A UK appeals court has reversed a previous ruling that Wikileaks founder shouldn't be extradited to the US due to mental health concerns, the Associated Press has reported. The decision opens the door for Assange to be extradited to the US, where he'd face charges of espionage over Wikileaks' publication of government documents. 

Lower court Judge Vanessa Baraitser originally ruled that the US criminal justice system presented a risk to Assange's physical wellbeing. "The overall impression is of a depressed and sometimes despairing man, who is genuinely fearful about his future," the judge ruled in January. "For all of these reasons I find that Mr. Assange’s risk of committing suicide, if an extradition order were to be made, to be substantial."

In its appeal, however, the US government argued that Assange had no history of "serious and enduring mental illness" that would suggest any risk of self-harm. US lawyers also told British judges that if they extradited Assange, he could serve his US prison sentence in his home country of Australia. 

The High Court in London decided that those assurances were enough to guarantee Assange would be treated humanely. The final decision for his extradition is now in the hands of the UK home secretary, though Assange has the option of appealing. Assange's camp has argued that his work constitutes journalism and so his extradition would be a violation of press freedom.

The US government indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges along with one charge of computer misuse over Wikileaks' publication of leaked military and diplomatic documents. The maximum penalty is 175 years in prison, though US lawyers said "the longest sentence ever imposed for this offense is 63 months." Assange was denied bail for risk of flight and is being held at London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison.

The Epic Games vs. Apple trials brought to light how Microsoft tried to conjure up solutions on how to make Xbox games available from the App Store. Apple revised its guidelines last year so that companies like Microsoft and Google can make their games available on iOS. That said, they can only do so by releasing each game as an app that users can download. Microsoft previously said that forcing users to download hundreds of game apps is "a bad experience," but it would've reportedly done so if Apple had agreed to its proposal. 

According to private emails seen by The Verge, the Xbox head of business development Lori Wright laid out a proposal for Apple, which would allow Microsoft to put individual game apps on the iOS store without taking up all of a user's storage space. Wright asked Apple to allow Microsoft to put its streaming tech inside the Gaming Pass app alone. That would give the company a way to make the game apps themselves around 30 MB in size instead of the 150 MB that they would be if its streaming tech was incorporated into each of them. 

Instead of using the device's processing power, the games would stream out of remote servers powered by Xbox One and Xbox Series X processors. Wright also apparently offered to make Xbox-exclusives available for iOS users in an effort to convince Apple. "This would be an incredibly exciting opportunity for iOS users to get access to these exclusive AAA titles in addition to the Game Pass games," she wrote in an email. 

Microsoft told The Verge that Apple rejected its solution and wanted the company to incorporate its streaming tech into every game application. As for Apple, it told the publication that Microsoft's proposal didn't adhere to its App Store Review Guidelines, "specifically the requirement to use in-app purchase to unlock additional features or functionality within an app." Microsoft denied that in-app purchases factored into Apple's rejection.

In the end, Microsoft eventually shifted its development focus and gave iOS users access to xCloud via Safari. Xbox Cloud Gaming CVP Kareem Choudhry told The Verge, however, that the company "will continue to look for viable resolutions that [will] allow [its games] into the App Store."

Despite big improvements, particularly with the Siri remote, the 2021 Apple TV 4K is still a pretty expensive set-top streaming device at $179. If you've been waiting for a sale to pick one up, you can grab one right now for $150 at Amazon — the lowest price we've seen yet. 

With an Engadget review score of 90, the 2021 Apple TV 4K is one of the best high-end streaming boxes available, especially if you're in the Apple ecosystem. The A12 Bionic processor delivers performance that's faster than ever, and it supports Dolby Atmos sound, 60 fps Dolby Vision, AirPlay 3 and screen mirroring. With HomeKit support, you can also ask Siri to do things like show you video feeds or open your smart lock. 

The biggest improvement over the last model is the redesigned Siri remote. It's larger and less fiddly to use, but also touch sensitive so you can easily swipe between options. Better still, Apple's Siri voice assistant actually works well with Apple TV 4K, ably handling commands like "Play 'The Morning Show'" or "Show me some new horror films." 

As mentioned, the biggest drawback is the price. Most rival products are cheaper, even high-end models like the Roku Ultra that's currently on sale for $66. Other options are considerably less, like Google's Chromecast with Google TV that finally comes with a remote ($39 right now), or Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K, on sale right now for $35. Still, Apple TV 4K is loaded with useful features, particularly for Apple users, and today's deal is the best we've seen so far.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Back in November, Apple engineer Cher Scarlett left the tech giant. Scarlett was one of the lead organizers of the #AppleToo movement and aired fellow employees' and workers' grievances against the company on their behalf. She also filed a complaint against Apple with the National Labor Relations Board for allegedly suppressing workers' organizing efforts and interfering with surveys involving gender pay equity. The former Apple engineer was supposed to withdraw her complaint as part of the settlement when she left. Now, though, she told Forbes that she's no longer withdrawing her complaint because of the way Apple chose to execute the terms it agreed to. 

Under the terms of their settlement, Scarlett would receive a one-year severance package if she withdraws her complaint with the NLRB. Apple also agreed to publicly acknowledge workers' rights to talk about their salaries and workplace conditions. "One of the requests I made was for there to be a very public, visible affirmation that employees are allowed to discuss their workplace conditions and compensation, both internally and externally," she told Forbes.

While Apple did acknowledge workers' rights to discuss pay, the company only posted its stance on its internal human resources page. Also, it allegedly made the post on November 19th, the weekend before employees' Thanksgiving vacation, when people may not be paying attention to anything work-related. The company also took the post down by Monday after the holidays when employees have only just started coming back to work.

In addition, Scarlett said Apple refused to make the 22 changes in the settlement document that the NLRB had requested. One of those changes involve a part in the settlement that asks Scarlett not to "solicit, encourage or incite anyone to file any charge or complaint with any administrative agency or Court against Apple" for a year after the settlement is executed. Apparently, the NLRB requested for the words "encourage or incite" to be removed from the paragraph. Scarlett says that kind of language would prevent her from helping Apple employees organize or file complaints against the company. 

So far, Scarlett has reportedly only received less than half of the settlement she was promised, and she'd likely no longer get the rest now that she isn't withdrawing her labor board complaint anymore. Apple is also facing another NLRB complaint filed by former senior engineering program manager Ashley Gjøvik who was fired in September. Gjøvik previously said that she was put on indefinite paid administrative leave after raising concerns about sexism in the workplace, as well as dealing with an unsafe and hostile work environment. 

A Halo TV series is heading to Paramount+ after years in development hell, and today we got our first taste of the show. The first trailer for the Halo series is dramatic, seemingly taking a serious, Dune-like approach to the franchise, and showing off Master Chief in his full, dusty glory.

Paramount+ stole the series from Showtime earlier this year, but this thing has been in development for nearly a decade. It was first announced in 2013, and it's now slated to come out in 2022.

Microsoft has rebranded one of its game subscription services. Xbox Game Pass for PC is now just PC Game Pass. 

The move could help to avoid some confusion, since Xbox Game Pass is a separate plan with a different library of games. It should also be clearer that games on the PC plan aren't necessarily playable on consoles.

Xbox Game Pass includes more than 100 console games, with Xbox Game Studios titles joining on release day. PC Game Pass has its own selection of games, including first-party titles and access to EA Play.

Meanwhile, Game Pass Ultimate offers the best of both worlds. It includes PC and console games, Xbox Live Gold (which console gamers need for multiplayer titles that aren't free-to-play), EA Play access and cloud gaming. 

The PC Game Pass logo still includes an Xbox icon, though. That makes the connection to Xbox and Microsoft clear, but some folks might still call it "Xbox PC Game Pass." C'est la vie.

In addition, Microsoft revealed a few more games are coming to PC Game Pass on their release day: Sniper Elite 5, Pigeon Simulator, the gorgeous-looking samurai side-scroller Trek to Yomi and an unannounced Hugecalf Studios game.

On the heels of Denis Villeneuve's Dune, a new 4X strategy game set in Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi universe is coming to Steam Early Access next year. Shiro Games, the studio behind real-time strategy game Northgard, is on development duties. Like Civilization or almost any other 4X game, you'll choose one faction to lead. Naturally, you can pick House Atreides or House Harkonnen, though there will be other two factions to choose from as well. It's then up to you to lead them to victory on Arrakis.  

There hasn't been a new Dune game since 2001's Emperor: Battle for Dune, which was one of the last projects legendary real-time strategy developer Westwood Studios worked on before EA shut it down in 2003. Dune also has a special place in the RTS genre. Alongside Blizzard's Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, Westwood's Dune II helped establish many of the of tenets the genre. 

It may not be suspicious, but it certainly is a surprise. Among Us is getting the first-person, VR treatment, and the experience is heading to PlayStation VR, Meta Quest 2 and Steam. There's no release date, but this is seriously happening, people.

Among Us VR was revealed during Thursday night's The Game Awards, with a short trailer showing off a glimpse of first-person gameplay. It plays like the original, with players attempting to complete tasks and figure out who among them is the impostor, but from a first-person perspective. Developer Innersloth had the following to say about the new project:

"This new 3D experience will place you and our suspicious spacebeans in the heart of the Skeld, with all of the core mechanics of teamwork and betrayal you know and love. The VR edition will continue to support the multiplayer experience too, of course! Now you can really have an emergency meeting together."

Among Us VR won't be compatible with the original version of the game, of course. It's in development by Innersloth, Robot Teddy, and Schell Games, the studio behind I Expect You To Die.

After a dearth of games, Star Trek fans have something to look forward to in 2022. Sometime in the spring, ViacomCBS will release Star Trek: Resurgence, a new third-person adventure game from Dramatic Labs, a studio made up of former Telltale Games developers, including individuals who worked on The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead.

Set after the events of The Next Generation, Resurgence will feature two playable lead characters: First Officer Jara Rydek and Crewperson Carter Diaz. In a setup that sounds like classic Star Trek in the best possible way, it’s up to them to unravel a mystery involving two alien races that are ready to go to war with another. Dramatic Labs said Resurgence will also feature appearances from “returning” characters. It also noted its building the game in the Unreal Engine, which hopefully means the game won’t have the jank Telltale’s games were known for in the studio’s later years.

We’ll have to see how Resurgence turns out, but based on the talent involved, Star Trek fans can at least be cautiously optimistic. That’s not something that’s been true in recent years. Outside of Bridge Crew, there haven’t been many great Star Trek games since the early 2000s when titles like Bridge Commander and Elite Force did the universe justice.

Star Trek: Resurgence will arrive in spring 2022 on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Windows. On PC, it will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store.

Starting next year, Google Play Games will be available on screens far beyond its current confines of Android and ChromeOS devices. Google executives announced on stage at the 2021 Game Awards that, come 2022, the app service will be available on Windows PCs as well.

“Players will be able to experience their favorite Google Play games on more devices: seamlessly switching between a phone, tablet, Chromebook, and soon, Windows PCs," Greg Hartrell, Product Director, Games on Android and Google Play said in a release. The company was quick to note that this is not a partnership between the two tech corporations but rather a new product altogether "This Google-built product brings the best of Google Play Games to more laptops and desktops, and we are thrilled to expand our platform for players to enjoy their favorite Android games even more.” 

Details are still scarce as to when exactly the new functionality will be made public and, more importantly, if our existing controllers will be cross-compatible. But given how quickly gamers embraced playing on Chromebooks, providing Windows users with access the same access to one of the world’s largest gaming ecosystems could prove a lucrative venture for both companies.