Recently, the gaming world lost someone that was an important figure in the early 2000s, especially for anyone that owned the original Xbox. Tomonubu Itagaki, the creator of the Dead or Alive series and the reboot of Ninja Gaiden, was announced to have passed away on October 16th, 2025, with news coming from his immediate family through social media. In response to the sad news, many people within the games industry shared their reactions and memories of Itagaki throughout the years. But one thing that was very similar among all the posts was how much Tomonubu Itagaki meant to people who encountered him or his games in the early 2000s.

Over the last 20 years, I've built more than a few gaming PCs. I can freely admit that every single time, I've let a component's specifications affect my decision more than its real-world performance. Sometimes it was CPU clock speeds or GPU cores; other times, it was monitor response times or motherboard marketing fluff. With time, however, I've learned to look deeper, ignoring superficial technical specs in favor of reliable, third-party reviews that reveal a component's actual performance. The next time I build a PC, these are the specs I'm glossing over.

We already know that the next-gen Xbox console isn’t locked to a single store, will use an AMD chip inside, and will maintain compatibility with an existing library of Xbox games. Now, Microsoft appears to be teasing that the next-gen Xbox will be some type of hybrid console and PC.Xbox president Sarah Bond sat down with Mashable this week to discuss the latest Xbox Ally X handheld, and dropped some vague hints about Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox console. When asked about rumors that the next-gen Xbox console will be more like a gaming PC, Bond appeared to agree. “I can tell you you’re right, that the next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience,” said Bond. “You’re starting to see some of the thinking we have in this handheld, but I don’t want to give it all away.”I’ve been writing for more than a year that the next Xbox console will be more PC-like, and that the Xbox Ally devices are an early look at what’s to come. Bond’s latest comments are subtle, but they once again line up with her previous promise of delivering an “Xbox experience not locked to a single store or tied to one device,” and prioritizing Windows. “That’s why we’re working closely with the Windows team to ensure that Windows is the number one platform for gaming,” said Bond in June, while announcing a multi-year partnership with AMD for a portfolio of Xbox devices.I’m convinced that Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox console will be powered by Windows and be part of a number of devices from third parties that Microsoft also considers Xbox consoles. A $1,000 Xbox Ally X handheld tests the appetite for pricey next-gen consoles, and it may well also test the appetite for a combination of Xbox and Windows. Perhaps that’s what Bond means when she says the next-gen Xbox will deliver “the largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation.”

Many of the best laptops, particularly gaming laptops or those aimed at content creators, come with two GPUs inside. This is because laptop processors, such as those from AMD or Intel, always have an integrated GPU, which is necessary for the display to function as you'd expect. Gaming laptops may also have discrete GPUs from Nvidia or AMD to enable higher performance in games, but the integrated GPU is still there.

Starting today, creators in YouTube’s Partner Program are getting access to a new AI detection feature that will allow them to find and report unauthorized uploads using their likeness. As shown in this video from YouTube, after verifying their identity, creators can review flagged videos in the Content Detection tab on YouTube Studio. If a video looks like unauthorized, AI-generated content, creators can submit a request for it to be removed. The first wave of eligible creators was notified via email this morning, and the feature will roll out to more creators over the next few months. YouTube warned early users in a guide on the feature that, in its current in-development state, it “may display videos featuring your actual face, not altered or synthetic versions,” such as clips of a creator’s own content. It works similarly to Content ID, which YouTube uses to detect copyrighted audio and video content. YouTube originally announced this feature last year and began testing it in December through a pilot program with talent represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA). YouTube’s blog post at the time said, “Through this collaboration, several of the world’s most influential figures will have access to early-stage technology designed to identify and manage AI-generated content that features their likeness, including their face, on YouTube at scale.”YouTube and Google are among many tech firms pushing AI video generation and editing tools, and the likeness detection tool isn’t their only feature in development to deal with AI-generated content on the platform. Last March, YouTube also began requiring creators to label uploads that include content generated or altered using AI and announced a strict policy around AI-generated music “that mimics an artist’s unique singing or rapping voice.”

Yesterday, we learned how Google plans to let 15 lucky fans try new Pixel phones while they're still in development, thanks to a Bloomberg scoop.We have now obtained copies of the official rules and entry form for that contest, as shared with fans by the head of the Pixel Superfans program, and you can read the full versions at the bottom of this story.TL;DR: Google wasn't asking for much! To get nominated to become a "Pixel Trusted Tester" and win the unheard-of opportunity to use an unreleased Pixel phone in the wild, entrants only had to answer three questions at first:"How many Pixel devices have you ever owned?""As a Pixel Su …Read the full story at The Verge.

The Soundcore Sleep A30 sit flush in your ear and are comfortable enough to wear all night. | Image: The Verge If you’re a light sleeper who needs complete silence before dozing off, Anker’s Soundcore Sleep A30 are built for you. Luckily, right now, the wireless sleep buds are on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $193.99 ($36 off), which is just shy of the price drop we saw during Amazon’s most recent Prime Day event. It’s a solid deal for anyone looking to get a head start on the holiday rush.Anker Soundcore Sleep A30Where to Buy: $229.99 $193.99 at Amazon $229.99 $193.99 at Walmart $229.99 $193.99 at Best BuyThe Sleep A30 are an ultra-low-profile pair of sleep earbuds with active noise cancellation and an adaptive masking system. Essentially, the case monitors and analyzes ambient sounds, while the earbuds optimize the ANC to block out noises like snoring, traffic, and the hum of appliances. In his review, deputy editor Thomas Ricker said the feature did an excellent job of keeping snoring and other low-frequency sounds to a minimum. He also said the earbuds are smaller and more comfortable than their predecessor, particularly for side sleepers.The A30 come with silicone and foam tips of varying sizes, along with an app that features curated sleep sounds and tracking, giving you an idea of how well you slept. The earbuds can also last through the night while listening to white noise stored locally on the earbuds; however, battery life is closer to 6.5 hours per charge when listening to music or podcasts over Bluetooth.Read our Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 review.A few more dealsAmazon’s last-gen Echo Show 8 has returned to $99.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and The Home Depot. The third-gen device boasts a redesigned speaker system and spatial audio, along with widgets and the ability to control nearly any smart device, making it a terrific smart speaker with a screen. However, if you want the latest model available, Amazon recently introduced an upgraded Echo Show 8, which features new hardware that looks far more refined than that of prior models. Read our review.8BitDo’s Arcade Controller is being modestly discounted to $80.99 ($9 off) at Amazon (at checkout), which is $5 shy of its all-time low. The newer gamepad replaces the traditional analog joystick with a 16-button layout, four of which can be remapped. The “leverless” controller style has become popular among fans of fighting games, where lightning-fast reaction times are crucial. It also measures a mere 16mm thick, promises up to 20 hours of battery life, and works with the Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and Windows PCs.Lego’s upcoming Time Machine from Back to the Future is now available for preorder from both Amazon and Lego for $27.99 ahead of its launch on January 1st, 2026. While not as detailed as the DeLorean kit from a few years ago, this 357-piece set recreates Doc Brown’s iconic time machine, complete with an “OUTATIME” license plate and a flux capacitor. The set also comes with minifigures of Marty McFly in his red vest and Brown with his ghost-white hair.

I've been messing around with a lot of different ESP32-based devices, and the reTerminal E1001 is one of the more recent devices I've experienced. It has three buttons at the top, a temperature and humidity sensor, a buzzer, and even a microphone. However, what it also has is a 7.5-inch ePaper display, and all of that hardware got me thinking: what if I built a Kindle-esque device with it?

The ornament also plays the console’s startup sound. | Image: Hallmark The Halo 3 soundtrack could soon be joining classics like “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Deck the Halls” on your holiday playlist, if you deck your halls with Hallmark’s new Xbox 360 Keepsake ornament. It’s now available from Hallmark’s online store and Amazon for $28.99 and pressing its power button plays the console’s swooshy startup sound and then about 20 seconds of the Behold a Pale Horse track from the Halo 3 soundtrack that incorporates elements of the Halo theme, according to IGN. The 3.25-inch tall replica of Microsoft’s nearly 20-year-old console (the 360 launched in November 2005) is surprisingly detailed for something that’s going to get lost amongst a sea of ornaments on your tree, and includes a matching mini controller permanently leaning up against the console’s base.It’s powered by a trio of replaceable button batteries should you get overly nostalgic and hit the button ad nauseam. The Xbox 360’s power button even lights up green when pressed, and although green and red is often considered the official colors of the holiday season, it doesn’t appear as if you can create the 360’s Red Ring of Death, despite Microsoft not shying away from making other merchandise featuring the infamous error message.

I’ve used enough productivity apps to know most of them eventually hit a ceiling. They’re great for capturing and organizing information, but not so much at understanding it. This is where NotebookLM changes things. It’s a context engine that actually learns from your material and helps connect dots that you miss. Once you start feeding it sources, it transforms them into a format that makes better sense to you.

Although Apple said in a recent court filing that Jon Prosser “still has not” replied to the company’s July lawsuit against him for allegedly stealing trade secrets, Prosser tells The Verge that he is in communication with Apple about the case.“All I can tell you is that regardless of what is being reported, and regardless of what the court documents say — I have, in fact, been in active communications with Apple since the beginning stages of this case,” Prosser says. “The notion that I’m ignoring the case is incorrect. That’s all I am able to say.”Last week, a clerk entered a default against Prosser, indicating that he hadn’t responded to the July lawsuit and allowing the case to go ahead. In its request for entry of default, Apple’s legal counsel says that the company personally served Prosser the lawsuit in July and notified him of the August 19th deadline to respond. He did not respond by that date, and “despite Apple’s multiple inquiries to Mr. Prosser about whether he would be responding to the Complaint, Mr. Prosser still has not done so,” according to the filing.In its lawsuit, Apple alleged that Prosser and another defendant, Michael Ramacciotti, had a “coordinated scheme” to “steal Apple’s trade secrets, and profit from the theft.” According to the complaint, Ramacciotti broke into a development iPhone used by a friend that worked at Apple, called Prosser over video, and “demonstrated several features and applications” of iOS 19, which was officially named iOS 26. Ahead of the announcement of the software, Prosser published videos highlighting changes to things like the Camera app and showing elements of what would later be revealed as the Liquid Glass design language. Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

Even though there’s practically a new AI tool launching every day, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is still most people’s go-to. And despite there being arguably better alternatives out there, it continues to dominate the conversation.