CATEGORIES

WE ALL PLAY GAMES

From indies to blockbusters, developers are striving to include disabled players now more than ever

HANDS ON

Valve has unveiled its new handheld gaming PC, STEAM DECK

THUGS IN SUITS

The rise, fall, and redemption of Mafia developer ILLUSION SOFTWORKS

BIOSHOCK 2

Revisiting BioShock’s bold, brilliant sequel.

WHAT IS APPLE DOING WITH ITS APP STORE?

Over the past week or so, Apple has eased some longstanding restrictions that helped make its App Store into a big moneymaker for the company. The company has long required app developers to pay high commissions to Apple on the sales of paid apps as well as purchases of subscriptions or digital items inside their apps.

MISSION CONTROL: APPLE HEALTH INSIGHTS ABOARD INSPIRATION4

Apple might be best known for its consumer electronics like iPhones and iPads, but behind the scenes, the Cupertino company is extending its interests far beyond.

RESEARCHERS COMPLETE FIRST-EVER DETAILED MAP OF GLOBAL CORAL

Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world’s coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe.

AMAZON TO OPEN 2 CASHIER LESS WHOLE FOODS STORES NEXT YEAR

There will be something missing at two Whole Foods stores opening next year: the rows of cashiers.

NO CASHIERS, PLEASE: FUTURISTIC SUPERMARKET OPENS IN MIDEAST

The Middle East got its first completely automated cashier-less store, as retail giant Carrefour rolled out its vision for the future of the industry in a cavernous Dubai mall.

SOLAR COULD POWER 40% OF US ELECTRICITY BY 2035

Solar energy has the potential to supply up to 40% of the nation’s electricity within 15 years — a 10-fold increase over current solar output, but one that would require massive changes in U.S. policy and billions of dollars in federal investment to modernize the nation’s electric grid, a new federal report says.

DO WE NEED HUMANS FOR THAT JOB? AUTOMATION BOOMS AFTER COVID

Ask for a roast beef sandwich at an Arby’s drive-thru east of Los Angeles and you may be talking to Tori — an artificially intelligent voice assistant that will take your order and send it to the line cooks.

FORD HIRES EXEC FORMERLY IN CHARGE OF APPLE'S CAR PROJECT

Ford Motor Co. has hired a former executive from Apple and Tesla to be the company’s head of advanced technology and new embedded systems, a critical post as the auto industry moves to adopt vehicles powered by electricity and guided by computers.

COLLECTIBLE PRICES SKYROCKET, TO THE DISMAY OF HOBBYISTS

Americans have become obsessed with collectibles, bidding up prices for trading cards, video games and other mementos of their youth. The frenzy has brought small fortunes to some, but a deep frustration for those who still love to play games or trade cards as a hobby.

UNTIL 2023? PARTS SHORTAGE WILL KEEP AUTO PRICES SKY-HIGHMONEY

Back in the spring, a shortage of computer chips that had sent auto prices soaring appeared, finally, to be easing. Some relief for consumers seemed to be in sight.

5 WAYS TO REIN IN IMPULSE SPENDING

Since the COVID-19 vaccine started becoming available in the U.S., there have been more opportunities to impulse spend on items and experiences that you didn’t get to enjoy early in the pandemic.

AUTO INDUSTRY: WHAT IS FACT AND WHAT IS FICTION ABOUT GREEN CARS

With all the developments in the auto industry you may think your next car will be electric, including a new federal target that would mean half of all new vehicles sold within a decade will have zero emissions.

FACEBOOK SLAMS UK ANTITRUST WATCHDOG OVER CALL TO SELL GIPHY

Facebook has criticized the U.K. competition watchdog’s provisional decision ordering that it sell offGiphy because it said the acquisition of the company stifles competition for animated images.

2 Alaska Towns Allow Texts to 911 When Calling Not an Option

Residents in Wrangell and Petersburg now have the ability to text 911 for help when calling isn’t an option.

‘Shang-Chi' Adds a Thrilling Hero to Marvel Universe

If the Marvel Cinematic Universe has taught us anything it’s that heroes arise from unexpected places. For their 25th film entry, that place is valet parking.

As Flood Alerts Lit Up Phones, Did ‘Warning Fatigue' Set In?

Cellphones across New York and New Jersey pulsed with urgent warnings of catastrophic flooding as the fury of Hurricane Ida’s remnants, carrying torrential rains, upper New Jersey and New York City.

Elizabeth Holmes' Trial To Dissect Downfall Of A Tech Star

Just six years ago, Elizabeth Holmes seemed destined to fulfill her dream of becoming Silicon Valley’s next superstar. She was the subject of business magazine cover stories describing her as the youngest self-made female billionaire in history, former President Bill Clinton was reverently quizzing her about her thoughts on technology, and then Vice President Joe Biden was hailing her ideas as an inspiration.

4 WAYS TO MANAGE RETIREMENT HEALTH CARE COSTS

Health care in retirement is a big-ticket item. Experts estimate that an average 65-year-old retired couple in 2021 would need about $300,000 in after-tax savings earmarked for health care costs in their post-work life, even with Medicare, according to Fidelity.

KEN MICALLEF KLH Model Five LOUDSPEAKER

In May of 2019, I heard about a promising jazz vinyl and hi-fi estate sale happening on New York’s Upper East Side. Little did I know then what treasures the dig would yield.

HI-FI LO-FI

20 YEARS OF THE BEST-SOUNDING INDIE ROCK

KALMAN RUBINSON Dirac Live 3 ROOM-CORRECTION SOFTWARE

Adoption of DSP-based speaker-and-room correction in home theater—a parallel universe to audiophilia—is almost universal. It’s easy to understand why.

JASON VICTOR SERINUS Antipodes Audio K50 MUSIC SERVER

On the face of it, playing and streaming digital music files is a straightforward process.

GRAMOPHONE DREAMS

The RAAL-requisite HSA-1b headphone and speaker amplifier

Analog Corner

OMA’s K3 direct-drive turntable and custom Schröder tonearm

5 TIPS FOR FOSTERING A SUCCESSFUL HYBRID WORKPLACE

Businesses figured out how to work remotely on the fly when COVID-19 rapidly disrupted our way of working.

APPLE LOOSENS APP STORE PAYMENT RULES IN LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT

Apple has agreed to let developers of iPhone apps email their users about cheaper ways to pay for digital subscriptions and media by circumventing a commission system that generates billions of dollars annually for the iPhone maker.