We don’t speak for all moms, but a brief and unscientific survey has confirmed one gift most moms will love across the board: Time. Unspoken for, unstructured, zero-obligation time. While we couldn’t find extra hours on sale anywhere online, we did find some gadgets and gizmos that help save time and others that make precious down time more enjoyable. Our recommendations include some of the gifts we’ve given to the moms in our own lives as well as what the moms on staff would want for themselves. Most have a tech bent, because we are who we are, but all should appeal to any mom who wants to make the most of their time.
Shut-ins of the world, you’ll have to wait a bit longer for your ultimate wish-fulfillment video game. Date Everything!, the cheekily bizarre romantic sim from Team17 and Sassy Chap Games, is no longer arriving on October 24, as was initially announced. On Friday, the team pushed back the game’s release date to Valentine’s Day 2025.
On a game design level, Date Everything! appears to be a simple dating simulator with dialogue branches and voiced characters. What sets it apart is its delightfully absurd premise: You can date all your household objects, thanks to magical glasses known as the “Dateviator.”
Your dateable objects each have a distinct personality and branching storylines. Your romantic possibilities include a laundry hamper (the fiery “Harper”), a vacuum cleaner (the hunky “Hoove”) and your overwhelming (and shirtless) sense of existential dread who would prefer just to be called “Doug.” As unappealing as that bunch sounds for a romantic fling, it may still beat today’s microtransaction-riddled dating apps.
Team17 / Sassy Chap Games
Depending on your dialog branch choices, each humanized object can become a Love, Friend or Hate. The game’s press release promised that each outcome influences a “critical path tying it all together,” so choose wisely between the lamp and the towel who dresses like Liberace.
Date Everything! arrives on February 14, 2025, on Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/absurdist-romance-sim-date-everything-has-been-delayed-to-valentines-day-2025-163412249.html?src=rss
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against TikTok claiming the company violated a new child privacy law in the state. It's set to be the first test of Texas’ Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act since it went into effect just over a month ago.
Under the law, parts of which were struck down by a federal judge, social media platforms are required to verify the ages of younger users and offer parental control features, including the ability for parents to opt their children out of data collection.
Paxton alleges that TikTok’s existing parental control features are insufficient. "However, Defendants do not provide the parents or guardians of users known to be 13 to 17 years old with parental tools that allow them to control or limit most of a known minor’s privacy and account settings,” the lawsuit states. “For example, parents or guardians do not have the ability to control Defendants’ sharing, disclosing, and selling of a known minor’s personal identifying information, nor control Defendants’ ability to display targeted advertising to a known minor."
The lawsuit also argues that the app’s “Family Pairing” tool isn’t “commercially reasonable” because it requires parents to make their own TikTok account and because teens are free to deny their parents’ requests to set up the monitoring tool. TikTok didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The app already prohibits most targeted advertising to anyone younger than 18.
"We strongly disagree with these allegations and, in fact, we offer robust safeguards for teens and parents, including family pairing, all of which are publicly available," the company said in a statement shared on X. "We stand by the protections we provide families."
The lawsuit adds to TikTok’s growing legal challenges in the United States. The company is currently fighting a law that could result in a total ban of the app in the United States. It’s also facing a separate Justice Department lawsuit related to child privacy.
Update, October 3, 2024, 8:05 PM ET: This story has been updated to add a statement from TikTok.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/texas-is-suing-tiktok-for-allegedly-violating-its-new-child-privacy-law-235432146.html?src=rss
Following a beta test earlier this year, Steam Families is now live with a new way for relatives to be connected on the gaming portal. Up to five family members can be invited into a group, which will grant access to a shared family library. Each person can create their own save files and collect their own achievements for games in the family library.
The marquee development with the new family feature is that multiple people within the group will be able to play games from the shared library at the same time. And if you own multiple copies of a game, then multiple people can be playing that title at once. The caveat with family sharing is that a game developer may opt not to support the feature. Steam maintains a list of the titles that currently have family sharing enabled.
Steam Families also folds in the features of the old Steam Family View, where the adults can monitor and limit what the children in the group can do on the platform. Any adult in the family will be able to restrict kids' access to Steam's store, communities or chat. They can also set playtime limits, approve extensions to the limits and recover a child's account if the password is lost.
This type of family sharing plan doesn't always reflect a person's home environment, and Steam does have some restrictions on Steam Families' use. Adults can leave a family group at any time, but have to wait a year before they can join or create another family. Also, the Steam accounts need to be in the same country to join a family group.
Valve has a full FAQ on its Steam support page detailing the limitations of Steam Families and how to restrict the games kids in your family have access to.
Update, September 12, 1:40PM: This story was updated after publish with additional information on Steam's FAQ for its families feature.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/steam-families-library-sharing-is-live-and-you-can-all-play-at-the-same-time-231044311.html?src=rss
When I was a preteen, social media was just getting going, so there weren't many restrictions in place regarding access. Now, regulations — and the consequences of not having them — are everywhere, with the latest example coming courtesy of Meta (a case study for all the good and bad social media has to offer). Meta has announced it's opening up Horizon Worlds to preteens with parent-approved access to a Meta account.
Anyone aged 10 to 12 can soon request entry to the VR game and explore different worlds like The Space Station or Citadel. Each world is also getting a rating of ages 10+, 13+ or 18+, with ones in the last category not shown as an option to anyone 17 or younger. Parents can either approve all worlds in a specific age bracket, go through and pick specific ones or wait for their kid to send a request.
Further safety features in Horizon Worlds for preteens include the fact that voice chat is disabled for everyone except parent-approved contacts, there are no follow suggestions and there are automatic offline status and visibility settings — something only a parent can change. All parent-managed accounts will also permanently have the personal boundary feature turned on, stopping other avatars from getting too close. Plus, anyone using a Meta Quest 2 or 3 headset will have to re-enter their birthday before playing.
As thought out as these measures seem, parents and guardians might not want to trust that Meta will take care of everything without question. The company has hardly kept young people's well-being at the forefront of their decisions, with lawmakers slamming (and suing) Meta for its disregard. Nearly every state across the US has taken part in lawsuits alleging Meta hooks teenagers onto its platforms and repeatedly promotes safety features while ignoring staff pleas to devote more time and resources to protecting children. Our deep dive into all of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's dangerous decisions (including the company taking minimal action to stop adults from sexually harassing children on Facebook and Instagram) is available here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-open-up-horizon-worlds-access-to-preteens-130059930.html?src=rss
Date Everything! has a perfect title. It's a dating sim in which you'll be able to date humanoid manifestations of many objects throughout your home. You won't have to wait too long to check it out, as it's coming to Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on October 24.
This project from developer Sassy Chap Games and publisher Team17 features more than 100 voice-acted dateable characters, from a vacuum cleaner to a shelf and even your own sense of existential dread. That's deep, man. According to the trailer description, each dateable object has its own story to tell and could become a lover, friend or enemy.
Date Everything! seems to draw inspiration from the excellent Boyfriend Dungeon, a dating sim/dungeon crawler mashup in which you can date your weapons to level them up. In any case, it looks like a wild time. This one's well and truly on my wishlist.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/date-everything-will-let-you-romance-objects-in-your-home-on-october-24-142727451.html?src=rss
Have you ever looked at something in your home like a dining room table or an adjustable height desk and wondered what it would be like to go on a date with it? Also, were you sober at the time? A new dating sim game called Date Everything! will let you see just what it’s like to search for true, meaningful love with the things you see almost every day (in the cleanest way possible, of course).
The surreal sounding dating sim game comes from an LA-based studio called Sassy Chap Games founded by a group of voice actors who’ve worked on games and shows like Critical Role, HiFi-Rush, One Punch Man, Final Fantasy XV, X-Men ‘97 and Genshin Impact. The indie game publisher Team17 will distribute the game for PC on Steam, the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, according to a press release.
The game puts players in the role of a lonely heart who receives a special pair of glasses called a “Dateviator” that transforms items in their home into human date candidates. For instance, the vacuum cleaner turns into a hunky heartthrob named Hoove and the laundry hamper transforms into a fiery redhead named Harper. Date Everything! has 100 possible mates in your home with their own voices, styles and personalities.
You get to know items like the refrigerator or the drawing room piano in their human forms. Depending on how things go, the relationship can end in one of three ways: Love, Friend or Hate. These relationships create a chain of different possible paths in which your choices influence the outcome along a “critical path tying it all together,” according to the press release.
Team17/Sassy Chap Games
Since Date Everything! comes from a studio founded by voice actors, all of the characters are fully voiced. Some of the more familiar names include Felicia Day from Supernatural and Mystery Science Theater 3000, Johnny Yong Bosch from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers and Grey DeLisle from Scooby-Doo and The Last Airbender.
Date Everything! doesn’t just sound like a new and interesting twist on the dating sim game concept. It also sounds like a great way to boost your ego. If you’re down because you don’t have someone in your life, at least you can play the game and realize, “Well, at least I’m not trying to date my garbage disposal.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-date-everything-in-date-everything-190032967.html?src=rss
The new Lovestruck expansion pack for The Sims 4gives the decade-old sequel a shot of life by turning it into a full-fledged dating sim — including non-monogamous WooHoo-ing for the first time. In addition to polyamory, the $40 DLC adds an in-game dating app, an encounter-planning system, turn-ons and turn-offs and a swanky singles club where Leisure Suit Larry (apologies for the dated reference) would feel right at home.
The expansion pack takes your Sim to Ciudad Enamorada, “a gorgeous city in love and the perfect place for all of your romantic encounters.” It includes three neighborhoods for all the dangerous (if you’re into that) liaisons your Sim’s gibberish-speaking heart can handle.
Your Sim can meet, flirt, spark romance or even rent a room at “Beso Rápido” for a quickie WooHoo. They’re no longer boxed into monogamy, letting you set up dates with as many partners as your Sim wants.
EA
The Cupid’s Corner app (in the game, not on your phone) lets your Sim snap selfies, create a profile and set preferences for compatible partners. Potential connections will appear in the app’s Matches tab, where you can tap a heart to save and spark a chat.
The date planner lets you craft a night to remember with customizable date types, venues, group invites (ha-cha-cha), activities and goals. When you meet your match for the date, you can test the chemistry by playing games, chatting over a picnic, sharing food or cuddling (or something like that) in bed. Most importantly, EA added new options for kisses, sultry dances and three new WooHoo spots... because variety is the spice of life.
The expansion adds four romance types that will vary depending on the partners: wholesome, steamy, strained and unpredictable. Your Sim can level up their romance skills as they mingle and unlock spicy new interactions.
The Lovestruck expansion for The Sims 4 costs $40 and launches on July 25. Those who pre-order the DLC will get digital bonuses like a Cry Me a River Eyeliner (it wouldn’t be dating without a few broken hearts), Herbert Heart Plushie and, everyone’s favorite, the Basic Breakup Double Bed.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-sims-4s-lovestruck-expansion-lets-you-dive-into-a-steamy-polyamory-sandbox-193545470.html?src=rss
Elon Musk had sexual relations with a SpaceX intern who was later hired onto his executive staff as a troubleshooter, The Wall Street Journal reported. He also had an intimate relationship with a second employee and allegedly asked a third woman to have his babies, according to the report. When the latter refused, Musk denied her a raise and complained about her performance, according to the WSJ's sources.
In one case, Musk pursued a relationship with an intern. Later, he contacted her about a fulltime job at SpaceX to "find problems at the company and fix them," according to the report. She became a full-time member of Musk's executive group, something former employees found unusual for someone so junior — despite her talent as an engineer. (The woman told the WSJ that she didn't want to be part of the article and said in an affidavit that her and Musk remained friends.)
Another woman said she was accused by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell of having an affair with Shotwell's husband. The woman reported the event to HR, something that allegedly got back to Shotwell. Shotwell then demanded the woman be removed from the chief executive's office. Musk later had a sexual relationship with the same woman, who has since left the company.
The WSJ said its reporting is based on text message, emails, documents and interviews with more than 48 people, "including former employees, people familiar with Musk’s interactions with female subordinates and friends and family of the women."
Musk didn't reply to the WSJ. In a comment, Shotwell said:
"The untruths, mischaracterizations, and revisionist history in your email paint a completely misleading narrative. I continue to be amazed by what this extraordinary group of people are achieving every day even amidst all the forces acting against us. And Elon is one of the best humans I know."
This is far from the first report about inappropriate behavior at SpaceX, though. Late in 2021, former employees described a "culture of sexual harassment" at the company, including unwanted advances, lewd comments and physical contact. Last year, Musk was accused of sexual misconduct by a SpaceX flight attendant and earlier in 2024, a SpaceX lawsuit claimed repeated instances of gender discrimination and basic safeguarding failures.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wsj-details-elon-musks-questionable-conduct-with-spacex-employees-120057625.html?src=rss
It’s never good to recommend a comedy by saying it makes you weep, but somehow Bluey, a comedy for kids, feels more real and more truthful than anything else on TV. I see so much of myself in Bandit’s triumphs and failures as he tries to parent his two daughters. I nod along to all of his unsuccessful parenting tactics that, I’ll admit, I’ve also tried on my own two kids. And then, at the end of so many episodes, I’ll realize that the front of my t-shirt is wet with tears because I've been crying.
There can’t be many people unfamiliar with Bluey, the biggest kids’ TV series on the planet, if not the biggest series overall. Each seven-minute episode is a slice-of-life sitcom about the Heelers, a family of anthropomorphic dogs living in Brisbane, Australia. Bluey and her younger sister Bingo live with parents Bandit and Chilli. The show started out focused on the playtimes the kids would have with each other or their parents. But it quickly sprawled out to create a rich world in the vein of The Simpsons, with a whole city’s worth of storylines. It can now regularly relegate the Heelers to the background to focus on the show’s deep cast of characters.
It closed out its third season with last Sunday's “The Sign,” a (comparatively) epic 28-minute episode and this week with “Surprise,” a sweet little postscript. The former’s long running time was described as a dry-run for any potential Bluey movie, wrapping up a number of the show’s storylines. It focuses on a wedding taking place at the Heeler’s home in the shadow of the family’s plan to relocate to another city. I won’t spoil too much beyond saying “The Sign” is a story about the bigness of change and how that affects parents and kids alike. Much of it focused on Bandit’s decision to move for a better-paid job and the way that impacted Chilli and the two girls. It’s a complicated issue, especially because it highlights that parents often just want to do what’s best for the kids.
Ludo Studio
“Surprise,” meanwhile, focuses more on the mundane struggle of Bandit trying to play two different games with his daughters at the same time. Much as Bluey wants to be just seven minutes of silly fun, it can’t quite help but be honest about the emotional and physical labor of parenting. All Bandit wants to do is sit down and watch sport on the TV but his daughters won’t allow him that luxury. He’s chased around the house, forced to pretend to teach a tennis ball to ride a bike and then pelted with ping pong balls fired from a toy launcher. (Bluey’s happy to highlight how often Bandit will get hit in the groin as a consequence of whatever game the girls are playing.)
The payoff to all of that effort comes in the final half minute of the episode, which is when I started sobbing. As much as it may be pitched as a palate cleanser after the scale and emotional heft of the previous episode, the final moments offer a real (if pleasant) punch to the gut. I can’t help but feel plenty of parallels in Bluey’s life and that of my own (similarly-aged) daughter, and feel a lot of kinship with Bandit as well. If I’m one one-hundredth as good a parent as this silly cartoon dog who often gets it wrong, then I’ll feel like I’ve done a good job.
There’s been speculation that this third season may be the end for Bluey. Bloomberg reported the uncertainty around creator Joe Brumm’s future with the show, although producer Sam Moor has said it will continue in some form. Any delay would also risk that the child actors – who remain anonymous for their own safety — will age out of being able to play their roles. But in many ways, Bluey can’t not continue given the show is now a multi-billion dollar cash cow for the BBC, which owns a big chunk of the show’s rights.
I don’t want to say goodbye to Bluey and the Heelers, and I’d prefer they kept the cast as-is and let them grow up alongside Bandit and Chilli. That, to me, would be an honest thing to do, rather than indulging in the fakery that dogs so many TV shows which face this problem. But if they have to go, I’ll choose to remember Bluey’s three perfect seasons through the highs and lows of parenting.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/what-we-watched-blueys-joyful-finales-161527282.html?src=rss