Technologies

Bold new mission to asteroid belt will study Venus and seven unknown worlds

The United Arab Emirates announces plans for an ambitious journey across the solar system.

Hot on the heels of the Hope Mars mission, the United Arab Emirates has announced it will begin building another interplanetary probe for launch in 2028, with the goal of visiting Venus and seven worlds in the asteroid belt over the next 12 years.

The mission, announced Tuesday by the vice president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, will perform a flyby of the hellacious second planet from the sun in mid-2028, swinging around the planet on its way back past Earth and toward the asteroid belt. It will be built in the next seven years, and its journey will see it rack up more than 3.6 billion kilometers (more than 2.2 billion miles).

«The UAE is determined to make a meaningful contribution to spaceexploration, scientific research and our understanding of the solarsystem,» tweeted Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.

The aim of the mission will be to explore seven objects in the asteroid belt, a region of space between Mars and Jupiter stacked with millions of odd-shaped rocks that orbit the sun. Objects within the belt have been studied by space agencies, like NASA, in the past, but the UAE’s ambitious mission will aim to image seven asteroids — and then touch down on one to collect a sample.

If it can achieve all that, the UAE would become the fourth country to touch down on the surface of an asteroid. It won’t be easy.

«This mission is in the order of five times more complex than EMM,» said Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, the chair for the UAE Space Agency, in a press release.

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As with the Hope mission, the UAE agency will work with Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The name of the mission will be announced at a later date.

Venus has become an increasingly popular target for space missions in the past year. NASA plans to launch two spacecraft to the planet, and both India’s space agency and the European Space Agency are preparing their own probes to explore it, too.

While many of the Venus explorers have been discussed for years, there’s been plenty of hype about its potential habitability since a 2020 study discovered elevated levels of phosphine — a gas associated with life on Earth — in the cloud decks of the hothouse planet. Since publication, the findings have been disputed and the data reanalyzed, with a June 2021 study suggesting that the planet’s atmosphere is too dry to support microbial life.

Technologies

These Official Apple Watch Bands Start at $10 on Woot, Plus You Can Save More When You Buy Multiple

Freshen up your Apple Watch style while saving big on these official bands for the popular smartwatch.

It might not get much buzz, but I think one of the very best Apple Watch features is the way you can quickly and easily change up your look by swapping out your band. Woot is now offering the perfect opportunity to grab a few without paying the full price.

Whether you’re looking for something to pair with the latest Apple Watch Series 11 or just want to freshen up an older model, this deal isn’t to be missed. The retailer is now offering up to 80% off select Apple Watch bands, but that’s not all.

When you buy two or more, you’ll save an extra 35% on your total. Grabbing three or more saves you 50%, and four or more takes an additional 65% off. The discount is applied directly at checkout, so you don’t need to worry about adding any complicated coupon codes. This offer is valid through Nov. 14, but we recommend acting fast to snag it before the stock runs out.

The offer covers two different types of bands and a whole range of colors to choose from. If you want the Apple Watch Solo Loop, you’ll pay $15, down from the usual $49 asking price. Alternatively, you can pay $30 for an Apple Watch braided solo loop, which is 70% off the usual price, and of course, grabbing more than one will save you even more. Just choose the right size for your wrist, pick a color and you’re good to go.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

Both of these bands are great options for working out or just going about your business, but make sure you order the right size for your wrist. Neither of them can be adjusted.

The Solo Loop is made from liquid silicone rubber and features a stretchy design that’s comfortable to wear for hours on end. The braided solo loop is the fancier of the two and is created by weaving 16,000 recycled polyester yarn filaments around ultrathin silicone threads. This band is even comfier than the standard solo loop, and it’s one of our favorites. It’d normally sell for $99, making this a real bargain.

SMARTWATCH DEALS OF THE WEEK

Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm, Ink Sports Loop):

$359 (save $70)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, Bluetooth, Graphite Band):

$330 (save $20)
Amazfit Balance GPS Smartwatch (Black):

$140 (save $60)
Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Matte Black, Obsidian Band):

$202 (save $49)
Amazfit Active 42mm Smartwatch With 14 Day Battery Life (Black):

$75 (save $35)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

This is a great chance to pick up multiple official Apple bands at prices that rival even the Amazon bargain bin options. Just keep in mind that Woot’s sales can end sooner than the advertised date if stocks run dry, and we expect these bands to be very popular.

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Technologies

How Sonic Rumble Spins Away From Mario Party With Its Own Multiplayer Style

Sonic Rumble producer Takashi Iizuka explains how the team built a party game suiting the blue hedgehog’s style.

For decades now, the Mario Party franchise has dominated the niche of the best multiplayer party games you can play with friends on your couch — or now, online. Despite challenges from games like Fuzion Frenzy, Super Monkey Ball, Rayman Raving Rabbids and more, none have stolen Nintendo’s crown.

But now, Sega is making a play for the casual party game space with Sonic Rumble, a new title featuring the company’s iconic hedgehog and his friends. The free-to-play game is now available on PC, as well as on mobile for iOS and Android phones, allowing up to 32 players to join in on matches.

Sega’s hedgehog mascot is no stranger to party games, but entries like Sonic Shuffle on Dreamcast and Sega Superstars on the PlayStation 2 came out decades ago. For the publisher’s newest take on Sonic multiplayer, Sonic Rumble producer Takashi Iizuka answered questions over email, from adapting Sonic’s «gotta go fast» action to party multiplayer and whether other iconic Sega stars will make cameo appearances.

Q: There are some party games that have cemented the genre, like Mario Party. Aside from a cast of Sonic characters, how does Sonic Rumble distinguish itself from other party games?
Iizuka: While many other party games have their charm, our vision for Sonic Rumble was to combine the speed of classic arcade games with the competitive, high-stakes energy of a battle royale game. We call this mix an «Arcade Royale.»

Each stage is designed to keep the mayhem on full blast, whether players are dashing through obstacle courses or scrambling to collect rings before time runs out. What really sets Sonic Rumble apart is how it blends approachability with intensity. We wanted it to be easy for anyone to jump in and play, while still maintaining the intensity that fans have come to know and love from the Sonic franchise.

With the live service aspect of Sonic Rumble, we plan to consistently introduce new elements, from surprising collaborations to limited-time events, keeping the game fresh and fun for years to come.

When designing Sonic Rumble, what guidelines did the team/studio abide by to ensure it feels like a Sonic game?
Iizuka: We wanted to create a game that both new and longtime fans would love, and that could be played on the go or at home on their PC.

Sonic Rumble needed to embody what makes Sonic special, not just through the characters, but through the gameplay itself. That meant focusing on movement, momentum and control of the characters within the environment, so even in this new multiplayer format, gameplay still feels authentic to the Sonic experience. We also wanted to ensure that Toy World itself captured that Sonic spirit, with bright arenas, upbeat music and plenty of personality. Even if Sonic Rumble is an entirely new kind of Sonic game, players will instantly recognize the spirit and rhythm of the franchise in every match and mode.

The gameplay shown in the trailer has a distinctly Sonic feel — racing along tracks, jumping on bumpers, collecting rings and so on. How did the team adapt this to party gameplay?
Iizuka: We didn’t just place Sonic characters in a stereotypical party environment; we made Sonic mechanics and gameplay the foundation of Sonic Rumble. We achieved this adaptation through strategic twists on familiar elements.

In Sonic Rumble, rings are the high-stakes resource, rather than protection like in previous Sonic titles. We’ve made the Ring collection central to victory, allowing players to steal them from each other. The Dashing mechanic is another example, something usually used for speed can now also be used for attacking. By updating these core movements and abilities, we’ve added another layer of strategy and skill to the competition.

The recently released Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds had a deep roster of Sonic characters along with several from other Sega franchises, like Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball. Will Sonic Rumble also have crossover characters? What about characters from Sonic lore (like the Chaotix or Sonic the Werehog)?
Iizuka: Our immediate priority is to ensure Sonic Rumble is both fun and fulfilling for our core fan base as well as for players new to the Sonic franchise. That means focusing on the incredible depth of the Sonic Universe. We know how necessary customization is and are heavily committed to allowing players to fully personalize Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, and Dr. Eggman with unique skins, in-game skills, and emotes.

As Sonic Rumble is a live-service title, it has the potential to evolve and expand over time. At launch, fans can look forward to the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie Crossover Event, which brings in elements like the Movie Shadow skin and epic battles in the iconic Shibuya Crossing arena. We’ve also integrated characters and skins from a SEGA Stars Crossover Event, featuring beloved icons like Opa-Opa and Upa-Upa from Fantasy Zone, AiAi and MeeMee from Monkey Ball, and characters from Altered Beast, Bonanza Bros, Pengo, and Phantasy Star.

Sonic Rumble is available now on PC, iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Nov. 7

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 7.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hope you don’t have a cold — although two of the clues are related to the sounds you might make if you do have one. If you need the answers, read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.