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This Linux app alerts you when an app tries to connect to the internet - and why that matters

Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET OpenSnitch is a Linux port of the popular MacOS app Little Snitch. This app is essentially an application firewall that tracks network requests from apps, so you can create rules to block or allow those requests. Why is that important? Also: 7 things every Linux beginner should know before downloading their first distro Say, for example, that you've installed a Linux app that shouldn't require internet access (those do still exist). You're using tha

Jack Dorsey’s Bluetooth messaging app Bitchat now on App Store

Bitchat, a messaging app created by Twitter and Block founder Jack Dorsey, is available to download from the iOS App Store. Dorsey says he coded the basis of the app over the course of a weekend in early July. Bitchat operates through Bluetooth mesh networks, which means that users can send messages to others within the range of Bluetooth connectivity — usually around 100 meters — without cell reception or a Wi-Fi connection. The app’s UX is very minimal. There is no log-in system, and you’re

One of Nintendo’s most creative Super Nintendo games is now on the Switch

is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Last night, Nintendo quietly added Mario Paint to the Nintendo Switch Online’s catalog of Super Nintendo games. Originally released back in 1992, Mario Paint was a unique SNES title, because although it included a handful of mini games, it was first and foremost a creative tool letting players draw, paint, animate, and even compose music using th

Ditch the Hot Oven: The Ultimate Summer Cooking Hack Is Sitting on Your Counter

I love grilling as much as the next backyard warrior, but standing over open flames in 90-degree heat feels less like cooking and more like slow-roasting myself. And firing up the oven indoors? That just turns your kitchen into a sauna and your living room into a convection zone. Not to mention, using a gas range with the windows shut is basically inviting bad air to dinner. That's where the air fryer swoops in. These compact countertop dynamos crank out crispy food fast, without turning your h

Jack Dorsey's Bluetooth messaging app is now on the App Store

Earlier this month, Block CEO and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey unveiled a peer-to-peer, Bluetooth-based messaging app he put together. Now, anyone with a compatible iPhone, Mac or iPad (or even Apple Vision Pro) can try Bitchat as it's available on the App Store . Dorsey created Bitchat under the auspices of "and Other Stuff," an open-source development collective he has backed financially . Per the free app's description, it allows users to chat with others who are physically close to them w

Mario Kart World and other Switch 2 games are 10 percent off

I wasn’t expecting to see any deals on Switch 2 games for a while. Even though the console is currently much easier to find in stock, game discounts — especially ones on first-party Nintendo launch games — aren’t the norm. However, you can get 10 percent off on the likes of Mario Kart World, and the Switch 2 editions of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild. Sure, these are small price drops, but anything that brings them closer to the cost of last-gen Switch games is

The best Switch emulator just got even better, and there’s more to come

Nick Fernandez / Android Authority TL;DR Nintendo Switch emulator Eden just dropped v0.0.3 release candidate. It brings performance improvements, plus key new features to make setup easier. The growing team also teased a few upcoming features, including EmuReady integration. Nintendo Switch emulation hit some big setbacks last year with Nintendo effectively shutting down Yuzu and Ryujinx, but more recently things have really started to heat up. The Yuzu fork Eden is one of the most promising

Itch.io is the latest marketplace to crack down on adult games

Indie video game marketplace Itch.io announced this week that it has “deindexed” adult and not-safe-for-work games, removing them from its browse and search pages. The move, the company said, was in response to a campaign by Collective Shout (an advocacy group that has previously criticized video games, rap music, and lingerie commercials) targeting both Itch.io and Steam for selling “No Mercy,” a game that depicts rape and incest. In an open letter addressed to executives at PayPal, Mastercar

Steam, Itch.io are pulling ‘porn’ games. Critics say it's a slippery slope

Late in the evening on July 23, developers with games tagged as NSFW on Itch.io, a digital marketplace, began to notice something strange. Their work—whether it was a game about navigating disordered eating as a teenager, or about dick pics—no longer appeared in search results. “No notification or anything,” says former NYU Game Center educator and developer Robert Yang, whose work explores gay history and culture. “Just found out via Bluesky.” Itch.io is deindexing, or removing from its searc

You can now easily buy a Switch 2 without jumping through hoops

Perhaps we’ve been thinking the same thing, you and I. That there won’t be a long-standing drought of Nintendo Switch 2 availability after all. The console has been easy to buy online from several retailers this week, including Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Amazon, which didn’t sell the Switch 2 at launch, is currently selling it by invitation only. The console’s messy preorder process and spotty launch availability made it feel a little like late 2020 all over again, when the PlayStation 5, X

Steam, Itch.io are pulling 'porn' games. critics say it's a slippery slope

Late in the evening on July 23, developers with games tagged as NSFW on Itch.io, a digital marketplace, began to notice something strange. Their work—whether it was a game about navigating disordered eating as a teenager, or about dick pics—no longer appeared in search results. “No notification or anything,” says former NYU Game Center educator and developer Robert Yang, whose work explores gay history and culture. “Just found out via Bluesky.” Itch.io is deindexing, or removing from its searc

Steam, Itch.io Are Pulling 'Porn' Games. Critics Say It's a Slippery Slope

Late in the evening on July 23, developers with games tagged as NSFW on Itch.io, a digital marketplace, began to notice something strange. Their work—whether it was a game about navigating disordered eating as a teenager, or about dick pics—no longer appeared in search results. “No notification or anything,” says former NYU Game Center educator and developer Robert Yang, whose work explores gay history and culture. “Just found out via Bluesky.” Itch.io is deindexing, or removing from its searc

Steam and Itch.io Are Pulling ‘Porn’ Games. Critics Say It’s a Slippery Slope to More Censorship

Late in the evening on July 23, developers with games tagged as NSFW on Itch.io, a digital marketplace, began to notice something strange. Their work—whether it was a game about navigating disordered eating as a teenager, or about dick pics—no longer appeared in search results. “No notification or anything,” says former NYU Game Center educator and developer Robert Yang, whose work explores gay history and culture. “Just found out via Bluesky.” Itch.io is deindexing, or removing from its searc

Once a relative haven for adult games, itch.io begins removing explicit titles

Indie game clearinghouse itch.io is the latest online gaming storefront to take action to remove or limit the availability of some adult content, bowing to pressure from payment processors spurred by an Australian grassroots group's campaign against certain sexualized content. Wednesday night, itch.io creators and users began noticing that many adult-oriented games and content were no longer appearing in search results on the platform. Other creators reported that their adult-focused titles had

The VTuber world is in crisis over ‘owed’ donations

is a reporter who covers the business, culture, and communities of video games, with a focus on marginalized gamers and the quirky, horny culture of video game communities. On July 21st, 6,669-year-old demon queen Ironmouse, posted an 11-minute video explaining that she is leaving her talent management agency, VShojo. Ironmouse is a VTuber, or “virtual YouTuber” — a type of a streamer who doesn’t typically show their human face, instead creating elaborate digital personas to create content. “I

Itch.io is removing NSFW games to comply with payment processors' rules

Itch.io has deindexed and hidden all adult games from its browse and search pages to make sure it doesn't lose the ability to sell with the payment processors it uses. The gaming marketplace, which mainly hosts titles from indie developers, has admitted in an announcement that it wasn't able to give creators advance notice. It "had to act urgently to protect the platform’s core payment infrastructure," it said, because the "situation developed rapidly." The website explained that it recently ca

How to buy the Switch 2: Nintendo's restock updates at Walmart, Best Buy, Target and others

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Update (7/24/25): Only a couple of days after the new Switch 2 Pokémon Legends: Z-A bundle was announced, you can now pre-order it at various retailers or pick up an existing Switch 2 bundle that's back in stock. The Pokémon bundle, which will be widely available in October, is availab

There's No Way a Controller This Good Should Be So Affordable

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. GameSir Super Nova Multiplatform Controller $50 at Amazon Pros Solid hardware Lots of customization Plenty of pro features Mappable buttons Affordable Cons Mobile app is limited PC app UI needs work No Xbox support I've used a lot of GameSir products over the years, and it's gotten to the point where I'm never sure what to expect when they send a new

The best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . If you're lucky enough to have a new Nintendo Switch 2 in hand right now, you're probably filling it up with old and new games alike. The console comes with 256GB of storage built in; that's eight times more than the original Switch and four times more than the Switch OLED. But the new

Itch.io follows Steam in removing adult games

The indie-focused open gaming marketplace Itch.io has abruptly deindexed adult content from its browse and search pages, warning that some games will be permanently removed from the platform. In a blog post on Thursday, Itch.io creator Leaf Corcoran said that the update was due to concerns that the website’s payment processors had “about the nature of certain content” hosted on the platform, following similar scrutiny against Steam. “Our ability to process payments is critical for every creator

Itch.io: Update on NSFW Content

We have “deindexed” all adult NSFW content from our browse and search pages. We understand this action is sudden and disruptive, and we are truly sorry for the frustration and confusion caused by this change. Recently, we came under scrutiny from our payment processors regarding the nature of some content hosted on itch.io. Due to a game titled No Mercy, which was temporarily available on itch.io before being banned back in April, the organization Collective Shout launched a campaign against St

I Test Cooking Tools for a Living. This Is the Best $25 You Can Spend on Your Kitchen

As a former girl scout I believe in leaving a place better than I found it. As a food writer and former culinary school student, this entails leaving behind a certain feature in any kitchen where I've lived. (As a former NYC resident, there were numerous kitchens.) It's the first thing I buy for a new kitchen, without even needing to take measurements. Where I put it might be up for grabs, but it's guaranteed to be going somewhere. I'd sooner live without a microwave or a (*gasps*) air fryer th

The Switch 2 had a very good launch month

We already knew that Nintendo got off to a strong start with the Switch 2’s launch, and now that the console has been out for a bit, we’re getting a clearer picture on exactly how it performed. According to market research firm Circana, Nintendo’s new console “debuted as the fastest selling video game hardware device in US history,” selling 1.6 million units in June. That topped the previous launch month record held by the PS4, which moved 1.1 million units in November of 2023. Unsurprisingly,

I Asked Pro Chefs: What Are the Most Worthless Kitchen Tools?

Our kitchens have become hotbeds of innovation, packed with high-powered air fryers, countertop smokers and other impressive tools designed to make cooking easier. But not every gadget deserves a spot on your counter -- some are better off in the trash with the food scraps. Rather than falling for every shiny new trend, it's wiser to invest in reliable, versatile gear that can actually make life easier. To help separate the helpful from the hype, we asked chefs and kitchen pros to weigh in on t

Switch 2 owners can play Borderlands 4 on October 3

Switch 2 owners won't have long to wait for Borderlands 4. On Tuesday, Gearbox founder and CEO Randy Pitchford said it will arrive on October 3. While some had worried the game would be pushed back to 2026, it will land on Nintendo's console less than a month after other platforms. Pitchford's video begins with a sober build toward what sounds like bad news. Just when you think he's about to announce a delay, he turns into an excited 10-year-old, yelling about the game's October release date. "

Waterfield Magnetic Case review: The most lavish way to carry your Switch 2 around

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Gamers aren't usually known for their sartorial elegance. But that doesn't mean we don't deserve nice things. So after checking out a very utilitarian carrying case for the Switch 2, I wanted to explore the other side of things with a more lavish travel bag. And while Waterfield's Magn

A Surprise Pokémon Game Just Dropped for Switch and Mobile

The Pokémon Company is releasing a new, unexpected game today: Pokémon Friends, a daily puzzle game you can download now for mobile devices, Switch, and Switch 2. The company revealed the game as part of a Pokémon Direct presentation that included new details on Pokémon Legends: Z-A and a Switch 2 bundle, Pokémon Champions, and more. In Pokémon Friends, players untangle yarn—essentially solving different puzzles, like freeing pokémon from a box or fixing tracks—to make and collect plush toys. O

There's a Switch 2 bundle with Pokémon Legends: Z-A dropping on October 16

Now that AAA video games cost a full $70, console bundles are the way to go to save a few coins. Nintendo is dropping another Switch 2 bundle just in time for the holiday season, and it's a real treat for Pokémon fanatics. The Nintendo Switch 2 + Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Bundle drops on October 16 and costs $500 . As the name suggests, this bundle includes a shiny new Switch 2 console and a digital copy of the enhanced version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The game itself wil

A daily Pokémon puzzle game is out now as part of a busy lineup

There’s a lot going on in the world of Pokémon — and you can play at least one of them right now. During its latest Pokémon Presents presentation, the Pokémon Company surprise launched Pokémon Friends, a puzzle game with daily challenges, an increasingly common style of game. In a cute Pokémon twist, solving puzzles earns you adorable (virtual) plushies you can use to decorate a room. It’s out today on iOS, Android, and the Nintendo Switch. Elsewhere, we also got looks at a pair of animated ada

This $20 Item Is the Thing I Buy First for My Kitchen When I Move

As a former girl scout I believe in always leaving a place better than I found it. As a food writer and former culinary school student, this entails always leaving behind a certain feature in any kitchen where I've lived. (As a former NYC resident, yes, there were numerous kitchens.) It's the first thing I buy for a new kitchen, without even needing to take measurements. Where I put it might be up for grabs, but it's guaranteed to be going somewhere. I'd sooner live without a microwave or a (*g