January 2025
Target Rich, Cyber Poor: Strengthening Our Nation’s Critical Infrastructure Sectors
Key Cyber Initiatives from CISA: KEV Catalog, CPGs, and PRNI
Jimmy Butler to the Bucks? Cavs-Thunder preview, NBA Monday Madness recap with Mo Dakhil | Kevin O’Connor Show
On this episode of the Kevin O’Connor Show, Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Report hops on to discuss a wild Monday night in the NBA, and of course the latest trade rumors as we inch closer to the deadline.
Derek Carr says he won’t take a pay cut for 2025
When the Saints signed quarterback Derek Carr two years ago after he was released by the Raiders, the contract was structured as a two-year guarantee with a team option thereafter.
CES 2025: HP Will Use AI to Handle Your Game Settings For You
Whenever I log into a game, the first thing I do is hop into its settings and toy around with my options to try to strike a good balance between performance and graphics. It’s not exactly the most exciting first impression for a new title, but it can make my actual time spent playing a lot more seamless. Now, HP wants to automate that first hurdle away, so I can jump right into gameplay instead.
Omen AI beta optimizes your settings for you
As part of its CES 2025 announcements, the company announced its “Omen AI Beta,” coming to the HP Omen Gaming Hub this week. According to HP, this AI will use “machine learning to provide customized adjustments to operating system settings, hardware settings, and in-game settings” in just one click. That’s a lot to balance all at once, but the idea is that HP will scan your system to find out how to get max performance in your games, taking your individual setup into account, then make the needed changes for you.
Like other AI, it’ll need training data to pull that off. According to a spokesperson, Omen AI will use hardware specs, game configurations, and performance metrics from “millions of gaming systems” to come up with its optimizations, which it’ll then apply across your game and certain compatible parts of your wider system. In order to avoid conflicts with other companies’ products, its operating system changes will be limited to adjusting the “booster” settings already present in the company’s gaming software, while hardware setting changes will initially only work with Omen PCs. In other words, your optimizations might be a little less effective if you don’t have the right computer, but you also won’t need to worry about the program breaking hardware it’s not familiar with. (If you do encounter issues, there’s an undo button to change back to your setting from before you enabled the AI.)
Credit: HP
Even with those limitations, the feature is only set to work with Counterstrike 2 at launch, so expect a measured rollout. Still, promotional material does show the tool working in Valorant as well, so hopefully HP won’t abandon it after just a proof of concept.
That’s really what’ll make or break something like this. If it only works on a few titles, it’ll be great for headlines, but gamers will quickly forget about it. Integrations with other PC makers and companies like Nvidia are also possible down the line, I’m told, which could help widen the tool’s user base.
A wider user base also means more data to help train on, which does raise the issue of privacy. According to HP, Omen AI doesn’t use any personally identifiable information to train its AI models, and users can manage their data collection consent options from within the Omen Gaming Hub software. Still, even with the promise that data is anonymous and aggregated, it’s worth double checking your privacy settings if you have HP’s Omen Gaming Hub installed, even if you don’t plan on using AI.
Credit: HP
It’s interesting seeing something like this come first from a computer manufacturer rather than Microsoft or Nvidia, although the tool will be open to anyone with Omen Gaming Hub installed, whether or not they have an HP PC. Both in and out-of-game, it looks like you’ll be able to use Omen AI to access a quick toggle that will tell you your current fps as well as what fps you can expect to get upon enabling the tool. Even if these are just mock-ups for now, they do show a commitment to ease of use. That said, maybe a bit of fine control would be helpful here—what if I’m OK with the program adjusting my in-game settings but would rather have my operating system and hardware left alone?
How well Omen AI will work in reality depends on how the beta plays out and continued support. I’m rooting for it: It’s also a good example of the type of AI I actually like, since it’s more about eliminating tedium than replacing human creativity.
New mice from HP
HP also announced the HyperX Pulsefire Saga and Saga Pro mice at this year’s CES, which both look pretty standard on the surface, with 8K polling, six programmable buttons, and support for up to 26,000 DPI. There are some premium features, like magnetic weights, but what really sets them apart is their 3D-printed cases. You’ll get eight case parts in the box, which is enough for a full mouse, but you’re also free to swap out and customize options at your leisure, by downloading new open-source case parts from HP’s Printables account.
The HyperX Pulsefire Saga and Saga Pro mice will both be available in March. The former costs $80, while the latter hits $120, thanks to its added wireless functionality.
Bulls’ Coby White puts Victor Wembanyama on a poster with dagger dunk over 7-4 Spurs phenom
Coby White doesn’t dunk much. But when he does, he makes it count.
CES 2025: Sony Just Revealed When ‘The Last of Us’ Season Two Is Dropping
Sony may have won CES as far as I’m concerned—and the expo hasn’t even officially started.
The company made a number of announcements during its big CES media event, including pricing and availability information for its highly anticipated AFEELA car (a joint partnership with Honda). But it was the last announcement of the night that particularly caught my attention and excitement.
Sony surprised us all by welcoming Neil Druckmann, studio head of Naughty Dog, to the stage. Druckmann mentioned the studio’s upcoming space adventure game, The Intergalactic, but then revealed the company had one small announcement to make.
Credit: Jake Peterson
The Last of Us season two drops in April
As you might expect after a CES introduction from Neil Druckmann, Sony presented a new teaser for The Last of Us season two. Of course, there’s fresh footage we didn’t see in the season’s first trailer, as well as intriguing snippets of performances from Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, and Gabriel Luna. I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone who hasn’t played The Last of Us Part II, but if you’re a fan of season one, you’re in for a ride.
All that said, the teaser closed with the most important announcement of all CES: Season two kicks off in April.
Sony hasn’t given an exact date for this April release, but it’s more information than we’ve had before, and I’m here for it. I’ll be watching this teaser on repeat until the show aires.
Sony is turning more of its games into shows and movies
In addition to The Last of Us’ second season, Sony also announced a Ghost of Tsushima anime, a movie adaptation of Helldivers 2, as well as a Horizon Zero Dawn feature film, however the latter is only in the early stages of development.
Sony is clearly all-in on adapting its IP, and I don’t blame them. The company touted the box office success of its Uncharted movie, and noted that it was proud of other adaptations like Grand Turismo, Twisted Metal, and, of course, The Last of Us. The company also reminded the audience of its upcoming film adaptation of Until Dawn, showing off a spot filmed with actor Peter Stormare to promote it.
CES 2025: Eufy’s New ‘Three-in-One’ Robot Vacuum Left Me Scratching My Head
Today at CES, Eufy announced a new robot vacuum with a twist: it is also a stick and a hand vacuum. It’s not only the first “three-in-one” robot, it is also the winner of a CES Best of Innovation award. Having said that, I’ve had my hands on E20 the last week or so, and I have found it to be a bit confounding and underwhelming.
Credit: Amanda Blum
Eufy has made some of my favorite security cameras in the last few years—however, when it comes to vacuums, I’m often left unimpressed. Much was made of the Omni S1 last year when I tested it, and while the design was interesting and it performed well enough, I felt it was overpriced. The most complimentary I’ve ever been to Eufy was towards the X10 Pro Omni, which I said was “pretty good” for the price point.
I was excited about the E20 from the jump. It came in a delightfully small, light box, which may not seem exciting but most robot vacuums arrive in hulking, heavy boxes. Once I unpacked the box, I kept digging back through looking for the missing lid to the robot. I soon realized there wasn’t one. The robot has an exposed face, showing the handled, removable part of the stick vacuum. To me, it looks unfinished. When you remove the handle from the robot, it is unbalanced enough that the robot struggles to remain docked. I also found it odd that there is no place to dock the stick and attachments when not in use, which feels like a real missed opportunity.
Credit: Amanda Blum
Once I got it up and running, the E20 did a good job of mapping the space. However, it struggled to navigate it. Something about the weight of the handle makes the robot awkwardly balanced, and so it got stuck a number of times.
As a stick vacuum, the E20 worked fine. It is a little short and since I’ve spent a lot of the last year testing stick vacuums with computer displays from Dyson, Samsung, and Narwal, it was almost quaint to have such a simplistic stick in my hand. A drawback I noticed immediately was the E20’s tiny capacity. The tower is tiny, too. I had to return to the dock multiple times vacuuming the main floor of my very small house, and each time you have to take the vacuum apart, dock the head of it, wait for it to empty and then reattach it.
The handheld is simply the handle and any attachment without the stick. It performs about the same. There is a multitool, which is my favorite attachment, but I’d rather have a handheld nearby that I could quickly grab and put back than to deal with the E20.
More curious, at a time when every robot vacuum practically bursts with pride boasting about astronomical suction power (we saw it as high as 22,000Pa this week), the E20 only has 8,000 Pa. What’s odd is that the stick vacuum has 30,000Pa. So, the robot and the stick don’t share a motor, which seems to mean the robot is merely a place to store the handle. It makes very little sense to me.
What the E20 has going for it is price. It’s only $540 and will be available for presale starting Jan. 6, for $50 off retail. Still, since it is merely a vacuum and not a robot vacuum/mop combo, I think there are better options at this price point, like the Switchbot K10+.
CES 2025: This Beach Umbrella Can Charge Your Phone
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
If what you enjoy most about the beach is sitting in the shade, sipping a cold beverage, and scrolling on your phone, have I got exciting news for you: Today at CES, Anker Solix announced the immanent release of a new Solar Beach Umbrella, as well as an electric cooler, the EverFrost 2. When used together, these devices can quite literally work to keep you cool this summer.
Outdoor umbrellas with solar panels aren’t entirely new, and the options currently on the market typically have a small solar-capturing panel that can power lights built into the frame. However, Anker is approaching solar integration in its outdoor furniture differently. The panels span the entire crown of the umbrella, offering 100W of maximum solar input, which is the same as a standard solar panel. They seem wildly efficient at producing energy, too—Anker promises 200% solar generation in low light (20,000lux), and 130% in bright light intensity (50,000lux). This means the umbrella will create a generous amount of solar driven energy even when it is overcast.
Credit: Anker Solix
What will you do with all that energy? Probably recharge your phone, or perhaps a speaker. But Anker thinks you might also want to plug in any of the many power stations it sells, to get even more juice for your devices. Maybe you’ll plug it directly into the EverFrost 2, to keep food and drinks frosty? (Though fully charged, the cooler will last 52 hours using only the onboard battery, so you’d only need the umbrella to power if you’re planning to spend a long time at the beach.) The umbrella has XT-60 and USB-C ports, and the battery on the cooler also acts as a power bank, offering 60W USB-C and 12W USB-A charging.
The umbrella is 84 inches tall and 74 inches in diameter, enough to keep a few people shaded during the day. The solar panels are waterproof (rated IP67) and use sunshade fabric to reduce heat under the umbrella. Anker hasn’t indicated what the cooler or umbrella weigh, an important omission given hauling these things to the beach might be a lot of work, what with all that battery power onboard. It’s more likely you’ll keep the umbrella on your patio, where it will become an additional source of power in your yard.
Anker Solix is solidly a battery company. They make terrific backup batteries, from tiny portables to whole home backups. They have a whole line of solar generators, and the solar panels to go with them. While solar power was for years relegated to powering outdoor goods that you didn’t have electricity for, and was generally unreliable, these days I actively choose solar over batteries because the technology has improved phenomenally. The solar panels on my outdoor security cameras perform astoundingly, even through weeks of overcast weather. While umbrella and cooler companies have previously tred to bring solar into their products, the results haven’t always been reliable, and the part they struggled with—the solar panels—is precisely the tech that Anker Solix is known for.
But more importantly, I think this speaks to where solar is headed. Consider what smart plugs can tell us: For years inside the home, we have been able to install smart plugs to turn common items into “smart” devices. Eventually, that connectivity made its way to the devices themselves. By bringing solar panels to devices themselves, Anker Solix is reducing the need for its own power stations. Imagine a future where you don’t need to lug around a giant power bank, but only the devices you want to use, all of which will all have onboard solar power. It will be interesting to see how Anker leverages solar moving forward to build out other experiences. Why not patio furniture that heats in winter or cools in summer?
The Anker Solix Beach Umbrella will be available this summe, with pricing to be announced. The Everfrost 2 will be available Feb. 21 in three sizes, starting at $699.