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2024-12-13 11:31:00
Windows 11’s “suggested actions” menu will soon be a thing of the past, as it’s apparently due to be axed in a future update.
The “suggested actions” menu was introduced to Windows 11 back 2022 and it was designed to provide helpful quick shortcuts and suggested actions when copying information like a phone number or a date. For instance, copying a phone number might suggest apps to make a call, while copying a date could show options to set a reminder or create a calendar event.
This feature now tops the list in Microsoft’s deprecated features documentation, reading:
“Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are deprecated and will be removed in a future Windows 11 update.”
When Microsoft deprecates a feature, that means it won’t continue to develop it and is (probably) headed towards removing the feature altogether.
The reason for the removal of “suggested actions” that’s speculated by Windows Central is that it probably doesn’t see a lot of use. Not only that, but it appears as if Microsoft already has a replacement feature lined up – a newer tool called ‘Click to Do,’ which will offer suggestions for actions based on context and be powered by AI. ‘Click to Do’ will, however, only be available for newer Copilot+ PCs that have modern hardware for AI capabilities.
If you’re on an older computer, you won’t get a replacement feature in place of “suggested actions” and I imagine the feature will just be removed.
Windows 11 has been on a journey of its own, having had a grand total of 16 features retired from the OS in 2023 alone, often targeting tools that were outdated or saw little use. The year is not quite over yet, but 2024 has had fewer features removed by comparison.
If you feel like you’re going to be impacted by the removal of “suggested actions,” you can get in touch with Microsoft using the Feedback Hub app. My bet is most people won’t notice this change, and, if anything, it’s encouraging to see Microsoft continue to try and streamline Windows 11’s user experience.
You can check out the Microsoft Graveyard, an online project that documents and explains deprecated Microsoft features throughout its history, to see which other features have seen a similar fate.
2024-12-13 11:39:38
This week horror fans got a first trailer for one of the genre’s most anticipated upcoming releases: 28 Years Later, the long-awaited next installment in Danny Boyle and Alex Garland‘s zombie saga. It shows a world still in post-apocalyptic chaos decades after the dead began walking, and it looks suitably terrifying. But one quick shot in the trailer got sharp-eyed viewers talking: was that 28 Days Later star and newly minted Oscar winner Cillian Murphy making a franchise return as Jim… as a near-skeletal corpse?
Turns out it’s not Murphy, who is executive-producing 28 Years Later but has yet to be confirmed for an on-screen appearance (though the cast is stacked even without him: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’ Connell, Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes). According to the Guardian, the zombie in the trailer is played by Angus Neill—and the publication even tracked the art dealer and model down to get the full story.
Apparently Neill was “talent-spotted by Boyle, who was much struck by his distinctive looks.” Going by the modeling profile linked by the Guardian, Neill has a naturally gaunt appearance—you thought Murphy had sharp cheekbones?—so you can kind of see how Boyle would look at him and think “zombie!” Though there are obviously prosthetics and special effects make-up involved, Neill does make the perfect canvas for an expressive ghoul. (Sony or anyone involved in creating 28 Years Later has yet to comment on Neill’s role.)
Speaking to the Guardian, Neill said, “Danny told me he’d always had me in mind for the role. So we met up, hit it off, and I agreed to take part … On set he has an extraordinary ability to hypnotize you, and working with him on the film was a very, very intense experience.”
Here’s the official synopsis for the film: “It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.”
Murphy’s Jim could still appear in 28 Years Later—it would fit into the continuity of the story, and it would be a wonderful link back to the first film, which was released in 2002 and ushered Murphy into stardom. However, with 28 Years Later planned as the first in a new trilogy, there’s plenty of time ahead to see what Jim’s been up to (presumably, a lot of zombie slaying) since we saw him last.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
2024-12-12 21:00:35
There were several major surprise announcements during this year’s edition of The Game Awards, but perhaps none was quite as out of the blue as word of a sequel to Okami. Not only that, the original game’s director, Hideki Kamiya, is at the helm.
« Okami is a game critically acclaimed for its unique world, heartwarming story, and exciting adventures, » publisher Capcom said in the teaser’s YouTube description. « Now, a new adventure in the same vein as Okami has been set in motion. » Details are thin so far. Production is just about to get underway.
Kamiya also directed Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe during his first stint at Konami, before leaving to form PlatinumGames. It emerged last year that Kamiya was departing the Bayonetta studio. Now we know that he’s part of a new studio, Clovers, which is making this sequel alongside M-Two Inc Machine Head Works. (The shuttered Capcom subsidiary Clover Studio made the original.)
Okami is one of the greatest examples of video games as an art form. As Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess that takes the form of a white wolf, you use a paintbrush to help solve puzzles and defeat enemies. The 2006 game had an unforgettable look, but it was stylized to bolster performance on the PlayStation 2. With much more powerful hardware at their disposal, Kamiya, the studios and Capcom have the potential to deliver a sequel that’s visually more than worthy of Okami.
2024-12-13 04:16:59
It’s not easy to predict how a second Donald Trump presidency might affect the housing market. While much of what’s out there is speculation, we can look at his past policies and campaign promises to get a better idea of what might happen. For example, Trump has talked about lower mortgage rates, but for rates to drop to 3%, there would need to be a serious economic downturn — something no one wants.
Throughout my experience in real estate for over 20 years, I’ve seen firsthand how White House policies can impact affordability, lending and inventory. Some of the incoming administration’s potential moves might help buyers, while others could create new hurdles. Let’s break down what his policies could mean for you as a homebuyer or homeowner.
Here are some ways Trump’s policies might give the housing market a boost:
Lower taxes: Trump’s previous tax cuts under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017 gave many US households more money back while raising taxes for others. However, it’s not quite that easy. If he extends or expands those cuts, it could help families save for a down payment. Changes to the SALT cap (state and local tax deductions) could also bring tax relief to homeowners in high-cost states. But smaller tax receipts for the US government can increase the federal deficit.
Deregulation: Trump has a history of cutting regulations, and we might see more of that in housing and lending. Less red tape could make it easier to qualify for a loan, but don’t expect overnight changes — these things take time to trickle down.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reform: Trump has talked about privatizing these government-backed institutions. Supporters say it could make the mortgage market more competitive, but removing the government guarantee could also raise rates.
Infrastructure investment: Improving infrastructure could create jobs, stimulate local economies and open up new housing markets. However, this depends on how effectively these investments are implemented.
While some policies might help, others could make things tougher:
Labor shortages from deportations: Stricter immigration policies could reduce the labor force in construction, leading to higher building costs and slower new home development. Areas like Texas and Arizona, with booming new construction, could be hit the hardest.
Higher tariffs: If Trump imposes tariffs on imported building materials, like drywall or lumber, the cost of building homes could rise. Builders aren’t likely to eat those costs — they’ll pass them on to buyers.
Stronger growth equals higher rates: Trump is pro-business and pro-growth, but a stronger economy often means higher inflation. If that happens, the Federal Reserve may have to slow or stop interest rate cuts, which keeps borrowing costs higher.
The president doesn’t control the Federal Reserve, but the economy does influence the central bank’s policy decisions. Mortgage rates are unlikely to drop significantly unless the economy slows down or we enter a recession — and no one wants that trade-off.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell recently said that monetary policy depends on « the totality of incoming data. » If Trump’s policies stimulate economic growth and keep inflation high, the Fed may have to pump the brakes on rate cuts.
Read more: Still Chasing 2% Mortgage Rates? Here’s Why It’s Time to Let Them Go
A stronger economy has pros and cons. On one hand, higher wages and job growth can help buyers save for a home and qualify for a mortgage. On the other hand, strong demand can push home prices higher, especially with inventory still tight.
This is where it gets tricky. A better economy might help your paycheck, but it could also make finding an affordable home even harder.
Read more: 2025 Mortgage Predictions: Low Rates Aren’t Likely to Return Under Trump
The idea of lower taxes and lower interest rates sounds great, but it’s tough to pull off. Lower taxes often stimulate the economy, leading to inflation. When inflation rises, the Fed typically increases interest rates to cool things down.
It’s a balancing act, and historically, you can’t have both at the same time. So if taxes go down, don’t hold your breath waiting for mortgage rates to follow.
Read more: How the Federal Reserve Affects Mortgage Rates
The truth is that waiting for the perfect market conditions doesn’t always pay off. If mortgage rates drop significantly, more buyers will jump in, creating competition and driving up prices.
If you’re in a good financial position — you have savings, solid credit and stability in your life — 2025 could be the right time to buy. Focus on what you can control, like your budget and finding the right home for your needs. Remember, it’s less about timing the market and more about timing your life.
2024-12-13 08:00:03
Shutterfly’s photo book service appears to be pretty standard out of the blocks. It offers a neat selection of templates as well as enticing cover and page type options. However, when you delve into the editing process, things take a turn. What at first seems to be a simple, customizable beast eventually rears its head, exposing its messy, clunky tendencies.
I’ll be upfront, reader, I had a rough time taming Shutterfly’s software in order to create our standardized TechRadar photo book. But allow me to be more specific. After selecting my photo book sized (12 x 12 inches) and page/cover type, I chose Manual mode and was immediately met by what can only be described as a pretty rudimentary, outdated-looking editing page.
There’s a toggle in the top-right for ‘Advanced Editing’, which you need to flick on to do… well basically anything. On the left side of the page, there’s also a ribbon with four options: Layouts (which includes templates for individual pages); Backgrounds (which lets you alter the background/background color); Embellishments (which enables you to insert Stickers, Ribbons or Frames); and Idea Pages (which includes some different individual page layouts).
Now, this isn’t inherently bad, but the actual options within these menus are poor. For instance, you can’t use a hex code to select a particular background color and you can’t even select from a list of colors. Instead, you have to type in the hue you want and scroll until you find a background color that looks as close to what you want as possible. This is pretty archaic and something that you won’t have to put up with when using some of the best photo book services.
In a similar vein, adding embellishments, like shapes and ribbons, was extremely clunky. I wanted to add a salmon-colored rectangle against one of my photos, but ran into two key issues. Firstly, I wasn’t able to change the color of shapes – I had to once again just accept the closest shade available from a manual search.
Secondly, I wasn’t able to alter the shape of the rectangle once I found one that was relatively close to the shade I needed. Sure, I could make it larger or smaller, but I wasn’t able to adjust its width or height independently. These rigid, overly simple design choices made the editing process frustrating to say the least.
But some may argue that all of this is only an issue if you’re making a more detailed photo book. So, what about the fundamental act of adding photos? I found this, too, to be a mixed experience. Firstly, the upload process is pretty easy. You can drag and drop images (in the JPG, JPEG, PNG and BMP file format) from your computer and they fill out a section at the bottom of the editor, which includes all of your photos. You can then move photos around the pages easily, adjust their size (with length and width displayed in inches) and position. Alternatively, you can add a Photo Area block and assign an image to that designated area.
However, it’s not all plain sailing. I was totally unable to reverse images, which you’d assume to be a given with a tool such as this. There was also an irritating glitch, where I would place an image and, after moving to a different part of the photo book, would later find that such image had moved or changed size without my input. This meant that I had to constantly check that the position of photos was in line with my intention, resulting in an overlong editing process.
I was also unable to add the TechRadar logo onto the photo book’s spine – even after resizing it and dragging it into the correct area. But perhaps most bizarrely, the editing screen would sometimes flash white, indicating that my pages were totally blank, even if I’d added text or photos. After refreshing the page, my design would often reappear, but I was still unhappy about the software creating unnecessary stress about lost progress.
Really, the pure volume of glitches like this was far too high. And I wouldn’t expect this, especially given the photo book would typically cost just over $130 (around £100 / AU$200). However, it’s worth noting that thanks to savings, we grabbed our photo book for only $98.84, without shipping costs. Ultimately, this is quite a lot to spend on a 12×12 inch, 27-page book, so I anticipated a more seamless user experience.
It is important to note, however, this price isn’t especially steep against competitors. A rough estimate of the price using envelope figures suggested that the same would cost just over $145 using Printique and $133 via Mixbook.
So, if you’re keen to use Shutterfly your best bet is to use a template. There will still be some user issues, like the fact you can’t use a manual text size (there are just a list of options) and fonts are restrictive. But it will let you get past some of the annoying photo editing issues. If you don’t want to use an overarching template, however, there is something of a middle ground. Just use the aforementioned Layouts option on the left side of the screen and you can auto-add photos to specified areas – this works nicely and I didn’t experience items glitching around the screen or changing shape when using this.
Let’s finish, then, by taking a look at the actual product. Did it live up to my expectations? Actually, it looked OK overall. I compared it side-by-side with our Mixbook photo book and found that Shutterfly’s alternative offered brighter, more vibrant colors and solid overall clarity. On one page, a man’s face was almost impossible to make out in the Mixbook photo book, whereas the added brightness made his features visible in the Shutterfly alternative.
Colors like pinks and greens were a bit more saturated in the Shutterfly photo book, allowing for more definition and contrast. There were, unfortunately, some instances of patchiness in color. On one page, there was a line of pink missing in a rectangle and there were some inconsistencies in the football image. These weren’t awful errors, but for more than $100 / £100, you’d likely expect better.
At the end of it all, would I recommend Shutterfly for photo book creation? I don’t think so. There is certainly a route to a decent user experience if you’re happy using built-in templates and just want a quick, easy solution. But if you want a more personalized layout, this site is not the most user friendly. With its frequent glitches and constrained editing options, Shutterfly unfortunately falls short of similarly priced competitors, even with solid overall print quality. So, I’d recommend building a photo book using a service like Printique instead, which offers a far smoother user experience – more on this in the ‘Also Consider’ section below.
I used the Shutterfly website to build a photo book and test out its various templates. Here at TechRadar, we have selected a standardized set of photos to use across all photo book services, in order to make a fair comparison of the platforms. We also use the same layout for our photo book designs, ensuring that we can uncover which service is truly superior.
As well as comparing software features, I ordered the Shutterfly photo book in order to assess print quality, color fidelity and whether there were any scuffs or scratches to the finished product. For reference, the finished photo book I created was 12 x 12 inches, had a matte finish, a hard photo cover and used the standard page type. Any photo books I compared Shutterfly’s to were as similar in design to this as possible.
2024-12-13 09:15:01
This week, Meta announced that it had donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. The fund is used to finance the festivities that accompany the president-elect’s inauguration day celebrations. It would seem to be yet another sign that the tech giant is doing its best to get on the good side of a man that once threatened to send its CEO to prison for the rest of his life.
Meta’s generous financial gift—which is pretty big as far as inaugural contributions go—follows on the heels of other conciliatory moves made by Zuck. In November, the tech mogul dined with the President-elect at Mar-a-Lago, after which Meta said its CEO was “grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the opportunity to meet with members of his team about the incoming administration.” Prior to the election, Zuckerberg also spoke with Trump and complimented him, saying that he thought it was “badass” how he handled the assassination attempt against him. The Meta founder also presented Trump with a significantly cheaper gift in the form of his company’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.
It makes sense that Zuck is turning on the charm since Trump has repeatedly threatened to throw him in prison. Indeed, an ongoing theme with Trump has been that Zuckerberg somehow helped undermine his electoral chances during the 2020 presidential election. This year, Trump actually co-authored a coffee table book in which he alleged that Zuck and his wife, Priscilla Chan, had conspired against him. While the book is vague on the details of what this so-called conspiracy entailed, it is thought to be a reference to a series of large election infrastructure donations that Zuckerberg and Chan made to election offices in 2020. For whatever reason, Trump seems to presume that these donations undermined his electoral chances that year. The book states that, should the tech CEO ever “do anything illegal” again, he will “spend the rest of his life in prison.” Trump has also threatened Zuckerberg with prison and prosecution at other points, typically via posts on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Meta’s inauguration gift is yet another effort by the tech platform to stay in the good graces of the new president, which is not a particularly unique thing for a company to do when there’s a new administration.
Indeed, while the actual presidential inauguration—the part where the President is sworn in—is publicly funded, many of the celebrations after the initial ceremony, technically known as “inauguration events,” are fueled by private donations. Indeed, a broad variety of people and organizations can give to the president’s inaugural committee but, more often than not, the biggest donations come from corporations, lobbyists, and political action committees. These donations are broadly viewed as an attempt to curry favor with the incoming administration.
The rules of inaugural donations can be changed from presidency to presidency. For instance, in 2009, in a show of populist solidarity, Obama banned corporate contributions to his inaugural celebrations. However, he subsequently lifted that cap in 2012. A study showed that 40 percent of Obama’s 2013 inaugural funds came from special interest groups, with telecom AT&T being the single largest donor (it gave $4.1 million).
During his first rodeo, Trump’s 2016 inaugural committee raised a whopping $107 million, which was the biggest inaugural haul for a president in U.S. history. For comparison, Obama’s 2013 inauguration raised about $43 million, while his 2009 inauguration raised $55 million. In 2016, Trump’s only cap was on contributions from lobbyists. The companies that were the biggest spenders for Trump’s inauguration included military-industrial-complex notables Lockheed Martin and Boeing, as well as Wall Street mainstays Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. Other notable contributors included Dow Chemical, Pfizer, Microsoft, Google, and a number of private prison companies, like CoreCivic, Geo Group, and Union Supply Group. Again, the single biggest contributor was AT&T, with a donation of some $2 million.
Notably, Trump’s first inauguration was not without controversy. In 2022, the Trump Organization and Trump’s inauguration committee paid $750,000 to the District of Columbia to resolve allegations, lobbed by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, that they had misused funds. Trump said at the time that the payment was not an admission of guilt or culpability.
2024-12-12 21:05:21
And now for something completely different. Naughty Dog is pivoting from post-apocalyptic fungal drama to interstellar sci-fi bounty hunting with its newest game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The studio revealed its new title with a cinematic trailer at The Game Awards on Thursday.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet takes place thousands of years in the future and it stars bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun, played by Chilling Adventures of Sabrina actor Tati Gabrielle. Jordan finds herself stranded on the planet Sempiria, which has been cut off from the rest of the universe for more than 600 years. She’s on a mission to escape Sempiria, but it looks like some vicious robots are going to get in her way.
The reveal trailer is gorgeous, even if it is just in-game cinematics. It shows glittering galaxies and Jordan being sassy with her superiors in a Porsche spaceship, all set to droning lo-fi tones and upbeat ’80s tunes. Once the camera reaches the planet level, there’s a huge, multi-armed robot with a glowing red sword. Jordan pulls out her own weapon and the fight is on.
This is the beginning of a new IP for Naughty Dog — it’s the studio’s first game that isn’t Uncharted or The Last of Us since 2005. Game director and Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann shared just a little more insight into the game’s story on the PlayStation Blog:
« What we can tell you is that this game lives up to the Naughty Dog tradition of creating an emotional, character-driven epic journey. Our narrative goals are rivaled only by our gameplay ambitions. This will be the deepest gameplay in Naughty Dog’s history, taking our learnings from our previous franchises and pushing them beyond anything we’ve ever done before. »
The soundtrack for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is being handled by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (at least when it’s not literally just Pet Shop Boys).
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is in development for PlayStation 5 and it doesn’t have a release window yet.
2024-12-13 04:29:21
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands and Connections puzzles.
The Mini Crossword featured some very New York-centric clues today. If you don’t take the subway, and you aren’t familiar with a certain legendary NYC hotel, you might have made some mistakes. But if you’re stuck, we’ve got the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
The completed NYT Mini Crossword for Dec. 13, 2024.
1A clue: Spread out, as one’s fingers
Answer: SPLAY
6A clue: Long cloud of smoke
Answer: PLUME
7A clue: Subway payments
Answer: FARES
8A clue: Kind of garden with a bonsai tree
Answer: ZEN
9A clue: « Might I ___ … »
Answer: ADD
1D clue: Rating on a Hawaiian Tropic bottle, for short
Answer: SPF
2D clue: New York hotel featured in « Home Alone 2, » with « the »
Answer: PLAZA
3D clue: Enticed with bait
Answer: LURED
4D clue: Modify, as the Constitution
Answer: AMEND
5D clue: Reply to roughly 3.6% of Harvard applicants for the 2028 class
Answer: YES
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
2024-12-13 06:10:07
OpenAI rounded out day six of the 12 Days of OpenAI with some seasonal magic in ChatGPT’s new Santa Mode. After showing off ChatGPT’s new ability to see the world around you in real-time through your smartphone’s video camera, OpenAI CPO Kevin Weil and his fellow presenters shared the news of their jolly AI elf or rather a voice for ChatGPT that mimics a version of Santa’s voice along the lines of most Hollywood depictions of Saint Nick for the last century.
The addition to OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode is described as « merry and bright, » which seems about right. It’s not quite a phone call with Santa, but OpenAI clearly wants to bring a little North Pole magic to the AI chatbot.
Better yet, Santa Mode is available to everyone using ChatGPT on mobile, web, or desktop apps for MacOS and Windows.
@techradar
♬ Holiday Season – Iustin Galea
To start Santa Mode, just look for the snowflake icon next to the ChatGPT prompt bar, give it a tap, and virtual Santa’s voice will be there to make the season a little brighter without needing to untangle long strings of lights first.
Combined with the new video-sharing feature, you could show off your Christmas sweater, ask for help with holiday baking, or even puzzle out your kid’s messily handwritten wish list.
Santa Mode doesn’t change what ChatGPT can do, but there’s something nice about pointing your phone at your messy gingerbread house and hearing Santa’s voice telling you tips on stopping it from collapsing. You might enjoy hearing him compliment your choice of Christmas Tree ornaments or perhaps spot your pet getting tangled up in the decor before it’s trapped.
AI with good-natured holiday cheer is a solid selling point, even if only at this time of year.
2024-12-13 04:00:00
