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Imagine an AI video chatbot you can interact with in real-time. Or if you could generate a custom "skin" for Siri, Gemini, or ChatGPT, anthropomorphizing these chatbots in a whole new way. This week, the internet moved one step closer to that reality.
On Monday, April 21, Character.AI revealed AvatarFX, a new AI video generation tool that will allow users to create realistic, long-form video from 2D images, the company said in a blog post. Character.AI users can apply for early access to AvatarFX now. The product is in private beta for now, with an exact launch date yet to be announced.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Character.AI has more than 10 million "AI characters" that users can chat and roleplay with in real-time. Now, with AvatarFX, users can "make images come to life — and speak, sing, and emote — all with the click of a button." Character.AI promises that users will even be able to generate long-form videos with these characters. For now, users can't interact with their creations in real-time, but it's not hard to imagine that becoming a standard feature for AI chatbots in the very near future.
Do you want your AI chatbot to be a beautiful man or woman? A sci-fi-style robot companion? A vaguely erotic centaur?
A collection of AvatarFX-generated videos on the Character.ai website. Credit: Character.aiCharacter.AI is already showing off the capabilities of its new tool, including some videos that will make AI critics very depressed. Not only do the sample videos include a controversial Studio Ghibli-style video podcast, but also a video based on Al Pacino in Scarface and a popular portrait of Albert Einstein.
To prevent deepfakes, the company has put several safety measures in place, including a watermark that will be applied to all videos. In the blog post announcing the new tool, the company outlined a "one-strike policy" for users who violate the terms of service, which "prohibit impersonation, bullying, deepfakes, and use of protected IP without permission."
Interested users can head to the AI chat site to join the waitlist for the AvatarFX beta.
WhatsApp just launched a new level of privacy: Advanced Chat Privacy.
WhatsApp has always had end-to-end encryption, a feature on many messaging apps, including Signal and Facebook Messenger, that ensures your message can't be read while it's being sent. WhatsApp also has other privacy features, like disappearing messages and chat locks. But on Wednesday, the app launched "Advanced Chat Privacy."
SEE ALSO: WhatsApp video calls now have backgrounds and filters"Advanced Chat Privacy," available in one-on-one chats and group chats, blocks users from exporting chats, auto-downloading media, and using messages for AI features.
"WhatsApp groups are increasingly an extension of our real-world networks, some of which are far closer than others," the Meta-owned app said in its blog post about the feature. "We think this feature is best used when talking with groups where you may not know everyone closely but are nevertheless sensitive in nature, like talking about health challenges in a support group or organizing your community about something important to you."
How to use WhatsApp's Advanced Chat PrivacyTo use the feature, make sure your app is updated, tap the chat name, and then tap "Advanced Chat Privacy."
Of course, it's important to remember that even the most advanced privacy measures can't help you if you add a high-level journalist to your text conversation and start talking about imminent military plans.
SAVE 33%: As of April 23, you can get the Soundcore Anker Life Q20 hybrid ANC headphones for just $39.99, down from $59.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount and a savings of $20.
Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Anker Life Q20 $39.99 at AmazonIf you need a little peace and quiet but aren’t willing to spend Sony- or Bose-level money on a pair of noise-canceling headphones, we’ve got a deal for you.
As of April 23, you can score the Anker Life Q20 hybrid ANC headphones for just $39.99, down from $59.99, at Amazon. That’s 33% off the list price and a savings of $20 on an already budget-friendly pair of headphones.
SEE ALSO: The 9 best headphones of 2025But don’t let the low price fool you. These headphones have some pretty impressive features, including Soundcore’s BassUp technology, which analyzes and intensifies bass in real-time for an even better listening experience (think: EDM or hip-hop). And thanks to the hybrid active noise cancellation, the Life Q20 headphones can detect and cancel out a wider range of low- and mid-frequency noises, such as cars and airplane engines.
You’ll also get up to 40 hours of non-stop playtime in ANC mode, or 60 hours in standard mode, and if you’re low on juice, you can get four hours of listening from a quick five-minute charge.
SAVE $17.04: As of April 23, get the Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon for $67.95, down from is usual price of $84.99, at Amazon. That's a 20% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon $67.95 at AmazonIf you spend your time daydreaming about what it's like to hang out in a galaxy far, far away, one of your favorite ships is likely the Millennium Falcon. It's an iconic Star Wars staple. Now, you can build your own with a collectible Lego kit. Right now, you can get one on sale, so you can spend some time putting together your own miniature version of the starship that everyone knows.
As of April 23, get the Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon for $67.95, down from is usual price of $84.99, at Amazon. That's a discount of $17.04, or 20% off.
SEE ALSO: Get a Kindle Colorsoft at its new all-time low price at AmazonThis model is meant to be built and displayed, as it comes with a special buildable stand and nameplate that you can use to show off your hard work. It's meticulously detailed, with all of the most important parts of the Millennium Falcon represented, brick by brick. That includes the cockpit, satellite dish, cannons, and every single little detail. It's up to you to bring it all together.
The set itself is 921 pieces, so it's a bit of a detailed job, meaning you can put it together yourself or grab a friend to help. If you do choose to build with a kid, though, you'll have to supervise the job: this is a kit meant for adults. When it's finished, it'll stand 5 inches high, 9.5 inches long, and 7.5 inches wide.
If you want a new Lego challenge, or you know someone who does, this is a great gift for any Star Wars fan.
SAVE 20%: As of April 23, you can get a Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB) for $224.99, down from $279.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount and a savings of $55. It's also the lowest price we've seen on this model yet.
Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB) $224.99 at AmazonIf you’re tired of relying on your phone for everything, why not upgrade to a Kindle? Then you can read the news, follow recipes, listen to audiobooks, and so much more without being interrupted by work emails, social media notifications, or any other distractions.
As of April 23, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB) is at a new all-time low price at Amazon. You can get it with or without three free months of Kindle Unlimited for $224.99, down from $279.99. That’s a 20% discount and a savings of $55. The sale coincides with Amazon’s annual Book Sale that lasts through April 29, with up to 80% off select e-books.
SEE ALSO: The best e-readers to shop during the Amazon Book SaleThe Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition has a seven-inch, glare-free display that’s designed to be easy on the eyes with “paper-like color.” The screen adapts to your surroundings for comfortable reading indoors and out. Unlike the Paperwhite, the Kindle Colorsoft is optimized for reading in color, and you can invert the black text and white background for easier nighttime reading. Plus, it’s waterproof, so you can take it to the beach, the pool, or the bathtub without worry.
The Signature Edition comes with 32GB of storage, which is enough to hold thousands of books, comics, and audiobooks.
TL;DR: Live stream select NBA games for free on Ran.de. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The NBA is a unique sport. There's nothing else in which incredibly tall athletes can be made to look tiny by aliens who could probably touch the sun if they stood on tip toes. And almost all of these shockingly tall athletes display a skillset that mere mortals can't even fathom.
The NBA could make a legitimate argument that it hosts the very best athletes in the world. Sure, the NFL might disagree. And rugby definitely attracts some special specimens. But the NBA has a bunch of seven footers dunking on each other. That's tough to beat.
If you are interested in watching the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
What is the NBA?The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America made up of 30 teams (29 from the United States and one from Canada). The reigning league champions are the Boston Celtics.
When is the NBA?The NBA regular season runs from Oct. 22 to April 13. The play-in tournament is scheduled to be played on April 15-18, followed by the playoffs on the next day, and concluding with the NBA Finals in June.
How to watch the NBA for freeFree-to-air channel ProSieben airs select NBA games, with free live streaming available on Ran.de. Fans can watch two NBA games every weekend during the regular season, with many playoff and finals fixtures also available to watch for free.
Ran.de is geo-restricted to Germany, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Germany, meaning you can access this streaming service from anywhere in the world.
Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Germany
Connect to Ran.de
Watch the NBA for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select NBA games before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for the NBA?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on Ran.de, for a number of reasons:
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A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.
Google is guilty. So, now what?
Last summer, Google lost a landmark antitrust case. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta declared that “Google is a monopolist,” finding the company acted illegally to maintain dominance over the search engine market.
SEE ALSO: Google just lost a big antitrust case for running illegal ad tech monopolyNow, Google is back in court — this time for the remedy phase of the case, where the U.S. government argues what actions Google should be forced to take to dismantle its monopoly.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) wants to break up the tech giant. Google is fighting to convince the judge that less drastic steps would address concerns, without handing an advantage to foreign rivals. No matter the outcome, this trial is likely to reshape how the internet works.
What this trial isn't aboutThis case is separate from the antitrust suit Google lost earlier this month over its ad tech monopoly (not to mention a recent antitrust action against Google in Japan). So, these remedies don’t involve Google Ad Manager or its advertising tools.
Instead, this trial’s outcomes could affect nearly everyone who uses the internet.
The DOJ's proposed remediesTo break Google's hold over the search market, the DOJ has proposed several potential remedies:
1. Sell off ChromeAt the top of the DOJ’s list: force Google to divest Chrome, its dominant web browser.
The government argues Chrome gives Google an unfair edge by directing users to Google Search by default. With around 66 percent of the global web browser market share, Chrome is tightly integrated with Google’s search engine, reinforcing the company’s dominance. Already, AI rival OpenAI has expressed interest in buying Chrome.
Selling Chrome would be a worst-case scenario for Google, but it’s not the only remedy on the table.
2. Share user dataThe DOJ also wants Google to share some user data with rival companies to help foster competition in the search market.
3. End exclusive deals Credit: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesA core issue in the original case was Google’s whopping $20 billion-per-year deal with Apple to be the default search engine on iPhones. The DOJ wants to ban such agreements going forward, not just for search, but also for emerging technologies like AI.
For instance, the government wants to prevent Google from paying device makers to exclusively use its AI assistant, Gemini, as generative AI becomes a standard smartphone feature.
4. Unbundle AndroidRather than forcing Google to sell Android, its mobile operating system, the DOJ is pushing for a different remedy: unbundling.
If approved, this would mean third-party Android phone makers could ship devices without pre-installed Google apps like Search or the Play Store, giving users more freedom to choose alternatives.
Google's responseGoogle has made it clear: it disagrees with the verdict. Now, it's focused on fighting the proposed remedies and appealing the ruling.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.In a post on its official blog, the company said the DOJ’s proposals would hurt consumers, weaken the U.S. economy, and damage America's position as a tech leader. It called the remedies an example of an "interventionist agenda."
Google’s defense is that People use its products because they like them, not because they’re forced to. It argues that breaking up its services or changing default settings would only inconvenience users.
To support its case, Google is expected to call on allies like Apple, Microsoft, and Mozilla. Mozilla, for instance, has said it depends on Google’s funding for its Firefox browser — a relationship Google will highlight to show that its partnerships support the broader internet ecosystem.
Google will also heavily emphasize user safety and privacy in its defense. Chrome is based on Google’s open-source Chromium platform, which powers browsers like Microsoft Edge and Opera. Google will argue that a forced sale of Chrome would make it harder to maintain security updates and protect user privacy, not just for Chrome but also for all Chromium-based browsers. The company will likely utilize the same security and privacy argument to fight back against the DOJ remedy that would force Google to share its search data with competitors.
Google is also expected to stress the implications of sharing user data with foreign competitors. It wouldn't be surprising to see Google point to AI companies like China's DeepSeek to make the case that the U.S. government would be ceding ground to these foreign competitors by breaking up Google.
As for remedies, Google has its own suggestions. The company says it would provide smartphone makers with more "flexibility" in choosing which apps are pre-loaded on Android devices. Google will also argue that partnerships like the one with Apple should be allowed to exist, but again, with more "flexibility" regarding the exclusivity of such a deal.
The future of the web Credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)This case isn’t just about today’s search engines. It’s about the future of AI and how we access information online.
Google has warned that the DOJ’s remedies could "chill" its innovation in AI, which it calls “perhaps the most important innovation of our time.” In court, Google may downplay its AI dominance and point to OpenAI’s growing influence in the search business as proof of a competitive market.
OpenAI, for its part, is watching closely. During the trial, one executive even said the company would be interested in buying Chrome if Google is forced to sell. That raises a question: Would replacing one tech giant with another really solve the problem?
Whatever the courts decide, this trial and its verdict will likely cause reverberations across the internet.
Lately, AAA games have left me feeling a little uninspired. There’s a sameness to it all — big budgets, bigger expectations, and not a lot of heart. So when an AA game comes out of nowhere, clearly made out of a love for the game, it’s a real breath of fresh air.
That game is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut title from French studio Sandfall Interactive. A Western JRPG that proudly wears its Final Fantasy and Persona influences on its sleeve; it first turned heads at the Xbox Games Showcase back in June 2024. Since then, it’s quietly built momentum thanks to its gorgeous visuals and a combat system that fuses turn-based mechanics with real-time elements.
SEE ALSO: 'Bionic Bay' Review: A speedrunner's delightAfter spending 24 hours with the game on PS5, I can confidently say that the hype is real, and the game delivers.
The greatest expedition ever Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler InteractiveMake all the jokes you want about the name, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn’t trying to be subtle. The title actually makes sense once you get into it. Set in a surreal, living painting of a world, you play as Gustave (played by Daredevil: Born Again’s Charlie Cox), a citizen of the fractured city of Lumière and a member of a group known as Expedition 33.
In this universe, every year, a mysterious, god-like being called The Paintress paints a number onto her monolith. That number is the age of the people who will be erased from existence that year. They call it the gommage (French for "erased"). However, the catch is the number descends each year — and when the game starts, it’s 33.
That’s where Expedition 33 comes in. It's made up of volunteers who are all 32 years old, giving them exactly one year left before their number comes up. Every year, a new Expedition sets out in a last-ditch effort to stop The Paintress and break the cycle. And yeah, it’s been happening for a while (for about a century now, in fact).
As you’d expect, the latest Expedition doesn’t exactly go smoothly. Things go sideways almost immediately, thanks to the arrival of Renoir, a cryptic older figure who basically steamrolls the group. Gustave survives and ends up joining forces with the few remaining members: Lune, the mage and inquisitive scholar; Sciel, a calm and friendly fighter; and Maelle, Gustave's adopted sister/daughter and a 16-year-old who just wants to see the world while she still can.
You’ll meet a whole cast of odd, memorable characters on your journey, but I won’t spoil those moments here. Just know the writing hits. It balances weird, poetic world-building with grounded, emotional storytelling. Sure, it leans into the melodrama now and then, but it earns it.
They’re written with care — serious people with real motivations, not just vehicles for snappy dialogue. Gustave is just trying to find Maelle and make it home. Lune is focused on finishing the mission, no matter what. Sciel, who’s already lost her husband, seems oddly at peace with the idea of death and mostly just goes with the flow.
They don’t always agree, but when conflict comes up, they actually talk things through like adults. No sarcastic barbs, no forced jokes — just people under extreme pressure, trying to deal with it the best they can. I appreciated that the writers trusted you to pick things up without over-explaining.
I’ll admit, a few story beats near the end didn’t quite sit right with me. Not dealbreakers, but enough to make me pause and go, "hmm, really?" Still, I went along for the ride. For a game heavy on narrative, that’s one of the few complaints I can point to. As for the world itself, the game makes a point of never spelling anything out.
Everyone talks about Gesterals like it’s common knowledge (news to me), and apparently, every kid in Lumière was raised on the legendary exploits of Esquie — whatever that is. It’s all intentional, there's a bigger picture here, but let’s be clear: if you feel like the game hasn’t explained a single damn thing, you’re not wrong.
Fight for tomorrow Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler InteractiveHigh fantasy has never really done it for me. Whether it’s a lack of imagination or just too much bad writing, the genre usually doesn’t click. Expedition 33 managed to change that. The world is so well-realized that I found myself fully immersed once the story settled in.
Expedition 33 is a turn-based action game with some light RTS mechanics. You take turns attacking enemies, but quick-time events can increase your damage during your moves. Timing also matters on defense—you’ll need to dodge and parry attacks to stay alive.
The dodge and parry system ended up being one of my main frustrations. Enemy attack timings often felt like they were tuned specifically to be annoying. Late-game bosses, in particular, use fake-outs and stuttered attack patterns, making reacting in time unnecessarily difficult. The design reminded me of Elden Ring, where bosses seem capable of reacting to your inputs and adjusting their combos mid-animation. The fact that I accidentally played half the game in Quality mode at 30FPS didn’t help. It made those already tight windows feel even worse.
SEE ALSO: 'Andor' Season 2 review: The best Star Wars show goes out with a brilliant bangPerformance on PS5 was mostly solid, aside from a few technical hiccups. Sound design was inconsistent — cutscene transitions were occasionally off, and during battles, the music would sometimes cut out entirely, like the audio file ran out and wasn’t set to loop. It's not a dealbreaker, but noticeable enough to mention.
Combat in Expedition 33 will feel familiar to anyone who’s played a classic JRPG. On their turn, each party member can use items, perform a basic attack, or trigger special abilities that consume Attack Points (AP). Every character also has a large skill tree, allowing you to shape their playstyle to fit your preferences.
Gustave plays like a paladin — he can hit hard but also brings passive buffs to support the team. His signature ability, Overcharge, builds energy in his mechanical arm with each attack. Once it hits 10 charges, he can unleash a powerful electric strike for serious damage.
Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler InteractiveLune fills the mage role. She has access to healing spells but leans heavily into elemental damage. Her special system, Stain, lets her stack magical effects, which she can later convert into boosted attacks or stronger healing.
Maelle acts as the rogue archetype. She uses different stances to increase her damage output, though each stance also raises the amount of damage she takes in return. She’s high risk, high reward.
Sciel rounds out the group as a warrior. Her mechanic, Foretell, is built around Sun and Moon cards. She applies these effects in battle, then consumes them to enter a Twilight phase, which temporarily boosts her damage, sometimes doubling or even tripling it.
You can only bring three characters into battle at a time, so party composition does matter — but it doesn’t take long to figure out who pulls their weight and who can sit out. The enemy design is one of the game’s real highlights. The Paintress’s creations, known as Nevrons, shift in form depending on the environment, and the art direction here is genuinely impressive.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder retailer guide: Best Buy, Gamestop, Walmart and moreIn one early area, Flying Waters — a visually striking inverted seafloor with an ocean suspended above you — the Nevrons resemble crab-like sea creatures with antique diving helmets. They don’t exactly switch up their attack patterns much, but they look cool as hell and fit the surreal tone of the game perfectly.
The worst of the bunch are flying enemies. You can’t hit them with standard attacks or most skills. Instead, you have to use a mechanic called Free Aim, which lets you manually target and shoot enemies. It’s also the only way to hit weak points or apply marks, which makes targets more vulnerable to follow-up damage. Every shot costs AP, so it’s not something you can spam without consequences.
The issue is when the game leans too hard into this. Some areas are stacked entirely with flying enemies, and since they can’t be touched by normal attacks or skills, your options become frustratingly limited.
Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler InteractiveThe last major layer of Expedition 33’s combat system comes in the form of Pictos and Luminas. Pictos are passive upgrades you can equip — each character gets three slots. These range from basic boosts like acting first in combat or increasing healing effectiveness to more strategic ones like earning extra AP for pulling off a perfect dodge.
Then there’s Luminas, which is where things start to get interesting. After winning four battles with a Picto equipped, you unlock the option to permanently add it to a character using Lumina points. So, if you’re using the “Dodger” Picto, which gives +1 AP on a perfect dodge, you can burn a Lumina point to keep that bonus forever, even while equipping a different Picto in its slot.
Lumina points themselves can be upgraded at camps using items you collect throughout the world. It’s a solid system that rewards experimentation without locking you into one build. The more you play around with it, the stronger your team gets and the more flexibility you have in fights.
Weapons are upgradeable, too, but honestly, this felt like the least interesting part of character progression. As you find or level up weapons, they’ll come with passive bonuses and elemental effects — some useful, some situational. It’s worth swapping them out depending on who you’re fighting, but compared to the depth of Pictos, Luminas, and the skill trees, the weapon system doesn’t leave much of an impression.
Exploring the continent Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler InteractiveThe world outside of Lumière is a freaky little place that feels both alien and familiar. Floating islands hang in the sky, surrounded by swirling clouds and strange glowing light. Forests and fields mix with ancient ruins and overgrown tech, creating a space that feels lived-in but mysterious. One area is filled with calm meadows and flowers, while another is littered with massive broken machines and glowing coral-like structures.
It’s a strange mix, but it works. The environments feel like they’re telling a story even when nothing is happening. One moment you're standing in a peaceful glade carpeted in violet wildflowers, and the next you're navigating a biomechanical graveyard littered with the remnants of titanic constructs and crystalline growths. It’s a visual fever dream, but with just enough grounded naturalism to make you believe you could actually step into it
Exploration will undoubtedly draw many comparisons to Final Fantasy X, and it’s pretty spot-on. The areas look big and open at first glance, but they’re mostly linear, with a few branching paths here and there. Sometimes, you’ll find a side character tucked away or stumble into a group of unsettling mime-like enemies that feel like they wandered in from someone’s nightmare. But don’t expect wide-open zones or massive side quests early on.
Between these areas, you travel across a tilt-shifted overworld map. It’s a nice visual change, and it’s not just for show — the overworld has enemy encounters and scattered NPCs you can interact with. Most of them are Gestrals, odd little creatures modeled after those wooden drawing mannequins. They’re a bit dim but extremely friendly, and they live for combat. You can trade with them and sometimes challenge them to fight for bonus loot.
The overworld stays pretty restricted until Act 3, where it finally opens up and offers a bunch of optional dungeons and extra areas to explore. Until then, it’s more about moving from point A to B, meeting a few oddballs, and occasionally punching them for treasure.
While exploring the continent, you’ll occasionally be able to set up camp. This is where you can rest, upgrade Luminas, and enhance your weapons with the help of the Curator — a skeletal, hollow-like figure who rescues Maelle early on and eventually takes up residence in your camp after leaving The Manor. He’s vaguely unsettling to look at, but he makes my weapons hit harder.
Camp is also where you can check in with your party members. Don’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3-level character interaction here. Dialogue is limited, and most of the deeper camp-related content doesn’t even unlock until well into Act 2. Can’t say much more without spoiling it, but just know that even when it opens up, the camp system is more of a light touch. Still, it’s a nice moment of calm between the heavier parts of the game, giving you a chance to connect with the group more groundedly.
Jeu magnifique, magnifiqueDespite the sound issues, Expedition 33’s music rules. The orchestral strings, the moody piano motifs—it all just works. The soundtrack elevates every moment, whether it’s a quiet walk through a dreamlike landscape or a boss fight that’s making you question your reflexes and life choices.
Visually, the game is just as strong. Beyond the high fantasy setting, it leans heavily into Belle Époque-era France, the supposed golden age of the nation from 1874 and 1914. So yes, if it wasn’t obvious already, this game is unapologetically French. Lumière, the main city, is essentially just Paris with a new name. ("Lumière" literally means "light," and Paris is the City of Lights — subtle, it is not.)
Even in Performance mode on PS5, the game looks great. The world design is gorgeous, full of painterly detail, with environments that feel like they were made to be PC wallpapers. The paint-themed aesthetic extends to the characters and enemy design, which often draws directly from art history. Don’t be surprised when a YouTube video essay titled "An Art Historian Plays Clair Obscur" drops a year from now.
Suffice to say, the game hits like crack in all the right ways.
Is Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 worth it? Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler InteractiveExpedition 33 isn’t perfect — combat can be frustrating, especially with the parry system and flying enemies, and some of the deeper mechanics don’t fully open up until later in the game. But what Sandfall Interactive has built here is something genuinely unique.
The story is slow-burning but rewarding, with grounded, well-written characters who don’t deflect with quips. The world is strange, stylish, and unapologetically French, backed by a gorgeous soundtrack and painterly visuals that make even the quiet moments feel intentional.
It’s not perfect, but it's bold, weird, and full of heart. If you're into character-driven RPGs with a distinct vibe and don’t mind a few rough edges, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is absolutely worth your time.
Wednesday Addams is back to torment the citizens of Jericho alongside the students of Nevermore Academy for another semester, with Netflix releasing the first teaser trailer for Wednesday Season 2.
Back in the braids for Tim Burton's series is spooky star Jenna Ortega, alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán as Wednesday's parents Morticia and Gomez Addams, Emma Myers as teen werewolf Enid Sinclair, Fred Armisen as everyone's favourite freaky uncle Fester Addams, and Joy Sunday as teen siren Bianca Barclay.
In the horror-packed trailer, Wednesday very much fails an airport security check with every blade and weapon in the book, reunites with her Nevermore roomie and a very creepy doll, casually wields an axe, appears to be playing some kind of school sport?!, and generally "does her best work in the dark." Click click!
On many roads across the U.S., this is a familiar scene: Drivers talk, text, click, scroll, read, and even film themselves to make social media content — all while piloting what is essentially a dangerous, or deadly, machine.
Maybe you are even among these drivers. After all, your phone and its apps are built to keep you engaged. And that console on your dashboard constantly needs your attention with its alerts about slowdowns, incoming calls, and missed messages.
A new survey commissioned by the location-based service and app Life360, which tracks driver behavior, puts some numbers to the problem of chronically online drivers. You might be surprised to learn that it affects every generation, not just the youngest motorists.
SEE ALSO: Smooth, silent, strange: What it's really like to hail a robotaxiThe survey results, paired with Life360's own proprietary data, indicate that some drivers are taking shocking risks on the road in order to stay on their phone. Even if they get to their destination without harming themselves or someone else, scientific research has shown that the human brain simply can't safely manage the simultaneous demands of driving and phone.
How bad is distracted driving, really?Life360's recent survey of 1,000 U.S. drivers between the ages of 16 and 65 found that more than a third texted, 19 percent scrolled through social media, and 16 percent watched online videos while driving, with varying degrees of frequency.
These figures were higher for Gen Z drivers; 13 percent of them said they frequently viewed online videos behind the wheel, while only 4 percent of all respondents did the same. Similarly, while only 7.5 percent of all participants texted often on the road, that jumped to 16.5 percent of Gen Z drivers. Only roughly a third of Gen Z drivers rarely or never texted.
But older respondents were also guilty of the same behavior — they just do it less frequently.
Between 5 and 6 percent of Millennials in the survey admitted to frequently texting, scrolling, and watching while driving. Overall, between 6 and 29 percent of Gen X respondents text, scroll social media, and watch online videos, frequently, often, or occasionally.
Though less than a percent of Baby Boomers texted frequently or often while driving, 20 percent of them did so occasionally.
Life360's analysis of its own data from 55 million opted-in users, over the period between January 2024 and early April 2025, also provides insight into aggressive driving patterns, which may be affected partly by delayed or sudden reactions due to being distracted.
Life360 found that Gen Z drivers indeed speed 84 percent more often than Baby Boomers, and that speeding and rapid acceleration both peak for users around age 20. The company also saw an 8 percent year-over-year nationwide increase in trips with rapid acceleration between January 2024 and January 2025.
More than 3,200 Americans were killed in crashes that involved distracted drivers in 2023, according to the latest data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
The trick distracted drivers play on themselvesDr. Paul Atchley, a professor of psychology at the University of South Florida who studies distracted driving, says the simple truth is that driving wears the human brain out.
"We're used to driving, so it seems easy, but frankly, there's a lot going on during the process of getting from point A to point B safely as a driver," says Atchley, who was not involved in Life360's survey and research. "When you try to combine that with a secondary task that also requires a lot of your brain, your brain has to make compromises."
As a result, a distracted driver scans the environment less well, doesn't perceive objects, and can be slower to react, or not react at all.
Atchley says drivers continue to pick up their phones on the road because of a concept called "perception as the grand illusion."
Typically, when someone is behind the wheel, their expansive field of vision can make it feel like they're observing everything. The reality, however, is that the brain processes only a fraction of what someone sees.
So when a distracted driver doesn't notice the pedestrian at the crosswalk and there's no accident, they have no evidence to counter their perception as a grand illusion. Instead, they start to believe that "they drove perfectly well," Atchley says.
Yet years of research shows this generally just isn't true. Even asking a hands-free voice-command assistant to compose and send a text message while driving distracts the brain long enough that it takes 27 seconds to regain full attention.
"These infotainment systems can present the same kinds of distracting information that you get with your phone." - Dr. Paul Atchley, professor of psychology at the University of South FloridaAtchley says drivers are also fooled by interactive consoles in their cars. His own research on console-based systems found that people were far more willing to interact with them, even for the same type of activity they'd do with a handheld phone. They believed them to be safety-tested, but that's not the case, according to Atchley.
"These infotainment systems can present the same kinds of distracting information that you get with your phone," he says.
Atchley says there's a small percentage of drivers who simply can't limit their phone use while in the car. For those individuals, he recommends restricting their access to a connected device every time they drive, by turning it off or putting it out of reach.
"Once that phone's in the car...it's very difficult for a driver whose brain is trying to pay attention to the road and doesn't have a lot of willpower left over to not interact with it," Atchley says.
For all drivers, he says that any activity on a phone or hands-free system that takes longer than two seconds — or the amount of time you'd spend turning the AC on or switching radio stations — just isn't safe.
Tesla's quarterly results are in, and it seems the panic alarm finally went off.
Analyst expectations for Tesla's first quarter of 2025 were already pretty grim, but Tesla handily beat them with a 71 percent drop in profit and a 20 percent drop in car sales, with the only thing keeping the company in the green for the quarter being $595 million in carbon credit sales.
While the sales drop can partially be attributed to the launch of Tesla's updated Model Y, it's now obvious that Musk's political engagement, which includes running the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been giving potential Tesla buyers pause. DOGE, which is supposed to be cutting unnecessary government expenses, has instead wreaked havoc inside the federal government, with fairly little to show for it.
Musk's endorsement of far right political options probably isn't helping either, especially in Europe, where Tesla sales have plummeted in recent months.
It seems that Musk is finally getting the message — partially, at least. During Tesla's earnings call on Tuesday, he said his time allocation to DOGE would drop "significantly" starting in May. Musk also said he plans to allocate "far more" of his time to Tesla.
He will not, however, leave DOGE completely, as long as the president would like him to stay, and "as long as it's useful".
During the call, Musk also complained about Trump's tariffs on China, which hurt Tesla's profits, as well as claiming that the increasingly widespread Tesla boycotts are the work of those who oppose Musk's work at DOGE.
As for Tesla's future plans, Musk was surprisingly timid. In June, the company will launch "fully autonomous" taxi rides in Austin, Texas, but they won't be Tesla Cybercabs. Instead, the company will launch the autonomous rides with Tesla Model Ys. Musk also said that Tesla Optimus robots will be working in Tesla factories by year's end, though the humanoid robot is also affected by Trump's tariffs.
SEE ALSO: Tesla reportedly delays cheaper Model Y again as earnings call loomsOverall, however, Musk is still very bullish about the prospects of his company. "I continue to believe that Tesla, with excellent execution, will be the most valuable company in the world by far," he said.
SAVE $12: As of April 23, the Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet is on sale for $47.99 at Amazon. That's 20% off its list price of $59.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: LEGO Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet $47.99 at AmazonLego sets are always a fun gift idea. Personally, I'm a big fan of Lego, and it's always great to see the new sets coming out. Some of the cutest sets from Lego are the various floral arrangements, and right now you can score a nice deal on the Lego Botanicals Wildflower Bouquet. With Mother's Day coming up, this is a fun gift idea to scoop up.
The Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet has received a 20% discount at Amazon, dropping its price from $59.99 to $47.99. This deal is very close to its lowest-ever price of $47.95, so there's no better time than now to add it into your shopping cart.
SEE ALSO: Lego is giving away Grogu models for free to celebrate Star Wars Day. Here’s how to get yours.Complete with 939 pieces, this set offers a beautiful variety of wildflowers, including cornflowers, lavender, Welsh poppies, cow parsley, leatherleaf ferns, gerbera daisies, larkspur, and lupins. It's an arrangement bursting with color and even comes with 16 individual stems so you can set them up in a vase.
This Lego set is a great gift to work on together this Mother's Day. Don't miss out on 20% off the Botanicals Wildflower Bouquet set at Amazon.
Lego has even more to offer this Mother's Day, too. If you visit a select Lego Store on April 27 (from 12-2 p.m.), you could have the opportunity to participate in a Lego Mother's Day Flower model make and take event to get a cute flower set for free.
SAVE OVER $40: As of April 23, the Sony WF-C700N earbuds are on sale for $78 at Amazon. That's 35% off their list price of $119.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WF-C700N Earbuds $78 at AmazonA good pair of earbuds are a must if you listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more — especially if you have travel plans this year, as they can keep you entertained on any sort of journey. If you've been on the hunt for a new pair, there are some worthwhile deals floating around right now. This includes a discount on the Sony WF-C700N earbuds, which have returned to their lowest-ever price at Amazon.
The Sony WF-C700N earbuds are 35% off, which has dropped their price from $119.99 to $78. They're currently listed as a limited-time deal, so if they've caught your eye you'll want to act fast to pick them up at their lowest-ever price.
SEE ALSO: The 8 best earbuds to buy in 2025 from Bose, Sony, and moreSony's WF-C700N earbuds are worth the investment. Boasting up to 15 hours of battery with the charging case and a comfortable fit, these earbuds will keep you entertained for ages, making them a great fit for any long trips you have coming up. They also have noise-canceling features, so you can remain immersed in what you're listening to without anything leaking in.
This limited-time deal won't last for long, though. Score the Sony WF-C700N earbuds back at their lowest-ever price at Amazon.
If you'd prefer to have over-ear headphones, you can also take advantage of some great deals on Sony's WH-1000XM4s and Sony ULT WEAR headphones.
SAVE $30: As of April 23, the JBL Flip 6 portable speaker is on sale for $99.95 at Amazon. That's 23% off its list price of $129.95.
Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Flip 6 $99.95 at AmazonIf you're planning some trips this year, whether it's to the pool or out camping, a portable speaker can be a great traveling companion to keep you busy with music and more. The good news is there has been a wide range on sale lately, so you can save on something new. One of our favorites at the moment is this deal on the JBL Flip 6, which has dropped below $100.
The JBL Flip 6 portable speaker is currently listed for $99.95, a 23% price drop from $129.95. Several different color options are on sale as well, so you can choose between black, blue, camo, green, grey, pink, red, teal, and white. On top of the deal, select speaker colors also come with a 90-day free trial of an Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan. This offer is only available to new subscribers.
SEE ALSO: The 8 best Bluetooth speakers, testedJBL's Flip 6 speaker boasts powerful sound and a compact build that's perfect for taking on any journeys you go on. No matter the location, it's also waterproof and dustproof to handle some of the elements around it. And with up to 12 hours of battery life, you can keep the tunes going for longer between charges.
Make your outdoor adventures even more fun with the JBL Flip 6 portable speaker. Don't miss out on 23% off at Amazon.
If you prefer to listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts on your own, there are some great headphone deals available right now. Over at Amazon, you can also score discounts on Sony's WH-1000XM4s and the Sony ULT WEAR headphones.
Astronomers have accidentally found a planet with a debris trail like a comet that stretches up to 5.5 million miles in space.
This strange exoplanet, located 140 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Pegasus, appears to be rapidly falling apart. Its blistering host star is so close, the radiation is effectively melting it down, leaving behind a long tail of dust.
Scientists say the rocky world, labeled BD+05 4868 Ab, is losing about one Mount Everest's worth of rock material with each orbit. At that rate, it may completely disintegrate in 1 million to 2 million years.
A team of MIT-led researchers discovered the planet with NASA's TESS mission — short for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite — a probe designed to find new worlds as they pass in front of their host stars. The findings are published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
"We weren't looking for this kind of planet," said Marc Hon, the paper's lead author, in a statement. "I happened to spot this signal that appeared very unusual."
SEE ALSO: A star was wrongly accused of a cosmic crime: devouring its own planet A team of MIT-led researchers discovered the planet with NASA's TESS mission — short for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite — a probe designed to find new worlds as they pass in front of their host stars. Credit: NASA illustrationOnly three other planets with tails, all discovered more than a decade ago, are known. But this one stands out for the length of its tail and how bright its star is, making it easier to study with powerful telescopes. The research team intends to follow up with James Webb Space Telescope observations this summer to study the tail's features and decipher what minerals make up the planet.
One thing they already know about the tail is that its dust particles are surprisingly large — the size of sand grains. Without this gargantuan tail, scientists may not have known the planet was crumbling. The tail had been blocking some of the star's light after the planet passed in front of it, which caused the star to dim in unexpected ways. Those dimmings were uneven and appeared to change each time the planet zipped by.
"We got lucky with catching it exactly when it's really going away," said Avi Shporer, one of the paper's co-authors, in a statement. "It's like on its last breath."
Exoplanet BD+05 4868 Ab is about the size of Mercury and wraps around its star once every 30.5 hours — meaning its year is only slightly longer than a day on Earth. That's possible in part because the planet is roughly 20 times closer to its star than Mercury is to the sun. At that distance, the planet’s surface is perhaps 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and covered in magma.
The team believes the star has whittled away the planet over billions of years. Its diminutive size means it doesn’t have enough gravity to hold onto its material, thus compounding the effect.
Researchers are now sifting through TESS data, hoping to find more planets with tails like BD+05 4868 Ab. They may have stumbled upon a unique way to directly study the interior composition of a rocky planet. Such work could give astronomers a better understanding of the diversity of other terrestrial planets like Earth in the galaxy.
"Sometimes with the food comes the appetite," Shporer said.
SAVE $63: As of April 23, the Garmin vívoactive 5 is on sale for $236.92 at Amazon. That's a 21% discount on list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $236.92 at AmazonThe Garmin vívoactive 5 is a go-to watch if you're looking for impressive fitness and lifestyle tracking, and even better, it's currently on sale. As of April 23, this model is currently priced at $236.92, saving you $63.
The watch was released in late 2023, bringing a stark upgrade from the previous modelIt is no longer the newest in the range, with the release of the vívoactive 6 this year. However, if having the latest in the range doesn't matter to you, then this is an excellent choice.
Unlike the vívoactive 4, the 5 benefits from a bright AMOLED display, making colors incredibly vibrant and stand out more. It also has a much-improved battery life, boasting 11 days when in smartwatch mode.
Stats-wise, this is as impressive as you would expect from a Garmin. It's packed with advanced health-tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, stress tracking, and in-depth sleep insights. The sleep insights have also had an upgrade from earlier models, now featuring sleep coaching.
And if you're purchasing for sports tracking, this includes running, cycling, swimming, and lots more. It is worth noting, however, that unlike some of the higher-end watches in Garmin's lineup, the vívoactive 5 is missing more advanced features such as training status and training readiness. For statistics like these, you'll want to look at the Forerunner range. But if these aren't as important to you, this is a fantastic option full of useful stats and tracking abilities.
Head to Amazon to grab this great Garmin deal.
With billions of users worldwide, Twitch is one of the world's most popular live streaming platforms, particularly favored by gamers and creators. Launched in 2011, Twitch has evolved into a huge community where individuals can share everything from gaming to general live broadcasts.
And the site's popularity is only highlighted through the follower counts, with the platform's most-followed channels boasting tens of millions, but who holds the top spot? Here are the 10 most-followed Twitch channels, according to Social Blade.
1. Ninja – 19.2 million followersTyler "Ninja" Blevins is a well-known American gamer and streamer. He initially gained recognition through his exceptional skills in games like Halo 3 and later achieved immense popularity with Fortnite: Battle Royale.
2. ibai – 17.29 million followersIbai Llanos is a prominent Spanish streamer and content creator. In June 2022, he set a Twitch record with a peak of over 3.3 million concurrent viewers during his "La Velada del Año II" boxing event.
3. KaiCenat – 17 million followersKai Cenant is an American streamer known for comedic content and his month-long November 2024 "Mafiathon " subathon.
4. auronplay – 16.78 million followersRaúl Álvarez Genes, also known online as auronplay, is another Spanish streamer and YouTuber. His content focuses mostly on gaming streams and interactive content, amassing almost 17 million followers on the platform.
5. Rubius – 15.69 million followersRubius is a Spanish-Norwegian creator who joined Twitch in 2019 after immense success from his YouTube channel, elrubiusOMG. He has since amassed over 15 million followers for his gaming and interactive content.
6. jadoreshayne – 12.24 million followersThe jadoreshayne account has a whopping 12.24 million followers, however, it has minimal streaming activity, with no videos on the account.
7. TheGrefg – 12.19 million followersAnother Spanish content creator, TheGrefg is a popular content creator who primarily revolves around games like Fortnite and Minecraft, as well as interactive "Just Chatting" sessions. In January 2021, he set a Twitch record by attracting over 2 million viewers during the reveal of his personalized Fortnite skin.
8. xQc – 12.04 million followersFélix Lengyel, better known as xQc, is a Canadian content creator and former professional esports player. His content includes a variety of games and "Just Chatting" sessions.
9. juansguarnizo – 11.52 million followersJuan Sebastián Guarnizo, known as juansguarnizo, is a prominent Colombian content creator and streamer. Juan's content includes a variety of types, including "Just Chatting" sessions and gameplay streams.
10. Tfue – 11.32 million followersTurner Ellis Tenney, known online as Tfue, is an American streamer and former professional esports player. Tfue gained popularity in the gaming community through his skills in titles like Destiny, Call of Duty, and, notably, Fortnite.
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