Technologies

Before Fallout Season 2, Explore and Learn About New Vegas on Xbox Game Pass Now

Explore the in-game desert for the first — or third — time and get the lowdown on the area and characters before the show airs.

Amazon is gearing up to deliver the second season of the award-winning series Fallout on Dec. 17 on Prime Video. The new season takes us to a place called New Vegas, which makes it a great time to explore — or revisit — that area in the game Fallout: New Vegas on Xbox Game Pass now.

In the trailer for Fallout’s upcoming season, we see Lucy (Ella Purnell), the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) and the trusty Dogmeat traversing the irradiated desert to reach the glitzy town of New Vegas. Lucy continues to search for her father while the Ghoul is likely looking for the cause of the apocalypse, and all roads lead to the roulette wheel in the desert formerly known as Las Vegas. The trailer is filled with characters and set pieces that anyone familiar with the New Vegas game will recognize, and the game can give you some insights into what to expect when the second season airs.

According to CNET’s sister site HowLongtoBeat, you can play the game’s main story and side quests in about 60 hours. So you have plenty of time to play the game on either Xbox Game Pass Premium or Ultimate ($15 and $30 a month, respectively) before the show’s Dec. 17 premiere.

Here’s what to know about Fallout: New Vegas, and some of the lore behind characters and places we’ll see in the show.

Warning: Fallout: New Vegas spoilers ahead.

What happens in Fallout: New Vegas?

In this RPG, you play as a character named the Courier. At the beginning of the game, you’re kidnapped while making a delivery, shot by a man named Benny and left for dead. You survive, and with nothing but a thirst for vengeance, you set out across the desert to find Benny and give him a taste of his own medicine.

Along the way, you will explore different towns, learn about the different desert factions and interact with con artists, like a character named Fantastic who tells you he has a theoretical degree in physics. It’s a wild game, filled with excellent writing and superb set pieces.

Bethesda published the game about 15 years ago, in 2010, so the controls might feel a bit clunky. Character movements might appear robotic, and in some cases, that’s because the character is a robot. But overall, this is still a fun game that gives you a taste of the desert and shows you plenty of places and people you’ll see in the show, like the Lucky 38 and Mr. House.

The Lucky 38 and Mr. House

The Lucky 38 is a casino in New Vegas and the seat of power of Mr. House, who runs the New Vegas Strip. In the game, no one has set foot inside the Lucky 38 in over 200 years, nor have they seen House.

House controls New Vegas and the robots, called securitrons, who enforce order around the area. In the game, you mostly interact with House via a computer screen, but as we see in the trailer, he was a person before the bombs fell.

We see the casino and House (Justin Theroux) in the trailer for the second season during flashbacks, and both seem to be just as important to the upcoming season as they were in the game.

Victor

One of House’s securitrons is named Victor. In the game, he rescues the Courier just outside the community of Good Springs. House sent him to the community, and he reappears later in the game. He is recognizable because he is the only securitron robot with a cowboy face and the only one that speaks with a twang.

We see Victor briefly in the trailer in what appears to be a rundown shack, likely in Good Springs. Because he knows about House, we might see the Ghoul or someone else try to get information about House’s location out of him.

Caesar’s Legion

The Legion is a pretty bad faction in the Wasteland, fashioned after the Roman Empire. It’s a militaristic authoritarian dictatorship whose members are fanatical in their devotion to their leader, Caesar. Legion members wear old sports equipment and carry out brutal attacks on civilians and other factions.

In the game, Caesar’s Legion either enslaves or kills anyone who doesn’t join it, and one in-game community is razed while some of its inhabitants are crucified. If you run into members of Caesar’s Legion in the game, especially early on, you should run the other way.

The trailer shows Lucy being led by a member of the Legion through a Legion camp. It’s not clear if she’s been taken prisoner or if she is making a deal with them, but you can’t really make a deal with the Legion. You just kind of have to accept their terms.

Dinky the T. rex and Novac

Dinky! This giant dino is the mascot for the town of Novac, formerly the Dino-Dee Lite Motel outside of the New Vegas strip. Novac is a small settlement where traders can usually be found, and in the trailer for Fallout’s second season, it looks like a gunfight or ambush happens in this small community. We also see Lucy perched in the sniper’s nest that is Dinky’s mouth. And in the game, you can go up there yourself to meet a possible companion. You can also buy Dinky toys in the game at the gift shop within Dinky, and I hope we see these little guys appear in the show.

Atomic Wrangler Casino

This bar is in a part of New Vegas called Freeside, which is just outside the New Vegas strip. It’s also based on a real liquor store on Las Vegas’s Fremont Street called Atomic Liquors. You can gamble and eventually buy a prostitute here if you complete the right quests, but just like any good Vegas casino, if you win too much money, the establishment will throw you out. And it appears that the Ghoul does indeed get himself thrown out of this establishment by way of a second- or third-story window in the trailer for Fallout’s upcoming season.

Gomorrah

Gomorrah is a casino and brothel in New Vegas run by the Omertas, one of the Three Families — gangs — in the New Vegas strip. The Omertas are very secretive and don’t freely give out information. Their gang also has only one rule — don’t betray the family — so they can be pretty ruthless.

The in-game Gomorrah is also notable for being one of the few ghoul-friendly establishments, but in the trailer, we see the Ghoul getting into some kind of firefight outside of the place. Maybe it’s not as ghoul-friendly as one would hope.

The Tops

This is another casino in New Vegas run by the Chairmen, another one of the Three Families. In the game, their leader is Benny, that rascal who shot the Courier and set the whole game in motion. The casino and Chairmen try to offer an old Hollywood style of luxury to their patrons, but they’re still brutal. And what’s that in the trailer? Another gunfight outside of a gang headquarters? Well, I’ll be.

Deathclaws

We saw a deathclaw skull near the end of the first season of Fallout, and the second season’s trailer brings our characters face-to-face with a living one. These creatures are hulking, bipedal lizards that are one of the most formidable enemies you encounter in the game. They’re fast and can deal and absorb a lot of damage. I highly advise anyone to avoid interacting with these creatures, and it appears Lucy and the Ghoul have a close encounter with one in the upcoming season.

Again, you can explore all these areas and more of New Vegas now on Game Pass Premium and Ultimate before Fallout’s second season premieres on Dec. 17.

For more streaming news, here are the best streaming services and what to know about Prime Video.

Technologies

Who’s Up to Fight Mega-Corporations in the Outer Worlds 2 on Xbox Game Pass?

Save the universe by fighting one CEO at a time in The Outer Worlds 2, plus play other great games coming to Xbox Game Pass in October.

Space is the final frontier, and it’s packed with some devious mega-corporations who are out to make a buck in The Outer Worlds 2. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can fight them in the highly anticipated sequel starting on Oct. 29.

Xbox Game Pass offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device, with prices starting at $10 a month. While all Game Pass tiers offer you a library of games, Game Pass Ultimate ($30 a month) gives you access to the most games, as well as Day 1 games, like Hollow Knight: Silksong, added monthly.

Here are all the games subscribers can play on Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service in October, including Ninja Gaiden 4.

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PowerWash Simulator 2

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 23.

If you’ve ever spent hours watching people on YouTube clean dirty rugs, cars and other grimy objects, you should check out PowerWash Simulator 2. As the name suggests, this sequel is all about blasting away dirt and filth from pools, homes and other objects around town. You have a furry kitty companion, and yes, you can pet them when you’ve finished cleaning.

Bounty Star

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 23.

The American Southwest has devolved into a lawless, post-apocalyptic desert called the Red Expanse in this game. You’re out to clean the place up in this game by taking down major bounties issued by the government, and the best way to do that is by piloting and customizing a giant mech, of course. When you want to nurse your wounds, head back to your run-down garage to rest, grow and cook food and raise animals. It’s like a cozy Armored Core game.

Super Fantasy Kingdom (game preview)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 24.

After returning from a hunting trip, you find your 8-bit kingdom wrecked in this game. You must rebuild your domain in this roguelite, city builder. But as night falls, hordes of monsters emerge to tear everything back down. Build, mine, cook and grow your home, and prepare to defend it from all dangers.

Halls of Torment

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 28.

Get ready to descend into the deadly Halls of Torment in this retro, horde survival game. You can choose between 11 playable characters, each with their own playstyle, and equip various items and abilities to survive waves of enemies. This game is like Vampire Survivors, so if you like that game give this one a shot.

The Outer Worlds 2

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 29.

Clear your calendar for this sequel to the award-winning sci-fi adventure, The Outer Worlds. This time, you’re an Earth Directorate agent investigating the cause of devastating rifts that could destroy humanity. You have a new ship, new crew, new enemies and mega-corporation goons standing between you and the answers.

1000xResist

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 4.

One thousand years in the future, humanity is hanging on by a thread after a disease spread by alien occupation forces people to live underground in this sci-fi adventure game. You play as Watcher, and you fulfill your duties well, until one day you make a shocking discovery. This game won a Peabody Award in 2024, and it was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing that same year, so get ready for a story like no other.

Football Manager 26

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 29.

Get ready for a more immersive matchday experience in the latest installment of the Football Manager franchise. You can build a star-studded squad with new transfer tools, and this entry features official Premier League licenses and women’s football for the first time in the series’ history.

Game Pass subscribers can play the standard or Console edition of this game.

Games leaving Game Pass on Oct. 31

While Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass, it’s also removing three others from the service on Oct. 31. So you still have some time to finish your campaign and any side quests before you have to buy these games separately.

Jusant
Metal Slug Tactics
Return to Monkey Island

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now and check out our hands-on review of the gaming service. You can also learn about recent changes to the Game Pass service.

Technologies

Does Charging Your Phone Overnight Damage the Battery? We Asked the Experts

Modern smartphones are protected against overcharging, but heat and use habits can still degrade your battery over time.

Plugging your phone in before you head to bed might seem like second nature. That way by the time your alarms go off in the morning, your phone has a full charge and is ready to help you conquer your day. However, over time, your battery will start to degrade. So is keeping your phone plugged in overnight doing damage to the battery?

The short answer is no. Keeping your phone plugged in all the time won’t ruin your battery. Modern smartphones are built with smart charging systems that cut off or taper power once they’re full, preventing the kind of «overcharging damage» that was common in older devices. So if you’re leaving your iPhone or Android on the charger overnight, you can relax.

That said, «won’t ruin your battery» doesn’t mean it has no effect. Batteries naturally degrade with age and use, and how you charge plays a role in how fast that happens. Keeping a phone perpetually at 100% can add extra stress on the battery, especially when paired with heat, which is the real enemy of longevity.

Understanding when this matters (and when it doesn’t) can help you make small changes to extend your phone’s lifespan.

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The science behind battery wear

Battery health isn’t just about how many times you charge your phone. It’s about how it manages voltage, temperature and maintenance. Lithium-ion batteries age fastest when they’re exposed to extreme levels: 0% and 100%.

Keeping them near full charge for long stretches puts additional voltage stress on the cathode and electrolyte. That’s why many devices use «trickle charging» or temporarily pause at 100%, topping up only when needed.

Still, the biggest threat isn’t overcharging — it’s heat. When your phone is plugged in and running demanding apps, it produces heat that accelerates chemical wear inside the battery. If you’re gaming, streaming or charging on a hot day, that extra warmth does far more harm than leaving the cable plugged in overnight.

Apple’s take

Apple’s battery guide describes lithium-ion batteries as «consumable components» that naturally lose capacity over time. To slow that decline, iPhones use Optimized Battery Charging, which learns your daily routine and pauses charging at about 80% until just before you typically unplug, reducing time spent at high voltage.

Apple also advises keeping devices between 0 to 35 degrees Celsius (32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) and removing certain cases while charging to improve heat dissipation. You can read more on Apple’s official battery support page.

What Samsung (and other Android makers) do

Samsung offers a similar feature called Battery Protect, found in One UI’s battery and device care settings. When enabled, it caps charging at 85%, which helps reduce stress during long charging sessions.

Other Android makers like Google, OnePlus and Xiaomi include comparable options — often called Adaptive Charging, Optimized Charging or Battery Care — that dynamically slow power delivery or limit charge based on your habits. These systems make it safe to leave your phone plugged in for extended periods without fear of overcharging.

When constant charging can hurt

Even with these safeguards, some conditions can accelerate battery wear. As mentioned before, the most common culprit is high temperature. Even for a short period of time, leaving your phone charging in direct sunlight, in a car or under a pillow can push temperatures into unsafe zones.

Heavy use while charging, like gaming or 4K video editing, can also cause temperature spikes that degrade the battery faster. And cheap, uncertified cables or adapters may deliver unstable current that stresses cells. If your battery is already several years old, it’s naturally more sensitive to this kind of strain.

How to charge smarter

You don’t need to overhaul your habits but a few tweaks can help your battery age gracefully.

Start by turning on your phone’s built-in optimization tools: Optimized Battery Charging on iPhones, Battery Protect on Samsung devices and Adaptive Charging on Google Pixels. These systems learn your routine and adjust charging speed so your phone isn’t sitting at 100% all night.

Keep your phone cool while charging. According to Apple, phone batteries perform best between 62 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 22 degrees Celsius). If your phone feels hot, remove its case or move it to a better-ventilated or shaded spot. Avoid tossing it under a pillow or too close to other electronics, like your laptop, and skip wireless chargers that trap heat overnight.

Use quality chargers and cables from your phone’s manufacturer or trusted brands. Those cheap «fast-charge» kits you find online often deliver inconsistent current, which can cause long-term issues.

Finally, don’t obsess over topping off. It’s perfectly fine to plug in your phone during the day for short bursts. Lithium-ion batteries actually prefer frequent, shallow charges rather than deep, full cycles. You don’t need to keep it between 20% and 80% all the time, but just avoid extremes when possible.

The bottom line

Keeping your phone plugged in overnight or on your desk all day won’t destroy its battery. That’s a leftover myth from a different era of tech. Modern phones are smart enough to protect themselves, and features like Optimized Battery Charging or Battery Protect do most of the heavy lifting for you.

Still, no battery lasts forever. The best way to slow the inevitable is to manage heat, use quality chargers and let your phone’s software do its job. Think of it less as «babying» your battery and more as charging with intention. A few mindful habits today can keep your phone running strong for years.

Technologies

Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply

One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.

On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.

You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.

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Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.

«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»

How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook

According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:

Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
Use filters for job type, category and distance.
Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.

Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.

The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.