It’s not often we see an excellent portable gaming PC like the Steam Deck on sale for nearly half off, but today’s your lucky day. So long as you don’t mind buying it in certified refurbished condition, you can save hundreds when you purchase it directly (with a one-year warranty included) from Valve right now.

The refurbished Steam Deck starts at $279 for the base model with 64GB of storage, which is about $120 cheaper than buying it in new condition. And if you need more storage, the 256GB and 512GB models are both on sale, too, for $319 and $359, respectively. Given they both start at $529 and $649 in new condition, that’s almost like getting them for up to half off. What’s great, too, is that Value says it’s thoroughly tested each refurbished unit, and all meet the same performance standards as new retail units — just with some small cosmetic blemishes.

In case you need a refresher, Valve’s Steam Deck is a handheld that looks a lot like the Nintendo Switch. However, you can use it to play PC games, and it is a lot more powerful, with a seven-inch screen that’s more spacious than the one on the standard Switch. It also features tons of customizable controls, while the 512GB model even comes with an anti-glare screen.

Apple could soon let developers in the European Union use its tap-to-pay technology. A report from Reuters reveals that EU regulators could sign off on Apple’s proposal to open the payment system next month, putting a two-year-long legal battle to rest.

In 2022, the European Commission accused Apple of abusing “its dominant position in markets for mobile wallets.” It claimed Apple prevented third-party payment apps from using the iPhone’s NFC (near-field communication) hardware “to the benefit of its own solution,” Apple Pay.

The European Commission announced earlier this year that Apple committed to allowing third-party payment providers to freely use the iPhone’s NFC capabilities. Apple’s proposal would also give developers access to Face ID for user authentication and let iPhone users set third-party apps as their default payment option, Reuters reports.

The Commission is reportedly expected to accept Apple’s offer in May, but it has asked Apple to make some changes first. If approved, the proposal would remain in place for 10 years. We might not see these changes outside the EU, however, as Apple still hasn’t confirmed whether it will open NFC to developers located elsewhere.

• Olympic organizers unveiled plans on Friday to integrate artificial intelligence into sports.
• The International Olympic Committee shared its AI plan, including identifying talent, personalizing training and improving judging fairness.
• IOC President Thomas Bach voiced the need for Olympic leadership in embracing AI responsibly.

Olympic organizers unveiled their plans Friday to use artificial intelligence in sports, joining the global rush to capitalize on the rapidly advancing technology.

The International Olympic Committee outlined its agenda for taking advantage of AI. Officials said it could be used to help identify promising athletes, personalize training methods and make the games fairer by improving judging.

“Today we are making another step to ensure the uniqueness of the Olympic Games and the relevance of sport. To do this, we have to be leaders of change,” IOC President Thomas Bach said at a press event at the former London Olympic Park, which hosted the summer games in 2012.

‘UNCONTROLLABLE’ AI SYSTEMS COULD TURN ON HUMANS, REPORT WARNS

“We are determined to exploit the vast potential of AI in a responsible way,” Bach said.

The IOC revealed its AI strategy as it gears up to hold the Paris Olympics, which are set to kick off in just under 100 days.

The IOC’s AI plans also include using the technology to protect athletes from online harassment and to help broadcasters improve the viewing experience for people watching from home. The IOC earns billions of dollars through the sale of broadcast rights for the games.

The local organizers of the Paris games have already sparked controversy with their plans to use artificial intelligence for security, with a video surveillance system that includes AI-powered cameras to flag potential security risks such as abandoned packages or crowd surges.