Half-Life 3 is rumored to be a Steam Machine launch title and could arrive in spring 2026

Half-Life 3 is rumored to be a Steam Machine launch title and could arrive in spring 2026

Half-Life fans are nothing if not patient. For the diehard fans out there, the latest test of patience comes from Insider Gaming Weekly 's podcast , which claimed that the third installment in the Half-Life franchise is set to release with the launch of the Steam Machine sometime in spring 2026. "The window I was specifically told was spring 2026 for the Steam Machine, for the Frame, for the Controller, for Half-Life 3," Mike Straw, one of the hosts of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast and senior editor at Insider Gaming , said. "At the end of the day, the game is real." Straw added that all the previous dates for an announcement of the next Half-Life game have passed, but that his sources "are still adamant this is a game that will be a launch title with the Steam Machine." However, being tied to Valve's latest hardware release could be an issue since Straw noted that the explosive jump in RAM pricing is causing considerable concern for the Steam Machine's pricing announcement. "There is a concern, however, they haven't made a decision on price, which is kind of holding back the announcement of anything else," Straw said. "There's no doubt in my mind Valve is still trying to make decisions because of what's going on on the component side." While optimistic devotees were hoping for some teasers during The Game Awards , Valve hasn't officially said anything. However, there's still a lot of hope, especially considering Valve updated Half-Life 2 for its 20th anniversary , and previous rumors hinted at a game that's still in development but is playable from beginning to end. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/half-life-3-is-rumored-to-be-a-steam-machine-launch-title-and-could-arrive-in-spring-2026-193029413.html?src=rss

Walmart's $74 AirPods 4 deal makes last-minute holiday shopping a breeze

Walmart's $74 AirPods 4 deal makes last-minute holiday shopping a breeze

Walmart's $74 AirPods 4 deal delivers the lowest price available, with Amazon sold out of the popular holiday gift idea. Pick up a last-minute holiday gift with Walmart's $74 AirPods 4 deal. Save $55 on Apple AirPods 4 at Walmart, bringing the price down to just $74 this weekend. This is within $5 of the lowest AirPods 4 price to date, making it a great time to pick up a holiday gift or a treat for yourself. Buy AirPods 4 for $74 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Blowback over posts about the death of Charlie Kirk has prompted companies to be more aggressive about monitoring employees' social media activity (Taylor Telford/Washington Post)

Blowback over posts about the death of Charlie Kirk has prompted companies to be more aggressive about monitoring employees' social media activity (Taylor Telford/Washington Post)

Taylor Telford / Washington Post : Blowback over posts about the death of Charlie Kirk has prompted companies to be more aggressive about monitoring employees' social media activity —  Fervor over employee posts about Charlie Kirk's death is leading companies to adjust policies and step up monitoring of workers' online conduct.

iOS 26.2 is here with another Liquid Glass tweak, new Podcasts features and more

iOS 26.2 is here with another Liquid Glass tweak, new Podcasts features and more

Apple has released iOS 26.2 , bringing a number of new convenience features and security updates. The update includes auto-generated chapters for episodes in the Podcasts app, the option to make AirDrop more secure using verification codes, alarms for Reminders and more. It also introduces new controls for how Liquid Glass appears on the Lock Screen, adding a slider to adjust the transparency level. The drop also includes updates for iPadOS , macOS , watchOS , visionOS and tvOS . What's new in iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 It's not exactly a major update feature-wise, but iOS and iPadOS 26.2 bring a bunch of quality of life improvements to apps including Apple Music, Podcasts and Games. In Apple Music, you'll now see your Favorite Songs playlist in the Top Picks section, and lyrics will be available offline for songs you've downloaded. In addition to automatically generated chapters, Podcasts will display links to any other podcasts mentioned in the episode you're listening to. And, Games is getting in-game score banners, along with filters for the library to make it easier to find titles based on category and other descriptors. Apple says it also improved support for Backbone and Razer controllers. With iOS 26.2, Apple made Safety Alerts for natural disasters and other emergencies more detailed, and they'll now come with maps of affected areas and other useful information. For iPad users, Apple has added drag-and-drop gestures for its new windowing system to make multitasking smoother. The update for iPhones and iPads also addresses several potential security issues , including vulnerabilities in WebKit that Apple says "may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26." So, if you're not yet running the latest OS on your iPhone and iPad, it's a good time to update. OS updates for the rest of the family Beyond the iPhone and iPad, macOS Tahoe 26.2 introduces Edge Light for Mac, which turns your display into a ring light for video calls. For the Apple Watch, 26.2 fixes an issue with stuck songs in the Music app, and adds some new controls for the Sleep app. The tvOS update brings the option to add profiles even for people who don't have an Apple Account, and new restriction options for kid profiles. With visionOS 26.2, Travel Mode now has settings for cars and buses, and you'll now be able to use spatial accessories including "Logitech Muse in Notes, Freeform, and any PencilKit-enabled app" to create hand-drawn content with the Apple Vision Pro. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-262-is-here-with-another-liquid-glass-tweak-new-podcasts-features-and-more-181020133.html?src=rss