SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " pocket " 347 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Scientists thought Titan was hiding a global ocean beneath its frozen crust. But a 2025 reanalysis of Cassini data points to something stranger instead — a roughly 380-kilometre-thick layer of slushy ice, close to melting and likely threaded with pockets of liquid water that could reach 20°C near the rocky interior.
A 2025 Cassini reanalysis measures a tidal lag that favors a warm, partly melted high-pressure ice layer over Titan's long-assumed global ocean.
Samsung’s $1,900 Z Fold 8 is still vulnerable to pocket lint
iFixit’s teardown of the Galaxy foldable scrutinizes its IP48 rating.
Hospitals push for upfront payments as patient deductibles and out-of-pocket costs rise
Is this Microsoft’s canceled Surface Phone from 2014? Mysterious Windows Phone prototype appears in new photos
Images floating around online have revealed a Windows Phone prototype from late 2013 that looks awfully like a pocketable Surface of some kind.
15 Mini Gadgets That Can Easily Fit Into Your Pocket Or Backpack
If you're looking for useful everyday carry gear, these compact gadgets will slip into your pocket and solve real problems wherever you go.
Retro Recap: All The Classic Gaming News From The Past Week (August 9th 2026)
KONKR Pocket Advance! Star Wars Racer! EverDrive-64 Pro!
7 Best Tech Gadgets of August 2026
August arrives with a lineup that feels genuinely considered. Not every gadget this month is chasing a headline spec or fighting for shelf space. Some of the most interesting things landing right now are smaller, quieter, and more honest about what they actually do — a folding mouse that disappears into a shirt pocket, a
Blu-ray 4K UHD will be the end of physical media formats
There will be need to worry about upgrading those collections
Pokémon TCG Pocket Loses Nearly Half Its Players, And It's Obvious Why
The game's shortcomings have put a real hole in creator DeNA's financial results
Pocketpair Announces ‘Palworld Online,’ A New MMO Coming This Year
Pocketpair has revealed that Palworld Online, a new MMO based on the IP, is coming later this year. But there is a caveat about the project.
Palworld Online announced for iOS, Android
Garena has announced Palworld Online, a “large-scale” multiplayer survival adventure game currently in development under licensing from Pocketpair. It will be available for iOS and Andr…
Ayaneo’s new handheld revives the Game Boy Advance. Nintendo probably wishes it had done it first
Ayaneo has unveiled the Konkr Pocket Advance, a modern Game Boy Advance-inspired handheld with a sharper display, USB-C, wireless connectivity and updated controls.
Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday, 8/1/26
Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, JeremyBloom…
Ayaneo Reveals Its Game Boy Advance Remake Called The Konkr Pocket Advance
The horizontal handheld will be released in navy and orange colorways.
Palworld TCG Prices Skyrocket as eBay Scalpers Profit Off of Card Game Launch
The Palworld TCG has officially launched, and so too has a wave of scalpers looking to make a quick buck on developer Pocketpair's new collectible cards.
What Businesses Are Saying: Steady Overall With Pockets of Stress
Businesses reported durable demand from consumers and are keeping headcounts flat through the end of 2026. Pricing pressures continued, but with some pullback from low- and middle-income customers.
DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Beats the ARRI ALEXA 35 in Our Lab, While the Insta360 Luna Ultra Fails – Focus Check ep127
Every once in a while a lab test comes along that forces us to rewrite our own charts. This is one of those weeks.
DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Lab Test: Rolling Shutter, Dynamic Range and Exposure Latitude
DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Lab Test by CineD, testing rolling shutter, dynamic range and exposure latitude in D-Log and D-Log2.
The new "science golden age" looks suspiciously like a grift
This edition of PN is made possible by paid subscribers. Become one ⬇️ 🚀 Subscribe to PN 🚀 The Trump regime is trying to usher in a “Golden Age in Science” where scientific research is run like a Trump family business, artificial intelligence is all that matters, profit is everything, and expertise is for chumps. Or at least that’s the vision emerging from a new 123-page “Report to the President” from Michael Kratsios, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In a normal administration, you could probably skip over learning about a science policy document — but this is no normal administration, and this is no normal science policy document. Instead, it’s Trump’s attempt to end the actual golden age of science that was kicked off in 1945 with the publication of '“The Endless Frontier” by Vannevar Bush. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/harmeet-dhillon-portland) [ Harmeet Dhillon demonstrates danger of posting through it ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/harmeet-dhillon-portland) Liz Dye · Jul 29 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/harmeet-dhillon-portland) Bush, at President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s request, laid out a vision of federal support for science that centered on funding universities to do basic research, saying that as long as those institutions were “vigorous and healthy and their scientists are free to pursue the truth wherever it may lead, there will be a flow of new scientific knowledge to those who can apply it to practical problems in Government, in industry, or elsewhere.” Kratsios’s report is supposed to be the successor to Bush’s, and even apes the format, but this isn’t really a document about science policy. It’s one about ending science research as we know it in favor of shoveling cash at big tech companies. While it might be temping to wave this away as an aspirational policy document, Trump has already begun to shift billions in research funds to AI projects and has taken a hatchet to science funding across the board. He’s teed up the shift Kratsios proposes here, and since neither Congress nor the Supreme Court seem inclined to stop him from doing whatever he wants with taxpayer money, it isn’t doomering or hyperbole to say we are staring down the barrel of a world where the only “science” the government intends to support is for-profit tech and defense advancements. Science for dummies Part of how you can tell this isn’t a document about science is that you are immediately faced with an absolute wall of business-speak of the worst sort. Did you know we must “tightly couple our science and technology enterprises to ensure that groundbreaking ideas invented in the United States are rapidly prototyped, tested, manufactured, and scaled domestically”? You do now! That tone isn’t surprising, because Kratsios has no background in science or research. He has a bachelor’s in political science and spent most of his career working for Peter Thiel at Thiel Capital. After a stint in the first Trump administration as Chief Technology Officer, where he also did not do any science, Kratsios was tasked in 2020 with overseeing the Pentagon’s research budget for a brief time, a position that, as the Wall Street Journal put it, “carries a great deal of power in terms of dictating investment allocations.” He spent the Biden years at Scale AI as “head of strategy,” which you will also note is neither a science nor a research job. But Scale AI has contracts with the Department of Defense and, as the Washington Post wrote in 2023, “has been aggressively pitching itself as the company that will help the US military in its existential battle with China.” And now you have the necessary background for our new golden age, which is going to be a golden age of taking money away from scientists and universities and giving it to companies like Scale AI. A note from Aaron: Working with brilliant contributors like Lisa takes resources. If you aren’t already a paid subscriber, please become one to support our work. 👇 Subscribe In a genuinely galling move, Katsios spends a lot of time slamming universities because of “administrative burdens on researchers” and the “well-documented inefficiencies” in academia, the message being that those damn universities waste the time of amazing researchers with paperwork. Except it’s the administration that is attempting to impose inefficient, unnecessary burdens on those researchers with a proposed Office of Management and Budget rule that would require senior political appointees to approve every science grant and ensure it aligns with Trump’s personal priorities. Researchers would also have to seek prior government approval to attend conferences or publicize their research. And political appointees could terminate any grant at any time if they feel like it. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/omb-rule-science-funding) [ The murder of expertise ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/omb-rule-science-funding) Lisa Needham · Jun 11 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/omb-rule-science-funding) But when it comes to AI, we’re going to “restore permissionless innovation.” The report proposes to give lucky ducky innovators a pile of cash up front for grants lasting five years or longer, saying “awards should be fully-funded in year one, with all resources earmarked upfront, to minimize administrative burdens and reduce pressure for researchers to generate intermediate results to secure continued funding.” Yeah, wouldn’t want to have to make the Very Special Tech Bros show results or get money parceled out year by year like the plebes at universities. The report also proposes that we should have “fast grants” with “simplified applications requiring just a few pages of writing” because that is definitely how science works, just writing a bit off the dome and getting some cash. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-ai-action-plan-altman-llms) [ Tech elites are turning AI into ChatGPTrump ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-ai-action-plan-altman-llms) Paul Waldman · July 29, 2025 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-ai-action-plan-altman-llms) Oh, and we should have prizes and challenges, where multiple teams compete. The proposed prizes include incentives like “advance procurement commitments,” which means the federal government agrees to buy whatever is being developed. There’s also “regulatory fast-tracking,” making sure all those great AI thingies don’t have to wait too long to be unleashed on a market. These aren’t incentives to do science. These are incentives to develop things with tax dollars that you can then sell to the government for more tax dollars. In the suggestion that might be the most unhinged, the most very opposite of how both government and research work, our new age will include “golden tickets.” That’s where an individual reviewer in an agency — yes, just one person — can “recommend unconventional proposals that may not pass consensus-driven review panels” because somehow this will “surface valuable ideas too divisive for committees and attract higher quality reviewers by empowering them to exercise independent scientific judgment.” Yes, that’s saying that a random person in an agency should be able to shovel money at some idea even if it can’t pass a review panel, and that the opportunity to do so will attract better employees because apparently all the best minds in science are chomping at the bit to be allowed to unilaterally fund AI research based on their personal vibes. But that isn’t at all how actual science works, and actual scientists aren’t unhappy about review panels. They work collaboratively, not siloed in some secret race to create the next AI chatbot. A 2020 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research examined whether peer review panels succeed in helping agencies predict which research ideas will best advance science. Peer review was better at finding “diamond in the rough” applicants than a single government program official. How about that. Trump always wants a taste It’s painfully clear that what Katsios is trying to do here is turn the whole of government science research and funding into the sort of “move fast and break things” paradigm that is the hallmark of big tech. That method works to line the pockets of tech executives, but it isn’t science. There’s a reason the government funds different kinds of research than private tech companies do. What Katsios either fails to understand or deliberately ignores is that the federal government is the main funder of basic research precisely because it can take a long time for it to bear fruit and is not intended to be profitable as such. “Basic” here does not mean rudimentary or simple, but rather research that is designed to advance scientific knowledge instead of achieving a specific outcome or product. Big tech companies don’t widely fund that sort of research, because it doesn’t make them money. Industry dollars account for only about 20 percent of basic research funding, while the government contributes around 60 percent. Big tech companies and startups do, however, rely on and benefit from that basic research. A 2019 study found that 35 percent of all patents obtained by venture-backed startups from 1976 to 2016 cited federally supported research. Basic research funded by the NIH contributed to every single drug the FDA approved from 2010 to 2016. [ ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-saudi-nuclear-deal) [ The Saudi nuclear farce and governance by whim and meme ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-saudi-nuclear-deal) Noah Berlatsky · Jul 27 [ Read full story ](https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-saudi-nuclear-deal) Unlike inventing the next ChatGPT, actual science is slow and iterative. Government funding of research that, on its face, would not appear to lead to any big new invention is actually what underpins those big new inventions. If the government hadn’t funded research into desert lizard venom, we wouldn’t know about semaglutide, and we wouldn’t have Ozempic. If research scientists hadn’t studied how bees optimize nectar foraging within a colony, we wouldn’t have the algorithm that assigns internet traffic across computer servers. The report assiduously ignores that a symbiotic, profitable relationship between the federal government, universities, and private companies already exists. Each federal research dollar generates about $1.50 to $3.00 in long-term economic benefits. The $36 billion the government awarded in NIH research funding in fiscal year 2025 generated $94 billion in new economic activity. Trump’s proposed new golden age is intended to strip those billions from universities, resulting in the dismantling of departments and the shuttering of labs. But Katsios has a plan for that: Universities should just become trade schools to churn out no-show STEM degrees! “Require universities and community colleges to embed practical technical training and externships into STEM curricula. Let hands-on experience and industry credentials count toward degrees.” It’s quite the feat to, on the one hand, strip schools of funding for scientific research while simultaneously demanding to control what is taught and, oh, also, colleges need to give degrees to employees at big tech companies just for being employees at big tech companies. The new golden age would also exacerbate the brain drain Trump’s policies have already caused. Nature found that in the first quarter of 2025, US scientists submitted 32 percent more job applications abroad than in 2024. A March 2025 poll by Nature of roughly 1,600 scientists found that over 1,200 said they were considering leaving the country. Europe is investing $565 million to make it a “magnet for researchers” and provide funding for scientists who relocate. The new golden age is also about embedding Trump’s xenophobia into the fabric of American science. The report complains of an “over-reliance on foreign students” that “creates a security challenge our institutions are ill-equipped to address” and that a “reliance on foreign talent sidelines American students.” This is, to put it mildly, nonsense. International students pay far higher tuition and often receive no financial aid. Their tuition dollars are what make it possible for American students to get financial aid. In the 2023-2024 school year alone, international students contributed $43.8 billion to the US economy and supported over 378,000 jobs. Those 1.1 million international students accounted for only six percent of the total number of students in higher education that year, but were such an economic engine that for every three international students, one job was created or supported. It’s impossible not to wonder whether part of Trump’s loathing for universities and their leading role in scientific research is that there is no way for him to corrupt the process and make money off it in the same way he can by giving millions and billions to Silicon Valley types who, in turn, give him millions in cash. There’s no way for his children to invest in universities that the government then gives no-bid contracts to, fattening the family’s bottom line, which is pretty much the Trump sons’ current venture capital practice. Trump and Katsios’s view of science is narrow, cramped, and wrong. We’re not in a crisis, we’re not a failed state. We’ve been a science superpower for decades, and the only thing that threatens that is Donald Trump. Tech bros are already living high off the hog in this administration. They don’t need any more of our tax dollars. Hopefully this new golden age never comes to pass. Thanks for reading Public Notice. This post is public so feel free to share it. Share We’ll be back with more tomorrow. If you appreciate today’s PN, please do your part to keep us free by signing up for a paid subscription. 🚀 Subscribe to PN 🚀 Thanks for reading, and for your support.
Inside The Pocket: where generations of jazz musicians share the stage in New York City
When 14-year-old Xander Rosenblum slipped through The Pocket’s dimly lit dining room, squeezing between linen-covered tables on his way to the stage, he
Why 3 secretive biotechs are keeping their science close to the chest
Startups like Altos Labs are keeping pipeline details scarce to protect their ideas from competitors — but some experts say stealth only works for biotechs with deep pockets.
Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus Air Conditioner Arrives In U.S. To Beat Summer Heatwaves
As another heat dome is predicted in the U.S., Sony’s wearable air conditioner has just arrived. Here’s all you need to know.
Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus Air Conditioner Arrives In U.S. To Beat Summer Heatwaves
As another heat dome is predicted in the U.S., Sony’s wearable air conditioner has just arrived. Here’s all you need to know.
Rebuilt O-Line Critical Piece for Seminoles Football Success
After a disappointing season, Mike Norvell retools with veteran transfers to form a massive "Great Wall of Humanity" tasked with protecting the pocket and revitalizing the run.
Retirees may need nearly $186,000 for healthcare
On average, a 65-year-old who leaves the workforce this year may need $185,500 in savings to cover out-of-pocket healthcare expenses throughout retirement, according to Fidelity's annual survey.
Business in Oak Creek Canyon worried about impact of flooding threat
Last week’s flooding turned Oak Creek dark as water carried charred debris downstream after the Pocket Fire. Forest Houses Resort says floodwaters rose about 5 feet at its crossing, leaving it impassable until crews cleared sediment. Owners say continued flash flood concerns have prompted guest cancellations, even as their private property remains accessible. Businesses say open trails, restaurants and other attractions still give visitors reasons to come to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon.
Xteink's Next Pocket-Sized E-Reader Could (Almost) Replace Your Kindle
The Xteink X4 Pro adds more premium features over earlier models—though it's still not for everyone.
The Xteink X4 Pro could be the tiny e-reader of your dreams
Xteink makes its pocket-sized e-reader even better with a touchscreen and front light.
A touchscreen and light make the new X4 Pro the best version of Xteink’s tiny e-readers
The X4 Pro is Xteink’s best pocket-friendly e-reader yet.
How to disable ACR on a Roku TV
It disrespects your privacy, but you can shut it off pretty easily.
Secret Lair: A Marvelous Mathom Superdrop
Pack your pocket-handkerchief, polish your buttons, and mind the Dragon—The Hobbit comes to Secret Lair on August 17, 2026!
Matthew Stafford's 2025 pocket efficiency put him in rare company
Matthew Stafford was one of three quarterbacks in 2025 who rated efficiently inside and outside the pocket.
Report: Trump administration policies cost the average Ohio household $2,175
Two new reports suggest Trump administration policies are hitting Americans' pocketbooks. Being tied to those policies could spell trouble for Republican candidates in November's elections.
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
Palworld Looks Way Less Like Pokémon In Massive 1.0 Update
Early access isn't the only thing that Palworld's is leaving behind in its 1.0 release, as several Pokémon-esque designs have been changed in the new update
The PocketMage resurrects the PDA with an e-paper screen
The PDA lives on thanks to the pocketable PocketMage.
Palworld Early Access tops 40 million players
Open-world survival crafting game Palworld has surpassed 40 million players ahead of its version 1.0 release this week, developer Pocketpair announced.
Dem Senate hopeful pocketed massive taxpayer-funded cash while skipping hundreds of votes
Josh Turek, Paralympic gold medalist and Iowa Senate candidate, allegedly collected over $20,000 in per diem while missing 58.7% of his 2026 votes.
America’s small businesses are giving up on health insurance
America's employer-based health insurance system is crumbling. STAT investigates why, in our new series, “Out of Pocket, Out of Reach.”
5 takeaways from STAT’s series on the soaring cost of health insurance
Read the 5 key takeaways from STAT's series "Out of Pocket, Out of Reach," an examination of workplace health insurance.
America’s small businesses are giving up on health insurance
America's employer-based health insurance system is crumbling. STAT investigates why, in our new series, “Out of Pocket, Out of Reach.”
KUOW’s new podcast Pocket Science digs into the groundbreaking research happening right here in the Pacific Northwest
Today KUOW launches Pocket Science, a podcast that takes you up close to the scientific research and discovery happening all around the region and introduces you to the scientists in the thick of it.
Palworld developer confirms when the version 1.0 update will go live
We're just days away now from the highly-anticipated 1.0 launch of Palworld, and we finally have an idea of when the update is actually going to arrive.
Palworld Dev Offers Approximate Release Time for 1.0 Update, Says Players Do Not Need to Wipe Their Data but They Really Should
Palworld’s hotly anticipated 1.0 update launches this week, on July 10, and now developer Pocketpair has narrowed the release timing down, while issuing existing players an official recommendation on whether they should wipe their data for it.
5 Foldable Harbor Freight Finds That Can Easily Fit Into Your Pocket Or Backpack
Discover 5 foldable Harbor Freight finds that can easily fit into your pocket or backpack. We review tools like LED work light, utility knife, and multi-tool.
Overnight News Digest: Star Spangled Science Saturday, 7/4/26
Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, JeremyBloom…
Did The Retroid Pocket Flip 3 Just Get Officially Confirmed?
Retroid appears to confirm a new dual-screen handheld for late 2026, fueling speculation that the Pocket Flip 3 is finally on the way this year.
Meta quietly launches vibe-coded gaming app Pocket
Meta has quietly launched Pocket, an experimental AI app that lets users generate and share interactive mini games using text prompts.
Meet Meta's new vibe-coding app: Pocket
Pocket is a new app from Meta that lets you create and share interactive content, like mini games, with friends. It's powered by Meta's AI.
Meet Meta's new vibe-coding app: Pocket
Pocket is a new app from Meta that lets you create and share interactive content, like mini games, with friends. It's powered by Meta's AI.
U.S. Healthcare Spending’s Meager Return On Investment
The U.S. spends a lot on healthcare — in terms of total and per capita expenditures and patient out-of-pocket costs — but gets a relatively poor return on its investment.
Maryland-Bred Big Cuddle Joins Haskell Lineup
Pocket 3's Racing’s Big Cuddle will face his stiffest test yet in the $1 million, Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 18, the Daily Racing Form reports. The Haskell field is expected to draw Preakness winner Napoleon Solo and runner-up Iron Honor, as well as G3 Tampa Bay Derby ...
I Tried Sony's $260 Wearable AC. Here's Why I Turned Around Before Leaving the Block
Sony's Reon Pocket Pro Plus delivered on its promise of keeping me cool—but one major flaw made wearing it in public surprisingly difficult.
Sony’s Cooling Neck Device Is Coming to the US, and I Got a First Look
I spent a few days testing the Reon Pocket Pro Plus ahead of its US launch. Here's how it went.
Building the Valley: Young Springdale man keeping lawns at bay as business grows
When Justin Burrell started landscaping in 2022, the then-14-year-old wasn’t old enough to drive himself to clients’ houses so he enlisted help from his parents. At first, he mowed lawns for some extra pocket change. Now, at 18, Burrell is working toward turn his Burrell Grounds and Services business into
OpenClaw app for Android puts AI agents in your pocket and… looks like that
AI agents are the latest “next big thing” for AI, but OpenClaw has been working at the idea for a...
Retro Recap: All The Classic Gaming News From The Past Week (June 28th 2026)
Sonic pinball! Retroid Pocket Nova! Star Fox 64!
Screens are virtually inescapable. What are they doing to our health?
They’re in our pockets, workplaces, homes and schools — screens are everywhere. Americans are spending more than seven hours a day looking at screens. What is this doing to our well being? And does all this screen time affect different generations differently? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores what we know and don’t know with researchers Kostadin Kushlev and Courtney K. Blackwell.
Sweden and WHO launch new long-term initiative to transform Ukraine’s health system
WHO and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) have launched a new multi-year cooperation project to support the long-term recovery and transformation of Ukraine’s health system. The new project, “Ukraine’s Health System Transformation Initiative: Strengthening Health Governance, Health Financing and Service Delivery for Long-Term Recovery”, was launched at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in Gdansk, Poland on 26 June, and will run from June 2026 to 2029. Sweden will contribute approximately US$ 26 million (240 million Swedish krona) to support this project. This contribution forms part of Sweden’s broader support to Ukraine through the Team Europe approach, which brings together the European Union, its Member States, and key partners such as the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood and Enabel, and WHO as lead health agency, to support Ukraine’s recovery, reform agenda and European integration.“Ukraine’s health recovery cannot be measured only by what is rebuilt, but by whether people can count on the health system when they need it most. The scale of the task is immense, with health reconstruction and modernization needs estimated at US$ 19.4 billion over the next decade. Sweden’s US$ 26 million contribution to Ukraine’s Health System Transformation Initiative is a timely investment in the institutions, financing and services that will support Ukraine’s long-term recovery and European integration. WHO remains a trusted partner of the Government of Ukraine in advancing this process. I am deeply grateful to Sweden for its consistent support and partnership,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. More than 4 years of war have placed unprecedented pressure on Ukraine’s health system, creating 3 interconnected challenges. The first is responding to the immediate consequences of the war and the urgent health needs of the population. The second is recovering and modernizing health services today. The third is continuing reforms and aligning the health system with European standards in the context of Ukraine’s future accession to the European Union. The war has led to large-scale population displacement, an increasing need for trauma care and rehabilitation, and shortages of health workers. High out-of-pocket payments in Ukraine make access to health services more difficult. Around 46% of total health expenditure is paid directly by individuals, placing a significant financial burden on many households and underscoring the need for reforms in health financing. Older people, persons with disabilities, women, children and veterans continue to face the greatest difficulties in accessing health services. “Ukraine is demonstrating that health system transformation can continue even during war. Ukraine is also continuing to align its health system with European norms and standards. WHO is committed to supporting Ukraine on this journey. We provide technical support, help coordinate partners’ efforts and support the institutional changes needed to strengthen the system. We are grateful to Sweden for its support. Through this partnership, we can help Ukraine build a more resilient, accessible and people-centred health system,” said Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. About the Health System Transformation InitiativeThe new initiative will support Ukraine through 3 interconnected areas: strengthening governance and coordination of health sector reforms through more inclusive coordination platforms and structured policy dialogue; transforming service delivery by reinforcing a primary health care-centred model that integrates family medicine, nursing and midwifery; and improving financial sustainability by supporting reforms that ensure the long-term viability of the national health system and reduce out-of-pocket payments for households. Overall, these reforms are expected to make the health system more coherent and easier to navigate, improve the quality and continuity of care, and ensure more equitable access to services, particularly for those who need them most. They will also support Ukraine’s progress towards a more modern health system aligned with European standards. “We are convinced that long-term recovery is not possible without strong, high-quality, person-centred health services that are accessible to everyone. Our partnership with WHO is designed to support deep and lasting systemic changes. Investments in human capital especially autonomous midwives, whose role for maternal, newborn and adolescent sexual and reproductive health cannot be understated, stronger governance, digital transformation and the financial sustainability of the health system are investments in Ukraine’s future. We are proud to support this process,” said Malin Perhult, the Head of the Ukraine Unit at Sida. Focus throughout implementation will be given to the most vulnerable population groups, including older people, women and children, and persons with disabilities, who have been affected by the war and face greater health-care needs. The initiative will be implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the National Health Service of Ukraine, the Public Health Centre of Ukraine, regional authorities and international partners. This project will help Ukraine move towards a system where everyone can access the health care they need. It will strengthen primary care, make the health finance system more stable and predictable, and reduce the out-of-pocket costs that Ukrainians face when using health services. As a result, the Ukrainian health system will become more aligned with European standards and more sustainable in the long run.
Scientists Analyzed the Bones of ‘Skeleton Lake.’ What They Found Made No Sense.
Roopkund Lake sits in a frozen pocket of the Himalayas where hundreds of people died across a millennium. So why did researchers find bones from the island of Crete there?
Free virtual event to connect thousands of teachers with University of Hawai‘i science research
Science educators around the world will get a front-row seat to groundbreaking research and innovation from the university and the company PocketLab during a free virtual unconference in July.
Healthcare: Pockets Of Alpha
We recommend a market-weight position in the S&P 500 Health Care sector. It is down 3.8% ytd, the worst among all 11 S&P 500 sectors, and remains one of the clear laggards of the bull market that began in October 2022 (chart). That underperformance has created
Roland’s Mini Mixer Puts A Recording Studio In Anyone’s Pocket
Back in January, Roland announced the GO:Mixer Studio for modern content creators, mobile musicians and podcasters who want to work and record content anywhere.
The price tag of overcoming a Trump endorsement, and other takeaways from Tuesday's primaries
Rick Jackson's campaign spent more than $100 million, largely out of his own pocket, to defeat Trump-endorsed Burt Jones in the Republican runoff for Georgia governor.
We now know how DJI’s dual camera Osmo Pocket 4P compares to Insta360’s
DJI’s dual camera Osmo Pocket 4P is ready to challenge Insta360’s Luna Ultra.
Insta360 Luna Ultra review: Let the gimbal camera wars begin
Insta360's first gimbal camera is a high-powered Osmo Pocket rival that you can actually buy.
Laguna Beach Looking at Business and Hotel Tax Increases
City officials are looking at avenues for increased taxes in Laguna Beach, specifically geared toward day trippers’ pockets.
New rules expand ACA insurance choices but could come with risks
Plans could offer 30 percent higher out-of-pocket costs or no set hospital networks. Critics say the changes may reduce enrollment by 2 million.
DJI and Insta360 go to war in the U.S. over its action gimbal cameras
Insta360's Luna Ultra and DJI's Osmo Pocket 4 Pro can't compete among consumers in the U.S. due to the Trump admin. So, they're battling it out over patents instead.
11 New Pocket Knives, Multi-Tools and EDC Items You Might Have Missed
One of Blade Show’s biggest winners headlines the week, but it’s hardly the only standout in the latest crop of cutting-edge releases.
DJI sues Insta360 for how similar the Luna Ultra is to the Osmo Pocket 4P
Perhaps surprisingly, the lawsuits are being filed in the US. A couple of days ago, Insta360 made its DJI Osmo Pocket 4P competitor official in the Luna...
Online racism is significantly impacting mental health, First Nations people say: ‘It’s like carrying a bully in your pocket’
Australian Human Rights Commission has called for a digital duty of care to prevent social media algorithms from incentivising ‘racist’ content
Not all redheads have freckles: scientists reveal surprising genetic truth - Futura-Sciences
Redhead myths: what’s science and what’s just legend? First, a reality check: redheads are rare. Very rare, in fact. It’s estimated they make up just 1 to 2% of the world’s population. You’ll spot the highest numbers mostly in Scotland and Ireland, but also in pockets across Northern Europe. This...
Nintendo wanted to block Palworld — now it faces a 0% chance and a measly $30K payout
Public record shows the Nintendo v Pocketpair case is practically wrapped up and the best Nintendo can hope for is $30k chump change
DJI Is Suing Insta360 for Violating Multiple Osmo Pocket Patents
DJI Has filed two patent lawsuits against Arashi Vision Inc., which does business as Insta360, regarding its new Luna gimbal camera.
Boox updates 6-inch pocketable Android e-reader with stylus support
The Boox Go 6 Gen II turns one of the best Android e-readers into a pocketable notepad with support for...
Ahead of October 1 court hearing, Nintendo has zero chance of prevailing over current Palworld versions: it may get $30K chump change
Nintendo and Pocketpair appear to have completed their written pleadings and submissions of evidence. The Tokyo District Court will hear the case on October 1.
Ex-Reno business owner indicted for allegedly embezzling $7.8 million from high-speed internet project
“Through multiple fraudulent schemes, the defendant clearly exploited trust to line his pockets,” according to an FBI official.
Insta360's Luna Ultra Takes On DJI's Osmo Pocket Gimbal Cameras
Insta360 has launched its first gimbal camera, the $770 Luna Ultra.
watchOS 27 Introduces Workout Buddy Upgrades, Better Sleep Tracking, and More
watchOS 27 contains a series of enhancements to fitness and sleep tracking, including new Workout Buddy insights, improved indoor run tracking, and more. Workout Buddy is gaining new data-driven motivation features, delivering progress updates for pace, distance, and workout duration based on a user's fitness history. Apple is also enabling Workout Buddy to function without an iPhone nearby, allowing users to stay motivated during workouts without needing a phone in their pocket or hand.
Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday, 6/6/26
Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, JeremyBloom…
Minor sports at University of Arkansas, other major colleges struggle to survive
FAYETTEVILLE -- The future of tennis and other minor sports at major universities depends on the kindness of people with deep pockets or the helping hand of the federal government.
I used the Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and I only want one in my pocket
The Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 may share a form factor, but they offer very different experiences.
Palworld launches July 10
Open-world survival crafting game Palworld will leave Early Access and launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store on July 10, developer Pocketpair announc…
NC State Health Plan board approves Medicare Advantage plan benefit changes despite retiree concerns
Retirees on the state's Medicare Advantage will face higher out-of-pocket maximums next year, as well as higher copays for many medical services.
Gothic's remake is out today, adding new detail and awfulness to the 2001 RPG's bustling prison world
Off you go to magic mining prison: the remake of terrific pocket world RPG Gothic is out today.
Most and least expensive states for out-of-pocket healthcare spending
Utah, Virginia and California vs. Alaska, Oregon and Maine: Guess which trio’s residents spend the most on healthcare and which spend the least.
Cyberdecks are having a moment, rejecting big tech surveillance with style and substance
Over the last few months, these DIY hardware communities have exploded in popularity as people on social media show off their solar-powered game emulators, pocket-sized ereaders, and clamshell purse computers.
Gas tax debate revives 2022 playbook in Georgia governor’s race
Keisha Lance Bottoms is seizing on Gov. Brian Kemp's decision to let Georgia's gas tax suspension expire, framing the move as a pocketbook test for her Republican rivals.
GL.iNet Releases The World’s First True Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router
This pocket-sized Wi-Fi 7 try-band router is small enough to take on the road. It can be run from a power bank using a 5G dongle for completely portable use in the field.
Galaxy Watch 9 leak hints at three new models, plus a borrowed feature from Google
Samsung's Galaxy Watch 9 may get the Pixel Watch 4's best trick
Trump Lame Duck Status May Have Already Arrived
Trump’s moves against GOP incumbents and his lack of focus on pocketbook issues may hasten his political decline.
Meet a Health Hero: Katelynn Devinney of Pockets of Hope
The 2025 Health Hero Challenge winner sews and donates drainage tube-friendly sweatshirts to women recovering from mastectomy surgery.
Key Facts About Health Care Affordability for People With Medicare
This brief presents key facts and analysis about affordability of health care costs among people with Medicare, including younger adults with long-term disabilities, drawing on data from various sources.
Sony Launches Reon Pocket Pro Plus Wearable Air Conditioner In Time For Summer Heatwaves
Sony’s latest “thermo device” is designed to keep you cool during intense summer heat. Here’s all you need to know.
Sony Launches Reon Pocket Pro Plus Wearable Air Conditioner In Time For Summer Heatwaves
Sony’s latest “thermo device” is designed to keep you cool during intense summer heat. Here’s all you need to know.
The Team Behind The Flipper One Needs Your Help
You’ve probably heard of the Flipper Zero, a pocket-sized device that packs in lots of great hacking potential. The team behind it has now turned their efforts towards developing the Flipper …
Antonio Gracias’ Valor stands to pocket billions from SpaceX IPO
Antonio Gracias, the founder of Chicago-based Valor Equity Partners and a longtime Elon Musk ally, controls a 4% economic stake in SpaceX.
Xreal Project Aura crams a whole VR headset into a pair of smart glasses, and it's exactly what Android XR was made for
With a phone-sized pocket puck and a sleek appearance, these are the Android XR smart glasses we've been waiting for.