Tech Boys

Netflix is acquiring Estonian startup Ready Player Me , a company creating "cross-game avatar tech" that allows players to bring their digital personas with them to different games, the company's CEO Timmu Tõke shared in a LinkedIn post . The acquisition is part of Netflix's new games strategy, which puts an emphasis on approachable multiplayer titles and adaptations of the streaming service's IP. Ready Player Me's team of around 20 employees will be incorporated into Netflix's staff, TechCrunch writes , though Tõke is the only one of the startup's four founders who will continue on after the acquisition. Neither company has shared when the avatar tech will be incorporated into Netflix's games or what games will support the feature when they do.  Besides designing its avatar system to be easy for developers to implement in their games, Ready Player Me's big pitch for their system is using AI to automatically redesign avatars for different ga...

Google's latest addition to its NotebookLM artificial intelligence research platform is a feature called Data Tables . The tool can collect and synthesize information across multiple sources into a chart that can be exported to Google Sheets. All Pro and Ultra users will have access to the feature today, and Data Tables will roll out to all users over the coming weeks. In practice, Google suggested that Data Tables can be used to organize scattered notes, create price comparison charts or aggregate results from multiple research projects. The example of the interface shows the desired table components requested in natural language statements.   Last month, Google added a Deep Research mode to NotebookLM. Deep Research was initially unveiled for its Gemini chatbot in late 2024 as an option for handling complex user queries. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/L8BwS6R from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything ne...

ChatGPT has launched its app directory — meaning you can now connect to some of your favorite services without leaving the OpenAI platform. The idea is that moving forward, the chatbot can suggest apps or you can easily access them (using the @ command) during a conversation. For instance, if you connect Adobe Photoshop to your account, you will then be able to utilize Photoshop tools when making image requests. In our testing, this works even if you don't have an existing Photoshop account. You can now integrate third-party apps directly into your ChatGPT experience. Credit: Screenshot: Timothy Werth / OpenAI "Apps extend ChatGPT conversations by bringing in new context and letting users take actions like order groceries, turn an outline into a slide deck, or search for an apartment," wrote OpenAI in an announcement for the app directory. In addition, app developers will be able to create experiences within ChatGPT. "Developers can use the Apps SDK — now ...

Several LG smart TV owners, including some Engadget staff, were surprised to find what looked like an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app suddenly installed on their devices earlier this week. After all the raised eyebrows, a representative from LG has reached out to say that the company "will take steps to allow users to delete the shortcut icon if they wish." According to the spokesperson, the Copilot icon is a shortcut for launching the AI chatbot in the TV's web browser rather than an application embedded in the appliance. We've asked for more specifics about when people will be able to get rid of the Copilot prompt, but have not received a response at this time. Apparently we're still learning the lessons of U2's notorious iTunes album giveaway . It might seem like free additions would be something people would enjoy, but it turns out customers want to choose which services they use. Particularly when smart TVs don't have the best track record on ...

Meta AI glasses are getting a software update designed to help wearers hear the person they're talking to in noisy environments. The "conversation focus" feature, which Meta announced on Wednesday , amplifies the sound of another person's voice when there's competing noises, such as chatter in a restaurant or the auditory chaos of a public transit commute. The amplified voice will be slightly louder, and wearers can adjust the level through the glasses' device settings or by swiping the right temple of the glasses. SEE ALSO: Buy the Meta Quest 3S and get a free $50 Amazon credit The software update is first available to those enrolled in the product's Early Access Program in the United States and Canada. Last year, Meta partnered with the accessibility service provider Be My Eyes to give glasses wearers who are blind or low vision access to live support. from Mashable https://ift.tt/1jgrnkN via IFTTT

Match Group, the conglomerate that owns dating apps Tinder and Hinge, knew a serial rapist was on those apps — and recommended him as a match to women anyway, a lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges. Stephen Matthews , a Denver-based cardiologist, was convicted of drugging and/or sexually assaulting 11 women between 2019 and 2023, and sentenced to 158 years to life in prison in October 2024. A bombshell investigation by The Markup and the Pulitzer Center's AI Accountability Network, reported in February, revealed that women had reported Matthews on apps like Hinge , but that he was still allowed to remain on the app. SEE ALSO: Report: Match Group dating apps conceal assault cases "Match Group fails to have effective systems to institute bans not only within its products, but across products when abusers migrate from one product to another," the new complaint says. The action has been brought by six women against IAC, Inc. (which owned Match until 2020), Match Group, Hi...

"Say hi, Dusty Do-gooders!" Brennan Lee Mulligan is back with a new season of Dimension 20 on Dropout. It's called Gladlands. This time, it seems the inspiration point is Mad Max: Fury Road, where a lack of water has doomed inhabitants to a live in sun-scorched wasteland, full of desperation and feral fashion choices. Witness them! SEE ALSO: Brennan Lee Mulligan talks 'Dimension 20: Cloudward, Ho!'s breakout NPC Who will we witness enter the dome for this new season? Well, Dropout's been teasing the cast with reveals on their Instagram ahead of release. Returning with new characters are Ally Beardsley, Oscar Montoya, Zac Oyama, and Jacob Wysocki. And making their debuts in the dome are Vic Michaelis and Kimia Behpoornia. Together, they'll roll out a new season with seven episodes full of fun, magic, and mayhem. Dimension 20: Gladlands is set to premiere on Dropout on Jan. 7, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday for six weeks. Each epis...

From radroaches to deathclaws, there are a lot of things in Fallout that I'm happy don't exist in real life. But there are several elements of its sci-fi technology that I wouldn't mind having around for day-to-day use. Who wouldn't want a handy-dandy Pip-Boy on their wrist? However, the cast and showrunner of Fallout have their own ideas about what technology they'd steal from the series. SEE ALSO: 'Fallout' Season 2 review: Our introduction to New Vegas is a blast, and more relevant than ever In an interview with Mashable, Fallout co-creator and showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet revealed she would steal cold fusion, the revolutionary, limitless power source introduced at the end of Season 1. That technology continues to play a big role in Season 2, as the forces of the wasteland jockey to control it — and the fate of the world. Meanwhile, Aaron Moten, who plays Brotherhood of Steel Knight Maximus, would choose an item that's very on-brand ...

The New York Times is getting in on the year-end roundup bandwagon. The publication's new Year in Games wraps up stats about which of its daily puzzles and brain-teasers readers played over the course of 2025. People can get their own personalized reports, or just look over the community stats for the Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and Strands games. The Year in Games reviews are available on the iOS and Android apps for The New York Times , as well as on a dedicated mobile web page. Annual analysis of all your activities has become a common feature for lots of services. Reports like Spotify Wrapped or the other many entertainment-related ones are usually a fun time, with splashy graphics and high shareability. Uber feels like an odder match. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/Esj6eMV from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/Esj6eMV via IFTTT

Meta revealed that Disney+ was coming to its Quest headsets earlier this year during its Connect event. Now, the streaming app and its vast catalog are finally available to Meta's VR users in the United States. Meta recently overhauled the Quest's entertainment experience with a new Horizon TV hub that brings its streaming features into one place. Horizon TV also added support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound, both of which Disney+ subscribers can now take advantage of. According to Meta, there are a"select" number of titles available to stream in Dolby Vision 4K HDR, and Disney+ Premium subscribers can stream with Dolby Atmos Sound. The company also says there are more than 100 titles in Disney's catalog that support 4K UHD and HDR and some Marvel and Pixar titles that support IMAX's expanded aspect ratio .  The app is available now on the latest version of Horizon OS. Though Disney+ is for now limited to US-based Quest users, Meta says that intern...