If you're ever wished to replace the Mac's dock with something more functional and less drab, Loopty is the free app that will answer your productivity prayers in impressive style. The post I found a Mac tool that you’ll love as a sleek dock with extra tricks appeared first on Digital Trends .
The Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) recently released what it calls its most powerful family of models yet, Olmo 3 . But the company kept iterating on the models, expanding its reinforcement learning (RL) runs, to create Olmo 3.1. The new Olmo 3.1 models focus on efficiency, transparency, and control for enterprises. Ai2 updated two of the three versions of Olmo 2: Olmo 3.1 Think 32B, the flagship model optimized for advanced research, and Olmo 3.1 Instruct 32B, designed for instruction-following, multi-turn dialogue, and tool use. Olmo 3 has a third version, Olmo 3-Base for programming, comprehension, and math. It also works well for continue fine-tuning. Ai2 said that to upgrade Olmo 3 Think 32B to Olmo 3.1, its researchers extended its best RL run with a longer training schedule. “After the original Olmo 3 launch, we resumed our RL training run for Olmo 3 32B Think, training for an additional 21 days on 224 GPUs with extra epochs over our Dolci-Think-RL dataset,” Ai2 said in a blog post . “This yielded Olmo 3.1 32B Think, which brings substantial gains across math, reasoning, and instruction-following benchmarks: improvements of 5+ points on AIME, 4+ points on ZebraLogic, 4+ points on IFEval, and 20+ points on IFBench, alongside stronger performance on coding and complex multi-step tasks.” To get to Olmo 3.1 Instruct, Ai2 said its researchers applied the recipe behind the smaller Instruct size, 7B, to the larger model. Olmo 3.1 Instruct 32B is "optimized for chat, tool use, & multi-turn dialogue—making it a much more performant sibling of Olmo 3 Instruct 7B and ready for real-world applications,” Ai2 said in a post on X . For now, the new checkpoints are available on the Ai2 Playground or Hugging Face, with API access coming soon. Better performance on benchmarks The Olmo 3.1 models performed well on benchmark tests, predictably beating the Olmo 3 models. Olmo 3.1 Think outperformed Qwen 3 32B models in the AIME 2025 benchmark and performed close to Gemma 27B. Olmo 3.1 Instruct performed strongly against its open-source peers, even beating models like Gemma 3 on the Math benchmark. “As for Olmo 3.1 32B Instruct, it’s a larger-scale instruction-tuned model built for chat, tool use, and multi-turn dialogue. Olmo 3.1 32B Instruct is our most capable fully open chat model to date and — in our evaluations — the strongest fully open 32B-scale instruct model,” the company said. Ai2 also upgraded its RL-Zero 7B models for math and coding. The company said on X that both models benefited from longer and more stable training runs. Commitment to transparency and open source Ai2 previously told VentureBeat that it designed the Olmo 3 family of models to offer enterprises and research labs more control and understanding of the data and training that went into the model. Organizations could add to the model’s data mix and retrain it to also learn from what’s been added. This has long been a commitment for Ai2, which also offers a tool called OlmoTrace that tracks how LLM outputs match its training data. “Together, Olmo 3.1 Think 32B and Olmo 3.1 Instruct 32B show that openness and performance can advance together. By extending the same model flow, we continue to improve capabilities while retaining end-to-end transparency over data, code, and training decisions,” Ai2 said.
Need a USB-C hub that has all the ports you need? Satechi just rolled out a new model in the OntheGo collection, and the 7-in-1 USB-C Hub may just be the product you need.
This year at The Game Awards, if your game wasn’t melodramatic, mechanically innovative, beautifully presented and aggressively French, it didn’t stand a chance. The Game Awards 2025 wrapped up on the evening of Thursday, December 11 with a record-breaking showing by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from Sandfall Interactive. The game received the most nominations and wins in the show’s 12-year history. But, we know that’s not really why you’re here. Between the award presentations and musical numbers, there were heaps of new game trailers, announcements and updates, and we’ve collected them all for you right here. The award winners are also there. News Capcom's Pragmata is coming your way on April 24 Bradley the Badger looks like Wreck-It Ralph as a real video game Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is a new action RPG from the director of Mass Effect and KOTOR Larian Studios is returning to the Divinity series with... Divinity Coven of the Chicken Foot is the debut game from Naughty Dog alum Bruce Straley's indie studio The devs of SOMA are back with a spiritual successor called Ontos 4:LOOP is a co-op shooter from the creator of Left 4 Dead and JJ Abrams' Bad Robot Order of the Sinking Star: Ten years after The Witness, Jonathan Blow's next massive puzzle game is almost ready for primetime South of Midnight is coming to PS5 and Switch 2 next spring Exodus is delayed to early 2027 Control Resonant steps into a larger world that's inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight swoops onto PC and consoles on May 29 Lara Croft will return in Tomb Raider: Catalyst and a new remake Housemarque's Saros is delayed to April 30 Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a podracing game set for 2026 Award winners Best family game: Donkey Kong Bananza Innovation in accessibility: Doom: The Dark Ages Best esports game: Counter-Strike 2 Best esports athlete: Chovy Best esports team: Team Vitality Best mobile game: Umamasume: Pretty Derby Best indie game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best adaptation: The Last of Us season 2 Best action game: Hades II Best performance: Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Games for impact: South of Midnight Best ongoing game: No Man’s Sky Best audio design: Battlefield 6 Content creator of the year: MoistCr1TiKaL Best fighting game: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Most anticipated game: Grand Theft Auto VI Best action/adventure game: Hollow Knight: Silksong Best art direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best sim/strategy game: Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Best debut indie game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best score and music: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best sports/racing game: Mario Kart World Best community support: Baldur’s Gate 3 Best VR/AR game: The Midnight Walk Best RPG: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Players’ voice: Wuthering Waves Best narrative: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best multiplayer game: Arc Raiders Best game direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Game of the year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Trailers Pragmata by Capcom Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic by Arcanaut Studios and Lucasfilm Games Divinity by Larian Studios Coven of the Chicken Foot by Wildflower Interactive ONTOS by Frictional Games 4:LOOP by Bad Robot Games Resident Evil Requiem by Capcom Order of the Sinking Star by Thekla Exodus by Archetype Entertainment WARLOCK by Invoke Studios and Wizards of the Coast Control Resonant by Remedy Enterainment Gang of Dragon by Nagoshi Studio Street Fighter movie sneak peak LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight by Warner Bros. Games Tomb Raider: Catalyst by Crystal Dynamics Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis by Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog Invincible VS by Skybound Games Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred by Blizzard Entertainment Deadpool is coming to Marvel Rivals 007 First Light – Lenny Kravitz Announcement Saros by Housemarque Warframe featuring Werner Herzog for some reason Total War: Warhammer 40,000 by Creative Assembly Hitman World of Assassination by IO Interactive Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve by Bandai Namco Star Wars Galactic Racer by Fuse and Lucasfilm Games Out of Words by Kong Orange and WiredFly Phantom Blade Zero by S-GAME Mega Man Dual Override by Capcom Super Mario Galaxy movie trailer Highguard by Wildlight Entertainment Don’t forget to check out our Day of the Devs: The Game Awards 2025 roundup , which included six world premieres, three release date announcements and a whole bunch of awesome indie goodness. The Women-Led Games and Latin American Games showcases tied to the awards were also downright delightful. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/everything-announced-and-all-the-winners-at-the-game-awards-2025-044101761.html?src=rss
It’s been a good while since we had a new mainline 'Ace Combat' game, and now it appears that 'Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve' will be out next year.
Switzerland's competition authority has launched a preliminary investigation into whether Apple's terms for granting third-party access to NFC technology on iPhones violate its antitrust laws. The Secretariat of the Swiss Competition Commission opened the probe on December 10 to examine whether rival mobile payment apps can compete fairly with Apple Pay for contactless payments in stores. Android devices freely allow third-parties to use NFC technology, but Apple only began allowing Swiss app developers to access its NFC interface in late 2024. The regulator is looking into whether the conditions differ from those Apple separately agreed to in the EU last year. After pressure from the European Commission, Apple agreed in July 2024 to open NFC access across the European Union, of which Switzerland is not a member. Switzerland's competition watchdog has been engaged in discussions with Apple since that time. The COMCO investigation is now gathering information from market participants to decide if Apple's Swiss-specific terms do in fact comply with local competition law. Tags: Apple Antitrust , Apple Pay , Switzerland This article, " Apple Pay Faces Swiss Antitrust Investigation Over NFC Access " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
PlayStation had said on X that it would have news about Saros at The Game Awards, and unfortunately, fans excited for the new Housemarque project will need to wait a little longer to get their hands on it. The game has been delayed from its planned March release. But there's only a short time until the new date of April 30, and pre-orders are open now. Star Rahul Kohli appeared at The Game Awards to introduce the newest trailer for the game. I'm glad we won't be waiting too much longer, because Saros looks very cool. Housemarque made its name on titles like Resogun and Returnal , and Saros seems like a great addition to their library. The latest trailer shows off all the golden and solar vibes in Carcosa. It also has more glimpses of the characters and story as well as the dangerous and deadly beings that will be trying very hard to kill you. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/housemarques-saros-is-delayed-to-april-30-041813989.html?src=rss
Engineers at MIT and Stanford University have developed a vine-like robotic gripper that wraps around objects before gently lifting them. The innovative robot consists of a pressurized box that releases inflatable tubes capable of expanding around objects before retracting to lift them. The engineers have designed it to safely handle fragile objects like a glass […] The post This remarkable vine-like robot could be a boon for care workers appeared first on Digital Trends .
Jay Peters / The Verge : Tim Sweeney: the Ninth Circuit's decision on Epic v. Apple contempt ruling appeal “completely shuts down” App Store rules allowing Apple to collect “junk fees” — In an interview, Epic Games' CEO says that an appeals court ruling in its case against Apple is ‘really awesome for all developers.’
The next game from Left 4 Dead designer Mike Booth is putting a sci-fi spin on his last game's co-op action, based on a trailer Booth and producer JJ Abrams shared at The Game Awards 2025. The new game is called 4:LOOP , and it's the first project entirely developed by Bad Robot Games , film production company Bad Robot's game studio. 4:LOOP combines the four-player co-op action of Left 4 Dead , with roguelike elements enabled by what seems like a time loop mechanic. Based on the trailer, players fight a mixture of aliens and robots in each mission, all in the hopes of eventually drawing the attention of an alien mothership and destroying it. "Each time the four-player team succeeds in a mission, they make choices to improve their equipment, building out a unique kit to survive the epic boss battle at the end of the Act," Booth said in an interview with PlayStation Blog . "If the team completes all three Acts, they defeat the Mothership and save the world. All of this is, of course, easier said than done." Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that it would be publishing 4:LOOP earlier in December, so naturally the game will be available on PS5 and PC when it launches. Players interested in trying 4:LOOP can sign up on the game's website . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/4loop-is-a-co-op-shooter-from-the-creator-of-left-4-dead-and-jj-abrams-bad-robot-035835461.html?src=rss
Foldable smartphone panel shipments are projected to jump 46% year-over-year in 2026, with Apple's entry into the market serving as the main catalyst, according to Counterpoint Research's latest Foldable-Rollable Display Shipment Tracker . "Apple is the key driver as it starts to procure panels for its first foldable iPhone," said Counterpoint's Guillaume Chansin. The research firm expects Apple's foldable iPhone to "reinvigorate the broader market," spurring massive growth in panel shipments next year. Apple's "iPhone Fold," which we are provisionally calling it, is said to have an outer display and opens like a book to reveal a larger iPad mini-style internal display. The report indicates that Apple's entry into the market will see similar book-type foldables cement their position as the dominant form factor in 2026. Meanwhile, multi-fold panels, like those used in Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold , will account for only low single-digit market share. Samsung Display stands to benefit most from the shift, with its panel market share expected to climb past 50%. Samsung is also reportedly supplying the panels for Apple's first foldable. The move toward book-type designs is also expected to drive up average selling prices for foldable panels. Consumer preference appears to be shifting toward larger displays that offer tablet-like productivity. Counterpoint notes that Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold outsold the Flip model during the early sales window in the second half of 2025, which was a first for the series. iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable Counterpoint expects overall foldable smartphone shipments to grow 14% in 2025 and 38% in 2026. Apple's foldable iPhone is expected to arrive next year, around mid-September. Tags: Counterpoint , Foldable iPhone This article, " 'iPhone Fold' Arrival Expected to Cement Book-Style Era for Foldables " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Reuters : Reddit files a lawsuit against Australia over its social media ban for under-16s, saying the ban “infringes the implied freedom of political communication” — Message board website Reddit (RDDT.N) on Friday filed a lawsuit asking the High Court to overturn Australia's social media ban …
Why have one Star Wars game announcement at an edition of The Game Awards when you can have two? Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a podracing (and speeder racing) game from Fuse Games , a studio established in 2023 by former Burnout and Need for Speed developers. It's scheduled to hit PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2026. The action here is set after the fall of the Empire. With the galaxy in rebuild mode after dealing with that whole mess, an unsanctioned, underground racing circuit called the Galactic League comes into being in the Outer Rim. Here, according to the game's Steam page , "syndicates bankroll chaos and champions are forged." Star Wars: Galactic Racer is run-based, so if your podracer blows up, it might be game over. The action takes place across well-known Star Wars planets in addition to some new ones. The races have branching routes and you'll unlock new abilities on each run. There's a story-driven, single-player campaign, as well as PvP modes. The vehicles are customizable too. Dig it. Where do I sign up, Watto? This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/star-wars-galactic-racer-is-a-podracing-game-set-for-2026-035508891.html?src=rss
Now this is podracing, among other things.
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget : In his EO, Trump orders US AG Pam Bondi to create an “AI Litigation Task Force” that meets regularly with David Sacks to challenge “inconsistent” state AI laws — The administration will also attempt to prevent states with “onerous” AI laws from accessing broadband funding.
So there's good news and bad news about the highly anticipated Exodus coming out of The Game Awards this year. The good news is that there's a fresh trailer showcasing more of the game. The bad news is that the game won't be out until early 2027. The game was originally announced two years ago (also at The Game Awards) and had been pegged for release in 2026. We may be waiting longer to get our hands on Exodus , but the substantial new trailer shows more of what the final product will entail, offering some backstory on main character Jun Aslan. He's the only human who can use the technology developed by Celestials, which are humans that have evolved 40,000 years into the future. The trailer also showcases the character C.C. Orlev, voiced by Matthew McConaughey. (Insert obligatory "alright alright alright" here.) Developer Archetype Entertainment includes some notable names from BioWare, 343 Industries and Naughty Dog, and the BioWare lineage seems particularly strong with this character- and choice-driven science fiction story. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/exodus-is-delayed-to-early-2027-032610665.html?src=rss
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