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The next League of Legends spin-off game is only a few weeks away. Convergence: A League of Legends Story is coming to Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC (on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store) on May 23rd.

Convergence is a 2D action platformer from Double Stallion Games (the studio behind Speed Brawl) and Riot's publishing label Riot Forge. You'll play as Ekko, a popular LoL champion who featured in the Arcane animated series and can manipulate time, as you navigate a more colorful version of Zaun than you may be used to. There's a promise of "tight, dynamic combat," while Ekko’s ability to travel through time and space should open up some intriguing exploration.

We got our first look at Convergence back in 2019, so it's taken quite some time for Double Stallion to finish it up (there was, of course, the small matter of a pandemic since then). It's one of three LoL titles that Riot Forge plans to release this year, along with The Mageseeker and Song of Nunu.

Reason Studios (formerly Propellerhead) announced today that Reason, its popular digital audio workstation and plugin suite, now natively runs on Apple M1 / M2 chips. After installing the new Reason 12.6 update, users can skip the slower speeds from Apple’s Rosetta 2 emulator and run the DAW natively on non-Intel Macs for “50 percent better performance.”

The update also applies to Reason’s Rack Extension tech. The company says all 750+ extensions will also run natively on Apple Silicon, including older extensions abandoned by third-party developers.

Although the update is a bit late to the party, the (relatively small) Sweden-based studio likely had its hands full optimizing the music-creation suite for Apple Silicon, which Apple introduced in late 2020. Competitor Ableton Live didn’t launch M1 support until February 2022, and even Apple’s Logic Pro didn’t run natively on the company’s chipset until a year after the first M1 Macs’ arrival.

Reason 12.6 also includes a new offline mode, which should be welcome news for frequent fliers, off-grid adventurers or anyone with sketchy internet service. After logging in with an online connection to authenticate, the software will continue working offline without requiring extra third-party software.

The 12.6 update is free for owners of Reason 12 and subscribers of Reason+ (a $20 / mo. service that includes Reason, an up-to-date sound bank and the Reason rack). Finally, the company offers users running old versions an extra incentive to update by offering 40 percent off Reason 12 upgrades through May 8th when purchasing from the developer’s website.

Now that The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally (almost) done racking up coins, it’s time for another video game adaptation to head into theaters. Sony’s Gran Turismo film, highlighting the esteemed racing sim, has set a release date for August 11th and dropped a first-look trailer to prove it.

According to the trailer, this is not your standard video game adaptation. It doesn’t seek to adapt the “story” of Gran Turismo, but is rather set in a world obsessed with the racing sim. There's a tournament to find the best virtual racer out there (shades of The Wizard) and the winners get to race in real life (shades of The Last Starfighter).

Even weirder? This is all based on a true story. The film follows current professional racer Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), who actually was a teenage Gran Turismo obsessive. He really did win competitions and even managed to parlay that into an actual career. David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Djimon Hounsou and Geri Halliwell round out the cast.

This might be an odd choice for a video game movie plot, but it’s not as if the Gran Turismo series has a deep well of lore to pull from. The film is directed by Neill Blomkamp, who made District 9 and Elysium, so this is at least worth keeping an eye on. In any event, August is just around the corner, so we don’t have long to wait.

If you like your fake racing with a bit more clown-based hyper-violence, Peacock just dropped a trailer for a Twisted Metal adaptation.

LinkedIn is experimenting with a new generative AI feature for job hunters. The company is testing a new feature that will generate brief, cover letter-like messages candidates can send to hiring managers on the platform. The feature is starting to roll out now for the site's premium subscribers.

With the update, users will see the option to “Let AI draft a message to the hiring team” alongside open roles on the platform’s jobs page. The feature draws on “information from your profile, the hiring manager’s profile, the job description, and the company of interest” to create a “highly personalized” message, according to the company.

LinkedIn

In the example provided by LinkedIn, the message reads like the opening few sentences of a cover letter. However, the AI-written message users see will likely vary based on how much information is in your LinkedIn profile. The company notes that “customization is still important,” and that users should double check and edit the text before sending it.

LinkedIn, which is owned by OpenAI partner Microsoft, has experimented with other generative AI features. The platform added AI writing suggestions to profiles, and “collaborative articles” which also make use of AI-written text.

Ford is restarting sales of the Mustang Mach E for this year, and your patience has paid off if you missed your chance the first time around. The crossover SUV's starting price has dropped $3,000 to $42,995 (before a $3,750 federal tax credit) for an RWD Standard Range trim, with a matching price cut for its $45,995 AWD counterpart. They're also more capable vehicles — all Standard Range variants use lithium iron phosphate batteries that extend their range to 250 miles (RWD) or 226 miles (AWD) while adding 45HP. They now take a more reasonable 33 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent on a DC fast charger, and they're more likely to reach maximum capacity through AC charging at home.

The hardware for BlueCruise hands-free highway driving is now standard. You'll still have to pay to unlock it, but you now get a 90-day trial that lets you activate if and when you're ready. You can still pay for three years (now $2,100 instead of $1,900) if you're already sold on the concept. BlueCruise 1.2 adds turn signal-activated lane changes and repositioning that keeps you away from semis and other vehicles that might intrude into your lane.

Higher-end models also have their share of price cuts. The Premium Standard Range models are dropping by $4,000 to reach $46,995 for an RWD configuration and $49,995 for AWD. Buy a California Route 1 AWD Extended Range and you'll pay $56,995, or $1,000 less. And if you insist on the most powerful model, the GT is down $4,000 to $59,995.

Crucially, there's a better chance you'll get a vehicle in the first place. Ford is scaling up Mustang Mach-E production for the second half of the year to help meet demand. The automaker doesn't say when you can expect to receive a new order, but you may not have to rush to purchase like you did before.

The price cuts come just months after Ford slashed Mustang Mach-E prices up to $5,900, and reflect "lower costs" on Ford's end. The brand previously said the switch to lithium iron phosphate batteries would help it make 600,000 EVs per year by the end of 2023 by expanding capacity, lowering production costs and reducing the need for shortage-prone resources like nickel.

Ford is also under pressure to drop prices, mind you. Tesla has cut prices multiple times in 2023, and the Model 3 now starts at $40,240. A cheaper, upgraded Mustang Mach-E could keep customers interested, even if it doesn't get the full $7,500 tax credit that applies to Tesla's sedan.

If you and your friends are morbidly curious to experience Redfall for yourselves, it just so happens Microsoft has your back. Starting today, current Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can gift up to five friends a free 14-day PC Game Pass trial. Provided your friend hasn’t tried the service before, you can send them a referral invite by clicking the new “Give PC Game Pass” button found on the Game Pass Home screen.

If you’re curious why the offer only involves PC Game Pass, a statement Microsoft Gaming chief Phil Spencer made last fall provides the likely answer. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, he said Game Pass was, at the time, experiencing “incredible” growth on PC, with uptake on Xbox consoles slowing primarily due to saturation. “... at some point, you’ve reached everybody on console that wants to subscribe,” Spencer told the outlet. It would appear then Microsoft hopes to capitalize on that trend.

The launch of the referral program comes after Microsoft last month stopped offering its Game Pass introductory offer, which allowed new users to pay $1 to try the service for a month. At the time, the company said it was “evaluating different marketing promotions” for attracting new customers to Game Pass.

Over 18 months after YouTube pledged to demonetize climate change denial content, researchers say they found 100 videos that violate the policy and still feature ads. They said in a report that ads for brands such as Costco, Politico and Tommy Hilfiger were displayed alongside the videos, which collectively had more than 18 million views.

An ad for the movie 80 For Brady appeared before a video claiming that climate change is a hoax, according to The New York Times. Jane Fonda, who stars in the film and runs a PAC focused on tackling climate change, told the publication she was "appalled" to find out an ad for one of her movies was running next to such a video.

Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD), a coalition of more than 50 environmental organizations and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said the videos it found included claims like "there is no link between CO2 and temperature” and “every single model [the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] ever have put out is wrong.” The researchers added that YouTube bans videos containing "harmful misinformation" from receiving ad revenue. This policy applies to videos that contradict "authoritative scientific consensus on the existence of and causes behind climate change."

CAAD said it found another 100 videos with more than 55 million total views that didn't violate YouTube's policies but met its own definition of climate misinformation and disinformation. The group claimed that's an indication of YouTube profiting from videos that fall outside of its "narrow definition" of what constitutes climate disinformation.

The researchers said that by the time they completed their research, YouTube had demonetized eight of the videos in the dataset. CAAD said the videos that were still monetized collectively had more than 71 million views. 

Content moderation is a complex issue and some videos that violate YouTube policies will inevitably slip through the cracks. However, some of the climate change denial videos that CAAD found were on channels with more than a million subscribers. 

YouTube spokesperson Michael Aciman told the Times that the platform has removed ads from many of the videos identified by the researchers, including the one with the 80 For Brady promo. Aciman said YouTube was okay with "policy debate or discussions of climate-related initiatives, but when content crosses the line to climate change denial, we remove ads from serving on those videos."

Facebook has rolled out a new set of controls for Reels that give you some semblance of control on what kind of videos you want to see. When you tap the three-dot menu at the bottom of the video player, you'll now find two new options that say "Show more" and "Show less." Choosing the first will temporarily increase the ranking score of that video, so Facebook can show you more Reels similar to it. Meanwhile, choosing the other will temporarily decrease its ranking. In time, as you continue to vote using the new controls, Facebook will better understand your preferences. 

In addition to introducing the new personalization controls, the company has added Reels to the main navigation menu of Facebook Watch at the top of the page. That gives you quick access to the short-form videos, which the company hopes will lead you to discover new creators and content that align with your interests. Plus, you can now scroll seamlessly between Reels and longer videos on Facebook. Finally, the company has rolled out new tags for Reels to give you more context on why it's appearing on your timeline, such as if a friend had liked it. 

When the social media giant released its latest earnings report, company chief Mark Zuckerberg said that Reels have helped increase the time users spend on Facebook and Instagram. As the company continues to improve how it ranks Reels, which is meant to surface more relevant content, Facebook is likely hoping that users will end up spend more and more time on the apps.

Motorola is bringing some of its headlining smartphones to the US, and they may be welcome upgrades if you were disappointed with previous models. To start, the 2023 Moto Edge+ is a significant upgrade that addresses some of last year's shortcomings. The new phone packs a smoother 165Hz 6.7-inch OLED screen, a speedier Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a larger 5,100mAh battery. And gone is the 2-megapixel depth sensor — instead, you'll get an actually-useful 12MP 2X telephoto camera to go alongside the 50MP standard and ultra-wide cams. A 60MP front sensor promises extra-detailed selfies.

The 8GB of RAM is unspectacular, but you'll get 256GB of 512GB of (non-expandable) storage as well as 68W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging and 5W wireless power sharing. More importantly, Motorola is promising better update support than in the past — you'll get three years of OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security fixes. That's not quite up to Samsung's level (four years for both), but it might last the practical life of your device.

The price is also a major selling point. Where the 2022 Edge+ was priced like a flagship at $1,000, the 2023 version will be available for $800 when the unlocked version arrives May 25th at Amazon, Best Buy and Motorola. That makes it a relative bargain if you're looking for a big-screen phone with modern specs.

Motorola

There are more affordable phones coming, too. The 2023 editions of the Moto G 5G (pictured) and Moto G Stylus all more compelling if cost matters more than raw power. Both have 6.5-inch 720p displays, and you'll have to be content with either a Helio G85 (on the G Stylus) or a Snapdragon 480+ (G 5G) equipped with 4GB of RAM. You'll get up to 128GB of expandable storage, a 50MP (G Stylus) or 48MP (G 5G) main camera, a 2MP macro sensor and an 8MP front cam. As you'd expect in this class, you'll have to charge with a cable.

The Moto G Stylus arrives first, shipping May 5th for $200. It will come to prepaid carriers like Cricket and Straight Talk in the months ahead. The Moto G 5G debuts May 25th for $250, and will come to AT&T, Google Fi, T-Mobile and US Cellular, among others. There's no mention of a lengthy OS update policy, so you may not want to expect the Edge model's software longevity.

Weber debuted its smart grilling platform in 2020 with a standalone connected device and a WiFi-equipped pellet grill. The company has continued to add new features to the app that controls both of those since launch, and today it released a massive overhaul to the software. Officially dubbed version 2.0, the new Weber Connect app now includes grill tools like an updated dashboard, temperature graphing, more recipes and the ability to monitor multiple grills — and multiple recipes — at the same time.

Weber says one of the most-requested features is the ability to watch multiple recipes simultaneously inside the app. You can now do so with the new "mission-control-style" interface. The company explains that its smart grills and the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub can handle up to 12 recipes and timers at the same time. What's more, you don't have to keep all of your dishes on the same grill as the app can also keep tabs on multiple grills at once. There's a Launchpad section of the app that offers easy access to the Smokeboost feature, adjusting grill temp, adding a temperature alert, starting a timer and shutting down the grill — most of which are exclusive to the SmokeFire pellet grills. 

For all of the barbecue data nerds, Weber Connect now features temperature graphing. The company says these colorful live visuals are updated every second as the cook progresses. Graphs display temperature stats for the grill and up to four connected probes, so all of info is viewable in one place. The graphs also appear on the Now Grilling screen alongside start time, current temp and target temp info for each probe. Data can be shared with other users, including status updates and still images. What's more, you can create CSV files to use all of your grilling data in spreadsheets.

Weber also made the app more accessible with the option to increase font size via dynamic text and the addition of voiceovers. A new dark more changes the entire interface from color to black-and-white for aspiring pitmasters who wish to reduce eye strain. With this update, Weber says the Connect app now houses over 800 recipes. 350 of those are "smart" recipes, meaning they offer step-by-step guidance with videos and detailed instructions. All of today's updates join tools like the ability to monitor and adjust temperatures remotely so you don't have to stay near the grill or Hub the entire time.

Weber Connect 2.0 is available now in the Apple App Store and Google Play store. The software supports iPhone, iPad, macOS and Android devices. Additionally, iOS users can choose to have grilling notifications sent to Apple Watch. Weber is also offering a discount on the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub ahead of grilling season. The device is typically $139, but you can get one for $89 for a limited time.