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Designer Matteo Frontini has updated the classic Moka coffee pot, adding a helical spiral base informed by jet engines that he says cuts the time needed to brew coffee in half. Read more

Promotion: London creative agency Seventeen has unveiled a new brand identity characterised by playful graphic icons designed to celebrate "being odd". Read more

Google seems to be cracking down on the use of Disney characters in AI-generated videos on YouTube after it was hit with a cease and desist letter. According to reports by Variety and Deadline, the company removed dozens of videos featuring Deadpool, Moana, Mickey Mouse, Star Wars characters and other Disney IP as of Friday, just days after Disney accused it of "infringing Disney’s copyrights on a massive scale." The letter, seen by both publications earlier this week, called out Google not just for hosting these videos on YouTube, but also for using copyrighted works to train models including Veo and Nano Banana.

Prior to this, Disney has come after Character.AI as well as Hailuo and Midjourney — both of which it's suing — over AI-related copyright infringement. But, that doesn't mean it's shunning AI-generated content altogether. The company on Friday announced a deal with OpenAI that will bring Disney characters to Sora and ChatGPT, and bring AI-generated shorts from Sora to Disney+.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-pulls-ai-generated-videos-of-disney-characters-from-youtube-in-response-to-cease-and-desist-220849629.html?src=rss

In the same month that Grok opted for a second Holocaust over vaporizing Elon Musk's brain, the AI chatbot is on the fritz again. Following the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia during a festival to mark the start of Hanukkah, Grok is responding to user requests with inaccurate or completely unrelated info, as first spotted by Gizmodo.

Grok's confusion seems to be most apparent with a viral video that shows a 43-year-old bystander, identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, wrestling a gun away from an attacker during the incident, which has left at least 16 dead, according to the latest news reports. Grok's responses show it repeatedly misidentifying the individual who stopped one of the gunmen. In other cases, Grok responds to the same image about the Bondi Beach shooting with irrelevant details about allegations of targeted civilian shootings in Palestine.

The latest replies still show Grok's confusion with the Bondi Beach shooting, even providing information about the incident to unrelated requests or mixing it up with the shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island. xAI, Grok's developer, hasn't officially commented on what's happening with its AI chatbot yet. However, it's not the first time that Grok has gone off the rails, considering it dubbed itself MechaHitler earlier this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-is-spreading-inaccurate-info-again-this-time-about-the-bondi-beach-shooting-203946515.html?src=rss

If you're several chapters into a novel and forgot who a character was, Amazon is hoping its new Kindle feature will jog your memory without ever having to put the e-reader down. This feature, called Ask this Book, was announced during Amazon's hardware event in September, but is finally available for US users on the Kindle iOS app.

According to Amazon, the feature can currently be found on thousands of English best-selling Kindle titles and "only reveals information up to your current reading position" for spoiler-free responses. To use it, you can highlight a passage in any book you've bought or borrowed and ask it questions about plot, characters or other crucial details, and the AI assistant will offer "immediate, contextual, spoiler-free information." You'll even be able to ask follow-up questions for more detail.

Amazon

While Ask this Book may be helpful to some Kindle readers, the feature touches on a major point of contention with authors and publishers. In response to Publishers Lunch, a daily newsletter for the publishing industry, an Amazon spokesperson said that, "To ensure a consistent reading experience, the feature is always on, and there is no option for authors or publishers to opt titles out." Other AI companies are already facing lawsuits claiming copyright infringement. Most recently, the New York Times and Chicago Tribune sued Perplexity, accusing the AI company of using its copyrighted works to train its LLMs.

As for the Ask this Book feature, Amazon is already planning to expand it beyond the iOS app and will introduce it to Kindle devices and the Android OS app next year. Beyond this new feature, Amazon also introduced Recaps to Kindle devices and the iOS app for books in a series, which acts much like a TV show's "Previously on" roundup in between seasons. However, Amazon recently had to withdraw its AI-generated Video Recaps feature, so it might be worth double-checking the info you get from Recaps, too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/kindles-in-book-ai-assistant-can-answer-all-your-questions-without-spoilers-190609961.html?src=rss

Music company Assemble Sound has opened offices and recording studios inside the OMA-designed Lantern arts hub in Detroit, which features a focal aqua-hued staircase. Read more

Close enough, welcome back Xperia Play. After releasing a teaser video in early November, Ayaneo fully revealed its first smartphone called the Pocket Play. As suspected, the Ayaneo Pocket Play features a sliding mechanism that transforms it from a chunky smartphone into a gaming handheld.

In its gaming configuration, the Pocket Play features a controller setup with a D-pad, ABXY buttons and four shoulder buttons. However, Ayaneo has modernized the Xperia Play design by incorporating two touchpads, which will also be seen in the handheld maker's next flagship device called the Next II. According to Ayaneo, you can map these touchpads as virtual joysticks or customizable inputs. Ayaneo hasn't revealed the specs of the Pocket Play yet, but the device appears to have slots that could hint at expandable storage options.

The Pocket Play will be Ayaneo's first foray into the smartphone world, albeit with mobile gaming in mind. It'll have to compete against the likes of other gaming-specific smartphones like the Redmagic 10 Pro or the Asus ROG Phone series, as well as the latest iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones that can also handle demanding mobile games. Ayaneo will launch the Pocket Play on Kickstarter soon, but hasn't revealed any pricing details yet.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ayaneos-first-smartphone-is-a-major-callback-to-the-xperia-play-165206332.html?src=rss

Grass covers the domed roof of Pujiang Platform, a timber pavilion that Dutch studio MVRDV has added to an existing viewpoint in the hills of Chengdu, China. Read more

Next in our 2025 review, we look back at the best restaurants of the year, from an "urban greenhouse" in Mexico City to a colour-saturated eatery in Shanghai designed by film director Wong Kar Wai. Read more

Formica, leatherette and dark-wood furniture lend a retro feel to the interior of this east London eatery, which local studio House of Dré designed to evoke classic Italian trattorias. Read more

If Alien: Romulus reawakened your appetite for the iconic sci-fi franchise, the good news is that a promising video game could be on the way. According to an Insider Gaming report, a new game for the Alien franchise is back in development. The report's sources mentioned that the single-player game will be set in a "decaying space station" as an arcade survival horror that can be compared to "Shadow of [the] Tomb Raider with Xenomorphs."

It's not the first time we heard about this Alien game, which was first reported on in 2022 under the codename "Marathon." According to Insider Gaming, the game has cycled through several developers, but more recently landed with Eidos Montreal, which developed Shadow of the Tomb Raider and is currently working on the upcoming Fable reboot. The report added that the game's development budget was increased to less than $75 million, up from the initial $30 million budget from a few years ago.

Insider Gaming's report noted that the game is still in "early development," but could feature Ripley 8, the human-Xenomorph hybrid that was first seen in Alien Resurrection. The game's details and release date are still subject to change, but Insider Gaming's sources said the game is "in a good place at this point" and is expected to release in 2028 on all platforms. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-aaa-game-for-the-alien-franchise-is-back-in-the-works-204401214.html?src=rss

Half-Life fans are nothing if not patient. For the diehard fans out there, the latest test of patience comes from Insider Gaming Weekly's podcast, which claimed that the third installment in the Half-Life franchise is set to release with the launch of the Steam Machine sometime in spring 2026.

"The window I was specifically told was spring 2026 for the Steam Machine, for the Frame, for the Controller, for Half-Life 3," Mike Straw, one of the hosts of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast and senior editor at Insider Gaming, said. "At the end of the day, the game is real."

Straw added that all the previous dates for an announcement of the next Half-Life game have passed, but that his sources "are still adamant this is a game that will be a launch title with the Steam Machine." However, being tied to Valve's latest hardware release could be an issue since Straw noted that the explosive jump in RAM pricing is causing considerable concern for the Steam Machine's pricing announcement.

"There is a concern, however, they haven't made a decision on price, which is kind of holding back the announcement of anything else," Straw said. "There's no doubt in my mind Valve is still trying to make decisions because of what's going on on the component side."

While optimistic devotees were hoping for some teasers during The Game Awards, Valve hasn't officially said anything. However, there's still a lot of hope, especially considering Valve updated Half-Life 2 for its 20th anniversary, and previous rumors hinted at a game that's still in development but is playable from beginning to end. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/half-life-3-is-rumored-to-be-a-steam-machine-launch-title-and-could-arrive-in-spring-2026-193029413.html?src=rss

Apple has released iOS 26.2, bringing a number of new convenience features and security updates. The update includes auto-generated chapters for episodes in the Podcasts app, the option to make AirDrop more secure using verification codes, alarms for Reminders and more. It also introduces new controls for how Liquid Glass appears on the Lock Screen, adding a slider to adjust the transparency level. The drop also includes updates for iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS and tvOS.

What's new in iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2

It's not exactly a major update feature-wise, but iOS and iPadOS 26.2 bring a bunch of quality of life improvements to apps including Apple Music, Podcasts and Games. In Apple Music, you'll now see your Favorite Songs playlist in the Top Picks section, and lyrics will be available offline for songs you've downloaded. In addition to automatically generated chapters, Podcasts will display links to any other podcasts mentioned in the episode you're listening to. And, Games is getting in-game score banners, along with filters for the library to make it easier to find titles based on category and other descriptors. Apple says it also improved support for Backbone and Razer controllers.

With iOS 26.2, Apple made Safety Alerts for natural disasters and other emergencies more detailed, and they'll now come with maps of affected areas and other useful information. For iPad users, Apple has added drag-and-drop gestures for its new windowing system to make multitasking smoother. The update for iPhones and iPads also addresses several potential security issues, including vulnerabilities in WebKit that Apple says "may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26." So, if you're not yet running the latest OS on your iPhone and iPad, it's a good time to update. 

OS updates for the rest of the family

Beyond the iPhone and iPad, macOS Tahoe 26.2 introduces Edge Light for Mac, which turns your display into a ring light for video calls. For the Apple Watch, 26.2 fixes an issue with stuck songs in the Music app, and adds some new controls for the Sleep app. The tvOS update brings the option to add profiles even for people who don't have an Apple Account, and new restriction options for kid profiles. With visionOS 26.2, Travel Mode now has settings for cars and buses, and you'll now be able to use spatial accessories including "Logitech Muse in Notes, Freeform, and any PencilKit-enabled app" to create hand-drawn content with the Apple Vision Pro.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-262-is-here-with-another-liquid-glass-tweak-new-podcasts-features-and-more-181020133.html?src=rss

American architecture studio Kwong Von Glinow has renovated parts of the architecture school at Rice University, adding three new spaces through a "programmatic re-invention" of the 1947 building in Houston, Texas, USA. Read more

Even though Nintendo made some serious upgrades with the Joy-Con 2, you still might end up ditching them for CRKD's Nitro Deck 2. After winning over Nintendo Switch owners with its first Nitro Deck, CRKD followed it up with an improved design that works for both the original Switch and the Switch 2.

To refine the original design, CRKD added several upgrades to the Nitro Deck 2 based on community feedback. The new-and-improved accessory features the company's CaptiStick Technology, which prevents stick drift and isn't affected by magnetic interference like other Hall effect joysticks. CRKD also offset the right thumbstick and contoured the outer shell for a more ergonomic feel. The Nitro Deck 2 is keeping the swappable stick top feature, but CRKD added the ability to swap out the D-Pad for even more customizability. At the back of the Nitro Deck 2, CRKD managed to squeeze in extra L2 and R2 shoulder buttons alongside the programmable back buttons, which were first seen with the predecessor.

CRKD

Even if you don't own a Switch 2 yet, the Nitro Deck 2 features a new retractable locking mechanism that can be adjusted to fit both the original Switch and Switch OLED. The Nitro Deck 2 supports a low-latency wired mode thanks to an included adapter, but you can also connect the devices through Bluetooth. Thanks to its wireless connection, the Nitro Deck 2 even works as a controller with PC, mobile or smart TVs.

The Nitro Deck 2 will release in white and smoke black, starting at $99.99. That's a $30 increase from the original Nitro Deck's price tag when it debuted in 2023. CRKD will also offer a carrying case for $39.99 and additional D-Pad and Stick Top packs for $19.99. Nitro Deck 2 is currently available for preorders on CRKD's website and is expected to start shipping in spring 2026.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/crkds-nitro-deck-2-works-for-both-the-nintendo-switch-and-switch-2-173920127.html?src=rss

Dezeen School Shows: headphones featuring a built-in repair system packaged in their case are among the projects from the University of New South Wales. Read more

A cantilevered first floor marks the entrance to the timber-framed Robert Badinter Secondary School in Cambrai, France, completed by architecture studio Coldefy with Relief Architects. Read more

In our latest lookbook, we've rounded up homes spanning Chile, Ireland and Japan with dining rooms that are brightened by glass-covered voids. Read more

This week on Dezeen, we revealed photos of Frank Gehry's last major building, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, following the architect's death at the age of 96. Read more

John Cena began his WWE retirement tour back in January, and it's coming to an end this weekend when the wrestling legend headlines WWE Saturday Night's Main Event. For the last fight of his career, Cena has been matched up with "The Ring General" Gunther on the night's fight card, which also features matches between Cody Rhodes and Oba Femi, a tag team match featuring AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans & Leon Slater, and a women's matchup between Bayley and Sol Ruca. This show starts at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday and will stream with a subscription to Peacock, or grab a 7-day trial of Peacock through Prime Video and tune in for free.

Here's a look at how to watch John Cena's final fight at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event this weekend, including how to stream the entire thing for free.  

How to watch WWE Saturday Night's Main Event:

Date: Dec. 13, 2025

Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

Streaming: Peacock

Where to watch WWE Saturday Night's Main Event:

The WWE Saturday Night's Main Event will air live on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 on Peacock, with fights starting at 8 p.m. ET. You can also tune in to the Saturday Night's Main Event Countdown pre-show starting at 6 p.m. ET, and the post-show, which immediately follows the event on Peacock.

Who will be at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event? 

This weekend's Saturday Night's Main Event will be headlined by John Cena and Gunther. Also on the bill, you can catch matches between Cody Rhodes and Oba Femi, a tag team bout between AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans & Leon Slater, and a women's matchup between Bayley and Sol Ruca.

How to watch the WWE Saturday Night's Main Event:

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event Fight Card:

• John Cena vs. Gunther (John Cena's final match)

• Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. NXT Champion Oba Femi 

• World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans & TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater

• Bayley vs. Sol Ruca

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/wwe-saturday-nights-main-event-how-to-watch-john-cenas-final-match-for-free-235537779.html?src=rss