There was a lot in September’s Nintendo Direct. We got a new trailer for the Super Mario Bros Movie sequel, a new Yoshi game, a new Mario Tennis game, this weird thing, a Hades II release date, a new Pokémon game, and Metroid Prime 4’s release date. But if that weren’t enough, and apparently it wasn’t according to Nintendo, the company has also revealed a first look at the latest Fire Emblem game titled Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave.The reveal trailer gave us a glimpse of the world of Fortune’s Weave. The game features what looks to be the same kind of factional rivalries that made Fates, Awakening, and Three Houses so special. Fortune’s Weave also features totally new characters in a brand new setting that, so far, looks much more interesting than what Fire Emblem Engage had to offer. At the heart of Fortune’s Weave is the Heroic Games, a gladiator-like contest that will no doubt have massive implications on the wider story. Fortune’s Weave looks to have the same tactical RPG rock-paper-scissors combat that I love about the series including new combat units that have some gladiatorial flair. We’ll learn all Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave has to offer when it launches on the Switch 2 some time next year.

I'm a huge fan of Perplexity, which is an AI search engine as is, and rely on it heavily for college and research purposes. So, it's safe to say that I had high expectations for its AI-powered browser, Comet. Unfortunately, when I first tried Comet out, I didn't really see what the hype was all about.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 are getting many of the heart monitoring features announced for the AirPods Pro 3. Apple will release iOS 26 on September 15th and along with new iPhone features like the company’s new Liquid Glass design language and live translation capabilities, the update will bring new features to the Powerbeats Pro 2. Released earlier this year, they were Apple’s first earbuds with heart rate monitoring but after next week’s big iPhone update their functionality will closely match the new AirPods Pro 3 announced earlier this week at Apple’s “Awe dropping” event.You’ll now be able to monitor your heart rate in real time through the Apple Fitness app during 50 different workout types while wearing the Powerbeats Pro 2 – a feature only supported through partner apps like Nike Run Club at launch. The earbuds will also work with Apple Fitness Plus, showing metrics like heart rate and calories burned on screen.Other upgrades coming to the Powerbeats Pro 2 with iOS 26 include a new algorithm for faster readings, step counting, notifications that include suggestions on how to improve the earbuds’ fit for improved accuracy, and heart rate monitoring while wearing just a single earbud, according to 9to5Mac.

Managed switches are fantastic devices with a wealth of features to enhance your local area network (LAN). Most people can get by with a simple unmanaged switch, which handles traffic routing and that's about it. But if you wish to take your network game to the next level, a managed switch can bring with it virtual LAN (VLAN) support, which allows you to segment your network and keep various clients separate. This can be especially handy with a smart home and/or home lab.

I don't say this lightly: if you're a huge fan of horror games, but you've never given the original Dead Space a try, you really, really have to. The first game set a foundation for a series spanning multiple titles, and even to this day, the scares still hold up.

Apple has postponed preorders of the iPhone Air in mainland China, which were due to open today, with regulatory issues around eSIM almost certainly to blame.The Chinese store page for the super-slim iPhone says that “release information will be updated later” (translated from Chinese). Apple had originally announced that the Air would go on preorder in China at the same time as in the US, 8AM ET today, with full availability from September 19th. Its other three new iPhones — the 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max — are all available to preorder now, and ship from next week.The issue is most likely Apple’s decision to make the Air eSIM-only worldwide. eSIM has never been widely available in mainland China, and phones manufactured for the local market still don’t include support (which has tripped me up a few times when I’ve gone traveling in Europe with a review unit of a Chinese phone!). None of Apple’s previous iPhone support eSIM in China, nor do any of the three iPhone 17 models.Earlier this week Apple’s support page for eSIM in China declared that “China Unicom is the only supported eSIM carrier for iPhone.” That page has now been updated, and says that “pending regulatory approval” all three of the country’s state-owned main carriers will offer eSIM, including China Mobile and China Telecom.The South China Morning Post reports that Apple has told Chinese media that it is “working closely with regulatory authorities to bring [the iPhone Air] to China as soon as possible.”

If you're looking to get a monitor that delivers the best of both worlds, featuring vibrant colors and crisp text, you're going to want to go with one that has a QD-OLED panel. You really can't go wrong here with this tech, delivering exactly what you need, when you need it. And while QD-OLED monitors do cost more, we think it's worth the extra money.

The AI web search company Perplexity is being hit by another lawsuit alleging copyright and trademark infringement, this time from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster. Britannica, the centuries-old publisher that owns Merriam-Webster, sued Perplexity in New York federal court on September 10th.In the lawsuit, the companies allege that Perplexity’s “answer engine” scrapes their websites, steals their internet traffic, and plagiarizes their copyrighted material. Britannica also alleges trademark infringement when Perplexity attaches the two companies’ names to hallucinated or incomplete content. The word “plagiarize” illustrates the point of the lawsuit. The court document includes back-to-back screenshots that show Perplexity’s result is identical to Merriam-Webster’s definition. Perplexity positions itself as a Google Search competitor. It has been called a “bullshit machine” that steals and recreates original content without proper citations. The AI company is also accused of “stealth crawling” websites with crawler blockers, a practice used by other AI companies.  Perplexity, backed by investors like Jeff Bezos, has tussled with other media outlets like Forbes, The New York Times, and the BBC. News Corp, the parent company of outlets like The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, sued Perplexity in October 2024.Some media companies joined Perplexity’s ad revenue sharing program, including Time magazine and the Los Angeles Times. Another popular encyclopedia, World History Encyclopedia, joined Perplexity’s publisher program, and on September 8th, it launched a Perplexity-powered AI chatbot that allows users to sift through the encyclopedia’s database of sources and academic articles. View Link

It had been a long time since I last built an SFF PC, and just this past weekend, I was tasked with doing just that. This person wasn't going for an ultra-compact, save-all-possible-space sort of build; just something that would easily fit on their desk in their condo without being an eyesore. Simple enough.

Tyler Robinson, apprehended last night in connection to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, allegedly left engraved bullets at the crime scene that were covered in a furry meme, a reference from the video game Helldivers 2, and an extremely online taunt.In an FBI briefing this morning about his arrest, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the sequence of events that led to the capture of Robinson, 22, who was turned into the police by his father. They also clarified the nature of the notes engraved on the bullet casings found at the scene, which had been rumored to be slogans relating to antifascist and “transgender ideology.” As it turns out, the messages are a confusing mix of internet memes and pop culture.As described, the bullets read (exact capitalization not confirmed at this point):“Notices bulges OWO what’s this?”“Hey fascist! Catch!” Up arrow symbol, right arrow, three down arrow symbols“Oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao”“If you read this, you are gay lmao”The first bullet casing, which was fired, is a meme referring to furry online roleplay, according to Know Your Meme.It’s not hard to see where the “antifascist” conclusion came from on two of the other bullets: “Bella ciao” is an Italian song adopted by partisans and resistance fighters while Italy was governed by the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Cox said in response to a question during the conference that the “hey fascist” message “speaks for itself.” Three downward-slanting arrows are a symbol used by both historical and contemporary antifascists.But the full arrow sequence was quickly recognized as something else: a combo from Helldivers 2 for calling the Eagle 500kg Bomb stratagem. The world of Helldivers — which evokes Robert Heinlein’s book Starship Troopers and the subsequent movie — concerns fascism thematically; developer Arrowhead has characterized it as a satire where players fight for a fascist state.As for the use of “Bella ciao,” the song has no obvious connection but given its historical significance, unsurprisingly does appear in a Helldivers 2 mod, as well as in at least one other video game, a World War II-themed strategy game called Hearts of Iron IV.The fatal shooting of Kirk on Wednesday led to an intense manhunt across Utah, though it encountered numerous complications along the way. Several leads, publicly teased by FBI Director Kash Patel, quickly petered out. Leaked documents from law enforcement published by MAGA influencers led to false narratives about how markings on the bullet indicated that the shooter was in favor of “transgender ideology.” It was nearly impossible to divorce politics and internet misinformation from Kirk’s death, however. The 31-year-old was a powerful figure in the MAGA movement, as the founder and leader of the right-wing college group Turning Point USA, and a prominent podcaster and MAGA influencer himself, famous for appearing on college campuses to confront liberal students. President Donald Trump credited Kirk and TPUSA as a factor in his return to office, and frequently relied on him as an emissary to youth voters. The messages on the shooter’s bullet casings can best be described as bizarre and extremely onlineIn the aftermath of Kirk’s death, his allies in the MAGA movement, including lawmakers and influencers, promised swift retribution against the left should the killer share their ideology. The themes of Helldivers 2 could have an ideological meaning, albeit not necessarily a straightforward one. But ultimately, the messages on the shooter’s bullet casings can best be described as bizarre and extremely online. According to the FBI, evidence leading to Robinson’s arrest included screenshots from his roommate’s Discord chat, in which he mentioned leaving a rifle wrapped in a towel in some bushes. Law enforcement recovered a Mauser .30-06 from an area near the campus that was wrapped in a towel. Fans of the game immediately noticed. Shortly after the press conference on Friday morning, the Helldivers subreddit was flooded with players who had picked up on what may be references to the game. A thread, now deleted, was titled: “Hey Facist Catch!” with the poster asking, “Did anyone else hear/notice?!” A commenter, responding to the thread, said, “The moment I heard [the arrows] my eyes widened.”Another thread, also apparently deleted by moderators, referenced the arrows that authorities say were on one of the unfired bullet casings recovered at the scene. “It sickens me having people like this playing this game and using it to real violence to tarnish this awesome game and community,” the poster wrote. Other posts implored the subreddit moderators to lock down the forum. Moderators for the subreddit didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. A thread in the separate r/Helldivers2 subreddit remains active, with people discussing the apparent parallels.Arrowhead, the maker of the Helldivers games, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple’s new smartwatches have the spotlight this week, but Android users have a reason to celebrate, too. That’s because Samsung’s gorgeous, Bluetooth-enabled Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is cheaper than ever at Woot through September 19th. It’s down to $359.99 ($140 off), nearly matching the price of the $349.99 Galaxy Watch 8. Not a bad discount for a watch that came out fewer than two months ago.Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (Bluetooth)Samsung’s latest smartwatch features a new squircle design, Gemini, and some new health features like an Antioxidant Index and Running Coach. The Classic model adds a premium design complete with a rotating bezel, an extra customizable button, and longer battery life.Where to Buy: $499.99 $359.99 at WootThe Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is our top pick for Samsung phone owners, particularly if you’re upgrading from a Galaxy Watch 5 or earlier. The Classic model builds on the Galaxy Watch 8’s improvements  with a more stylish and premium design, plus longer battery life, and the return of the beloved rotating bezel. It also inherits the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s Quick Button, which you can customize to launch your favorite app or workout.Beyond that, it’s identical to the Galaxy Watch 8, offering a thin squircle design that’s more comfortable to wear than its predecessor without sacrificing battery life. It monitors your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and can even take an EKG or detect sleep apnea when paired with a Samsung Galaxy phone. The wearable also debuts Running Coach, our favorite new fitness feature which tests your performance and creates a personalized workout plan based on your results. Plus, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic can even recommend your optimal bedtime based on your circadian rhythm and gauge your fruits and vegetables intake, though admittedly not always reliably.On the smarts side, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic ships with One UI 8 Watch, which adds Google Gemini. You can ask it for nearby coffee shop recommendations, to send Slack messages, create playlists, and more. Given that it’s still early days for Gemini, results can be mixed, but hopefully it continues to improve. Unfortunately, the wearable only comes in a 46mm size, which might be too big for your taste. Still, if you’re a Samsung phone owner looking for a premium wearable, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is one of the best options available, especially now that it costs about the same as the standard model.Read our Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 review.A few more deals to wrap up the weekThe tiny Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is available at Amazon for $22.99 ($11 off), which is $3 shy of its all-time low. This colorful Bluetooth speaker offers good value for the price, with an IPX67 waterproof rating and the ability to float in water. It can last up to 20 hours on a single charge, and can produce stereo sound when paired with another Select 4 Go.Whisker’s Litter Robot 4 is on sale with a three-year warranty for $699 ($100) directly from the company’s website. The litter box essentially cleans itself after it has been used, rotating to dump waste into a drawer, and sending alerts when it needs to be emptied. It also helps neutralize unwanted odors and is suitable for up to four cats per unit. Plus, the companion app lets you monitor your cat’s weight, track litter and waste drawer levels, and more.You can grab the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 for $199.99 at Amazon, Walmart, and Target, which is a great deal even if it’s $20 shy of their all-time low. The fitness-centric earbuds are some of the best on the market, offering heart rate monitoring (move over, AirPods Pro 3), secure ear hooks for intense workouts, and IPX4 water resistance. They also deliver great active noise cancellation, a natural-sounding transparency mode, and native support for some Android and Apple features like automatic device switching. Read our review.

This might sound like I'm a PC Luddite, but at a time when Wi-Fi 7 is becoming common on motherboards and devices, I'm still powering my home with a humble Wi-Fi 5 router. The ISP here provides Wi-Fi 5 routers for plans up to a certain speed, so our 200Mbps connection doesn't qualify for a Wi-Fi 6E router. Instead of buying my own, I'm content using the ISP's router for the foreseeable future, because there's nothing I'm missing out on.