt something “slimy” touch his face, and all he could see was dark blue and white. “I wondered what I could do if it had swallowed me since I could no longer fight to stop it,” he said. “I had to think about what to do next.” But within seconds, Adrián started to feel as though he was rising toward the surface. Watch: ‘I thought had died’, says man swallowed by whale “I was a little afraid of whether I would be able to hold my breath because I didn’t know how deep I was, and I felt like it took me a long time to come up. “I went up for two seconds, and finally I got to the surface and realised that it hadn’t eaten me.” In a nearby kayak, Adrián’s father Dall Simancas watched on in disbelief. The pair had just crossed Eagle Bay – down the coast from Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost city – when he heard a ****** behind him. “When I turned around, I didn’t see Adrián.” “I was worried for a second, until I saw him coming up out of the sea,” the 49-year-old said. “Then I saw something, a body, which I immediately interpreted as most likely being a whale because of its size.” Dall had fixed a camera to the back of his kayak to record the rising waves – which captured his son’s remarkable experience. Watching the footage back, Adrián – who moved with his father to Chile from Venezuela seven years ago in search of a better quality of life – was shocked to see just how enormous the whale had been. “I hadn’t seen the moment when the back appears, and the fin is visible. I didn’t see it, I heard it. That made me nervous,” he said. “But later, with the video, I realised that it actually appeared before me in such a huge size that perhaps if I had seen it, it would have scared me even more.” ‘Physically impossible to ********’ For Adrián, the experience was not just about survival – but he said felt he had received a “second chance” when the whale spat him out. The “unique” experience in one of the most extreme places on Earth had “invited me to reflect on what I could have done better up until that point, and on the ways I can take advantage of the experience and appreciate it as well”, he added. But there is a simple reason he was able to escape the whale so quickly, according to a wildlife expert. Humpback whales have narrow throats “about the size of a household pipe” designed for swallowing small fish and shrimp, Brazilian conservationist Roched Jacobson Seba told the BBC. “They physically cannot ******** large objects like kayaks, tires, or even big fish like tuna,” he said. “Ultimately, the whale ***** out the kayak because it was physically impossible to ********.” The humpback whale likely engulfed Adrián by accident, Mr Seba suggested. “The whale was likely feeding on a school of fish when it unintentionally scooped up the kayak along with its meal. “When whales surface too quickly while feeding, they can accidentally hit or engulf objects in their path.” He warned that the encounter served as “an important reminder” to avoid using paddleboards, surfboards or other silent vessels in areas where whales usually swim. Boats used for whale watching and research must always keep their engines on, he added, as the noise helps whales detect their presence. Additional reporting by Luis Barrucho and Maia Davies. Source link #Kayaker #swallowed #whale #recalls #feeling #slimy #texture #mouth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Formula 1 2025: Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon say don’t ban drivers for swearing Formula 1 2025: Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon say don’t ban drivers for swearing Sainz explained that his first impressions were “positive”, and he said Williams’ willingness to host a day for media and sponsors and give the car its debut at the same time was indicative of the progress the team had made. Last year, the team struggled at the start of the season as attempts to introduce new processes in the team delayed the car build. A ******-strewn 2024 season has also impacted the team financially. Sainz, whose seat at Ferrari was taken by Lewis Hamilton, said he wanted Williams to continue to show progress in 2025 as they build towards the new regulations that will be introduced in F1 in 2026. “It is important to keep the momentum up, keep the positive trend, the forward trajectory,” Sainz said. “And if we manage to keep that momentum going and riding the wave in a way, that for me is the most important because Williams’ big opportunity comes more in ’26 than ’25.” Sainz shrugged off a question as to how he would feel when he sees Hamilton in a Ferrari for the first time by saying he had “been through that already” after seeing the seven-time champion’s appearance at the Ferrari factory last month. Spaniard Sainz won four grands prix for Ferrari in his four years with the team and said he was not sure how he would feel about his inevitable fall down the field. “I don’t know how much I am going to miss it, how much fun I am going to find it fighting for P7-P15,” Sainz said. “Maybe you need to ask me later in the year how I am finding it. “But what I can tell you is I’m very happy and motivated, I am excited, I feel supported. I feel a team full of good, positive energy and a team principal and team that fully trusts in my abilities and wants to listen to what I have to say and I have confidence in my ability to move forward.” Team boss James Vowles said the car was an “evolution” of last year’s model but that the team’s prime focus this year was to ensure it was best prepared for 2026, when new engine and chassis rules come on stream together for the first time in F1’s modern era. “Everyone is aligned, and that includes Carlos and Alex, that we want to be winning championships and for that we can’t keep giving a little bit towards now because it looks better,” Vowles said. “If you put your focus on the following year you miss out on that long-term evolution. There are bits we’re doing today that won’t come on line until 2027. “The fact we’ve gone from 700 people to 1,000 means you’ll have low-hanging fruit of producing a better car with more performance added to it, but I consider that second to the long-term investment to get us where we need to be.” Source link #Formula #Williams #drivers #Carlos #Sainz #Alex #Albon #dont #ban #drivers #swearing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WHO calls on Europe to have tobacco-style warning labels for alcohol – National WHO calls on Europe to have tobacco-style warning labels for alcohol – National Descrease article font size Increase article font size The World Health Organization released new findings on Friday about an “alarming” lack of awareness about alcohol’s link to ******* across Europe and called for clear and prominent tobacco-style warnings in the region with the world’s heaviest drinkers. The global health agency has repeatedly warned that alcohol causes ******* and has backed clear labeling but has never before been as prescriptive in its call for new government regulations. Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General also called for warnings of ******* risks on alcoholic drink labels. Alcohol causes 800,000 deaths across Europe each year but just a fraction of the population is aware of the risks, the WHO’s Europe office said. Its study found that just 15 per cent of respondents knew that alcohol can cause breast ******* and 39 per cent were aware of its link to colon *******. Story continues below advertisement “Despite ******* being the leading cause of alcohol-attributable deaths in the European Union (EU), public awareness of the link between alcohol and ******* remains alarmingly low,” the WHO said. 2:00 Alcohol consumption linked to ******* Trending Now Mini Ritz crackers are being pulled off shelves in Canada. Here’s why Could the U.S. actually make Canada a 51st state? How the process works Relying on self-regulation, as the industry would prefer, brings the risk that alcohol producers use “inconspicuous placement and ambiguous messaging” or use QR codes which tend to be ignored by shoppers, it said. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Instead, alcoholic drinks should display “clear and prominent health warnings” in written format which could be combined with pictures “to maximize reach and empower consumers with clear, accurate information to make informed choices about their health,” it said. Pictograms and simple text-only messages can be just as effective as more graphic photographs, a spokesperson said when asked about the types of warnings. Currently, just three out of 27 EU countries – France, Lithuania and Germany – have some form of warning labels, the WHO said. Ireland plans broader ******* warnings on alcoholic drinks from May 2026, it said. Story continues below advertisement –Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Christina Fincher More on Health More videos Source link #calls #Europe #tobaccostyle #warning #labels #alcohol #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best Presidents’ Day streaming deals include one year of Peacock Premium for only $30 The best Presidents’ Day streaming deals include one year of Peacock Premium for only $30 If you’re eager to binge-watch shows like Poker Face, revisit classics like The Office or catch the upcoming SNL 50th anniversary special, Peacock is the place for all of that. Presidents’ Day streaming deals have made it a bit more affordable to stream Peacock content right now: through February 18, you can snag one year of Peacock Premium for only $30. To recap, we saw the same subscription drop to $20 during the holiday shopping season last year, and this is the best discount since then. Just use the code WINTERSAVINGS at checkout if you don’t see the deal price immediately. It’s important to note that, despite the name, this isn’t the actual premium tier. It includes ads, which could be a dealbreaker for some. However, there’s plenty to watch on this platform for those okay with the occasional long and harrowing commercial about random pharmaceuticals. Peacock, after all, easily made our list of the best streaming services. Peacock This is a discount of more than 60 percent. Save $50 with code WINTERSAVINGS $30 at Peacock The platform is home to all kinds of original content, from Rian Johnson’s Poker Face to that surprisingly fun Twisted Metal adaptation. It’s also the only place to watch the dearly-departed AI-centric sci-fi romp Mrs. Davis. During its early years, Peacock invested heavily in scripted comedy and a lot of that stuff is still on the platform. This includes shows like Rutherford Falls, Bust Down and MacGruber. More recently, the streamer has found success with shows like Ted, Hysteria! and Laid. It also has all kinds of reality TV shows, if that’s your bag, as NBC owns Bravo. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. If this deal interests you, get on it quick. The aforementioned coupon code stops working on February 18. Also, this deal is only for new subscribers. As for more Presidents’ Day streaming deals, you can save on Apple Music, NBA League Pass and more. These are some of the best Presidents’ Day streaming deals we found this year. Apple Music for $3 for six months ($63 off): New subscribers can get one of the best deals we’ve seen on Apple Music, *******. The iPhone maker has discounted the Individual plan to only $3 total for six months of access — that’s a far cry from the typical $11-per-month cost. Apple Music is one of our top picks for the best music streaming services available now. Just note: Offer for eligible new subscribers redeeming on eligible devices. Auto-renews at $10.99/mo after offer ******* until cancelled. Offer not available if you are eligible for a 3-months free Apple Music offer. Terms apply. NBA League Pass for $77 for one year (30 percent off): This gift subscription gives your recipient (or you) access to NBA League Pass for one year, with live and on-demand game coverage, including all out-of-market games, and 24/7 access to NBA TV. Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle with ads for $17/month: This bundle is offered all year round, but it’s particularly compelling now with the new season of Max’s The White Lotus Season 3 premiering on February 16. Max may not technically be under the Disney mega-umbrella, but you get full, ad-supported access to its content here along with Disney+ and Hulu. You’ll save 43 percent with this bundle, as opposed to paying for all three services individually. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #Presidents #Day #streaming #deals #include #year #Peacock #Premium Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

TSMC and Intel rumors stoke Taiwanese fears of losing the ‘Silicon Shield’ TSMC and Intel rumors stoke Taiwanese fears of losing the ‘Silicon Shield’ The rumor that the U.S. government is allegedly pushing a joint venture between Intel and TSMC has sparked an outcry in Taiwan about the chance of the country losing its ‘Silicon Shield,’ a theory that TSMC’s crucial role in global chip manufacturing would prevent China from invading, or spur other countries to rush to its aid in the event of war. Naturally, the rumored partnership would impact TSMC’s strategy and Taiwan’s politics. With such a JV, Taiwan would no longer be the world’s key supplier of advanced processors. “‘Media reports’ gone wild,” wrote Dan Nystedt, vice president at TriOrient, an Asia-based private investment company, in an X post. “Headlines from Taiwan [are] from pro-******** ********** Party/anti-America media.” Indeed, Taiwanese media treat TSMC and the country as one, warning that TSMC will become partly an American company and Taiwan will lose its ‘Silicon Shield.’ Nystedt pointed out three headlines: No.1 foreign analyst warns: be afraid for TSMC! The whole bowl is going to be taken away. [Link] Shocking report: The U.S. asks TSMC to save Intel with a joint venture fab, technology transfer: Taiwan is finished! [Link] Rivals become teammates? TSMC and Intel are joining forces to become US Semiconductor (USSMC). [Link] Most stories rebuff the original report and add commentary that the joint venture will not benefit TSMC but instead harm the company and the country. Some even try to drag in unrelated facts as indirect confirmations supporting the joint venture. Earlier this month, TSMC’s board of directors held its first-ever Q1 meeting in the U.S. instead of Taiwan. While business media attributed this to the company’s preparations to formally kick off mass production of advanced processors at Fab 21 in Arizona—a first in TSMC’s history—Taiwanese media claimed that the meeting was tied to Trump’s possible return to the Oval Office. However, while the media tends to stoke fears in headlines, it also quotes analysts who believe that, given the onshoring trend, TSMC’s decision to build production capacity outside Taiwan was inevitable. Nonetheless, even these analysts believe that TSMC may experience unprecedented political pressure in the U.S. Yang Yingchao, chairman of Kirkland Capital, told China Times News Network that TSMC’s Fab 21 project in Arizona has significant political implications, as setting up a chip production site worth $65 billion in the U.S. is commercially impractical for TSMC. Producing chips in Taiwan is far more cost-effective due to lower expenses and a larger workforce of engineers. Additionally, since chips are small and easy to transport, there is little logistical benefit in manufacturing them in the U.S. However, it has become nearly impossible for TSMC to avoid expanding its production capacity in America now that advanced chip supplies have become a matter of national security and economic prosperity. Yang Yingchao also doubts the likelihood of the U.S. government imposing a 100% tariff on Taiwan-made chips. He argues that Trump often uses bold threats as leverage in negotiations, citing previous instances where similar tariff threats were eventually dropped. Imposing a 100% tariff on chips would likely increase consumer prices or within the supply chain, ultimately harming the U.S. economy. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. However, Yang remains skeptical of TSMC’s business media explanations for holding its board meeting in the U.S., suspecting they are influenced by external pressure rather than actual operational needs. This could imply that the Intel and TSMC collaboration story may have some grounds. Source link #TSMC #Intel #rumors #stoke #Taiwanese #fears #losing #Silicon #Shield Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Eric Adams prosecutor quits DOJ over case dismissal order Eric Adams prosecutor quits DOJ over case dismissal order Danielle Sassoon, assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, left, arrives at court in New York, US, on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Yuki Iwamura | Bloomberg | Getty Images A seventh federal prosecutor resigned Friday over the Department of Justice’s controversial order to dismiss criminal corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. The prosecutor, Hagan Scotten, in a blistering letter to top DOJ official Emil Bove, said “I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion” to dismiss the Adams case. “But it was never going to be me,” wrote Scotten, who had been the lead prosecutor in Adams’ case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. On Thursday, Scotten’s boss, acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned in protest over Bove’s order to toss the case. Within hours of Sassoon quitting, five top prosecutors at the DOJ resigned, rather than execute Bove’s order. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #Eric #Adams #prosecutor #quits #DOJ #case #dismissal #order Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pete Hegseth Slammed by Republican Senator for ‘Rookie Mistake’ Pete Hegseth Slammed by Republican Senator for ‘Rookie Mistake’ Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Roger Wicker said Pete Hegseth made a “rookie mistake” in his comments about Ukraine in a speech at NATO HQ. Pro-Ukraine Wicker, who backed Hegseth when allegations that he liked to drink on the job surfaced, wasn’t so forgiving when the defense secretary said Ukraine would never look the same again and that the country can forget its hopes of NATO membership. “Hegseth is going to be a great defense secretary, although he wasn’t my choice for the job,” the Mississippi Republican told Politico. “But he made a rookie mistake in Brussels and he’s walked back some of what he said but not that line.” During his speech in Brussels, Hegseth suggested Kyiv should abandon hope of regaining all of its territory from Russia. His assertion that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should also give up on NATO membership gave the impression that the U.S. took a stance on the Ukraine-Russia saga closer to a Kremlin outlook. “I don’t know who wrote the speech—it is the kind of thing Tucker Carlson could have written, and Carlson is a fool,” Wicker said, referring to the former Fox broadcaster, who has traveled to Moscow to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin. Wicker, however, gave Hegseth credit for rowing back slightly on his comments, saying he was “heartened” by this. “I prefer we didn’t give away negotiating positions before we actually get started talking about the end of the Russia-Ukraine war,” Wicker added, however. It comes as Trump had phone conversations with both Zelensky and, first, Putin. On Thursday, he said there was a “good possibility of ending that horrible, very bloody war.” Wicker, sharing a more traditional Republican stance, called Putin a “war criminal who needs to be in prison for the rest of his life.” Hegseth appeared to err on the side of Moscow, before rowing back on his comments. / Chris McGrath/Getty Images Contradicting Trump once more, Wicker rubbished the idea of Russia returning to the G7 fold. “There are good guys and bad guys in this war, and the Russians are the bad guys,” Wicker said. “They invaded, contrary to almost every international law, and they should be defeated. And Ukraine is entitled to the promises that the world made to it.” Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance issued a stark warning to Russia, threatening the potential deployment of U.S. troops to Ukraine—a move that directly undercut Hegseth. Vance said the U.S. may take military action if Putin fails to negotiate a deal that guarantees Ukraine’s long-term independence. This came after Hegseth had firmly ruled out any U.S. troop involvement in Ukraine. He was left scrambling to walk back his first statement on the world stage after a powerful backlash. Source link #Pete #Hegseth #Slammed #Republican #Senator #Rookie #Mistake Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Presidents’ Day Apple deals include the iPad mini 7 for $100 off Presidents’ Day Apple deals include the iPad mini 7 for $100 off Presidents’ Day Apple deals can be few and far between — truthfully, Presidents’ Day has never been a boon for tech deals in general. But each year there are a few standout discounts, and this time one of them is on the iPad mini 7. You can grab it for $100 off right now, bringing it down to $499, which is close to its record-low price. Apple’s latest and greatest diminutive tablet easily found a place on our list of the best iPads. It’s a solid refresh without any real tradeoffs when compared to the full-sized tablet. It supports the Apple Pencil Pro, the A17 Pro chip is plenty powerful and the overall design is comfortable to hold. It’s an iPad mini. Apple We called it a “solid and necessary update to the best small tablet on the market” in our official review. We came away impressed by the stereo speakers, which sound much better than one would expect. The display is nice, despite maxing out at a 60Hz refresh rate, and the camera array takes surprisingly decent shots, even in low light. It’s great for everyday computing tasks and, of course, for playing mobile games like Balatro. This model doesn’t include an M-series chip, though the A17 Pro is plenty powerful. Also, the battery life isn’t going to be winning any awards. We struggled to squeeze ten hours of it. This model also lacks Face ID, which could be an issue for some users. Beyond these minor nitpicks, however, this is a near-perfect teensy tablet. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #Presidents #Day #Apple #deals #include #iPad #mini Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nvidia announces pre-orders for RTX 5000 series laptops on February 25 Nvidia announces pre-orders for RTX 5000 series laptops on February 25 Nvidia purportedly planned the release of RTX 5000 laptops for January 2025 Rumor claims that original timeframe was pushed back to March (and April for lower-tier notebooks) This is seemingly wrapped up in chip production and tweaking issues where gaming GPUs are not a priority compared to AI graphics cards Nvidia’s stock levels for its Blackwell GeForce GPUs are becoming an increasing source of concern, and the brows of PC gamers hoping to get an RTX 5000 graphics card won’t be any less furrowed by fresh news from the grapevine This is actually on the topic of laptop GPUs, but it applies more widely to the overall situation with Nvidia’s Blackwell chips, as we’ll see. With the RTX 5000 laptops, Nvidia already told us that RTX 5090, 5080 and 5070 Ti laptops are set to launch in March – with pre-orders going live on February 25 – and then notebooks with the RTX 5070 aren’t due until April However, as VideoCardz noticed, a report from DigiTimes carries word from the notebook supply chain that Nvidia originally planned a January debut for high-end Blackwell laptops, which has been pushed back to March. And that the mid-to-low-end notebooks – presumably referring to those carrying the RTX 5070 – were originally scheduled for March but got pushed to April. Add plenty of skepticism, as ever, and we wouldn’t exactly call a laptop packing an RTX 5070 anything like ‘lower tier’ by any means. Maybe translation issues are coming into play there a bit, unless the report is referring to RTX 5060 models as well (but those haven’t been announced by Nvidia yet). At any rate, the really interesting bit with this article is that DigiTimes furnishes us with a reason for this apparent delay, which is unexpected by the industry at large, namely that Nvidia is having its R&D resources stretched too far in different ways. Basically, the broad assertion is that the “debugging” (tweaking and honing) needed for Nvidia’s Blackwell data center and gaming products is pulling the firm this way and that, and something’s got to give. And guess what? It isn’t the AI or heavyweight GPUs that are getting the short end of the stick, as that’s where the big money lies – it’s the less profitable gaming graphics cards. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Or that’s the theory anyway, and it seems a believable enough piece of speculation. DigiTimes reports that anonymous sources from the supply chain have said: “Nvidia, which has never been late [to launch a product] in the past, also encountered this situation. It is probably related to Nvidia’s full sprint to AI servers. Even though there are differences in server and PC chip design and manufacturing processes, the company’s resource allocation may still affect the debugging efficiency of new products.” On top of this, further buzz about reasons for the laptop GPU delay point to performance falling short of expectations, and “screen problems after the hardware is turned on” (again, be very careful around potential translation issues here, and remember all of this is just rumors). (Image credit: Shutterstock) Analysis: More stock woes? This purported pushing back of the laptop GPU launch timeframe is unusual for Nvidia, then, which generally hits these dates bang on (even if stock levels aren’t always guaranteed to be healthy, as we’ve seen recently with the RTX 5090 and 5080 desktop GPUs, and in the past, too). Indeed, I’d agree, it is unusual for Nvidia not to make an announced launch timeframe, and perhaps tellingly, this is exactly what has happened with the RTX 5070 desktop graphics card. Both this GPU and its 5070 Ti desktop sibling had been confirmed for February, and then suddenly we heard it’s now going to be March 5 for the RTX 5070, with Nvidia glossing over that. (The RTX 5070 Ti is still due in February, next week, fact). All this, and various rumors about stock concerns for the RTX 5070 and 5060 desktop models, further fans the flames of worry around Blackwell gaming GPUs in general. And this DigiTimes report also notes that “no one can guarantee whether the release date [of RTX 5000 laptops] will be extended,” suggesting a possible further delay could even be in the cards. Which all adds to the general doom and gloom of the Blackwell launch so far. The rumor peddlers are getting a bit too loud and consistent for my liking in terms of all this fretting, that’s for sure. You may also like… Source link #Nvidia #announces #preorders #RTX #series #laptops #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Coinbase had a blowout fourth quarter. What Wall Street is saying Coinbase had a blowout fourth quarter. What Wall Street is saying Several analysts raised their price targets on Coinbase shares after the crypto exchange operator reported a blowout fourth quarter postmarket Thursday. Coinbase handily beat expectations , with performance driven largely by a surge in trading activity during the postelection crypto rally. Earning per share came in at $4.68, more than double the $1.81 Wall Street had expected, according to a survey of analysts by LSEG. Revenue was $2.27 billion for the quarter, compared with consensus expectations of $1.88 billion. Shares pulled back as much as 7.2% intraday Friday, after rallying 8% ahead of the results, but the Street remains optimistic on the outlook. CEO Brian Armstrong emphasized on the earnings call that it’s “the dawn of a new era” for the crypto industry, signaling an expanded total addressable market (TAM) for Coinbase. “Up to 10% of global GDP could be running on crypto rails by the end of this decade, and Coinbase is going to be the preferred partner to come in and build this for many of the companies out there,” he said. Many on Wall Street echoed that optimism, citing the sea change in the U.S. government’s regulatory approach to crypto that’s more supportive of the industry and that’s likely to allow Coinbase to focus more on future growth and innovation and less on fighting regulatory battles. Here’s what Wall Street had to say: JMP Citizens raises price target to $475 from $400 Analyst Devin Ryan reiterated his market outperform rating on Coinbase, praising the company’s strong fourth quarter, near-term momentum and revenue diversification efforts. Coinbase “is finally being unshackled to reach the potential that we believe management envisioned years ago — which extends well beyond providing access to buying and selling digital assets … The strength in results was broad-based, with elevated transaction activity as industry volumes accelerated post-U.S. election … and we were also encouraged by Subscription & Services revenue of $641M, reaching a record (up over 70% YOY), highlighting ongoing diversification efforts which we anticipate are set to accelerate materially.” Oppenheimer raises price target to $388 from $344 The strong fourth quarter is just the beginning for Coinbase, according to analyst Owen Lau. He kept his outperform rating, highlighting the company’s market share and growth prospects under the Trump administration. “Since December, COIN has taken market share from HOOD … USDC has also taken shares from USDT since MiCA was effective in late December. We believe COIN could enter the prediction markets soon. The next step is S & P 500 inclusion, which could occur March 7 under our best-case scenario … We believe Base, USDC, international expansion, derivatives and Coinbase One will likely take priorities, and will drive utility on payments, tokenization and decentralized Bitcoin-backed loans. Management welcomes competition because it expands the TAM, and considers trust and being crypto native its key moats.” JPMorgan raises price target to $344 from $264 Analyst Kenneth Worthington maintained his neutral rating on Coinbase, but remains optimistic in his 2026 earnings estimates “nearly doubling” after Thursday’s results. “The fourth quarter, and we would argue 2024 overall, was a pivotal and consequential ******* for the cryptoecosystem— market caps exploded, volumes jumped, new participants entered the market and regulatory confidence completely flipped … Interesting to us is that the volume surge seen post election [has] largely remained intact, suggesting that this level of velocity, activity and revenue generation … could be sustainable.” Barclays raises price target to $328 from $282 Barclays maintained an equal weight rating on Coinbase while lifting its price target. Analyst Benjamin Budish highlighted strong first quarter progress in the first six weeks of the year, and a good outlook. “Unsurprisingly, the tone of the call was quite upbeat, with management outlining broad product and geographic ambitions, although we think the next catalyst — which is likely political/regulatory — may take some time to emerge (however, we also acknowledge the clear change in tone from D.C. and think this is a when, not an if). Given outperformance [Thursday] following HOOD’s print (COIN +8% vs. S & P +1%), we are not very surprised to see shares flat-to-down in aftermarket trading, but given the Q1 progress, updated USDC market cap and a higher rate curve, among others, our estimates are up.” Raymond James, market perform, price target NM Analyst Patrick O’Shaughnessy said the postelection backdrop “created a more favorable regulatory environment for crypto and reawakened animal spirits,” helping the company’s fourth quarter performance. However: “We have little confidence in the sustainability of current revenue and EBITDA momentum for several reasons. For example, more regulatory certainty is going to invite competition from non-crypto-native brokerage platforms which we expect to be a catalyst for price compression. In addition, much of [the] recent volume strength has come from memecoins which has proven to be transitory in the past. As such, we continue to expect eventual degradation of Coinbase’s economics and have a cautious view of the firm’s long-term earnings power.” —CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed reporting. Source link #Coinbase #blowout #fourth #quarter #Wall #Street Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Eric Adams prosecutor quits DOJ over case dismissal order Eric Adams prosecutor quits DOJ over case dismissal order Danielle Sassoon, assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, left, arrives at court in New York, US, on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Yuki Iwamura | Bloomberg | Getty Images A seventh federal prosecutor resigned Friday over the Department of Justice’s controversial order to dismiss criminal charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. The prosecutor, Hagan Scotten, in a blistering letter to top DOJ official Emil Bove, said “I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion” to dismiss the Adams case. “But it was never going to be me,” Scotten wrote. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #Eric #Adams #prosecutor #quits #DOJ #case #dismissal #order Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WHO calls on Europe to have tobacco-style warning labels for alcohol – National WHO calls on Europe to have tobacco-style warning labels for alcohol – National Descrease article font size Increase article font size The World Health Organization released new findings on Friday about an “alarming” lack of awareness about alcohol’s link to ******* across Europe and called for clear and prominent tobacco-style warnings in the region with the world’s heaviest drinkers. The global health agency has repeatedly warned that alcohol causes ******* and has backed clear labeling but has never before been as prescriptive in its call for new government regulations. Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General also called for warnings of ******* risks on alcoholic drink labels. Alcohol causes 800,000 deaths across Europe each year but just a fraction of the population is aware of the risks, the WHO’s Europe office said. Its study found that just 15 per cent of respondents knew that alcohol can cause breast ******* and 39 per cent were aware of its link to colon *******. Story continues below advertisement “Despite ******* being the leading cause of alcohol-attributable deaths in the European Union (EU), public awareness of the link between alcohol and ******* remains alarmingly low,” the WHO said. 2:00 Alcohol consumption linked to ******* Trending Now Mini Ritz crackers are being pulled off shelves in Canada. Here’s why Could the U.S. actually make Canada a 51st state? How the process works Relying on self-regulation, as the industry would prefer, brings the risk that alcohol producers use “inconspicuous placement and ambiguous messaging” or use QR codes which tend to be ignored by shoppers, it said. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Instead, alcoholic drinks should display “clear and prominent health warnings” in written format which could be combined with pictures “to maximize reach and empower consumers with clear, accurate information to make informed choices about their health,” it said. Pictograms and simple text-only messages can be just as effective as more graphic photographs, a spokesperson said when asked about the types of warnings. Currently, just three out of 27 EU countries – France, Lithuania and Germany – have some form of warning labels, the WHO said. Ireland plans broader ******* warnings on alcoholic drinks from May 2026, it said. Story continues below advertisement –Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Christina Fincher More on Health More videos Source link #calls #Europe #tobaccostyle #warning #labels #alcohol #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The DOGE website is seemingly so insecure it can be edited by anyone The DOGE website is seemingly so insecure it can be edited by anyone According to researchers, anyone who knows where to look can spray digital graffiti on the (DOGE) website. Two web development experts said the site doesn’t seem to be hosted on government servers and that the database it pulls from can be modified by those who locate it. At the time of writing, a message reading “these ‘experts’ left their database open – roro” is still visible on the DOGE site. DOGE chief and President Trump consigliere Elon Musk on Tuesday that his team would be as transparent as possible, with updates on its actions shared to an X account and website. As notes, the DOGE website was pretty much blank at the time. Since then, it’s been hurriedly assembled to show a feed of posts from the entity’s X account, along with details about the federal workforce. The researchers told 404 that the site appeared to be built on Cloudflare Pages instead of government servers. After looking at the site’s architecture and API endpoints, one was able to locate the database containing stats on government employees. They made changes to database entries that were reflected on the DOGE website. It’s not the first time that a federal website operating under the Trump administration has appeared to have been slapped together. Just this week, the waste.gov was locked after it was reported that the site displayed a ****** WordPress page, complete with placeholder text. DOGE does acknowledge that there are possible issues with its web presence. “This is DOGE’s effort to create a comprehensive, government-wide org chart,” a footnote on the DOGE website reads. “This is an enormous effort, and there are likely some errors or omissions. We will continue to strive for maximum accuracy over time.” However, it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that a team tasked with making sweeping cuts to government spending and allegedly into federal systems that contain on federal employees and citizens can’t secure its own website. Perhaps the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency wasn’t the wisest idea. Source link #DOGE #website #seemingly #insecure #edited Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kelce considers retiring after Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss Kelce considers retiring after Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce has said he’s thinking about retiring following last weekend’s Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The 35-year-old, who’s been in the spotlight for dating pop superstar Taylor Swift, has one year left on his contract with the Chiefs. But he says he’ll take time to decide on his future after the disappointment of Kansas City’s 40-22 loss to Philadelphia, which denied them an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title. “I know everybody wants to know whether I’m playing next year and, right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road,” Kelce told the New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother Jason, the former Eagles centre who retired last March. “I’m kicking every can I can down the road. I’m not making any crazy decisions. I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody.” In the lead up to Sunday’s game, Kelce had said that repeatedly reaching the play-offs and playing in three consecutive Super Bowls had made him feel like he could “play this game forever”, but he has now admitted there is a price to pay for the extended seasons each year. “The fact that we keep going to these AFC championships and these Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league,” he said. “That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body.” Kelce has spent his entire career with the Chiefs, having been selected in the third round of the 2013 draft. The three-time Super Bowl champion has the most post-season receptions of any player in NFL history with 178, 27 clear of second-placed Jerry Rice who retired in 2004. “I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be a whole-hearted decision. Not half-assing it,” Kelce added. “I’m fully here for them and I think I could play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human and as a person to take on all of that responsibility.” Source link #Kelce #considers #retiring #Chiefs #Super #Bowl #loss Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple Presidents’ Day sales include the AirPods Pro 2 for 32 percent off Apple Presidents’ Day sales include the AirPods Pro 2 for 32 percent off If you’re on the market for a new pair of wireless earbuds, the latest ***** on the AirPods Pro 2 is a good one to consider. As part of Apple Presidents’ Day deals, they’re down to $169 at the moment, which is 32 percent off their regular price. While not quite as low as we saw them during the holiday shopping season last year ($154), this is the best price they’ve been in 2025 so far. Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 came out in 2022 and yet we still rate them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone. At the time, we gave them a score of 88 thanks to big improvements from their predecessor, including fantastic sound and an amazing transparency mode. They’ll last you six hours at a time with ANC on or seven hours without it. Apple Notably, Apple’s newest generation of earbuds are also on *****. The AirPods 4 are down to a new all-time low price of $100, from $129, thanks to a 22 percent discount. We also gave the AirPods 4 an 88 in our review, noting their improved fit, comfort and sound quality. Their biggest drawback is the lack of ANC but, if you don’t need that, then this is a great deal. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #Apple #Presidents #Day #sales #include #AirPods #Pro #percent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Meta Becomes Arm Holdings’ First Chip Buyer, FT Confirms Meta Becomes Arm Holdings’ First Chip Buyer, FT Confirms Feb 14 – Arm Holdings’ (ARM, Financial) financial segment secured Meta (META, Financial) as its initial chip buyer, according to the Financial Times. The stock market showed a rise in Arm shares by nearly 6%, while Meta’s stock dropped by 0.3% on Thursday. Semiconductor designer Arm Holdings operates from the *** under Chief Executive Rene Haas and plans to launch its new central processing unit this summer. Multiple industry sources suggest that Arm Holdings moves forward with its new chip development approach as it seeks to buy private Ampere Computing while Oracle (ORCL, Financial) stands among its investor base. While SoftBank (SFTBY, Financial) has the majority ownership of Arm, it has the potential to be a competitor to some of Arm’s licensees. The MI325 device helps AMD (AMD, Financial) increase its market share, and Nvidia (NVDA, Financial) relies on Arm’s intellectual property to manufacture customized chips that power 70% of the AI accelerator market. Haas and SoftBank co-founder Masayoshi Son’s leaders are leading the path in helping Arm to continue to produce self-made processors to help the chip market stay competitive in the ever-changing scene of semiconductors, generating more revenue at the same time. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Source link #Meta #Arm #Holdings #Chip #Buyer #Confirms Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Netflix Is Developing A Live-Action Dungeons & Dragons Series Set In The Forgotten Realms – Report Netflix Is Developing A Live-Action Dungeons & Dragons Series Set In The Forgotten Realms – Report Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves may not have led to a cinematic D&D franchise, but the classic role-playing game is getting another chance to break out in live-action. Netflix is reportedly developing a new Dungeons & Dragons series called The Forgotten Realms, which will be produced by Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy. According to Deadline, Drew Crevello will serve as the writer and showrunner of The Forgotten Realms, which will be produced by Levy’s 21 Laps production company as well as Hasbro Entertainment. Forgotten Realms is one of the most popular campaign settings for D&D players, and even Honor Among Thieves was set among the Realms. However, the new D&D series will be unrelated to Honor Among Thieves or any previous attempt to adapt the franchise. The report notes that this series “could launch a D&D universe” at Netflix, which would potentially span additional shows or even original movies. This news follows the recent announcement that D&D’s parent company, Wizards of the Coast, is also developing Magic: The Gathering as a shared universe that spans films and TV shows. Netflix is working on a Magic: The Gathering animated series, but the streamer isn’t presently attached to any live-action projects in that universe. Following the massive success of Baldur’s Gate 3, Hasbro is developing new video games for both Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Dungeons & Dragons was also recently featured in a standalone episode of Amazon Prime Video’s Secret Level. Source link #Netflix #Developing #LiveAction #Dungeons #Dragons #Series #Set #Forgotten #Realms #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ben & Jerry’s says parent Unilever mandating silence on Trump Ben & Jerry’s says parent Unilever mandating silence on Trump Pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream are seen on a shelf at Ideal Fresh Market of Church Ave in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City on March 19, 2024. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images Ben & Jerry’s accused its parent Unilever of demanding its silence toward President Donald Trump, as it prepares to spin off the ice cream brand later this year. In a Thursday night filing in Manhattan federal court, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever ice cream chief Peter ter Kulve earlier in the day unilaterally banned it from “issuing any posts criticizing President Trump” pending further review. Ben & Jerry’s said ter Kulve cited Unilever’s restructuring in defending his actions, saying it created a “new dynamic” in an “unprecedented time.” Ter Kulve previously banned a planned post on hot-button issues when Trump was inaugurated on January 20 because the post mentioned Trump, Ben & Jerry’s has said. Unilever did not immediately respond on Friday to requests for comment. Ben & Jerry’s did not immediately respond to a similar request. Ben & Jerry’s accusations came in its lawsuit seeking to stop Unilever’s alleged efforts to dismantle its independent board and end its social activism. Many companies have altered social policies, including on diversity, or appeared to show deference toward Trump since he began his second White House term. Ben & Jerry’s has had a socially conscious mission since being founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978. Unilever bought Ben & Jerry’s in 2000. They have battled publicly since 2021, when Ben & Jerry’s halted sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Its business there was later sold. The planned spinoff comes as Unilever simplifies its product portfolio, which has dozens of brands including Dove, Hellmann’s, Knorr, Surf and Vaseline. Unilever on Thursday chose Amsterdam over London and New York for the primary listing when it spins off Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, Magnum and other ice cream brands as a standalone company. Ice cream revenue totaled 8.3 billion euros ($8.72 billion) in 2024. The case is Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc v Unilever et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 24-08641. Source link #Ben #Jerrys #parent #Unilever #mandating #silence #Trump Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Blizzard is finally taking the guardrails off of Overwatch 2 Blizzard is finally taking the guardrails off of Overwatch 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents The perks of being a hero Turn and face the strange, ch-ch-changes Since its launch, Blizzard’s free-to-play hero shooter Overwatch 2 has been through some serious peaks and valleys. Originally pitched as a sequel that would exist alongside the beloved original game and offer a new, layered PvE mode that expanded upon its hero’s abilities, the game players got in October 2022 was very different. Overwatch 2 replaced the original game entirely, removed a player from every match (going from 6v6 to 5v5), and never delivered the promised PvE mode. The free-to-play swap came with accusations of predatory pricing and pay-to-win schemes, and back in August 2023, Activision Blizzard even admitted players were playing and spending less. In recent months, Marvel Rivals, NetEase’s free-to-play hero shooter set in the comic book universe, has been eating Overwatch 2’s lunch, boasting higher player count and retention than other recent live-service titles like Helldivers 2 and Diablo IV. In the face of a dwindling player count, a frustrated core base, and the success of a direct competitor, Blizzard has to reinvigorate Overwatch 2 — and that’s exactly what the studio is doing. Season 15: Honor & Glory Official Trailer | Overwatch 2 Season 15 (which launches on February 18) and 16 (due in April) will introduce massive changes to the hero shooter that dwarf anything we’ve seen in its nearly decade-long history, from perks that add four new abilities to each hero in both Quick Play and Competitive modes. Later, Season 16 will introduce Stadium, an entirely new mode that offers even more variety amongst a select roster of heroes. I traveled to Blizzard’s headquarters in Irvine, California for the Overwatch 2 Spotlight event, to try out the new perks, new high-skill damage hero Freja, and the Stadium mode, as well as chat with the developers about how they’re no longer being so precious with the Overwatch legacy. The perks of being a hero Overwatch’s gameplay has always been defined and adapted by its ever-growing hero roster. During Overwatch 1’s peak, players were frustrated with a popular team layout of three tanks and three support heroes (commonly known as GOATS), which persisted until Blizzard introduced Role ******, limiting the roles to two of each per team. An older version of support hero Mercy (in which she could sweep in and instantly resurrect several dead teammates at once) created the “Moth Meta,” which Overwatch 2 recently brought back as a limited-time mode. Balancing the game has been a precariously difficult task since 2016, as adding a beefy new tank could easily up-end the game’s meta, while slightly tweaking a DPS character could cause chaos. But with the introduction of perks in Season 15, Overwatch 2 adds a layer of depth and player choice that will completely change how the game is played and further complicate its delicate balance. Each hero will get four different perks — a set of two minor ones and another two major ones. Minor perks are considered smaller upgrades, like an update to support hero Lucio’s knockback ability that increases its strength, or giving bow-and-arrow hero Hanzo the ability to hack nearby health packs with his arrows. Blizzard Major perks dramatically shift a character’s core gameplay loop, like healer Moira’s Ethical Nourishment, which makes her biotic orbs instantaneously heal nearby allies after she throws them, or D.Va’s Heavy Rockets, which replace her micro missiles with fewer, but much more powerful, projectiles. As a match progresses, you’ll earn progress towards the perk upgrade, tracked by a bar in the bottom left corner (Blizzard says the first perk is usually earned about a third of the way through a match). When you reach the threshold, you’ll be prompted to choose between one of two perks, which you can bring up with either the D-pad on your controller or the left Alt key on a keyboard. I only got a chance to play a few matches with this new perk system, but it’s clear that it completely turns Overwatch 2 gameplay on its head, allowing players a chance to approach how to play a character in new and varied ways and adding flexibility to a gameplay loop that has long felt all-too-rigid. It will radically change how every single match is played, a crucial adjustment considering how long the game has felt a bit stagnant, or far too safe. It will also, naturally, be controversial. “There’s definitely some upfront friction, like getting used to it and remembering it’s there,” lead gameplay designer Alec Dawson says during a group interview. “But you’ve played Reinhardt hundreds and hundreds of times, and you’re gonna play him a bunch now and you’re gonna get used to his perks for that season.” Yes, the perks could change from season to season based on player feedback and data Blizzard collects from this groundbreaking update, but don’t fret — Dawson reassures us that the team wants to give this new feature space to breathe. “I think it’s exciting,” he says. “I think there’s always been this sort of ethos that I’d like to follow where we should be a little scared of what we’re putting out there … I think that perks are going to be a lot for players to learn, and we’re going to be monitoring how that happens over time and just seeing how that balance plays out.” Blizzard has historically been rather precious with Overwatch’s core gameplay loop — until now. Turn and face the strange, ch-ch-changes If it feels like perks were inspired by the once-promised, long-dead PvE mode announced by then-game director Jeff Kaplan back in 2019 (which included skill trees that would let players customize hero abilities), that’s because they were. “There’s some talents that ended up becoming perks, there’s some stuff from [the April Fools game mode] that ended up becoming perks, or stuff from [Halloween mode] Junkenstein’s Revenge that ended up becoming perks,” Dawson responds when I ask if the canned PvE mode inspired this major overhaul. “There’s a lot of ideas that we had in the past throughout the many years of our experimentation that ended up in this system.” Blizzard no longer wants to be “too precious” or too draconian in its notion of what makes an Overwatch match an Overwatch match. The abandonment of the protective, nostalgic kid gloves hamstringing the hero shooter opens up the floor for exciting new opportunities that the dev team is clearly very excited about. We’ve been planning to take some big swings for a while. Stadium is a great example of the rule-breaking fun Blizzard is having with Season 15. The brand-new game mode blows the lid off of Overwatch gameplay with an MMO-style armory system that lets you purchase hyper-specific power-ups and abilities for each of the available heroes (I played with 14, but there will be 17 at launch, including fan-favorites like Reaper, D.Va, Moira, Orisa, and more). These abilities are far more absurd than the base game’s perk systems (though there is some overlap) and include diabolical options like mounting Torbjorn’s turret on walls, giving Reaper the ability to fly, and allowing Bastion to self-heal once again. After selecting your loadout, you’ll enter into a series of shorter, smaller matches based on typical modes like Push and Control, with the first team to hit four wins taking the W. You can even play the mode in third-person, a feature that Blizzard’s character artists are tickled pink over considering how much work they put into cosmetics. During my brief time with Stadium, I discovered how frustrating it can be to get locked into a character when the other team has the perfect counter for it: I tried to play D.Va against an absolutely dominant Zarya to no avail, though apparently Blizzard has sorted this imbalance out in a more-recent patch. It will even have its own ranking system scored differently from the other modes, cleverly tapping into the Overwatch community’s competitive nature. Blizzard In 2025, more than two years after its launch, it feels like Overwatch is embracing the fun, chaotic nature of its earlier days. Is this finally happening because Marvel Rivals, which has all the anarchy of a 2016 Overwatch match and virtually no matchmaking friction, is doing so well? Though the team insists this far more flexible approach to gameplay mechanics and adjustments has nothing to do with the runaway success of Marvel Rivals, it certainly feels like something prompted Blizzard to throw the baby D.Va out with the bath water. “We’ve been planning to take some big swings for a while,” senior game designer Dylan Snyder says when asked about this influx of new systems and modes. Suspiciously fortuitous timing aside, these upcoming Overwatch 2 changes are a crisp gust of fresh air, especially for lapsed players such as myself. When Season 15 launches on February 18, I’ll be diving back in to see if the competitive scene is a lot more enjoyable with a host of new perks shaking up the system. Source link #Blizzard #finally #guardrails #Overwatch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

This Affordable Laptop Is My Daily Go-To and It's Just $249 But Only for Presidents Day – CNET This Affordable Laptop Is My Daily Go-To and It's Just $249 But Only for Presidents Day – CNET This Affordable Laptop Is My Daily Go-To and It’s Just $249 But Only for Presidents Day CNETThis budget Lenovo 2-in-1 I recommend to students and professionals is cheaper than ever ZDNetBest Laptop Deal of the Day: Save $200 on a Lenovo LOQ Budget Gaming Rig PCMagBest Buy’s massive Windows laptop ***** slashes up to $400 off; here are 9 deals I recommend Laptop MagMassive laptop ***** is live at Best Buy – here are 7 deals I recommend from $139 TechRadar Source link #Affordable #Laptop #Daily #GoTo #It039s #Presidents #Day #CNET Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Our favorite budget Roomba drops to a new record-low price in Amazon Presidents’ Day ***** Our favorite budget Roomba drops to a new record-low price in Amazon Presidents’ Day ***** I really hate vacuuming and put it off as long as possible. But, my budget isn’t very robot vacuum friendly, so, alas I have no choice. However, that might change, as our favorite budget robot vacuum for 2025 is currently 48 percent off thanks to the Amazon Presidents’ Day *****. The iRobot Roomba Vac Robot Vacuum (Q0120) is down to $119 from $250 — a new all-time-low price. There’s a reason iRobot’s Roomba Vac robot vacuum is across all our best lists (check it out alongside our top smart home gadgets). It’s an easy to use, high-performance robot vacuum that’s not going to break the bank. For starters, you can control the entire device with iRobot’s very easy to use app. All that’s required of you is connecting the Roomba to your home Wi-Fi network. iRobot The Roomba Vac robot vacuum also offers features like Clean While I’m Away, cleaning schedules and up to two hours of cleaning on one charge — it automatically heads back to its charging station when on low battery. Plus, you can get a Clean Map report to see exactly where it cleaned. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #favorite #budget #Roomba #drops #recordlow #price #Amazon #Presidents #Day #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee drivers set for Valentine’s Day strike Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee drivers set for Valentine’s Day strike Jacqueline Howard BBC News Reuters Thousands of Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee drivers are logging off during peak hours on Valentine’s Day in a campaign for better pay and working conditions, a union says. The strike action is taking place across the *** from 16:00 to 22:00 GMT. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) said it would unite “drivers up and down the country faced with low pay and insecure conditions”. Uber, Bolt and Addison and Lee have defended their working conditions after the IWGB said drivers in cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Brighton have backed the strike. Vasilica Dumitrescu has been working for various platforms, including Uber and Bolt, for the last nine years. The 51-year-old said she works seven days a week, clocking up more than 80 hours, just to make ends meet. “It’s really bad financially, emotionally physically, everything,” Ms Dumitrescu said. “I can’t afford to make bills, rent, food, which is so expensive now. It’s really, really bad.” Supplied Vasilica Dumitrescu is taking part in the strike Ms Dumitrescu said she hopes the strike leads to higher pay agreements. “The customers, they are with us,” she added. “Every driver is upset because they don’t earn enough. They ask you how much you get from this trip and are surprised at how little we get.” An Uber spokesperson said all its drivers are guaranteed to earn at least the national living wage, and that the majority can and do earn more. “On average, drivers across the *** earn more than £30 per hour when taking trips on Uber,” the spokesperson said. “They also have access to industry-leading protections such as holiday pay, a pension and free sickness and injury cover, as well as formal representation through GMB Union.” A spokesperson for Bolt said the company was “committed to ensuring our prices balance the earning needs of drivers with affordability for passengers”. “All drivers receive holiday pay and monetary supplements to ensure they earn at least the national living wage, alongside a pension,” the spokesperson added. Addison Lee has been contacted for comment. The company previously told the PA news agency: “We have a close working relationship with our drivers, which was further reinforced in our recent ***-annual driver satisfaction survey. We do not expect to see any disruption to volumes or service levels on February 14.” In September 2024, Bolt drivers won a claim against the company after an employment tribunal ruled they were “workers” under *** law and entitled to rights and protections, including the national minimum wage. In January 2025, Addison Lee drivers won a similar case. ‘Breaking point’ Helio Santos, who is based in Stratford in east London, is another driver taking part in the strike. He has been driving with Uber for three years and said that while he spent 70 to 80 hours per week online, that often translates to just 25 to 30 hours of driving. Mr Santos said that Friday’s strike action shows that drivers across *** are “reaching a breaking point”. “This is unsustainable,” he said. “Fees are too low, there is no safety, no transparency. Uber keeps ignoring us.” Mr Santos, who has three children including a four-year-old, said Uber’s promise of the national living wage was “meaningless”. “It is mocking us, saying drivers get a living wage. I’ll be better off working for a cleaning company,” he added. The IWGB said that since drivers became “workers” under the law, they have reported their conditions have worsened. Alongside demands for fairer pay and more secure work, the union is calling for the introduction of safety measures for drivers such as rider ID verification, complaint tracking systems, and support for victims of assault. Part of Friday’s action will include a vigil for Bolt driver Gabriel Bringye who was killed in Tottenham, north London, in 2021. Mr Bringye, 37, was set upon by a group of teenagers on a crime spree, who booked the cab with the sole intention of robbing the driver. The IWGB said the vigil marks four years since his death, and that drivers are demanding better protections in his name. Source link #Uber #Bolt #Addison #Lee #drivers #set #Valentines #Day #strike Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Epic Games Store Sales On PC Reached $1 Billion In 2024 Epic Games Store Sales On PC Reached $1 Billion In 2024 Epic has published its Epic Games Store Year In Review for 2024, revealing more details about the performance of its PC storefront and what it has planned for 2025. According to Epic, it saw 295 million users on PC in 2024, an overall increase of 25 million people year-over-year. The company says that it also grew Epic cross-platform accounts to 898 million users during this time *******–an increase of 94 million people–and this stat includes accounts created through partner platforms and the Epic Games Store on mobile, which recently launched on iOS in Europe and worldwide on Android devices. In terms of daily active users, there was a peak of 37.2 million people and monthly active users peaked at 74 million, slightly down from last year’s record of 75 million MAU. Top titles in 2024 by player spending and engagement Genshin Impact Rocket League Honkai Star Rail Grand Theft Auto 5 Fortnite EA Sports FC 24 Destiny 2: The Final Shape Alan Wake 2 Fall Guys Wuthering Waves Cyberpunk 2077 The Sims 4 ****** Myth: Wukong Satisfactory Warframe 1999 Farming Simulator 22 Dead by Daylight Red Dead Redemption 2 Dead Island 2 HoyoVerse games are incredibly popular on the Epic Games Store Gallery In terms of games, Epic says 1,100 games were released on the Epic Games Store and spending–including Epic’s games–achieved $1.09 billion in 2024, an increase of 15% when compared to 2023. Epic noted that player spending on third-party applications totaled $255 million last year, and while this is an 18% decrease year-on-year, it doesn’t account for publishers generating revenue via their own payment solutions. Another interesting stat is related to the weekly freebies given away through the Epic Games Store, as the company says it handed out over $2,000 worth of PC titles last year. Epic plans to keep the program running across PC and mobile in 2025. Looking ahead, Epic’s other plans for 2025 will primarily revolve around improving both the player and partner experience of the Epic Games Store alongside several quality-of-life changes. Here’s a brief look at what Epic has planned for the rest of the year: An enhanced library and discovery experience for the Epic Games Store Mobile app More self-publishing tools The development of non-gaming apps supported by self-publishing tools A gifting option for the Epic Games Store An entirely new download manager is scheduled to arrive in Q1 2025 Pre-loading on PC and Mac An overhaul of the EGS search function New EGS social features like voice chat, text chat, game independent parties, and LFG functions Platform store-switching Source link #Epic #Games #Store #Sales #Reached #Billion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zelenskyy says he will only agree to meet with Putin after common plan with Trump is negotiated – The Associated Press Zelenskyy says he will only agree to meet with Putin after common plan with Trump is negotiated – The Associated Press Zelenskyy says he will only agree to meet with Putin after common plan with Trump is negotiated The Associated PressZelensky says he does not ‘see a ready US plan’ for ending Ukraine war – live updates BBC.comScoop: Zelensky told Trump Putin’s pretending to want peace because he’s “afraid of you” AxiosZelensky Says Ready for Direct Talks With Moscow After Common Position Is Reached With U.S. The Moscow TimesZelenskyy wants plan to ‘stop Russia’ before US peace talks Al Jazeera English Source link #Zelenskyy #agree #meet #Putin #common #plan #Trump #negotiated #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]