Technologies

How to Play Soulframe Preludes. The Limited Alpha Period Starts Now

Developer Digital Extremes is opening the doors to its fantasy adventure, at least for this weekend. Here’s how to join.

Whether you’re a fan of Warframe’s brand of sci-fi RPG ninja looting or you’re locked in on Elden Ring Nightreign’s hard-core dark fantasy raids, developer Digital Extremes’ next game might be right up your alley.

Soulframe is an upcoming dark fantasy MMO experience where players, controlling powerful characters known as Envoys, burn the evil out of the land of Midrath. Whereas Warframe is a sci-fi adventure, Soulframe explores human connections with nature through a world of living fables.

The game’s combat centers on third-person hack-and-slash action, as well as magic and ranged weaponry. The classic Digital Extremes attention to detail was put into the arsenal of weapons, which will grow and expand alongside the game.

During the weekend of July 19, as TennoCon 2025 roars to life, all prospective Soulframe players will be allowed into a brief test of the game as the alpha opens up. Here’s how to try it out.

Read more: Warframe Isleweaver’s Spider-Man-Like Frame Is a Masterpiece of Design

What is Soulframe Preludes?

Soulframe is the biggest game developed by Digital Extremes since the release of Warframe in 2013. Despite the similar naming conventions, Soulframe isn’t a prequel to Warframe. The two games take place in entirely separate worlds and spin out unrelated narratives. This is a brand-new game with different gameplay mechanics that’s perfect for players looking to jump into something different.

Soulframe Preludes is the closed alpha version of the game, meaning a lot could change between now and the actual release. The latest update, Soulframe Preludes 10, went live May 27.

The current iteration of the game lets players battle corrupted foes like the Will-o-wings and Mendicant King, wield fearsome weapons and sidearms and even ally with factions to befriend their very own (fearsome) wolf pup.

Soulframe Preludes is a way for development to continue while gathering community suggestions from previewing players, and getting a key to the closed alpha qualifies you to join a special Discord server (and will unlock for you the Alca’s Eye item in-game upon the full release, as appreciation for your feedback).

How to get into the Soulframe Preludes alpha during TennoCon 2025

Soulframe Preludes is currently available only to PC gamers because this is a limited alpha launch intended for community-centric testing and development.

Anyone who creates a Soulframe account will be able to access Soulframe Preludes 10 for the duration of TennoCon 2025. Here’s a step-by-step guide to start your Soulframe journey:

Go to Soulframe’s online home page.
Click the «join us» button.
Fill out an email address, password and envoy name (this will become your Soulframe in-game name, so choose wisely).
Accept the privacy policy and participation agreement.
Click «join us» and check your email for a verification link.
Optionally, you can navigate to your account’s personal information and link a Twitch account to earn Soulframe Twitch drops for the game’s full release.
Download the Soulframe Preludes build from the website’s home page.

Can I play Soulframe Preludes after TennoCon?

You’ll be able to play Soulframe Preludes after the TennoCon open alpha test is closed, but you’ll once more need to sit tight for an access key to do so. You need a Soulframe account spun up to be eligible for Soulframe Preludes access.

The good news is that following the same steps to enter Soulframe Preludes during TennoCon 2025 puts you in the pool to be sent a key to access the game after the alpha closes again. It’s likely there will be additional open play tests in the future, but Digital Extremes hasn’t indicated when those might be — so if you want to play soon, keep an eye on your email.

Once you’ve verified your email address, there’s nothing else you can do but wait for a Soulframe Preludes key. These are released in weekly waves and include keys for friends as well, so if you’re lucky enough to have co-op buddies, they might be able to usher you into the alpha more quickly.

Technologies

Google Gives Chrome an AI Side Panel and Lets Gemini Browse for You

The update also includes Nano Banana image tools and deeper integrations with Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Maps and Flights.

Google is turning Chrome into something closer to a digital copilot.

In the next wave of Gemini updates rolling out, Google on Wednesday revealed a set of new AI-powered features coming directly to its browser, aimed at reducing the frustrations of exploring the internet each day. Built on Gemini 3, the updates introduce an always-available side panel, deeper app integrations, creative image tools and a new browser agent called auto browse that can complete multistep tasks on your behalf.

Essentially, Google wants Chrome to be like an AI wingman that browses, compares and multitasks for you.

Now you can automate browsing

To me, the standout new addition is auto browse, a browser agent designed to handle tedious and time-consuming chores. Instead of hopping between tabs, filling out forms or manually comparing prices of things like products or flights, you can ask Chrome to do the legwork.

Auto browse can research flights and hotels across different dates, collect documents, schedule appointments, manage subscriptions and help with tasks like renewing a driver’s license or filing expense reports.

In a live demo I saw, Product Lead Charmaine D’Silva used the new tools to plan a family vacation. Gemini compared destinations and prices across multiple travel sites, checked school calendars to see when her kids were off and lined up schedules to find workable travel windows. When it came time to book, though, D’Silva emphasized that the final decision and purchase were still hers, underscoring Google’s plan to keep humans in control for key tasks like booking and purchases.

The feature is rolling out to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US now, signaling Google’s broader push toward more agentic AI experiences.

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A new side panel experience

Another update rolling out now is a redesigned Gemini side panel in Chrome, available across MacOS, Windows and Chromebook Plus. Instead of opening a separate tab, Gemini now lives alongside whatever you’re working on, making it easier to multitask without breaking your flow. Testers have used it to summarize reviews across sites, compare shopping options and juggle packed calendars while keeping their main task front and center.

AI image editing with Nano Banana

Chrome is also trying to become more creative. Google is bringing Nano Banana, its AI image editing and generation tool, directly into the browser. You can now edit and reimagine images you find on the web without downloading files or switching apps — whether that’s mocking up a living room redesign or turning raw data into an infographic at work.

Chrome connects with other Google apps

Under the hood, Gemini in Chrome is becoming more connected to the rest of Google’s ecosystem. Integrations with Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube, Google Flights and Shopping will allow the assistant to pull in relevant context and take action across apps. Planning a trip, for example, could involve referencing an old email, checking flight options and drafting a follow-up email to your travel companions. Now all in one place.

More to come

Looking ahead, Google says personal intelligence is coming to Chrome in the coming months. With user opt-in, Gemini will remember context from past interactions to deliver more tailored, proactive help across the web, while giving you control over what data is connected and when.

Technologies

If You Drink Decaf, Read This: More Than 80,000 Keurig Pods Recalled

Here’s how to get a full refund if you bought these coffee pods.

If you’re a decaf K-Cup drinker, this message is for you. Keurig has recalled the McCafe Premium Roast Decaf Coffee K-Cup Pods because they may contain caffeine.

Here’s everything to know.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

What was recalled?

Keurig Dr Pepper voluntarily recalled 960 cartons of McCafe Premium Roast Decaf Coffee K-Cup Pods, according to a US Food and Drug Administration memo. The reason listed for the recall reads: «Product is labeled as decaf, but might contain caffeine.»

CNET chose McCafé Premium Roast as the best K-Cup, although the decaffeinated version was not included. It is unclear at this time how many states sold the cartons.

A representative for Keurig Dr Pepper did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How to know if you have a recalled product

The recalled items will have the following information:

Best by date: 17 NOV 2026
Batch number: 5101564894
Material number: 5000358463
ASIN: B07GCNDL91
UPC: 043000073438

The recall is ongoing. If you have a recalled product, you can return it to your place of purchase for a full refund.

Technologies

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold’s Nearly $3,000 Price Might Unfold Your Whole Wallet

This double-folding phone will be the most expensive mainstream handset released in the US.

Samsung’s twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold is nearly on sale, coming before the Galaxy S26 launch next month. Starting Jan. 30, foldable phone fans who want the most advanced device in the US can pick one up, but they’ll have to pay a hefty price: The device starts at a jaw-dropping $2,900.

Yes, for over three times the price of a Galaxy S25, you can pick up the most advanced smartphone — and certainly the most expensive — Samsung has ever rolled out. Even the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which starts at $2,000 with 256GB of storage, only reaches $2,420 at the highest 1TB storage configuration.

As products across all industries get costlier, phone-makers have priced foldables in an even more premium tier than the most innovative flat smartphones (like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra). It seems Samsung will use the twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold to set an even higher price ceiling for smartphones.

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Anyone who buys the Galaxy Z TriFold will get one of the most technically impressive handsets released in the US. But is the technology worth the cost?

The Galaxy Z TriFold unfolds into a 10-inch inner display that rivals the screens of full-size tablets. It’s noticeably larger than the 8-inch inner screen on the single-hinged Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable. Its two hinges, built of titanium, are tested to endure 200,000 folds, according to Samsung.

When unfolded, the Z TriFold is 3.9mm at its thinnest point. That’s slightly outdone by the slimmer Huawei Mate XT’s 3.6mm, which beat Samsung to market by an entire year with a trifold that’s not available in the US. That might be nearing the limit for phone thinness, as it’s barely enough to accommodate the USB-C port at the bottom of either device.

The Galaxy Z TriFold and Huawei Mate XT are roughly comparable in size and specs, though the Huawei phone’s EMUI operating system and the lack of familiar Google apps (due to the ban on US companies working with the Chinese phone-maker) mean Android fans may prefer Samsung’s. The Huawei foldable is also more expensive, starting at 3,499 euros (about $4,150 today), and may not be compatible with US carriers out of the box.

Read more: Galaxy Z TriFold vs. Huawei Mate XT: One Is the Most Versatile Phone I’ve Ever Used

The Galaxy Z TriFold has a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the same one that powers last year’s Galaxy S25 series. It won’t feature the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 silicon, which is likely to power this year’s most advanced Android handsets (potentially including the upcoming, but not yet announced, Samsung Galaxy S26 series).

The Galaxy Z TriFold will start at 512GB of storage and packs a 5,600-mAh battery, larger than the Z Fold 7’s 4,400-mAh capacity unit. It recharges at 45 watts, which is typical for Samsung phones, though other premium Android handsets have long ago surpassed that rate, like the OnePlus 15 with 80-watt charging. It has three rear cameras (a 200-megapixel main, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel telephoto) and comes in a single color, crafted black.

All told, the Galaxy Z Trifold offers only marginal upgrades over the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and its hardware will likely be surpassed soon when the Galaxy S26 series launches with newer chips.

At $1,000 to $2,000 above other Android phones and foldables, the Z TriFold seems to offer only a single advantage: its massive inner display. While undeniably a technical marvel, that’s not nearly enough added value for most people to justify the steep upsell on your standard smartphone, or even another book-style foldable. For folks who «crave» the most advanced phone on the market, though, maybe it’s worth the expense.