Back in 2015, the two-person studio Metanet released N++, a brutally hard 2D platformer that was a decade in the making, building off of previous releases dating back to the freeware Flash title N. At the time, cofounder Raigan Burns issued some famous last words: “We hope it’s not another 10 years before we come up with a game.” But now here we are, more than a decade later, and N is getting another sequel. And this time the focus is on multiplayer.
Technology
Popular TP-Link routers could be banned after risks exposed
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A major national security debate is unfolding, and it affects more than government networks. It touches your home, your devices, and the Wi-Fi your family uses every day. The Commerce Department has proposed blocking new sales of TP-Link products after a months-long review into the company’s ties to China, citing a growing TP-Link security risk.
Multiple agencies, including Homeland Security and Defense, supported that proposal. They believe the company’s connections could expose American networks to foreign influence.
Security experts warn that foreign-backed hackers have targeted home and office routers for years. These devices often act as silent stepping stones that help attackers move deeper into sensitive systems. When compromised, they can expose everything connected to them, including computers, smart home gear, military devices used on base and more.
This potential ban would be one of the biggest consumer tech actions in U.S. history. It comes as lawmakers raise fresh alarms about Chinese-made cameras, routers and connected home products sold on military exchanges and in homes across the country.
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CHINESE HACKERS BREACH US NUCLEAR SECURITY AGENCY IN CYBERATTACK OPERATION, OFFICIALS SAY
The proposed TP-Link ban stems from growing concerns that foreign-linked routers and cameras could expose American homes and networks to outside influence. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why military families are even more vulnerable
Lawmakers from both parties say military households face extra risk. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who leads a bipartisan group of 23 lawmakers, warns that TP-Link cameras and networking devices sold on Army, Navy and Air Force exchange sites could expose sensitive footage from base housing and dorms. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) echoed that concern, saying these devices could act as a backdoor for Chinese intelligence to collect information on service members and their families. Even when products appear out of stock, officials worry they remain popular in military communities.
These lawmakers say Chinese laws could force companies to share data or push hidden software changes that weaken U.S. networks. They argue that this creates a real risk for households on or near military installations. While TP-Link disputes every allegation and states that it stores U.S. data inside America, lawmakers want a deeper investigation.
“China will use any way to infiltrate us, and we must ensure they cannot access our homeland or military bases,” said Ernst.”High-tech security cameras sending video and audio directly back to Beijing must be treated like the grave threat that they are. We have seen this playbook from China before, with Huawei Technologies, and need the Trump administration to investigate and determine if TP-Link is a trojan horse compromising our national security.”
10M AMERICANS HIT IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR DATA BREACH
How Congress is responding to TP-Link security risks
Sen. Ernst is pressing the Commerce Department to finish its investigation by November 30. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, says TP-Link could give the Chinese government access to American networks and wants faster action. Their concerns reflect past decisions involving Huawei and Kaspersky, which lost access to the U.S. market due to national security risks.
Congressional leaders say foreign-made smart home devices sold on military bases should face strict scrutiny. They see routers, cameras and other connected home gear as critical targets in a time when cyberthreats continue to grow.
We reached out to TP-Link Systems Inc., and a spokesperson provided CyberGuy with the following statement:
“TP-Link Systems Inc. (TP-Link), an American company based in California, refutes the claims in this letter. This letter repeats false and misleading media reports and attacks that have been thoroughly debunked.
TP-Link emphatically objects to any allegation it is tied to the Communist Party of China, dependent on the Chinese government, or otherwise subject to interference under Chinese national security laws. The company is not controlled by any government, foreign or domestic. TP-Link has split from and has no affiliation with the China-based TP-LINK Technologies Co. Ltd., which is separately owned and operated.
Lawmakers warn that TP-Link devices sold on military bases may put service members and their families at greater risk, especially inside base housing. (John Moore/Getty Images)
This letter has nothing to do with security and everything to do with a competitor trying to remove TP-Link Systems’ products from the marketplace. The “open source information” the members reference is actually a manufactured echo chamber of false and misleading attacks that the media has parroted over the past year. Instead of directly engaging with TP-Link Systems, these members essentially pressed “copy and paste” on unsubstantiated claims about our American company.
TP-Link has not been contacted by policymakers to discuss the alleged concerns, but if we were to meet with them, they would learn that TP-Link has located its core security functions and data infrastructure in the United States. U.S. user data is securely stored on Amazon Web Services infrastructure in Virginia, under the full control of the company’s U.S. operations.
TP-Link Systems currently holds a very small share of the U.S. security camera market, representing approximately 3% of the consumer market segment according to Circana checkout data. The company has virtually no business presence in the enterprise segment. Additionally, TP-Link Systems’ router market share in the U.S. has been inaccurately reported as being much higher than it actually is. Recent market research from Dell’Oro Group, Inc., found that TP-Link Systems’ market share of residential Wi-Fi router sales in North America is under 10%.
TP-Link does not enable foreign surveillance of U.S. networks or users. The company’s operations are built to prevent potential attempts to subvert its business by outside influence. TP-Link’s substantial security investments cover its entire product portfolio, including security cameras and routers.
TP-Link continually monitors its products and services and takes timely and appropriate action to address vulnerabilities it becomes aware of. TP-Link has not identified any reliable information regarding new vulnerabilities in its products in connection with this letter.”
FBI WARNS OF HACKERS EXPLOITING OUTDATED ROUTERS. CHECK YOURS NOW
Steps to protect yourself from this growing threat
Even as the debate continues, you can take simple steps to secure your home. These easy moves help defend against threats tied to any router brand.
1) Check your router and update it
Look at the brand on your router. Then update the firmware through the official app or web dashboard. If your device is several years old or no longer supported, replace it. Check out our article on the top routers for the best security at Cyberguy.com.
2) Change your Wi-Fi and admin passwords
Default passwords are dangerous. Create strong, unique passwords for both your Wi-Fi and the router’s admin panel. Consider using a password manager, which securely stores and generates complex passwords, reducing the risk of password reuse.
Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.
Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 atCyberguy.com
Congress is pressing for a fast investigation amid fears that foreign-made smart home gear could become a gateway for cyberthreats across the country. (Cyberguy.com)
3) Use strong antivirus protection on every device
Threats like this continue to grow. Install strong, real-time antivirus protection on every computer, phone, and tablet in your home. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
4) Turn off any of these features you do not need
Disable remote access, WPS and extra features you never use. These settings can open doors for attackers.
5) Put smart home devices on a guest network
Keep laptops and phones on your main network. Put cameras, plugs, TVs and IoT devices on a separate guest network so they cannot reach your sensitive devices.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
The debate around TP-Link shows how something as routine as a home router can become part of a broader security conversation. Whether or not the government issues a ban, this moment is a clear reminder that cybersecurity starts at home. Small steps make a meaningful difference in how well your devices stand up against foreign-backed hacking groups.
Should the government ban router brands linked to foreign influence or should consumers decide for themselves? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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The new game is called, absurdly, N Plus Infinity Times Two. Whereas N++ was meant to be the ultimate single-player version of the N concept, this game is described as “the ultimate virtual couch party game with a low skill floor and no skill ceiling.” That means the same slick, acrobatic platforming action and gorgeous graphic design-inspired visuals, but now built around playing competitively or cooperatively with pals across a handful of different modes. It’s launching on the PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC at some point in 2027.
The duo at Metanet was up to a few different things over the last 11 years. In addition to uprooting from Toronto to Montreal, they’ve been prototyping ideas for a few potentially bigger projects, and last year released a 10-year anniversary update for N++. But then, “We started getting the ‘let’s take another crack at it’ bug in 2022,” Burns tells The Verge.
The studio operates in an unusual way, at least compared to most of the game industry. Despite having two hits in N+ and N++, Metanet hasn’t grown or scaled up in any way. And the reason comes down to the way they make games: It simply takes a lot of time to find a game idea that’s worth pursuing as a commercial project. “We’ve resisted doing something that would compromise our ability to keep iterating and prototyping until something good shows up,” says Burns.
“It’s important to feel that magic,” cofounder Mare Sheppard adds. “That’s what’s compelling about making games. That’s when we know that we’re doing it in a way that’s right for us.” Burns has a clear analogy for how they work: “We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.” This philosophy seems especially prescient given the state of the games industry, where even the biggest hits operate in a way that’s clearly unsustainable.
“We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.”
In the case of N Plus Infinity Times Two — unfortunately I can’t think of a good way to shorten that title — the spark came in part from watching how younger players interact with games. Even when they’re playing solo, kids are typically still chatting with friends on their phones, essentially turning everything into a multiplayer experience. Burns and Sheppard wanted to find a way to marry that idea with the couch co-op experiences they grew up on, which led to revisiting the N concept but with a multiplayer spin.
The two describe making N++ as a grueling experience. If you think the game’s levels are hard, just imagine having to playtest them over and over. Part of the excitement about N Plus Infinity Times Two wasn’t just finding a spin on the formula that would be fun to play, but also to develop. “This one really feels like we’re having fun,” says Burns. “We’re really fluent in this one instrument. So now the fun challenge becomes playing new styles of music we’ve never played before, but with this thing we’re really comfortable with.”
Image: Metanet Software
As creative industries from games to Hollywood become increasingly homogenous, Burns also believes that there’s something important about doing work that’s distinct, even if it means revisiting a previous idea, like through the multiple versions of N. It’s similar to titles like Hades II and Silksong: indie-developed sequels that iterated a core concept, but with a fresh angle that made them more than a by-the-numbers follow-up. “Being yourself is more fun and exciting anyways,” Burns explains. “But I honestly think it’s more commercially viable to do something only you can do, because then you have no competition.”
As for what’s next after N Plus Infinity Times Two, the pair obviously aren’t revealing anything just yet. There are a few bigger 3D game ideas kicking around, but those would necessitate some of that scaling up that the studio has so far avoided. What they won’t close the door on, however, is coming back to the idea of N again at some point in the future.
“If we can do something that expresses something new, or lets us see things in a different way, or we get a different perspective on what this game is or how to play it, that’s exciting,” says Sheppard. “I think we no longer think this is definitively going to be the last one. We’ve abandoned that idea. It doesn’t have to be.”
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Space changes the rules for almost everything, including how a robot should move. On Earth, legs help us stand, balance and walk across a room. In microgravity, those same legs lose much of their purpose.
That is why Orbit Robotics, an academic spinout from ETH Zurich, took a different approach with Helios. The robot was built with four arms so it can grip, brace and work inside a spacecraft. Two arms can hold on while the other two handle tools, cargo and equipment.
It is a smart design for a place where floating is easy and staying steady is the real challenge. Here is how Helios works and why it could change the way astronauts get help in orbit.
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IS THIS SPACE CAPSULE HOW WE WILL LIVE AND WORK IN ORBIT IN THE FUTURE?
Helios uses two arms to anchor itself while the other two move cargo, tools and equipment inside a spacecraft. (Orbit Robotics)
Why the Helios space robot has four arms
Helios uses two pairs of arms with different jobs. One pair can anchor the robot to interior surfaces. The other pair can handle tools, unload cargo, move equipment or perform other work inside a spacecraft.
That setup is important because stability and work need to happen at the same time in orbit. A floating robot cannot casually plant its feet, bend over and pick something up. It needs to hold on while it works.
That is where Helios makes sense. Two arms can keep it steady while the other two get the job done. In microgravity, legs become extra hardware unless they can grip, brace or manipulate objects. Helios skips that problem by turning the whole body into a tool for movement and work.
How this four-armed space robot works
Orbit Robotics says Helios uses a tendon-driven system. Instead of placing motors at every joint, the robot keeps many of those motors closer to the shoulders. Cables and pulleys then transmit force through the arms.
That design can reduce weight at the ends of the limbs. In space, heavy limbs can create awkward movement. A robot also needs control, especially when it is holding cargo or tools near expensive equipment.
Helios also uses a rolling-contact elbow joint. That may sound like a tiny detail. In orbit, it can make a big difference. A sudden jerk could destabilize the robot. It could also send whatever the robot is carrying drifting across a spacecraft. Smooth movement becomes a safety feature.
How IKARUS helped shape Helios
Before Helios, the team built an earlier robot platform called IKARUS. That project helped test ideas such as teleoperation, imitation learning and dual-arm manipulation. In other words, IKARUS gave the team a way to learn how a robot could move, copy tasks and handle objects in a space-like setting.
Those lessons helped shape Helios. That is important because space hardware rarely gets a second chance. A robot designed for orbit has to be reliable, compact and useful in cramped conditions. It also has to behave predictably around humans. Helios builds on that earlier work with a body that better fits the environment.
QUADRUPED ROBOT PLAYS BADMINTON WITH YOU USING AI
Why astronauts need robotic help in orbit
Orbit Robotics says its mission is to free astronauts, not replace them. That sounds reassuring. It also makes practical sense. Astronauts are highly trained people doing some of the most expensive labor imaginable. Yet a major chunk of crew time aboard the International Space Station goes toward maintenance.
Some estimates put maintenance at roughly 35% of crew time. At an estimated $140,000 per astronaut-hour, basic logistics can become shockingly expensive. That means sorting supplies, moving equipment or handling routine work can carry a huge price tag. Helios does not need to be a genius to help. It needs to move through narrow corridors, stay stable without gravity and manipulate objects with care. That is the point of the design.
Orbit Robotics built Helios with four arms so it can grip, brace and handle tools inside spacecraft in microgravity. (Orbit Robotics)
What Helios could do in space
The first job for Helios appears focused on interior spacecraft work. That could include unloading cargo, helping manage supplies, moving gear and assisting with routine maintenance. Those jobs may sound boring. In orbit, boring tasks still take time, training and attention.
Over time, Orbit Robotics sees a broader role for robots like Helios. That could include satellite servicing. It could also include in-space construction as commercial stations and orbital habitats become more common.
If launch costs keep falling, more equipment will head into orbit. More hardware means more maintenance. More stations mean more logistics. That creates a clear opening for robots like Helios, built for space from the start.
Why robots may take on more space work
Human spaceflight still captures the imagination. It always has. However, the human body has serious limits in space. Astronauts can face radiation exposure, bone loss, vision problems and cognitive effects linked to fluid shifts in the brain.
Those risks grow during longer missions. Robots do not need air, food, sleep or radiation protection in the same way humans do. They can also take risks that would be unacceptable for astronauts.
That does not make astronauts obsolete overnight. Still, it changes the conversation. If machines can handle more work in orbit, humans may spend less time on routine tasks and more time on science. That could mean more attention on research tied to aging, cancer treatments, organ bioprinting and other experiments that benefit from microgravity.
CHINA’S COMPACT HUMANOID ROBOT SHOWS OFF BALANCE AND FLIPS
Could space robots build the next space economy?
If commercial space stations grow, they will need constant care. Cargo will need to be sorted. Equipment will need to be moved. Structures may need inspection or repair. Satellites may need servicing. Future habitats may need robots that can assemble, maintain and adapt.
That is where a machine like Helios becomes more than a cool prototype. It could become part of the labor force that keeps space infrastructure running.
The big question is whether humans remain at the center of that work or move into a more selective role. We may still send astronauts into orbit, but their jobs could change dramatically.
Instead of doing every task by hand, they may supervise robots built for a place where the human body struggles.
The four-armed Helios robot was designed for zero gravity, where legs are less useful than gripping and bracing. (Orbit Robotics)
What Helios could mean for future space robots
Engineers are starting to design machines for specific environments instead of forcing them into human-shaped bodies. That shift could affect more than space exploration.
On Earth, robots already work in warehouses, factories, hospitals and disaster zones. In each case, the best design may not look human. It may look strange, specialized and a little unsettling.
Helios shows why that can be a good thing. A robot built for its environment can work more efficiently. It can also take on risky jobs and help humans focus on work that needs judgment, creativity or science training.
For space, that could mean safer missions. It could also mean fewer astronauts spending precious hours on routine maintenance.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Helios stands out because it was built for the place it is meant to work. In orbit, walking offers very little help. Gripping, bracing and handling equipment become much more important. That is what makes the four-armed design so practical. It gives the robot a way to hold on while it works, which is exactly what astronauts need in microgravity. Orbit Robotics says Helios is meant to help astronauts, not replace them. Still, this robot raises a bigger question. As machines grow more capable, they could take on more of the risky and repetitive work beyond Earth. That could give astronauts more time for science, discovery and decisions that need human judgment. It could also change how we think about sending people into space in the first place.
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Would you rather see astronauts doing the work in orbit, or robots taking over the risky stuff? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Whether you’re considering starting a Sonos speaker setup, or adding to an existing group, the Sonos Era 100 is worth picking up. The compact, capable smart speaker is currently marked down to $189 ($30 off) at a variety of retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Sonos. If you want an even lower price, Sonos is selling refurbished Era 100 speakers for just $134. They come with fresh accessories and packaging, and sport the same one-year warranty as its new speakers.
The wireless speaker has a rich, detailed sound profile, with room-filling audio despite its small size. You might be able to improve the sound further with the Sonos Trueplay feature, which uses either your phone or the speaker’s built-in microphone to automatically tune it to your space. The Era 100 can easily connect with other speakers in the Sonos ecosystem for multi-room play, even with different Sonos models.
The Era 100 has expanded functionality from previous entry-level Sonos speakers, adding in Bluetooth and USB-C wired audio, as well as improved onboard controls. While the speaker features built-in voice assistant support for both Sonos and Alexa, you can flip a switch on its back to cut power to the microphone.
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