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Microsoft adds Steam games to its Xbox PC app on Windows

Microsoft adds Steam games to its Xbox PC app on Windows

The Verge6 hours ago

Microsoft is starting to test its new aggregated gaming library in its Xbox PC app on Windows. Xbox Insiders will now be able to see their Steam and Battle.net games all within the Xbox app — making it a single launcher for most installed PC games.
This new consolidated library will roll out to the Xbox app later this year, as well as new devices like the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds. It's part of Microsoft's efforts to make the Xbox app on Windows the home of PC gaming and compete with Steam and SteamOS by combining Windows and Xbox.
'When a player installs a game from a supported PC storefront, it will automatically appear in 'My library' within the Xbox PC app, as well as the 'Most recent' list of titles in the sidebar — making it easier than ever to jump back into your games,' explains Manisha Oza, product manager of the Xbox platform. Microsoft says support for additional PC storefronts will roll out over time.
If you want to try out the new aggregated library in the Xbox app on Windows, you can simply download the Xbox Insider Hub on PC and join the PC gaming preview. You can also manage the visibility of games by hiding any PC storefront in the Library & Extensions section of the Xbox app settings.

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A play about surfing and the choppy waters of life? Swell.
A play about surfing and the choppy waters of life? Swell.

Washington Post

time9 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

A play about surfing and the choppy waters of life? Swell.

When you hit the beach, you count on waves. At the Pacific-shallows setting of Aurora Real de Asua's comedy 'Wipeout,' you're in for surges of life-affirming sentiment that scud and peak and wash through the tale with grace but a certain predictability. Watching this story about three 60-plus-year-old women taking their first surfing lesson, you are never far from a heartstring-tugging beat or a triumph-of-the-human-spirit epiphany, many of which you can see coming from a nautical mile off. Still, while the playwright delivers few surprises, her dialogue billows with delightful zingers. Director Danilo Gambini makes one major miscalculation in his Studio Theatre staging, but the production features a few gloriously funny sequences and some moving ones. The golden girls seeking hang-ten instruction in this scenario are old friends and contrasting personalities whose reunion in Santa Cruz, California, simmers with charged memories and barbed banter. Gary (Katherine Cortez) is a firecracker of energy and enthusiasm. The oft-married Wynn (Delissa Reynolds) is prickly in a way that obviously masks inner pain. Claudia (Naomi Jacobson) is a high-strung and anxious type quick to see a shark in a piece of kelp. As 19-year-old surfer dude Blaze (Alec Ludacka) attempts to teach them how to shred, the trio contemplates aging, grapples with old hurt and memories, and experiences the bittersweet glories of friendship. The terrific actors bring intensity to their roles when needed, as when Claudia all but palpitates with last-minute misgivings about the surf lessons, a stricken look in her eyes. But the most satisfying scenes are the ones that show off the performers' superb comic timing. Blaze makes his entrance in a priceless sequence that's half beach-god swagger, half innocent-teenager frolicking. And the cheerful, tone-deaf bro vibes he brings to his coaching sessions can be hilarious. Cortez, Jacobson and Reynolds find the zest in the play's quips. 'You always say Cabernet is only good for district attorneys and libertarians,' Wynn reminds Gary when the conversation has turned to wine. But if the drollery in the situation and relationships comes through, the characters' courage sometimes doesn't, because of a staging conceit that, while impressively bold, ultimately proves counterproductive. 'Wipeout' is set entirely in the water, but at Studio we see the action unfold in the kitchen and living room of a meticulously realized beachside bungalow, complete with wicker furniture, china cabinets and TV sets (which relay some ocean imagery). Even as the protagonists talk about paddling techniques or scope out the bodies of other beachgoers, they appear to be hanging out indoors — Wynn is even dressed in flowing pink lounge wear. (Jimmy Stubbs designed the set, and Valérie Thérèse Bart the costumes. Lighting designer Andrew R. Cissna adds some fun éclat at times of ride-the-swell excitement.) The gimmick allows for varied movement and stage business while avoiding any need to mimic flotation: Rather than milling around awkwardly with surfboards, the characters appear to indulge in at-home activities like drinking martinis and eating grapes. There is some ingenious use of faucets and the like to evoke maritime brine (the melting contents of an ice bucket conjure a current), and a coffee table is an adequate stand-in for a surfboard. The setup arguably adds theatricality on one level, forcing us to imagine the Pacific when we're looking at what could be a spread from Elle Decor. But the imagery has the unfortunate side effect of visually relegating the characters to domesticity — the women, especially, since they do most of the puttering. This day in the sea is probably one of the braver things Claudia, Gary and Wynn have done, and instead of allowing the stage picture and body language to bring that out, the production often makes their surfing gambit feel tame. As the play nears its climax, there are some admittedly powerful reveals that emphasize the significance of the three friends' oceangoing fling. For them, the meaning arrives in rogue-wave twists. For us, it's more familiar whitewater. Wipeout, through July 27 at Studio Theatre. About 110 minutes, no intermission.

For Clues On AI's Impact On Jobs, Watch Today's Tech Jobs
For Clues On AI's Impact On Jobs, Watch Today's Tech Jobs

Forbes

time10 minutes ago

  • Forbes

For Clues On AI's Impact On Jobs, Watch Today's Tech Jobs

We know artificial intelligence – particularly generative and agentic AI – is reshaping jobs. But the exact impact is still a great unknown. But the impacts we're already seeing in tech jobs, many of which are at the forefront of the AI, generative AI, and agentic revolution – may provide clues to where things are going – a crucible for the AI-shaped job market of the near future. For starters, there doesn't appear to be evidence that AI is sweeping away jobs. There's even some evidence that it may help increase, rather than reduce jobs, particularly for technology occupations. There has been no noticeable impact on graduates starting out in the job market, and there's even been growth in white-collar jobs, an analysis published in The Economist shows. The researchers cite the relative immaturity of AI development – only 10% use AI on a enterprise scale – and it's primary role as a productivity platform. In addition, looking more closely at tech roles, at least seven in 10 technology leaders surveyed by one major analyst firm, 69%, indicate they're planning to increase headcounts – at least within technology areas – to build genAI capabilities. Technology jobs are the first category being reshaped by AI, a recent study out of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta confirmed. The category of 'computer and mathematical occupations' saw demand for AI skills grow from two percent of postings in 2010 to 12% of postings in 2024. Other occupational groups, including architecture and engineering; business and financial operations; and management, are also seeing increasing proportions of AI within their job descriptions. AI and genAI 'are already changing the set of skills employers are demanding from the workforce,' the Fed survey suggested, with the percentage of job postings requiring AI-related skills increasing steadily. "Demand for AI skills is rising not just in computer and mathematical occupations but in a broader set of occupations, which they attribute to the increasing technical capabilities of AI to perform more tasks." Industry observers point to technology roles as examples of how jobs are evolving to hybrid mixes of human and genAI and agentic AI-led tasks. Notably, the latest evolution of AI – agents – are poised to take on more tasks within a range of jobs. AI agents 'can take a goal, break it into subtasks, and work on finding the best solution for these tasks individually,' aid Andreas Welsch, founder and chief AI strategist at Intelligence Briefing. 'Agents have access to additional information, tools, and resources – for example, code repositories, APIs, or websites. They can take on specialized roles such as an architect, software engineer or QA tester, and work on tasks within the typical scope of that role.' This doesn't mean AI will pick up tasks and business will go on as usual. 'Firstly, it is a complete paradigm change in how we use and interact with software systems,' said Chris Burchett, senior vice president for genAI at Blue Yonder. "Secondly, it is evolving at an unprecedented pace never before seen." To break in and thrive in such a world, Burchett advises "not to wait. You have to get started using the technology immediately. Second, you must have staying power to evolve with the changes because that is the only way to keep up and learn the unique capabilities AI unlocks. Third, you need to an abstraction layer that allows you technical agility to move across different models, frameworks and providers with minimal rework.' At the same time, the role of AI has limits. "AI might initially perform at a junior coder's level, 'but still requires human input and oversight,' Welsch pointed out. 'This means that human software developers will still need to define the project, its objectives and personas, and the expected behavior of an application. Users will need to acquire this knowledge as well as learn how to communicate with agentic AI systems to derive the most relevant results quickly.' While large language models have been trained on historic data and are able to generate code, 'this code is not always the most efficient implementation of a solution,' he added. Importantly, 'just because the AI-generated code is functional doesn't automatically make it secure. Additional tools or humans in the loop are needed to conduct security reviews of the generated code to mitigate any loopholes.' AI in general, "has the opportunity to amplify – not eliminate – human talent," said Gajen Kandiah, AI and enterprise transformation leader and former president and COO of Hitachi Digital. 'This is not about whether AI replaces developers. It is about how the role of developers—and the systems they create—are being redefined. The truth, as with most meaningful shifts, sits in the nuance. We will not see the future of engineers vanish. Instead, they'll evolve into AI trainers, strategic integrators, and problem-solvers." One thing is clear, Kandiah continued. 'The best developers will not be those who write the most lines of code – but those who design and deliver the most impact by partnering with intelligent systems." This applies to all workers as well, as the ability to work with AI to create new approaches to problems and opportunities will be a necessity in the months and years ahead.

New All-Time Low Price for This 15.6-inch FHD Portable Monitor, No Need to Wait for Prime Day
New All-Time Low Price for This 15.6-inch FHD Portable Monitor, No Need to Wait for Prime Day

Gizmodo

time10 minutes ago

  • Gizmodo

New All-Time Low Price for This 15.6-inch FHD Portable Monitor, No Need to Wait for Prime Day

A single screen can be too confining, especially when you need to multitask. Since carrying around a full-sized desktop monitor to take with them is not practical, portable monitors have become a handy alternative. The MNN portable monitor is unique in its extremely thin frame so it easily goes into any backpack and carry it with them to travel. Currently, Amazon is offering this 15.6-inch FHD portable monitor at an all-time low price of $61, down from its usual price of $90. This 31% discount makes it a smart choice if you're looking for a high-quality portable display. See at Amazon The MNN portable monitor features a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display: The matte screen is of high-end quality and reduces glare and reflections which makes it simple to operate in any light conditions. The monitor offers wide 178-degree viewing angles with accurate colors and sharp detail. Blue light filtering and flicker-free tech are also featured in the display which protects your eyes when using for extended periods. This monitor has two full-feature ports that are Type-C, and they support plug-and-play use with one USB-C cable for power and display signal. Your machine must support Thunderbolt 3.0 or USB 3.1 Type-C DP Alt Mode for it to be feasible. What's extremely popular as well is that the MNN portable monitor is light in weight and extremely thin so it easily fits into any briefcase, backpack, or suitcase. Its thinness and minimal weight ensure that it is convenient to carry along. The portable monitor features several modes of display, including copy mode, extended mode, second screen mode, and portrait mode. The flexibility enables you to mirror your main screen, expand your workspace or have the monitor in portrait orientation for reading or programming. HDR mode provides better image quality with brighter whites, deeper colors, and a more engaging viewing or gaming experience. Don't wait for Prime Day, this deal is already here and ready to bring your mobile setup to the next level. See at Amazon

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