‘Play Instantly on Discord’: Fortnite will be Nvidia and Discord’s first instant game demo

Nvidia’s GeForce Now is getting a big upgrade next month — and it’s also part of an intriguing new experiment. Nvidia, Discord, and Epic Games have teamed up for an early test of instant game demos for Discord servers, which could theoretically let you immediately try a game without buying it, downloading it, or signing […]

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Nvidia’s app gets global DLSS override and more control panel features

The Nvidia app is getting improvements to DLSS override, more control panel features, and Project G-Assist changes this week. Nvidia has been gradually improving its new app over the past 18 months since its release, and it’s getting closer to fully migrating all the legacy control panel options. This week’s Nvidia app update will include […]

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Nvidia gives fake Harrison Ford better hair using spheres

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will be the first game to get Nvidia’s new RTX Hair features next month. Instead of using triangles to model hair, Nvidia will use spheres to improve Harrison Ford’s virtual hair in the Indiana Jones game. RTX Hair is designed to improve lighting and shadows, all while maintaining performance […]

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Nvidia’s GeForce Now is upgrading to RTX 5080 GPUs and opening a floodgate of new games

It’s been two and a half years since Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service got a big boost in graphics, latency, and refresh rates — this September, Nvidia’s GFN will officially add its latest Blackwell GPUs. You’ll soon be able to rent what’s effectively an RTX 5080 in the cloud, one with a whopping 48GB […]

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YouTuber Mark Rober is getting a Netflix series

Mark Rober, a former NASA engineer now known for his science-focused stunts he publishes to more than 70 million subscribers on YouTube, will launch a competition show on Netflix in 2026. Rober will also bring “some of his most beloved, ambitious, and informative experiments to Netflix later this year,” Netflix says. The Wall Street Journal […]

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Google Home adds scheduling for older Nest thermostats

Google has announced that users of the US and UK versions of the 3rd gen Nest Learning Thermostat and the Nest Thermostat E can now schedule temperature adjustments using the Google Home app. Newer versions of the Nest thermostats already allow you to manually set schedules in the Home app, but those older models required […]

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Microsoft hints at ‘more affordable’ Xbox Cloud Gaming plan

Two years ago we learned, thanks to the FTC, that Microsoft was working on a separate “dedicated” version of Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft Gaming CFO Tim Stuart then hinted, a few months later, that there could be a free version Xbox Cloud Gaming in exchange for ads. Now, Microsoft is hinting at making Xbox Cloud […]

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Texas attorney general accuses Meta, Character.AI of misleading kids with mental health claims

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton is investigating Meta and Character.AI over claims they deceptively market chatbots as mental health tools, raising concerns about child safety, data privacy, and targeted advertising.

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Roblox is locking down sexual content and access to ‘adult’ locations after lawsuits

Roblox is updating its policies prohibiting romantic or sexual content to also forbid “content, settings, or behavior that implies sexual activity,” according to a Friday post from chief safety officer Matt Kaufman (emphasis Kaufman’s). The changes follow recent lawsuits against the company, including one from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill that alleges the platform creates […]

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Amazon’s Fallout season two heads to New Vegas

Prime Video has released new photos from season two of Fallout. Lucy (Ella Purnell), the Ghoul (Walton Goggins), and Maximus (Aaron Moten) return as a trio of Wasteland Wanderers whose adventures will bring them to the post-apocalyptic playground of New Vegas. Take a look. Kyle MacLachlan, who plays Lucy's father Hank, also returns to the […]

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Fujifilm is raising the prices of its cameras again

Just two weeks after raising the prices of its cameras by up to $800, Fujifilm is warning customers about another increase for US customers. In a statement provided to DPReview, the Japanese company says it will “further adjust prices” as it contends with “volatile market conditions.” The change will go into effect on August 30th, […]

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‘Crazy conspiracist’ and ‘unhinged comedian’: Grok’s AI persona prompts exposed

'You are a crazy conspiracist. You have wild conspiracy theories about anything and everything. You spend a lot of time on 4chan, watching infowars videos, and deep in YouTube conspiracy video rabbit holes. You are suspicious of everything and say extremely crazy things. Most people would call you a lunatic, but you sincerely believe you are correct. Keep the human engaged by asking follow up questions when appropriate.'

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How the head of Obsidian went from superfan to CEO

Welcome to Decoder! This is Casey Newton, founder and editor of Platformer and cohost of the Hard Fork podcast. I’ve had a lot of fun guest-hosting a few episodes of Decoder while Nilay is out on parental leave this summer. If you listened to the last couple of Monday shows, you know I’ve been doing […]

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The Apple Watch Ultra is on sale for a record low of $650

If you’re interested in a long-lasting smartwatch, and like to stay within Apple’s hardware ecosystem, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best choice. It’s Apple’s most durable, longest-lasting smartwatch, and it’s currently on sale for $649.99 ($150 off), an all-time low price at Amazon and Best Buy. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in […]

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Charisma Carpenter Reveals If She Is in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Reboot

Charisma Carpenter addressed speculation that her character, Cordelia Chase, will make an appearance in the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. “I am not in the reboot. I am not in the pilot,” she said via TikTok over the weekend. “I don’t even know if the show has been picked up to go to series. […]

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High Stakes Glamour: Why Celebrities Are Obsessed with Poker Nights, Casino Fashion and Luxe Gaming Aesthetics

Celebrities gravitate toward poker nights and casino soirées because they provide an intoxicating blend of adrenaline, elegance and spectacle. These gatherings are carefully staged to feel intimate, even though millions may follow them online. When Berlin hosted the Bild Poker Night this year, reality TV personalities like Tara Tabitha, Paco Herb and Walentina Doronina battled...

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17 Waist-Cinching Peplum Tops to Fake an Hourglass Figure — Starting at $6

In case you missed it, peplum tops are the trendiest style right now. They’re one of the most flattering silhouettes for most body types, including athletic and curvy. To our surprise, some of the classiest, most flattering peplum tops we’ve seen are hiding on Amazon, and they start at just $6! Defined by a fit-and-flare […]

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Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann’s Relationship Timeline

Jana Duggar couldn’t always count on finding her forever husband. For nearly 12 years, the reality star allowed cameras to document her life on TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting and the spinoff Counting On. During the show, Duggar witnessed her sisters fall in love, leaving her wondering when her time would come. “I’m just like, […]

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Claude AI will end ‘persistently harmful or abusive user interactions’

Anthropic’s Claude AI chatbot can now end conversations deemed “persistently harmful or abusive,” as spotted earlier by TechCrunch. The capability is now available in Opus 4 and 4.1 models, and will allow the chatbot to end conversations as a “last resort” after users repeatedly ask it to generate harmful content despite multiple refusals and attempts […]

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MSNBC is becoming ‘My Source News Opinion World’

MSNBC is about to look a lot — and sound — a lot different. The cable news network will soon go by My Source News Opinion World (MS NOW) and drop its peacock logo, as reported earlier by Deadline. The change comes as Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal, plans to spin off its cable business, including […]

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Jesse Metcalfe Recalls Being ‘Oblivious’ to ‘Desperate Housewives’ Drama

While Jesse Metcalfe had a front row seat to any alleged drama on the Desperate Housewives set, he doesn’t have much insight into the speculation. Metcalfe, 46, reflected on his time playing John the gardener on the ABC series during a panel at the Southfork Experience: Dallas Panel: The Ewing Heirs earlier this month. “I […]

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Jana Duggar Is Pregnant, Expecting 1st Baby With Stephen Wissmann

Jana Duggar and her husband, Stephen Wissmann, are preparing to start their family as she is pregnant with their first baby. “We are so excited, January 2026 is going to come with a little bundle of joy joining our family! We’re counting down the days and eagerly looking forward to this thrilling new chapter in […]

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Joss Stone Recalls How She Escaped Past Abusive Relationship

Singer Joss Stone is looking back at her decision to leave a past abusive relationship. Stone, 38, was answering a fan question from her “A Cuppa Love” podcast in an Instagram video on Saturday, August 16, when a listener wrote in about being “ready to leave” a relationship and asking for “help” getting out. Stone […]

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Courtney Stodden Defends Chrissy Teigen Years After Their Public Feud

Courtney Stodden is defending Chrissy Teigen years after their public feud. “I’ve been getting a lot of people asking me how I feel about Meghan Markle having Chrissy Teigen on [With] Love Meghan, her new cooking show,” Stodden, 30, shared in an Instagram video on Friday, August 15. “I do not believe people should be […]

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Grammarly gets a design overhaul, multiple AI features

Grammarly now has a new document-based interface, built on the back of Coda, the productivity startup it acquired last year. The interface also sports an AI assistant, as well as a few AI tools meant for students and professionals, including an AI grader, proofreader and citation finder.

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Grammarly says its AI agent can predict an A paper

Grammarly is launching several new AI agents for specific writing challenges, from educators trying to detect plagiarism and AI-generated text to students looking to gauge reader reaction to their paper, needing help with citations, and even seeing their predicted grade. The specialized AI agents are available in docs — which is Grammarly’s new “AI-native writing […]

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Samsung’s budget Galaxy Buds 3 FE are here

The Fan Edition Galaxy Buds 3 have ditched the blob for a stemmed design popularized by Apple and found in Samsung’s higher end Galaxy Buds 3 models launched last year. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE arrive with improved sound, enhanced active noise cancellation, and IP54 resistance to dust and rain, according to Samsung. For music, […]

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Farmer Wants a Wife’s John and Claire Split Due to ‘Private Challenges’

The only remaining couple from season 3 of Farmer Wants a Wife — John Sansone and Claire Dinette — have officially called it quits. John, 25, confirmed their split on Saturday, August 16, while referencing their last public appearance earlier this month, writing via Instagram, “I would like to share that Claire and I ended […]

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Jennifer Lopez’s $2,350 European Blouse Style Is Just $18 — And Wrinkle-Free

Jennifer Lopez has European style dialed in. When she’s not decked in a red carpet-ready gown or running errands in a lounge set, she’s wearing a classy striped button-up that screams ‘rich mom.’ Her latest pick has a $2,350 price tag, but we found the exact look for just $18 on Amazon. The “Let’s Get […]

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Meet the Cast of ABC’s ‘9-1-1: Nashville’ — Including Country Singers

ABC is expanding the 9-1-1 universe again with its 9-1-1: Nashville spinoff — but who makes up the cast? The 9-1-1 world originated with the OG series, which premiered on Fox in 2018. It followed the professional and personal lives of Los Angeles first responders with Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Aisha Hinds, Oliver Stark, Connie […]

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The best gadgets and apps in August (so far)

During the last half month, we've covered a lot of interesting gadgets and apps and thought we'd highlight a few that caught our attention the most. For example, we have a robovac that can mop the edges of your walls (something that my manual mop usually fails at), a charging cable that with any luck […]

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Chris Pratt Celebrates Son Jack’s 13th Birthday With Rare Photos

Chris Pratt celebrated son Jack’s milestone 13th birthday with a handful of sweet family photos. “I have a teenager???” Pratt, 46, wrote via his Instagram Story on Sunday, August 17, alongside his heartfelt tribute. “Jack, I can’t believe you are 13 today. I’ve watched you grow into such an incredible young man, and am truly […]

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Shoppers Say These Comfy Flare Jeans ‘Feel Like You’re Wearing Sweatpants’

We’ve been focused on cooling clothes all season, but now that fall is on the horizon, it’s time to get a cozy lineup together. One of the best items to add to your wardrobe this season? Comfortable jeans that are versatile to pair with breezy summer tops and warm cardigans. If you’re on the hunt […]

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Like ‘KPop Demon Hunters’? Then Watch These 3 Anime Movies Just Like It

Calling all anime lovers: No more hiding, now we’re shining like we’re born to be! Netflix‘s summertime hit KPop Demon Hunters has brought Asian animation, magical girls and demon-fighting into the spotlight, making it more socially acceptable than ever to be into anime (not that you ever needed an excuse). Whether you’re a longtime fan […]

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BBC Abruptly Pulls Ozzy Osbourne Documentary Detailing His Final Years

A new Ozzy Osbourne documentary set to air in the U.K. on Monday, August 18, and detail the final years of the star’s life has been pulled from the schedule, the BBC confirmed to Us Weekly. “The film has moved in the schedules, and we’ll confirm new [transmission] details in due course,” a BBC spokesperson […]

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Here Are the 20 Knit Sweaters That We’re Snagging for Fall — All Under $50

Crisp autumn days are around the corner, and we’re eagerly anticipating sweater weather season! Being true savvy shoppers, we’re getting a head start on grabbing the coziest, most stylish fall sweaters of the season . . . before the leaves even change color. Thankfully, retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom and Quince are already showcasing chic fall […]

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