It's not quite October yet, and there are still plenty of video games set to be released before the end of the year. Even still, I'm pretty convinced that Blippo Plus will go down as the strangest release of 2025.Calling it a game might be a bit of a misnomer; it's more of an alien television simulator. The idea is that, for reasons that aren't immediately clear, you're able to tune into a TV network from another world, the titular Blippo Plus. You don't really "play" the game, but rather flip around the channels - there are FMV shows with human actors, covering everything from dramas to cooking - to better understand the alien culture. (I …Read the full story at The Verge.

Wu-Tang’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin Disgraced pharma bro, convicted felon, and perennial challenger for America’s Most Hateable Man, Martin Shkreli will have to face a lawsuit for making copies of the Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. US District Judge Pamela Chen issued a decision on Thursday that dismissed some claims by the album’s current owners, PleasrDAO, but will allow the suit alleging “misappropriation of trade secrets” to continue.Trade secrets might seem like an odd way to describe the most exclusive album ever made, but Chen says in her decision that:“Trade secrets include all forms and types of business information” so long as the criteria described above pertaining to “reasonable measures” to maintain secrecy and the “independent economic value” from that secrecy are met.Continuing to say that there was, “no serious debate that the value of the Album… was largely based on its secret and exclusive nature.”In August, Shkreli was forced to hand over any copies of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, after PleasrDAO (a sort of crypto art collective) sued him for improperly retaining copies of the album and diminishing its value. The group even alleges that Shkreli planned to release his copies which PleasrDAO paid roughly $4 million for in a government auction. According to the filing by PleasrDAO Shkreli admitted in livestreams that he had made copies of the album and accused him of playing it for his followers. He even supposedly taunted a member of the DAO, replying to a photo of the album with “LOL i have the mp3s you moron.” One thing seems clear, jail time and being forced to hand over one of his most valuable possessions hasn’t made Shkreli any more reserved.View Link

Borderlands has always been equal parts comic-book chaos and gloriously ridiculous guns and bosses, and it only makes sense that these face-melting encounters have etched themselves into our collective memories. The best part about the Borderlands games are the bosses, where we take to community forums to discuss the best methods to take them down, or just rant about the next 'Invincible' boss who empties all our clips and sent us back to the Game Over screen.

I've always loved the idea of a self-hosted surveillance system at home and have tried everything from Synology's surveillance camera solution to Ubiquiti's cameras and NVR. Unlike cloud-connected cameras, I like knowing that my cameras and data are entirely under my control, and that I don't need to pay subscription fees or worry about the provider discontinuing service. Now, the go-to app of choice for almost everyone self-hosting their apps tends to be Frigate. And that's for a good reason. Frigate's excellent AI-based motion detection has made it a fantastic option for almost everyone. The problem for me was that Frigate requires a lot of time, effort, and suitable hardware to get right. It is an incredibly powerful piece of software with equally high demands from users. While my NVR handles all my recording needs, I needed an easy-to-access dashboard that would make viewing feeds easy without endless setup. So, with a bit of research, I ended up with Nightwatcher. This small self-hosted app isn't a Frigate alternative, but a surprisingly practical addition for anyone running their own surveillance systems.

I've talked before about how I wish I could use Linux as a daily driver on my computer, but there are several blockers to me doing so that have prevented me from being able to make the switch. However, I recently built a rather overpowered Proxmox-based machine, and I've been migrating some of my older services while adding new ones to it. Among those services is a full-fledged Ubuntu Server install, with 400 GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and about half of the Intel Core i7-14700K's cores assigned to it. With the magic of remote desktop technology, I can use it as if it were a native machine.

Though I tend to handwrite most of my notes using my Apple Pencil, iPad and Goodnotes 6, I prefer typing out notes for some courses. While I've tried a lot of note-taking apps like Obsidian, Notion, Evernote, and even relatively basic apps like Apple Notes, I've never really been able to adjust to any of them.

The ESP32 has emerged as a favorite tinkering device in the maker and hobbyist world thanks to its low cost, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and strong community support. One particular strength it has is its expandability, including its use as a driver for simple displays. With an ESP32, you can turn any old cheap screen into a custom display for whatever data you want to show, and with open software, you can build displays suited to your needs.

Building or upgrading a PC can be one of the most rewarding projects for a tech enthusiast. Still, it comes with plenty of fiddly details that can quickly become frustrating. 3D printing offers a clever way to streamline and organize those little tasks. These small prints don’t replace the main hardware, but they solve minor problems that every builder inevitably encounters.

Self-hosting services and apps through Docker is a great way to save money, learn something new, and take full control of all your data. You can host your own media streaming service, back up and store all your mobile devices, run your own large language models (LLMs), and much more. The issue is that although these are run in an isolated fashion, there's a good chance your local area network (LAN) is one giant single layer, supporting all devices and Docker containers. This could cause problems, especially when using Wi-Fi.

Nintendo’s first-party Switch 2 Pro Controller can’t be beaten when it comes to its breadth of features and comfort. But at $89.99, let’s be real, it’s way too expensive for most people. Thankfully, a controller I’ve been testing recently, which is nearly as good despite lacking a 3.5mm audio jack, is currently on sale for $40 less. The EasySMX S10, as it’s called, is available for $50.39 from EasySMX with code GETS10.The S10 is comfortable to use for long gaming sessions, and it has features that aren’t commonly built into third-party gamepads, including amiibo support and rumble that feels like it’s in the same ballpark as Nintendo’s HD rumble. It can also remotely wake the Nintendo Switch 2, not just the original Switch, from standby.The S10 would be easier to recommend than Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pro Controller even if they were the same price, since EasySMX’s model features accurate, power-efficient TMR joysticks, plus some satisfyingly clicky buttons and triggers (note: these are divisive, you might not like them as much as I do). But at $40 less, you don’t need to feel bad about getting this instead of Nintendo’s official gamepad. Take that leftover money and treat yourself to something nice instead.EasySMX S10 Gaming Controller for Switch 2Where to Buy: $59.99 at Amazon $59.99 $50.39 at EasySMX (with code GETS10)If you’re an Android user looking for an unobtrusive Bluetooth tracker for your wallet, Ugreen just launched the FineTrack Slim Smart G. It’s just 1.7mm thick (approximately the thickness of two credit cards), letting it to sit next to your other cards without sticking out, and its built-in battery can last for up to five years. For its launch, Ugreen has knocked $2 off the $25.99 tracker, dropping it to $23.99 at Amazon.The downside is that it can’t be charged, so you’ll need to dispose of it and buy a new tracker once those five years are up. That stinks, but its specs mean it should provide a pretty good five years of service. It features a built-in 80db alarm to help you find it via Google’s Find Hub network, after all, along with IP68 protection against dust and water. Just keep in mind that, if it’s submerged, you won’t be able to track it.Ugreen FineTrack Slim Smart G Bluetooth trackerWhere to Buy: $25.99 $23.99 at AmazonNow through October 5th, OnePlus has a few back-to-college deals up its sleeve that everyone can enjoy, whether you’re a student or not. The one that caught my eye is the 43mm OnePlus Watch 3, which is available for $269.99 ($30 off) from Amazon and OnePlus (with coupon code HARVEST). The Wear OS 5-equipped smartwatch has gone on sale before, but after a nearly month-long period when it wasn’t discounted, it’s returned to its second-best price to date.If you’re shopping for an Android watch, we recommend including OnePlus’ latest wearable on your shortlist. Outside of Samsung’s recent Galaxy Watch 8 series, the OnePlus Watch 3 is one of the newest models available. It offers a better value than its predecessor, the OnePlus Watch 2, with updated software, a rotating crown, an enhanced GPS antenna, and a suite of new health features.Read our hands-on impressions.OnePlus Watch 3 (43mm)Where to Buy: $299.99 $269.99 at OnePlus (with code HARVEST) $299.99 $269.99 at AmazonOther deals we loved from this weekNintendo’s tappable amiibos are an expensive hobby, as most figures for the Switch and Switch 2 usually cost between $15 and $40 each. However, GameStop recently did collectors and trinket enjoyers a favor by slashing prices on a handful of models, which start at just $5.99 a pop. Not just that, some of the newer ones that debuted alongside the Switch 2 (including ones from The Legend of Zelda series and Street Fighter 6) are down to $15.99 at GameStop and Amazon — over half off their original price.We highlighted the Prime-exclusive deal on Kindle Unlimited last weekend, but it’s worth sharing again in case you missed it. If you sign into your Prime account ahead of Amazon’s October Prime Day event, which starts on October 7th, you’ll be able to sign up for a free three-month trial of Kindle Unlimited. After your free trial period ends, you’ll be charged $11.99 a month unless you cancel the service. Kindle Unlimited is filled with many, many titles you can read for no extra charge, so if you’re a voracious reader, this is a fabulous deal that costs nothing to redeem.If you’re a PC gamer with a taste for spooky games, you might have already dipped into several titles from Remedy Entertainment’s catalog, including Alan Wake 2, Control, and others. But if you haven’t yet tried them, there’s an affordable way to go all-in, as Humble is offering a nine-game bundle for just $27. Getting Alan Wake 2 (redeemable via the Epic Games Store) at that price would be a steal on its own, but you also get Control Ultimate Edition, Quantum Break, Alan Wake Remastered, Max Payne, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, and more. The step-up tier of the bundle also includes a 25 percent off coupon for FBC: Firebreak, Remedy’s cooperative first-person shooter set in the Control universe.

On day three of the two-week remedies trial in the Justice Department's ad tech case against Google, Judge Leonie Brinkema boiled down the argument to one key issue: trust. Brinkema interrupted testimony from a DOJ expert with a hypothetical: should she issue a strict order modifying Google's behavior, could it resolve the issues at hand if "you had confidence that Google would actually act in complete good faith?"The question felt particularly pointed, given how the Google trial Brinkema presided over last year unfolded. Over three weeks, the DOJ repeatedly presented examples of Google employees allegedly using chat messages to avoid leav …Read the full story at The Verge.

I’ve started pairing Perplexity with different tools, and the more I do it, the more I realize it’s not just a Q&A engine but a force multiplier for whatever workflow you plug it into. Lately, I’ve also been enjoying Microsoft Loop. On its own, it’s a bit like Notion but more fluid — blocks you can drop anywhere and remix. I especially love how plentiful and robust the template collection is so I don’t even have to start my pages from scratch. So I decided to pair up these two apps since both have been carrying my workflow these days.