One of the main selling points for Twitter Blue — now "X Blue" — when the service was first launched was that anybody on the platform willing to pay for it can get the once-coveted blue checkmark. Over the past months, though, subscribers have been getting shamed for paying $8 a month or $84 a year for the service. Now as TechCrunch has noticed, the company has updated its support page for X Blue with a new feature for members: The ability to hide the verified checkmark on their account. 

Under the "Profile customization" section in account settings, subscribers will now find a new "Hide your blue checkmark" option that they can tick. By activating the feature, the badge will no longer show up on their profiles and next to their usernames on posts. However, the company warned that it could still show up in some places and that some features may not be available to them while their checkmark is hidden. It didn't say which features will become inaccessible, but Twitter has rolled out a number of changes made specifically for paying users since Elon Musk took over. 

It has increased paid users' post limit to 25,000 characters and is even working on new tools to publish long-form content. The website has also expanded their video limit to 3 hours. Meanwhile, the social network has become less and less attractive for free users. It announced in July that it will limit the number of DMs non-paying users can send in an effort to limit spam, and it previously put a strict cap on how many tweets a day a user can see due to "extreme levels of data scraping." While the restriction was temporary, unverified accounts were initially limited to 600 posts daily. 

App developer Alessandro Paluzzi first spotted the capability to hide checkmarks in March. Based on the screenshots Paluzzi shared, the verification process will remain the same, with users being required to submit a government ID to authenticate their identities. It now simply won't be obvious at first glance that someone's paying for X Blue.

Canon has just unveiled the MS-500, an unusual model that's one of the most sensitive non-infrared cameras ever developed. It uses the highest-resolution 1-inch SPAD (Single-photon avalanche diode) sensor yet (3.2 megapixels), and an interchangeable lens mount that allows clear color shooting in light as low as 0.001 lux, according to Canon — less than a clear moonless sky. 

The MS-500 uses Canon's B4 mount that supports its broadcast zoom lenses, and carries a price of over $25,000 for the body only. It's designed to work in "areas with extremely high-security levels, such as seaports, public infrastructure facilities, and national borders," the company said. When married with Canon's ultra-telephoto broadcast lenses, it can capture "clear color videos of subjects at a distance of several miles, even at night." It also uses special picture profiles to reduce noise caused by atmospheric disturbances over long distances. 

Canon

So why should you care about a $25,000+ security camera? The answer is in that SPAD sensor, which holds promise for future consumer and professional imaging. It uses a technology called photo counting, which tracks light particles entering a pixel, magnifies them one million times, and converts them to a digital signal. Every single photon is counted, which eliminates the introduction of any noise — "a key advantage of SPAD sensors," Canon noted. 

Any gaming company looking to copy a competitor's hit might want to think twice. Nintendo's The Last Hope: Dead Zone Survival has officially been removed from the Switch e-shop due to its overt similarities to Naughty Dog's hit, The Last of Us, Victoria Kennedy reported at Eurogamer. Sony (which owns Naughty Dog) issued a copyright claim against the game just over a month after its release, a move that has not only taken it off the market but also scrubbed YouTube of its trailer.

The Last Hope isn't likely to be missed as the game didn't exactly garner good reviews, with the Digital Foundry saying it was "the worst game we've ever tested" and Yahoo simply calling it "horrible-looking." Widespread comparisons to The Last of Us were immediately made upon the game's release, including the similarities between the high-quality Ellie and The Last Hope's blurry (but almost identically styled) Eva. Yeah, it really didn't do itself any favors.

If, for some reason, you had a strong affinity for the game, it's still available for anyone who previously downloaded it. Otherwise, a visit to its page on Nintendo's e-shop will bring you an error message. If you had avoided the knockoff, well, this is the last time you ever have to think about it.

Keith Thomas from New York was involved in a driving accident back in 2020 that injured his spine's C4 and C5 vertebrae, leading to a total loss in feeling and movement from the chest down. Recently, though, Thomas had been able to move his arm at will and feel his sister hold his hand, thanks to the AI brain implant technology developed by the Northwell Health's Feinstein Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine. 

The research team first spent months mapping his brain with MRIs to pinpoint the exact parts of his brain responsible for arm movements and the sense of touch in his hands. Then, four months ago, surgeons performed a 15-hour procedure to implant microchips into his brain — Thomas was even awake for some parts so he could tell them what sensations he was feeling in his hand as they probed parts of the organ. 

While the microchips are inside his body, the team also installed external ports on top of his head. Those ports connect to a computer with the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that the team developed to interpret his thoughts and turn them into action. The researchers call this approach "thought-driven therapy," because it all starts with the patient's intentions. If he thinks of wanting to move his hand, for instance, his brain implant sends signals to the computer, which then sends signals to the electrode patches on his spine and hand muscles in order to stimulate movement. They attached sensors to his fingertips and palms, as well, to stimulate sensation. 

Thanks to this system, he was able to move his arm at will and feel his sister holding his hand in the lab. While he needed to be attached to the computer for those milestones, the researchers say Thomas has shown signs of recovery even when the system is off. His arm strength has apparently "more than doubled" since the study began, and his forearm and wrist could now feel some new sensations. If all goes well, the team's thought-driven therapy could help him regain more of his sense of touch and mobility. 

While the approach has a ways to go, the team behind it is hopeful that it could change the lives of people living with paralysis. Chad Bouton, the technology's developer and the principal investigator of the clinical trial, said:

"This is the first time the brain, body and spinal cord have been linked together electronically in a paralyzed human to restore lasting movement and sensation. When the study participant thinks about moving his arm or hand, we ‘supercharge’ his spinal cord and stimulate his brain and muscles to help rebuild connections, provide sensory feedback, and promote recovery. This type of thought-driven therapy is a game-changer. Our goal is to use this technology one day to give people living with paralysis the ability to live fuller, more independent lives."

Earlier this year, EA said that Star Wars: Jedi Survivor would only come out on the latest PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles in order to take advantage of the latest tech on those consoles. The developer has now changed its tune, however, announcing in an earnings call that the title will come to PS4 and Xbox One consoles after all, The Verge has reported.

"Thanks to the strength of this legendary franchise and community demand, our development team has committed to bringing this Jedi experience to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One," said EA CEO Andrew Wilson. Jedi Survivor came out on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5 in April, but there's no firm date for release on the last-gen consoles. 

Jedi: Survivor, a direct sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, was the headliner in Engadget’s article about disappointing PC ports earlier this year. The problems boiled down to performance, upscaling and other issues — which might make gamers nervous about how it'll run on the much older Xbox One and PS4 hardware. 

TweetDeck has started showing signs that it will not escape Twitter's massive rebranding unscathed. If you take a look at the tool's landing page while logged out, you'll see "XPro" on the upper left corner of the website, indicating its new name. That's pretty much it at the moment, though — the page still shows the iconic Twitter bird logo, and it still calls TweetDeck a "powerful, real-time tool for people who live on Twitter." And, yes, its URL is still https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/ in the same way Twitter's (sorry, we mean X's) URL is https://twitter.com/. 

Twitter's rebranding to "X" hit us overnight quite literally in July, with Elon Musk announcing the change in a tweet and then, reportedly, emailing his employees about it afterward. The social network started implementing changes after that by swapping out the Twitter bird with a generic-looking "X" logo, which will apparently "evolve over time," as well as renaming tweets to "posts" and retweets to "reposts." Google and Apple both relisted the social network's app as "X" on the Play Store and the App Store, respectively, by the end of July. 

The move, while sudden, perhaps didn't come as a surprise for those who've followed Musk's career over the years. Musk is known for favoring the "X" branding and had wanted to rename PayPal to X.com before he was ousted as CEO. The executive also renamed Twitter's parent company to X Corp. He said the social network's new name will help it branch out and become an "everything app" with payments and banking features. But critics are doubting the rebranding's success, with some calling it "the dumbest thing [Musk has] done since taking over" and something that now makes the company less identifiable and less valuable. 

Despite the criticisms, the erasure of the Twitter brand is now well underway. TweetDeck will not remain TweetDeck for very long, and it also won't be free to use in the near future. The company has previously noted that it will be locked behind a paywall and will be exclusively available to Blue subscribers. 

If your idea of relaxation involves opening cardboard boxes, you're in for a good time. Humble Games and Witch Beam have confirmed that Unpacking is coming to iOS and Android on August 24th. You can pre-order the iOS version for $10 today. This has been a long time in coming given that the game first arrived on consoles and PCs in 2021, but it may be worthwhile if you're new to the concept.

Unpacking is, at its heart, a hybrid puzzle and home decoration game. You have to find space for items as an unseen person moves into a new abode. There's no time limit or other pressure, and it can be very soothing as you set up a child's bedroom or the family kitchen. However, it's particularly clever for the way it tells its story. You're learning about a woman's life by seeing where she goes and what she brings with her, rather than dialog. As the title is almost entirely wordless, it's accessible to a wide range of people.

The game isn't changing significantly with the move to mobile. However, the developers argue Unpacking is "perfect" for touch as you can drag objects with your finger and sense the world through haptic feedback. Whether or not that's true, the portability may be appealing. This may be the most appropriate game to play when you've just moved to a new place — you can fire it up while your usual gaming hardware is still packed away.

Samba de Amigo is coming to Apple Arcade. Sega’s classic maraca-shaking rhythm franchise is seeing a renaissance this year as the new installment arrives on Apple platforms and Nintendo Switch on the same day. A VR port for Meta Quest, announced in early June, is also scheduled to launch sometime this fall.

“Shake it with your maracas and groove to 40 hit songs from the world’s most popular genres,” the game’s App Store description reads. Exclusive songs for the Apple version include “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga, “Daddy” by Psy (of “Gangnam Style” fame) and “The Walker” by Fitz and the Tantrums. The Apple Arcade version’s title, Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go, emphasizes its portable nature. The Switch version is called Samba de Amigo: Party Central, while the Meta Quest version is simply Samba de Amigo.

Neither Sega nor Apple has said much about how gameplay details may differ between Apple’s variant and the other platforms, except that the Apple Arcade version will exclusively have the series’ first story mode. “Embark on a quest with Amigo to return lost music to the world,” the blurb reads.

Sega / Apple

Apple Arcade subscribers can shake it with Samba on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. The App Store listing doesn’t precisely say how controls work, but using your phone as a faux maraca (with touchscreen controls as a fallback) would be a logical guess. (However, it does mention that external controllers are also supported.) The Switch version uses Joy-Cons, and the Quest version relies on its Touch Controllers.

Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go is scheduled to hit the App Store on August 29th. Apple Arcade costs $5 per month after a one-month free trial, and none of its games have in-app purchases. The Switch version, also due August 29th, is priced at $40, and the Quest VR variant will be $30. You can brush up on your Dreamcast-era moves while watching the trailer for the Switch version below.

YouTube star MrBeast (aka Jimmy Donaldson) may be as well known for his collaborations as he is his videos, but one of those partnerships is souring quickly. Bloombergreports the creator is suing Virtual Dining Concepts, the "ghost kitchen" (a food service that operates from other restaurants) that runs his delivery-only MrBeast Burger fast food chain, for allegedly tarnishing his brand. VDC was supposedly more interested in rapid expansion than maintaining quality, leading to subpar food that reflected badly on its namesake. He wants a judge to terminate the licensing agreement and shut down the business.

MrBeast points to numerous reviews that call the burgers "inedible," "revolting" and similarly less-than-flattering descriptions. "Thousands" of customers have reportedly complained about raw meat, cold fries, missing ingredients and items that never showed. Some locations couldn't get the branding right, delivering orders in generic containers or even 7-11 bags.

The YouTuber's lawyers claim VDC either refused or was incapable of fixing quality issues when he got in touch. He adds that he hasn't received "a dime" from MrBeast Burger despite being owed royalties, and that the virtual chain frequently uses branding and registers trademarks without consent. VDC has allegedly been reluctant to support fledgling brick-and-mortar restaurants as they'd cut into its profits. It's using the MrBeast name to attract other celebrities, according to the lawsuit.

We've asked VDC for comment. MrBeast formed the partnership in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to switch to delivery food. It was a way to help (and capitalize on) fans while giving restaurants more business at a time when in-person dining wasn't an option. MrBeast Burger would share its revenues with hosts, rather than competing directly with those brands.

Ghost kitchens will carry on regardless of the lawsuit's outcome. They let entrepreneurs launch restaurants with only a small physical footprint, and lean on services like DoorDash and Uber Eats for delivery. However, the legal action illustrates what can go wrong with these outlets — without a retail presence, they aren't always subject to the same scrutiny as their conventional counterparts.

Meta is preparing to launch AI-enabled chatbots with unique personalities, according to a report by Financial Times. What’s more? It looks like the first chatbot released will be none other than Abraham Lincoln, so you’ll be able to ask good ole Honest Abe his thoughts on Barbenheimer or whatever. The company is also reportedly creating a surfer personality expressly for making travel plans.

This is an attempt to boost engagement across Meta’s social media platforms, as human-like discussions tend to be more interesting than droll robotic responses. The company hasn’t announced which of these platforms would host Abe Lincoln and his pals, though previous reports indicated Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp would be recipients of this new technology. Meta staffers are calling these chatbots “personas” and they could launch as soon as September. 

These personas will provide a new way to search and they’ll even offer recommendations, similar to how current chatbots work, though ChatGPT and the rest don’t have Abraham Lincoln on the payroll (just don’t ask him about the best local opera houses.)

FT notes that the chatbots could also collect vast amounts of personal data, something Meta has never shied away from. After all, you’ll likely share more personal details with a human-like companion than one devoid of personality. The vast majority of Meta’s yearly revenue comes from advertising, so go ahead and tell your good friend Abe all about your likes and dislikes. What’s the worst that could happen?

During Meta’s yearly earnings call last week, Zuckerberg said he envisioned a future with AI “agents that act as assistants, coaches or that can help you interact with businesses and creators.” To the latter point, he said the company was also building AI chatbots specifically for customer service and one to be used by Meta staffers.

Meta isn’t the first company to try to inject a bit of personality into the chatbot game. The startup Character.ai uses large language models (LLMs) to simulate conversations with real-life figures like Elon Musk and works of fiction like Nintendo’s Mario, among many others. Snapchat’s My AI chatbot is friendly and personable when compared to its drier counterparts. It also spews out sponsored links, as a harbinger of things to come for fake Lincoln and his surfer buddy.