SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " sam " 5,299 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Neanderthals and modern humans may have shared culture 59,000 years ago in Turkey, study finds
Fossils, stone tools and seashells in Turkey show that Neanderthals and the Homo sapiens who moved in later had the same hunting strategies and symbolic traditions even without overlapping at the site, suggesting they may have shared information.
Science SARU's 'The Ghost in the Shell' Has the Juice
The studio behind 'Dan Da Dan' pulls off the most faithful adaptation of Masamune Shirow's beloved cyberpunk manga to date, delivering a timelessly retro vibe that oozes sensuality, style, and goofiness inside its philosophical shell.
Medtronic recalls heart valve delivery system due to safety risk
The same device was previously recalled back in 2022. Customers are urged to return unused delivery systems to Medtronic to avoid any issues.
USF College of Marine Science lab fire: Scientists save irreplaceable samples
A lightning strike triggered a fire that gutted the USF College of Marine Science lab on May 2, destroying the second floor and damaging what the flames did not reach with water and smoke.
Samsung ‘Galaxy Buds On’ surface with more Galaxy Watch 9, Ultra 2 leaks
Ahead of their launch, expected to be later this month, Samsung has accidentally confirmed its Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra...
Partnership Advances Adolescent Health in American Samoa
Learn how American Samoa advances adolescent health in American Samoa through collaboration among state and local health and education agencies.
Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 will follow foldables in price increase, leak says
Samsung’s foldables aren’t the only devices we expect to get a price increase. Reports say the Galaxy Watch 9 series...
Clip-Ons Are Wireless Earbuds’ Next Inescapable Trend
With Samsung looming large over the category, clip-style wireless earbuds might go fully mainstream.
Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch app leaks with Pixel Watch vibes and features [Gallery]
A new leak has revealed Samsung’s revamped Galaxy Wearable app for Galaxy Watch. SammyGuru obtained an early version of the...
Samsung confirms the names of the Galaxy Watch9, Galaxy Watch Ultra2, and Galaxy Able
These are all expected to launch later this month. Samsung has just confirmed the names of its upcoming wearable devices, expected to be unveiled on July...
Texas drone show stuns 4th of July crowds. Take a look
Sky Elements, a drone light show company, flew a 2,500-drone show near Dallas featuring formations like George Washington and Uncle Sam.
Sisters Behind For Goodness Cakes Co. Share Business Journey
Sisters Sammy Eiserman and Sydney Ferraro, founders of the New York based food truck and bakery, For Goodness Cakes Co., sit down with TODAY’s Dylan Dreyer to share how they built their dessert business together.
Niantic Games Team Now Officially Called Scopely Explore
Today, 6th July 2026, the Niantic games team officially updates its name to Scopely Explore. As part of the rebrand they intend to debut a new look. They have shared that the Pokémon GO team remains the same, as does their commitment to creating the best gameplay experiences for Trainers everywhere. It has been more […]
Nintendo officially announces revisions for Switch 2 and more in Europe in light of new battery regulations
Today, Nintendo officially announced plans for revisions of several of its products, led by Switch 2. Changes will begin to take place starting in the summer. Products will be updated only to support user-replaceable batteries. Outside of that, everything will be staying the same. Note that if you already have one of these products, there’s nothing that you need to...
Leak suggests Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro faces a serious hardware identity crisis
The Galaxy S27 Pro could be a non-S Pen alternative to the S27 Ultra, but a regional Exynos-Snapdragon chip split threatens that promise.
Here's how much the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Z Flip8 foldables will cost in South Korea
The foldables are expected to be announced later this month. Last week, the European pricing for Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z foldables surfaced online....
Scientists want to quarantine alien life on the Moon before it reaches Earth
Scientists are calling for a lunar quarantine facility where samples from Mars, the Moon, and beyond would be examined before being brought to Earth. They warn that even a tiny alien microorganism could have unpredictable effects on Earth's ecosystems. By using robotic handling systems on the Moon, researchers hope to eliminate the risk of accidental exposure or release.
These 5 Android apps are so good, I'm surprised they're free
Free Android apps almost always have some catch. These don't — no paywalls, no subscriptions, not even ads.
New Medicaid Work Rule Means More Opportunities To Lose Coverage
A work requirement is coming to Medicaid. Sam Whitehead tells WAMU’s “Health Hub” how to keep your coverage — and who’s exempt from the new rule.
Display Assistant app on Galaxy devices gets ready for One UI 9
Samsung has released a new update for the Good Lock's Display Assistant module. It is now ready for Android 17 and One UI 9.0.
Sam Reid on how 'The Vampire Lestat' episode 5 changes everything for the Brat Prince
Claudia is back, and breaking our hearts all over again.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra reportedly revives the S Pen, but there's a catch
The rumored spec sheet checks nearly every box the Fold 7 missed, except one.
Fire crews put out fire after smoke reported at Tanasbourne Town Center businesses
Multiple 911 callers reported heavy, darkening smoke from a cluster of businesses in the same structure in Tanasbourne Town Center.
'iPhone Ultra' Likely to 'Repeat the iPhone X Story'
Apple will likely "repeat the iPhone X story" by unveiling its foldable iPhone at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but starting foldable iPhone pre-orders at a later date, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo today said manufacturing challenges have limited early production of the foldable iPhone, which will reportedly be named iPhone Ultra. As a result, he believes the device may launch at some point after the iPhone 18 Pro models.
As socialism rises in popularity, GOP turns to a new attack: ‘Communists’
Democratic voters are shifting to the left in primaries. Republicans are doing the same with the labels they use to paint them as extreme.
Many Celebrities Apparently Got The Same Warning Before Going On David Letterman
This would be so stressful.
Want to leverage wearable tech like a World Cup athlete? Here are the metrics to track
Millions of people around the world wear smart rings and fitness trackers to keep tabs on their sleep, workouts, heart rate and even body temperature, all in the name of better understanding their health. But at the World Cup, that same technology is being pushed to an elite level.
Angels blown up by Boston on Independence Day
The Angels fell behind fast and stayed there after a shaky first inning from Sam Aldegheri.
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…
Final Injury Report for Fire-Storm: Will Karlie Samuelson Play?
The Portland Fire may be without one of their key players in Saturday night’s game against the Seattle Storm.
Millions More Galaxy Phones Join Samsung's Free Upgrade List
Samsung's One UI 9 testing lineup grew again this week. Here's every confirmed device, plus a recap of what's already landed in previous updates.
Watch Faces for Samsung’s Upcoming Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 Leak Ahead of Unpacked: A First Look
A leak reveals five upcoming watch faces designed for Samsung's Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 ahead of the official Galaxy Unpacked event.
Sony's Marvel Tokon Blocked In Over 100 Countries On Steam
Unsurprisingly, these are the same 132 countries that were originally blocked from purchasing Helldivers 2 on Steam
Samsung names upcoming earbuds and Galaxy Watches ahead of launch
Samsung has mentioned its two upcoming Galaxy Watches and its first clip-on-style Galaxy Buds in its Wearable app ahead of their launch.
31 alien-like marine species discovered off the coast of Brazil
A ghostly squid, speedy gossamer worm, and more dwell 600 to 3,300 feet beneath the waves.
31 alien-like marine species discovered off the coast of Brazil
A ghostly squid, speedy gossamer worm, and more dwell 600 to 3,300 feet beneath the waves.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 prices leak – the all-new ‘Wide’ is cheaper than the unchanged ‘Ultra’
Peak ironic comedy. That’s how I’d describe leaked prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, as Samsung’s all-new “Wide”...
iOS 27 beta 2 hints at AirPods Pro with cameras: Here's what we know so far
Spotted by developer Sam Henri Gold on Twitter, iOS 27 beta 2 includes references to an upcoming Apple product codenamed...
Scientists may have finally solved the black hole information paradox
Researchers have proposed that black holes stop evaporating at the last moment, leaving behind tiny remnants that preserve all the information they contain. The same seven-dimensional geometry behind this idea could also help explain why elementary particles have mass.
What Does The Shield In The Battery Icon Mean On A Samsung Phone?
The new shield icon on Samsung phones indicates that the phone's software is protecting your battery from overcharging. This keeps your battery healthy longer.
Yasam Ayavefe Highlights Long-Term Business Growth Strategy Built on Operational Discipline and Sustainable Value
Greece, July 4, 2026 -- Yasam Ayavefe has outlined a long-term business growth strategy centered on disciplined execution, operational consisten...
Yankees’ Carlos Rodon provides hopeful injury update
On the same day he was placed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left elbow, New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón updated reporters on his health. Rodón told reporters June 3 he is dealing with “heavy inflammation,”…
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Fold8 Ultra, Flip8, Watch9, Watch Ultra 2 prices leak
The motherlode is here. Samsung is widely expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip8, Galaxy Watch9, and Galaxy Watch...
One underrated key to UM’s success. And Mensah, Toney, Fitzgerald, Canes chatter
One person who is underrated key to UM’s success. And Canes news and notes
iPhone 18 With 9GB RAM Still Won't Support Two New iOS 27 Features
The lower-end iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will be equipped with 9GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a social media post, Kuo said the 1GB increase in RAM will ensure that Apple Intelligence features continue to run smoothly on the pair of devices. The higher-end iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable "iPhone Ultra" will each have the same 12GB of RAM as the iPhone 17 Pro models, added Kuo.
Long Reads for the Long Weekend
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Happy Fourth of July weekend! As has been a tradition of mine going back to the beginning of the EntStrategyGuy website, I’m sharing my favorite long reads of the last year, like I did in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025. Let’s dive right in! Subscribe “Different Prices for the Same Ride: How Uber and Lyft Use AI to Get More Money Out of You“ by Derek Kravitz in Consumer Reports I don’t think surveillance pricing, like the kind described in this brilliant Consumer Reports article, is long for the world—it’s toxically unpopular—but we’ll see if either party takes on this issue. If I ran a political party focused on affordability, I would focus on a few pro-consumer and pro-market policies: Banning non-compete agreements. Ending surveillance pricing Eliminating junk fees (read more here...) Ensuring “right to repair” for consumer (and military!) products Capping excessive app store fees Stopping digital/algorithmic price-fixing tools. Preventing automatic subscription price increases. And more. If you want to fight inflation, there are a lot of great ways to do it quickly. Speaking of higher prices... “Secret Documents Show Pepsi and Walmart Colluded to Raise Food Prices Across the Economy“ by Matt Stoller in BIG Again, I think a political party should focus on lowering prices for consumers. And deals like this—Walmart making a deal/forcing Pepsi to offer the lowest prices at its stores and nowhere else—hypothetically lower prices at Walmart...but raise them everywhere else. “15 DUIs, still driving: California’s failure to take repeat drunk drivers off the road“ by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler in CalMatters CalMatters does terrific reporting in California, something the Golden State desperately needs more of, and this article is a great example of that. “PugLips: The next insanely popular thing you’ve never heard of…” by Simon Carless in Game Discover Co I thought that this parody article (and yes, it’s a parody, but I was definitely unsure at first) was hilarious and totally nailed how much tech/business journalism feels these days. Actually, three of my favorite articles this year were on hype in the video game industry, including Georg Zoller’s “The Video Game Industries Very Dark Night”—which I linked to recently and wrote a follow-up here—and Owen Mahoney’s “Derek Zoolander, Videogame Exec”. In particular, I like Mahoney’s focus on user experience as a guide to what trends will actually grab hold of customers. “The Matrix Lies“ by Evan Shapiro in Media War & Peace Evan Shapiro’s first person account of his experience with AI was hilarious. I think LLMs capabilities have significantly grown from last summer, and yet...my editor/researcher just had an abysmal experience using an LLM to do a quite basic task (which our LLM normally does each week) and the LLM made a mistake on every single data entry...along with seven different mistakes affecting twelve of the twenty or so entries, including mistakes that are explicitly spelled out in the prompt. That’s a brutal failure rate. Again, if you use AI/LLM for data collection, you need to take a lot of extra steps to verify and check the data. “Ghosts in the Balcony: A Cross-Country Trip to 58 Theaters Fighting to Survive“ by Matthew Frank in The Ankler I thought Matthew Frank’s pitch to head across America to visit theaters sounded insane aggressive at the time—at least it felt that way to someone a decade older than him; man, to be in your twenties again, am I right?—but I knew the result would be great. And it was, a terrific feature by a great young writer. Also, I loved Matthew’s recent article on who’s getting the precious few entry level jobs in Hollywood. (Hint: nepotism.) “Disney erased FiveThirtyEight“ and “Did Las Vegas get too greedy?” by Nate Silver in Silver Bulletin I love media history and analysis, and there’s no one better to get the history of FiveThirtyEight than from Nate Silver, who wrote about his personal experience in one of my favorite pieces from this year. I also loved Nate’s breakdown of what’s causing Vegas’ woes, but I’ll offer one criticism, summarized as “Might I suggest antitrust?” Many centrists/center-right/libertarian thinkers (Nate is self-described as the latter) often don’t consider consolidation or antitrust as factors in policy issues like housing, America’s military readiness, or, in this case, Las Vegas. Even if libertarians want to debunk antitrust/consolidation concerns, I’d love to read that debunking. In this case, Vegas is incredibly consolidated (though it also has been for a long time) and I’d have loved to read Nate at least contending with this factor, since he addresses almost every other potential factor for Vegas’ decline. “Why Microsoft’s Carbon Removal Pullback Is Such a Big Deal“ by Robinson Meyer in Heatmap News I’m a big supporter of carbon removal efforts, but this nascent industry faces a lot of headwinds, including this big move most recently. I think it’s clear that solar panels and batteries should be able to get the world to its carbon footprint goals, but effective carbon renewal remains necessary to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. “AI is killing the cheap smartphone“ by David Oks LLMs and AI will impact the world in ways we’re not ready for, and already, third world countries are seeing the prices of cheap cellphones skyrocket due to the cost of chips skyrocketing. This article by David Oks is a terrific breakdown. “100 Days of Madness: Netflix, Paramount, Warner and the Future of Hollywood“ by Wade Major at Hollywood Heretic Wade Major dove deep into Hollywood/streaming’s financials in this must read piece. Not that I agree with everything in this article (read my take on Warner Bros./Paramount here) but the analysis is top notch. I think many people discount how quality thinking, regardless of the argument/conclusion, will make you a better thinker. “Erased by the UFC: Frank Shamrock, The MMA GOAT of the 20th Century“ by Nate Wilcox in The MMA Draw Newsletter Growing up playing the UFC fighting game on the Dreamcast, Frank Shamrock was my favorite MMA fighter, and this history/tribute to him was great. Other Fun Reads “The Hardest Part Of History To Tell Is How It Felt“ by Craig Fehrman at Defector “Unmasking the Sea Star Killer“ by Craig Welch at bioGraphic “What Could Save the Industry? Fin-Syn“ by Richard Rushfield in The Ankler Alex Rollins Berg in Underexposed on movie bumpers, pillow shots, Disney trash cinema, cult films, and Casablanca. David H. Montgomery in YouGov’s The Surveyor on punctuation marks, condiments, dinosaurs, and comic strips and kids media. “How Medium finally pivoted its way to profitability“ and “Why the best journalists on YouTube are all former Vox employees“ by Simon Owens in Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter “It’s Not Just You, Netflix Shows Have Gotten Slightly Shorter: Here’s What the Data Says“ by Kasey Moore at What’s on Netflix “Numlock Awards: How Diane Warren became the biggest loser in Oscar history“ by Nathaniel Rakich and “Numlock Awards: The Oscar Bait era is over. The Oscar Chum era is here.” by Walt Hickey & Michael Domanico at Numlock Awards
Best Buy’s 4th of July Blowout Sale: Deals From Apple, Bose, Google, JBL, and Samsung
We're scouring the internet for the best deals so you can save with minimal effort. Celebrate this holiday weekend now with massive discounts on top tech, including iPads, Soundbars, Switch 2 accessories, and more.
iOS 27 Beta Hints at New Apple Product Such as 'AirPods Ultra'
The second iOS 27 developer beta seemingly hints at a new Apple product, according to code uncovered by app designer and developer Sam Henri Gold. The code mentions a product codenamed B790 that can relay "two images from cameras on either side of user's head". Gold speculated that the code could be referring to Apple's rumored smart glasses, but another possibility is AirPods with cameras, which are reportedly further along in development. AirPods Pro 3 were codenamed B788.
Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8 prices just leaked, and your wallet won't be happy
A new leak reveals alleged European prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, Flip 8, Watch 9, and Watch Ultra 2 ahead of July 22 event.
FOR INSIDERS | Whole Hog Politics: A revolutionary reader
[Watch Whole Hog Politics live: Join us today at 9 am EDT at TheHill.com as Chris Stirewalt and host Bill Sammon break down this week’s political news and answer questions from a live online audien…
All of the best 4th of July deals on Samsung Galaxy gear, Google, LG OLED TVs, Copilot+ PCs, e-bikes, more
The 4th of July long weekend has arrived and we are tracking a giant selection of notable deals. This includes...
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra arrives this month with 8 features that make it Samsung's most exciting foldable yet
The Fold 7's successor is coming in hot, and here's why it deserves the Ultra name.
What Caesars Entertainment (CZR)'s Wabanaki iCasino Expansion and Bearish Zacks Rank Mean For Shareholders
In late June 2026, Caesars Entertainment Inc. announced it had expanded its partnership with three Wabanaki Nations in Maine to cover potential online casino gaming, adding three branded iGaming platforms that integrate with Caesars Rewards and its Universal Digital Wallet, subject to regulatory approvals. At the same time, the company faced sharply weaker analyst sentiment, including a very large downward revision to current-year earnings estimates that pushed it onto the Zacks Rank #5...
If you still own one of these 6 popular Android phones, it's probably time to upgrade
Holding onto an old Android phone from Samsung, Google, or Motorola? It might be time to finally give in and upgrade.
Arts and entertainment calendar
Events coming up in the Greenville area offer music, arts, theater and family fun. Here is a sampling.
If this game-changing Galaxy S27 leak is real, nobody's gonna stop me from buying it
Samsung could offer an ultra-exclusive feature to the vanilla model.
Exciting new Galaxy S27 Ultra and S27 Pro rumor tips long overdue camera upgrade
For the first time in several years, Samsung is expected to upgrade the front-facing camera of at least two of its next-gen Android high-enders.
Hossam Hassan and the blurring of lines between football and politics in Egypt
Egypt face Australia in a historic World Cup game on Friday and the manager has been keen to highlight president Al-Sisi’s role in the achievement
Upgrade Your Home Entertainment Experience and Save Big 45+ Fourth of July TV Deals
Shop unmissable Independence Day deals from big-name brands including Sony, LG and Samsung, with options starting at just $150.
Old muscle stem cells can act young again but there’s a catch
Scientists at UCLA discovered a surprising reason aging muscles heal more slowly. In older muscle stem cells, a protein called NDRG1 builds up and acts like a brake, slowing the cells’ ability to jump into repair mode after injury. But there’s a twist: that same protein helps the cells survive the stresses of aging, allowing them to stick around longer.
ESPN boldly predicts Dak Prescott to join exclusive NFL club
Do you think Dak Prescott can throw for 5K?
Surprise rival knocks Costco's famous rotisserie chicken off its perch as best bird
Consumer Reports named Sam's Club's rotisserie chicken the best warehouse club bird, edging out Costco's iconic $4.99 Kirkland Signature option.
Could your gut bacteria really slow Alzheimer’s? Scientists reveal a surprising link - Futura-Sciences
European researchers previously demonstrated that transferring stool samples from human Alzheimer’s patients into healthy rats triggered symptoms like spatial memory issues. Other models show that altering gut microbes changes the buildup of amyloid plaques and tau proteins, the two main hallmarks of the disease. Scientists have even found that certain...
Galaxy S27 Pro and Ultra leak hints at a big shake-up for the selfie camera
Samsung has kept the same front camera for the Galaxy S series since the S23. But a new leak suggests a change is coming.
Galaxy S27 Ultra Won’t Embrace Silicon-Carbon Battery Due To Manufacturing Costs, But That Doesn’t Mean Samsung Isn’t Evaluating A Bigger Capacity
Samsung is rumored to be evaluating a higher battery capacity for the Galaxy S27 Ultra, but cost increases is why it won’t switch to silicon-carbon
Best Fourth of July Deals Under $50 on Ninja, Anker and Samsung
We've rounded up almost 100 deals on tech, home essentials and more that won't break the bank.
Accel Entertainment (ACEL): Buy, Sell, or Hold Post Q1 Earnings?
Accel Entertainment trades at $12.76 per share and has stayed right on track with the overall market, gaining 12.2% over the last six months. At the same time, the S&P 500 has returned 9.3%.
Intel Expected To Restart Supply Of 10th, 12th, 13th, And 14th Gen Processors In Mainland China
Intel will reportedly focus more on the previous-gen processors to fulfill the current demand in the PC market. Intel is Reportedly Restarting Supply of Last Four Generation of Processors as Motherboard Vendors Ramp Up DDR4 Platform Production Roughly a month ago, we reported that some vendors are now restarting the production of DDR4 platforms, i.e., DDR4-compatible motherboards. This is to ensure the market gets DDR4 motherboards in sufficient quantity, as expensive DDR5 memory has made it unfeasible to build DDR5 systems on a budget. More reports are surfacing confirming the same report, and Intel appears to have prepared accordingly. Related […]
iOS 27 makes a very strong case for upgrading to a new iPhone
Most years, major iOS updates offer the same basic feature set on new iPhones and old ones. But with iOS...
I compared same breakfast sandwich from Starbucks, Dunkin', Tim Hortons
I compared sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches from Starbucks, Dunkin', and Tim Hortons. My favorite had a flavorful egg and creamy cheese.
Samsung is upgrading your Galaxy Watch, even if it might seem like something's missing
Samsung is removing the Vascular Load feature from Galaxy Watch devices in the US, but there's new feature replacing it.
New Leaks Show the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in a Stunning Burgundy Color
As we inch closer to Samsung's big Unpacked event next month, we're starting to see more and more details about the devices that Samsung will be
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra colors leak, including the online exclusive option
These are the new colors for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra which is coming out this month.
New survey shows lackluster support for 250th Anniversary of Declaration of Independence
The split in pride in America's history is nearly the same as 50 years ago during the bicentennial celebrations.
Byron Donalds' front-runner wall grows with Blaise Ingoglia endorsement
Ingoglia joins James Uthmeier, Jim Boyd and Sam Garrison behind the Donald Trump-backed front-runner.
Samsung will remove Vascular Load feature from Galaxy Watches in the US
Samsung is planning to remove the expermiental Vascular Load feature from Galaxy Watches in the US and introduce Blood Pressure Trend.
Ancient cave paintings can harbor human DNA for millennia, scientists find
The breakthrough could reveal previously hidden ancient human activity inside caves, acting as ‘genetic archives’
Accel Entertainment (ACEL): Buy, Sell, or Hold Post Q1 Earnings?
Accel Entertainment trades at $12.76 per share and has stayed right on track with the overall market, gaining 12.2% over the last six months. At the same tim...
EMS recording shows emergency response for ‘unconscious’ person at Sen. McConnell’s house on same day he was hospitalized
An EMS audio recording published by an independent journalist indicates that emergency responders were called to the Washington, DC, home of Sen. Mitch McConnell for an “unconscious” person the same day he was hospitalized last month.
CBS Atlanta's Sam Crenshaw wins 2026 Georgia's Sportscasters of the Year
Metroid Ravenous For Switch 2 Seemingly Leaked In New Rating
It's certainly believable given the timeline
Georgia man sentenced for stealing more than $65K worth of equipment from Sampson County business
A Georgia man was sentenced to federal prison for stealing $65,000 worth of farm machinery and equipment from a business in Sampson County, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
Small Businesses Inherit Big Business Money Problems
Large corporations and small businesses aren’t the same. The most obvious difference is sheer scale, but the knock-on effects of that scale have
5 takeaways from Colorado’s shocker of a 2026 primary election
Voters in Colorado’s Democratic primary on Tuesday night mostly let their elected officials know that they’re fed up with the party’s Washington politicians and ready to back the most aggressive fighters they can find. At the same time, the voters who cast ballots in the Republican primary mostly embraced the GOP’s establishment, throwing the beleaguered […]
Treat Your Health Like A Private Equity Firm For Better Leadership
Disciplined investors have a specific way of evaluating and improving assets. Here's how executives can use that same lens to optimize their health and leadership.
Cam Schlittler's odyssey: Tigers ambush Yankees' starting pitcher
New York's starter yielded three homers in the same inning Tuesday for the first time in his two-year career.
Samsung drops first official Galaxy Z Fold 8 teasers, ‘New Shape, New Joy’ [Gallery]
With less than a month to go, Samsung is kicking off its train of Galaxy Z Fold 8 teasers with...
Expanding Maternal Care in New Mexico Through Data and Mental Health Support
No two pregnancies or childbirths are the same, but every New Mexico family deserves the same access to safe, high-quality maternal-fetal care. Two University of New Mexico School of Medicine projects aim to improve how providers care for pregnant...
Samsung hits restart with a viral marketing campaign ahead of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Flip 8
Social media accounts were wiped; now the clues roll in.
New York cardiologist performs first procedure in US with FDA-cleared imaging tech
The OpusWave Dual Sensor Imaging captures both IVUS and OFDI, providing users with two complementary views of the coronaries at the same time.
Samsung’s app for Android XR-powered Galaxy Glasses shows case, ‘One UI XR’ [Gallery]
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Glasses are not coming out in the immediate future, but new leaks shed a bit of new...
Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison shot shows massive height difference between phones
At this point, it’s clear that Samsung is planning to launch a Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Fold...
Samsung Music Studio 7 review: A great speaker on its own, and even better in a pair
The Music Studio 7 is an excellent Sonos alternative that can pull double duty in the living room.
Samsung's new wide foldable phone revealed in leaked images
The same source also posted photos of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Flip 8.
Jon and Mindy Gray Bet on AI Science Research to Prevent Cancer
Blackstone Inc. President Jon Gray has steered his firm to more artificial-intelligence investments, and the same is true with his science philanthropy.
Samsung hints the Galaxy Ring 2 could do something no Galaxy wearable has done before
A senior Samsung executive has revealed that the next-generation Galaxy Ring will bring a promising compatibility upgrade.
Simon Leis's daughter reflects on her father's legacy, youth mental health advocacy
"We definitely knew there was a love-hate relationship with my father," says Julie Raleigh, on her father, Simon Leis's legacy. Although behind the headlines, Raleigh says that Leis was simply "Dad" to her, remembering him as a man who protected his family in the same way that he tried to keep Hamilton County safe throughout his time in law enforcement.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 series colors look stunning as official cases leak [Gallery]
While we’ve yet to get clean renders of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, a new leak shows off Samsung’s...
US Sen. Dan Sullivan’s same-name challenger can be on primary ballot, Alaska Supreme Court rules
The Alaska Supreme Court on Monday ruled that a man with the same name and party affiliation as Alaska Republican US Sen. Dan Sullivan is qualified to run for the seat and ordered elections officials to place him on the August primary ballot.