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“I’ve never seen anything that impacts the individual and their caregivers around them the way this does. It’s amazing,”eSight’shead of marketing Roland Mattern told me during a video chat at CES 2023 about the company’s latest product, the eSight Go. He was describing the incredible changes he has witnessed in people’s lives when they use eSight smart glasses, which help partially sighted people see more clearly. It’s life-changing technology, and the aim of its latest model is to help more people than ever....

Chinese government steps in after hotel uses Red Pandas to wake up guests A hotel in China sparked controversy for using Red Pandas — an endangered animal species — as a special feature to wake up guests, and the government has stepped in to stop it. Contrary to popular belief, Red Pandas actuallyaren’t relatedto their black-and-white counterparts. Instead, they’re closer to critters like raccoons and weasels and are native to the high-altitude forests in Myanmar, Nepal, India, Bhutan, and China....

Sid Meier’s Civilization VIis the latest free game available on the Epic Games Store. The game normally carries a $60 price tag, but through May 28, you can own the PC version for free on the Epic Games Store. This isn’t a trial, either — the game will remain a playable part of your library forever. Civilization VIreleased in 2016 but continues to evolve, andThe New Frontier Pass, announced earlier this week, promises to keep things fresh for a while....

The last few months have been a roller coaster of emotions for fans of San Diego Comic-Con, which wascanceled for the first time in its 50-year historyin April, only to berevived as a virtual, streaming eventa month later. The five-day event, titled Comic-Con@Home, officially kicked off Wednesday, July 22, and includes an impressive list of streaming panels, interviews, themed discussions, and sneak peeks from the worlds of comics, gaming, movie, and television....

Zoom is adding new avatars that will allow you to appear in conference calls as one of your favorite barnyard friends. Like Apple’sAnimoji, you can disguise your appearance as a bunny, dog, raccoon, cow, mouse or friendly fox when you show up to your next virtual meeting, adding a bit of fun and whimsy to the new work-from-home era that began more than two years ago. Through software,Zoomwill apply the animal avatar of your choice to your face by using your webcam to detect the location of your face....

In December, director James Cameron proved that audiences were ready to revisit the world ofAvataron the big screen withAvatar: The Way of Water. It was not only a massive blockbuster with $2.32 billion worldwide (which makes it the third-highest-grossing film of all time), but it also bucked the trend of a quick digital release. But now the wait is almost over. Disney+ has announced thatThe Way of Waterwill make its streaming debut on June 7....

Things are heating up in the world of earlyPrime Day deals,with Amazon discounting the Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, and Fire TV Recast to get you in the mood for buying some great deals. Right now, you can upgrade how you stream with one of these great devices with discounts ranging from $10 to a massive $80. Read on to find out why they’re great additions to your household....

Talk to anyone aboutThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand the topic of weapon degradation is sure to come up. Any weapon Link picks up in the game will break after a number of uses, forcing players to constantly switch their tools up. The controversial feature has been a point of contention since the game launched in 2017, acting as a single blemish on an otherwise beloved game. I’ve always been neutral on the topic, but after playingElden Ring, I’ve come to appreciate the clumsy intentions behind the system....

Microsoft just released the latest episode of the Official Xbox Podcast, and it contained lots of crucial details on the future of Xbox. Microsoft addressed everything from how many games it will make multiplatform to the arrival of Activision Blizzard games on Xbox Game Pass to future Xbox hardware. If you don’t want to listen to the full 23-minute podcast and want more details than what’s shared in theXbox Wire postabout the discussion, here’s a quick rundown of the biggest points made during the episode....

Summary The recent Xbox Games Showcase revealed one exciting feature coming soon toFallout 76, but despite the hype, one crucial problem is impossible to overlook. While perhaps not at the same level asCyberpunk 2077,Fallout 76has improved tremendously since its launch through quality of life and content updates. The fan base maligned the game upon release in 2018, but many have found joy in playing with friends in more recent years....

If seeing ads in your Web browser makes you see red, try seeing green instead. At least, that’s what Brave wants you to do, now that it’spaying you in Bitcoinsto see “safe ads.” Brave, a new Web browser founded by Mozilla co-creator Brendan Eich, understands your frustration when it comes to the ad inundation of the Internet, but has a rather interesting workaround. While the browser has ad blocking built into its functionality, it’s not getting rid of them altogether (you have to pay Brave to get it to do that)....

ThePixel 6is the nicest phone Google has ever released — and I’ve used quite a few of them, from the Pixel 3 XL to the Pixel 3a XL to the Pixel 4a, 5, 5a 5G, and now 6. It’s a very good phone with many things to like, including a standout design. No phone is perfect though, and the Pixel 6 has a pretty glaring flaw for me, personally. After using it since December, I’ve had a few thoughts about what Google’s current flagship does well in the long term, and what it does wrong....

Valve has revealed a March 23 release date forHalf-Life: Alyx, the series’ first foray into virtual reality, but the company’s Index headset is still sold out practically everywhere. Half-Life: Alyx, as its title suggests, will allow players to play as Alyx Vance, who was first seen inHalf-Life 2. The game’s events will take place between the firstHalf-Lifeand the sequel, when the alien race known as the Combine is already in control of the Earth, with the human population being rounded up....