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Baldur's Gate 3 custom campaign mod Path to Menzoberranzan breaks silence with update on development re-think and character reveal tease
Game Updates

Baldur’s Gate 3 custom campaign mod Path to Menzoberranzan breaks silence with update on development re-think and character reveal tease

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The modders behind a Baldur’s Gate 3 custom campaign dubbed Path to Menzoberranzan have put out their first progress update in a few months, having gone silent just after getting their first build working around June. The reason for that quiet spell, according to the group, has been a “wild” summer in which they’ve had to revamp their development pipeline to better fit the scale they’re aiming for with the mod.

They’ve also teased full reveals of three characters who’ll be playing roles in what the Path to Menzoberranzan team have thus far pitched as a custom adventure through some returning locations from previous games in the series to the Drow city that serves as the mod’s namesake.

“It’s been a while since our last progress update, but rest assured that we’ve been working hard behind the scenes,” Path to Menzoberranzan community manager Andrew Simone wrote in this latest announcement on the mod’s Discord server. “We promise the silence has been for a very good reason.”

“The past few months have been wild: what started as a rebuild of one area of Baldur’s Gate II has grown into a full-scale campaign,” he explained. “That leap has meant re-thinking a lot of our processes, from how we collaborate to how we build content. Our summer was spent tightening up our production pipeline so we can deliver something truly special!”

Simone went to on the add that the mod’s team “is kicking back into high gear, more so than ever before”, before teasing full reveals of “some unique individuals” including “a Drow cleric of Eilistraee, a swashbuckling human, a man resembling Frankenstein’s monster, and more!”

There’s no mention of the demo which the modders looked close to releasing around the time of their June update, with a Q and A section of the mod’s Discord that was last updated in June reading: “The team is working towards the first playable demo. At this time, the timeline for this demo is under review.” So, it’d seem the need for these few months of rejigging has led the group to move away from their original plan of aiming to release said demo around 2025’s midpoint.

Those sorts of changes or delays understandably always lead to folks wondering whether the project’s in danger of fizzling out, given how many ambitious mods have suffered that fate. Though, it’s worth noting that there have also been plenty of big mods which’ve still delivered despite certain elements taking longer than originally expected. While it’s a mod that’s been in development much longer than Path to Menzoberranzan, Fallout: London developers Team FOLON have only just released their first DLC, announced all the way back in December 2024. Some extra work on future save compatibility was acknowledged as part of the reason why that ended up being the time it took.

This latest Path to Menzoberranzan update concluded with an announcement that the modders are recruiting for six roles across their technical, user experience and design departments. These gigs are for a systems programmer, an integration programmer, a UX designer, a systems UX lead, an emotional UX lead, and game designer. If you’re interested, more details can be found via the recruiting channel of the mod’s Discord server.



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Sam Altman Says the GPT-5 Haters Got It All Wrong
Product Reviews

Sam Altman Says the GPT-5 Haters Got It All Wrong

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OpenAI’s August launch of its GPT-5 large language model was somewhat of a disaster. There were glitches during the livestream, with the model generating charts with obviously inaccurate numbers. In a Reddit AMA with OpenAI employees, users complained that the new model wasn’t friendly, and called for the company to restore the previous version. Most of all, critics griped that GPT-5 fell short of the stratospheric expectations that OpenAI has been juicing for years. Promised as a game changer, GPT-5 might have indeed played the game better. But it was still the same game.

Skeptics seized on the moment to proclaim the end of the AI boom. Some even predicted the beginning of another AI Winter. “GPT-5 was the most hyped AI system of all time,” full-time bubble-popper Gary Marcus told me during his packed schedule of victory laps. “It was supposed to deliver two things, AGI and PhD-level cognition, and it didn’t deliver either of those.” What’s more, he says, the seemingly lackluster new model is proof that OpenAI’s ticket to AGI—massively scaling up data and chip sets to make its systems exponentially smarter—can no longer be punched. For once, Marcus’ views were echoed by a sizable portion of the AI community. In the days following launch, GPT-5 was looking like AI’s version of New Coke.

Sam Altman isn’t having it. A month after the launch he strolls into a conference room at the company’s newish headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, eager to explain to me and my colleague Kylie Robison that GPT-5 is everything that he’d been touting, and that all is well in his epic quest for AGI. “The vibes were kind of bad at launch,” he admits. “But now they’re great.” Yes, great. It’s true the criticism has died down. Indeed, the company’s recent release of a mind-bending tool to generate impressive AI video slop has diverted the narrative from the disappointing GPT-5 debut. The message from Altman, though, is that naysayers are on the wrong side of history. The journey to AGI, he insists, is still on track.

Numbers Game

Critics might see GPT-5 as the waning end of an AI summer, but Altman and team argue that it cements AI technology as an indispensable tutor, a search-engine-killing information source, and, especially, a sophisticated collaborator for scientists and coders. Altman claims that users are beginning to see it his way. “GPT-5 is the first time where people are, ‘Holy fuck. It’s doing this important piece of physics.’ Or a biologist is saying, ‘Wow, it just really helped me figure this thing out,’” he says. “There’s something important happening that did not happen with any pre-GPT-5 model, which is the beginning of AI helping accelerate the rate of discovering new science.” (OpenAI hasn’t cited who those physicists or biologists are.)

So why the tepid initial reception? Altman and his team have sussed out several reasons. One, they say, is that since GPT-4 hit the streets, the company delivered versions that were themselves transformational, particularly the sophisticated reasoning modes they added. “The jump from 4 to 5 was bigger than the jump from 3 to 4,” Altman says. “We just had a lot of stuff along the way.” OpenAI president Greg Brockman agrees: “I’m not shocked that many people had that [underwhelmed] reaction, because we’ve been showing our hand.”

OpenAI also says that since GPT-5 is optimized for specialized uses like doing science or coding, everyday users are taking a while to appreciate its virtues. “Most people are not physics researchers,” Altman observes. As Mark Chen, OpenAI’s head of research, explains it, unless you’re a math whiz yourself, you won’t care much that GPT-5 ranks in the top five of Math Olympians, whereas last year the system ranked in the top 200.

As for the charge about how GPT-5 shows that scaling doesn’t work, OpenAI says that comes from a misunderstanding. Unlike previous models, GPT-5 didn’t get its major advances from a massively bigger dataset and tons more computation. The new model got its gains from reinforcement learning, a technique that relies on expert humans giving it feedback. Brockman says that OpenAI had developed its models to the point where they could produce their own data to power the reinforcement learning cycle. “When the model is dumb, all you want to do is train a bigger version of it,” he says. “When the model is smart, you want to sample from it. You want to train on its own data.”



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BNB price extends gains to a new ATH amid crypto bounce
NFT Gaming

BNB price extends gains to a new ATH amid crypto bounce

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BNB price continued its ascent as bulls broke to a new all-time high of $1,167 on Oct. 3, with the surge coming amid an explosive increase in key network metrics.

Summary

  • BNB price rose to a new all-time high of $1,167 on Friday as Bitcoin jumped to $124,000.
  • Network metrics points to further gains for the Binance token.
  • Overall market sentiment is also bullish, with macro factors aiding the upbeat outlook.

BNB has been in an uptrend since breaching the previous cycle’s all-time peak, and the rally above $1,100 looked to gain fresh momentum as the price hit a new all-time high of $1,167. The cryptocurrency, native to the Binance crypto exchange ecosystem and BNB Chain blockchain network, has gained more than 18% in the past week and over 32% in the past month.

The BNB (BNB) chart shows bulls have extended dominance above the $1,000 threshold after initially retreating from a high of $1,075 on Sept. 21, 2025.

BNB price chart. Source: crypto.news

What happened as BNB price rose? 

A successful retest of the $1,000 area as cryptocurrencies bounced amid market reaction to the U.S. government shutdown provided a base for bulls’ latest move. Notably, the BNB community, including Binance founder and former chief executive Changpeng Zhao, has cheered each price milestone reached in recent weeks.

This upbeat sentiment has helped BNB hold onto gains and trade higher as market leaders such as Bitcoin and Ethereum surge. However, the bullish outlook is not just due to optimism for further gains; the Binance and BNB Chain ecosystems have shown significant traction across key metrics.

Key metrics point to momentum

Network growth across users, trading volumes, and total value locked aligns with Binance Coin’s market performance.

For instance, a Q3 2025 report by CryptoRank shows BNB Chain recorded a 57% quarter-over-quarter increase in active addresses in the three months to the end of September.

The network also saw notable jumps in both centralized and decentralized exchange volumes. PancakeSwap and Aster have been standout contributors to the trading-volume metric; the latter has attracted attention as one of the fastest-rising platforms.

A surge in stablecoin supply on BNB Chain, up  has increased by over 6.4% to over $13 billion, is another metric aiding the price surge.





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Shiba Inu Price Prediction: Will Uptober Ignite SHIB Breakout?
Crypto Trends

Shiba Inu Price Prediction: Will Uptober Ignite SHIB Breakout?

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Following several weeks of sideways trading and repeated support tests, Shiba Inu (SHIB) is beginning to show signs of renewed strength. A descending trendline that has held the price steady since mid-summer remains a key feature on the daily chart.

The steadily declining exchange reserves for SHIB indicate reduced sell pressure, as fewer tokens remain on exchanges. This pattern suggests that some investors may be positioning themselves ahead of a potential breakout, particularly given the concurrent uptick in transaction activity.

SHIB has successfully reclaimed its 50-day EMA on the daily chart — historically a pivotal level signaling potential momentum shifts — and is currently trading near $0.0000126.

Shibarium attack

Recently, Shibarium, Shiba Inu’s Layer-2 blockchain, faced one of the largest attacks in its history. The attacker attempted to exploit the network by manipulating checkpoints, reportedly staking 4.6 million BONE tokens to gain leverage.

The exploit was triggered on September 12, when a hacker submitted fake data to Shibarium’s Ethereum-linked contracts, prompting an automatic system shutdown as a safety measure. Simultaneously, the attacker staked millions of dollars’ worth of BONE tokens to temporarily meet validator thresholds.

In total, the hacker drained about $4.1 million in ETH, SHIB, and 15 other tokens from the bridge before moving the stolen assets.

Shibarium Bridge Exploit Community Update 17/09/2026

The attacker executed a flash loan swap to acquire 4.6M $BONE from Shibaswap & used those to delegate them to Ryoshi Validator 1. This gave the attacker > 2/3 majority voting on Shibarium validators & the ability to use the…

— Shib (@Shibtoken) September 17, 2025

In response, Shibarium has announced the implementation of blacklisting mechanisms on its Plasma Bridge to prevent similar exploits. The team also plans to gradually restart paused bridges, prioritizing safety and user asset recovery.

Following the attack, SHIB’s price dropped 13% within 24 hours.

Uptober bull run

Despite the setback, Shiba Inu has started October with a bullish setup that could push prices toward $0.00001410. If achieved, this move would align with historical price patterns, marking a potential 11%–40% rally.

Historically, SHIB has performed strongly in October:

  • 2021: +833% surge, pushing SHIB into the global top 10.
  • 2023: +6.04% gain.
  • 2024: +2.46% rise despite a stagnant market.

Shiba Inu price prediction

SHIB currently faces resistance between $0.000012–$0.000013, where the 200-day and 50-day EMAs have converged, creating a strong ceiling. 

Source: CoinMarketCap

The RSI remains in a neutral range, while the recent uptick in reserves slightly dampens the odds of a sustained breakout.

  • Immediate support: $0.00001200 (maintains September’s range of $0.00001170–$0.00001220).
  • Resistance levels: $0.000013–$0.000014 (a breakout could push SHIB to highs unseen since July).
  • Next major resistance: $0.000015–$0.000018, representing a potential 20%–40% upside from current levels.

For SHIB to confirm a successful breakout, it must decisively clear the $0.0000128–$0.0000130 range. Failure to reclaim these levels leaves the asset vulnerable to renewed downward pressure.





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Gaming Gear

Redbox’s next product may be piracy lawsuits

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There’s a new twist in the long and winding saga of Redbox’s demise: Assets originally belonging to the company’s corporate parent, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, may have finally found a buyer. But don’t expect a resurrection of Redbox’s red kiosks, or Chicken Soup’s Crackle streaming service, any time soon.

According to a late Wednesday court filing, a company called Grove Street Partners has offered $100 million for so-called “IP Litigation Assets” owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and its subsidiaries. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment owned the rights to hundreds of movies, mostly through its subsidiary Screen Media Films. “The IP Litigation Assets consist of the Estates’ rights to pursue litigation for copyright infringement against various third parties related to, among other claims, violations of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) for media titles owned or controlled by the Estates,” the filing says. The exact content of those assets wasn’t disclosed.

Grove Street Partners is actually the former name of Grove Street Funding, I was told by the company’s CEO Tom Murphy. Grove Street Funding helps IP holders finance and manage copyright infringement lawsuits, with a particular focus on DMCA-related litigation. In broad strokes, the company doesn’t just go after individuals sharing movies online, but actually uses the DMCA notices as ammunition to then go after ISPs that allegedly didn’t do enough to stop their customers from engaging in infringement.

Murphy outlined this tactic in a 2021 pitch deck of sorts for American Films, a company that took a similar approach to piracy lawsuits: “Internet Service Providers (ISP) are now exposed to paying the liability created by film pirates through their illegal BitTorrent file sharing. Estimated net total damages for the film copyright owner per film is between $200,000 and $4 million.”

Grove Street needs to pay the $100 million for the transaction in five annual installments, according to the legal filing. “We have lined up litigation funding to help us handle the legal fees, digital evidence showing the piracy events, the DMCA notices, and the annual payments due to the Trustee,” Murphy told me without elaborating further on how the company is financing this.

There have been a growing number of lawsuits against ISPs, with rights holders alleging that these companies aren’t doing enough to disconnect file sharers. One example of this is the music industry’s lawsuit against Cox, which led to a $1 billion verdict against the ISP in 2019. That verdict was overturned last year by an appeals court, with both sides now making their case in front of the Supreme Court.

Not all such lawsuits against ISPs end up being lucrative for rights holders. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s subsidiary Screen Media Ventures actually went after a number of ISPs with similar claims. Some of these cases are still dragging on years after being filed. At least one lawsuit, filed against Astound Broadband’s subsidiary Grande Communications, was unceremoniously withdrawn in 2023, with Astound’s general counsel Jeff Kramp boasting at the time that the company “did not pay a cent to resolve this case.”

Meanwhile, Redbox’s and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s bankruptcy case drags on, as are lawsuits filed against the company’s leadership by former employees and the trustee administering the bankruptcy case. Those lawsuits have raised serious accusations of corporate mismanagement against Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s former executives, which those executives have denied.



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Bitcoin
GameFi Guides

Bitcoin Speculation Explodes As OI At New $45.3 Billion ATH

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Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Data shows the Bitcoin Open Interest has shot up to a new all-time high (ATH), implying speculative interest around BTC has surged.

Bitcoin Open Interest Has Risen Alongside Price Rally

As explained by CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn in a new post on X, the Bitcoin Open Interest has seen a sharp surge recently. The “Open Interest” here refers to an indicator that keeps track of the total amount of BTC-related positions that are currently on all derivatives exchanges.

When the value of the metric rises, it means the investors are opening fresh positions related to the asset. Generally, more positions come up with more leverage for the sector, so the cryptocurrency’s price can become more volatile following an Open Interest jump.

On the other hand, the indicator going down implies traders are either closing positions of their own volition or getting forcibly liquidated by their platform. This kind of trend can clear out leverage, which can naturally make the asset more stable.

Now, here is a chart that shows the trend in the Bitcoin Open Interest over the last few months:

The value of the metric appears to have sharply been going up in recent days | Source: @JA_Maartun on X

As is visible in the above graph, the Bitcoin Open Interest has witnessed a strong increase alongside the asset’s run toward the all-time high (ATH) during the last few days.

This suggests speculative interest in the coin has gone up. The trend isn’t anything unusual, as rallies tend to attract a lot of attention, and with attention naturally comes repositioning on the derivatives market.

The scale of the rise this time, however, is definitely something worth taking note of. Rapid increases in the indicator alongside a rally can sometimes destabilize it.

Following the latest jump, the Bitcoin Open Interest has touched $45.3 billion, which is a new ATH. “That’s the highest level of leverage the market has EVER seen,” notes the analyst. It now remains to be seen whether the bullish momentum will continue regardless of the intense speculation, or if it will prove to be a warning sign.

In some other news, the BTC rally has also been accompanied by growth in the Coinbase Premium Gap, an indicator that measures the difference between the BTC prices listed on cryptocurrency exchanges Coinbase (USD pair) and Binance (USDT pair).

As the below chart shared by Maartunn in another X post shows, the metric’s value is floating around a positive value of $108 right now.

Looks like the indicator has grown over the last few days | Source: @JA_Maartun on X

This notable positive value implies Coinbase traders are currently participating in a higher amount of buying than Binance users, which is why Bitcoin is going for a higher rate there.

BTC Price

Bitcoin has pushed back toward its ATH as the latest continuation to its recovery run has taken its price to $122,300.

The trend in the price of the coin over the last five days | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView

Featured image from Dall-E, CryptoQuant.com, chart from TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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DAAPrivacyRightIcon
Product Reviews

The second-gen Kindle Scribe is $100 off

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We’re only one week away from Amazon Prime Day and the sales have already started. The deals include Amazon’s devices, from Kindle tablets to Echo speakers.

Take the Amazon Kindle Scribe, which has dropped to $300 from $400. The 25 percent discount brings the second-generation device back down to its all-time low price. This deal is available on the 16GB model in Tungsten (dark grey) and doesn’t include Kindle Unlimited. If you want more storage, the 32GB and 64GB versions are also 25 and 24 percent off, respectively.

The Kindle Scribe is our pick for best e-reader E Ink tablet. It scored an 86 in our review, thanks to the smooth reading and writing experience it provides. We were also fans of its sleek and slender design. It has a 10.2-inch screen and offers front lights that auto-adjust to your needs. Our biggest gripe was the cost which, thanks to this deal, is less of an issue.

Amazon

It’s worth noting that Amazon announced a few new Kindle Scribe models recently, but none of them are available just yet. The Kindle Scribe 3 has a thinner and lighter design, plus faster page-turning and writing experiences. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is Amazon’s first full-color E Ink tablet. If you want the latest and greatest, it’s worth it to wait — but Amazon hasn’t yet named specific release dates for either new model. During its latest hardware event, it only said the new Scribes were coming “later this year.”



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Decrypt logo
NFT Gaming

Walmart’s OnePay App to Include Bitcoin, Ethereum Trading: CNBC

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In brief

  • OnePay, a fintech firm owned by Walmart, is reportedly adding crypto trading and custody to its mobile app.
  • The platform was developed in 2021 via a collaboration between Walmart and investment firm Ribbit Capital.
  • The OnePay app has jumped inside the top 5 among free finance apps in both the Apple and Google Play app stores.

OnePay, a financial technology firm owned by retail giant Walmart, is reportedly adding Bitcoin and Ethereum trading to its mobile app, sources familiar with the matter told CNBC. 

The firm is said to be working with stablecoin and crypto infrastructure startup Zerohash to implement custodying and trading solutions into its mobile banking application later this year. 

“The move means that crypto is increasingly seen as a core offering that exists alongside traditional banking services like savings accounts, credit cards, and wealth management,” said CNBC reporter Hugh Son on the network’s Squawk on the Street show. 

OnePay was developed in 2021 via a strategic partnership between Walmart and investment firm Ribbit Capital with the goal of delivering “modern, innovative and affordable financial solutions,” to its users. 



Its mobile banking app currently offers features like a digital wallet with Walmart rewards, a high-yield savings account, and a debit card. Specific details about what crypto features it may offer, beyond trading and holding select assets, are not available. 

A representative for Zerohash declined to comment. The infrastructure firm rumored to be powering OnePay’s crypto initiatives recently announced a $104 million raise led by brokerage firm Interactive Brokers. The raise pushed the firm’s valuation to $1 billion. 

Initially released to app stores as early as 2020, OnePay’s mobile banking application has shot up the app popularity charts in both Apple and Google Play stores, jumping at least 50 spots in each store over the last month in overall app rankings—now ranked at #58 and #73, respectively. It currently ranks inside the top 5 mobile applications in the finance category in both stores. 

The app’s potential move into crypto isn’t the first time that Walmart has been connected to the space this year. In June a report from The Wall Street Journal indicated that the Arkansas-based retailer was considering the introduction of its own stablecoin. 

That headline was later denounced by consumer advocate and noted crypto skeptic senator, Elizabeth Warren. 

Representatives for OnePay nor Walmart immediately responded to Decrypt’s request for comment. 

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HBAR/USD (TradingView)
Crypto Trends

Heavy Selloff Triggers Bearish Trend

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HBAR saw sharp selling pressure on Oct. 3, with momentum intensifying in the final hour of trading. After briefly reaching $0.224, the token fell to $0.222, breaching key support and ending the session down 0.9%.

The steepest drop came between 13:50 and 14:00, when volumes spiked above 3 million, signaling institutional distribution and panic-driven selling. Repeated failures to reclaim $0.224 leave HBAR vulnerable to further downside toward $0.220.

Across the broader 23-hour period from October 2 to 3, HBAR dropped 3.6% from $0.23 to $0.22 on surging volume of 51.3 million, underscoring heavy institutional participation in the selloff.

Despite near-term weakness, attention remains on a potential SEC decision in November on spot crypto ETFs. With backing from governing council members like Google and IBM, Hedera could benefit from regulatory approval even as its technicals point to ongoing pressure.

HBAR/USD (TradingView)

Technical Metrics Indicate Ongoing Weakness

  • HBAR formed a distinct downward trajectory following its peak at $0.23 on 2 October 19:00, with resistance developing at the $0.23 threshold where prices repeatedly reversed lower during multiple trading sessions.
  • Essential support developed at $0.23 around midnight on 3 October, followed by an additional support area near $0.22, although both thresholds demonstrated vulnerability under continuous selling momentum.
  • Trading volume characteristics revealed elevated activity throughout the initial decline and subsequently during the 13:00 session on 3 October with 51.3 million in volume, indicating institutional engagement in the bearish movement.
  • Technical deterioration intensified during the final hour as HBAR struggled to maintain recovery efforts above $0.22 resistance threshold, validating the breach of essential support thresholds.
  • Substantial volume surges exceeding 3 million and 2.5 million during the 13:50-14:00 window coincided with intense selling activity, demonstrating institutional distribution and fear-driven selling.

Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy.



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ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from Xbox Game Pass' price hike to foldable iPhone teasers
Gaming Gear

ICYMI: the week’s 7 biggest tech stories from Xbox Game Pass’ price hike to foldable iPhone teasers

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This week has rounded off September, or Tech-tember as we call it, with the last few events of the month, from Amazon to Google’s big hardware and software reveals.

We also watched the internet implode as Xbox Game Pass got a major price hike, leading many to question if the subscription is still a good deal for them.

To catch up on all of this and more, scroll down for our recap of the week’s seven biggest tech news stories.


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1. Samsung teased the foldable iPhone

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

For ICYMI, we don’t normally include reports based on leaks and speculation, as while they can be right on the money, they can also be way off the mark – even from often reliable sources. We’re making an exception here as Samsung Display’s president Lee Cheong has said that the company is preparing to mass produce foldable phone panels for a North American client, and only one company comes to mind as this mysterious buyer: Apple.

That’s because the long-awaited foldable iPhone is rumored to be launching next year, and Samsung Display has long been making its other iPhone screens.

We’ve heard numerous rumors about what the foldable iPhone might look like, but expect something thin – it might even be thinner than the 5.6mm iPhone Air when unfolded. Pricing-wise, the most recent leaked price we’ve heard is $1,999 (around £1,500 / AU$3,050).

(Image credit: Meta)

The much-hyped Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are finally available to the public in the US, and you can even book a demo to give them a whirl.

This wearable is essentially Meta’s existing Ray-Ban smart glasses with a screen attached, offering additional functionality such as on-screen navigation, notification pop-ups, and even support for video calls.

But with pairs starting at $799, you probably want to try them before you buy them. That’s why, using Meta’s official scheduler page, you can find a retailer near you offering 25-minute demos. Just be prepared to wait a while, as demos are already booked up for months – although as more stores offer the specs and roll them out to more regions, it should become easier to book a demo slot.

3. We judged an AI ‘actress’

(Image credit: Xicoia)

Tilly Norwood is an AI ‘actress’ from “the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) talent studio,” Xicoia, and she burst onto the scene via social media to look for agent representation.


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The creator asked folks to “judge her by merit,” but we and many others – especially notable Hollywood figures – have decided she’s a terrifying prospect for the world of entertainment that could remove humanity from upcoming shows and films.

At these times, we can’t help thinking of that viral quote from Joanna Maciejewska when it comes to the likes of Tilly Norwood: “I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.”

(Image credit: Meta)

If you use Meta AI’s chatbot on Facebook and Instagram, you might want to reconsider, as beginning December 16, your chats will influence the ads you see – and at the time of writing, you can’t opt out.

“For example, if you chat with Meta AI about hiking, we may learn that you’re interested in hiking – just as we would if you posted a reel about hiking or liked a hiking-related Page. As a result, you might start seeing recommendations for hiking groups, posts from friends about trails, or ads for hiking boots,” Meta explained in its announcement.

Meta may be a pioneer here, but Google has discussed showing ads in Gemini and its AI Overviews, which appear at the top of search, while Amazon is using conversations with its Rufus AI chatbot for similar purposes.

5. Amazon announced new hardware

(Image credit: Amazon)

On Tuesday, Amazon held a huge hardware event in New York, and we were right there in the audience, bringing you the full lowdown on every device as it was announced.

Some of the highlights included the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which feels just like writing on paper, integrates with OneDrive and Google Docs, new Echo smart speakers and smart displays, three new Fire TVs, and updated Ring cameras and doorbells.

Everything is infused with AI courtesy of Alexa+, and we were able to get our hands (and ears) on everything to bring you our first impressions as soon as the presentations were over.

6. Google Home got an AI update

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Google’s smart home tech is finally set to get the much-anticipated Gemini update, which will bring more conversational interactions, improved assistance for setting up your automations, and better object detection for your smart cameras.

Unfortunately, for the best features, you’ll need to start paying for a Google Home Premium subscription – yours for $10 a month or $100 a year (the Standard tier), or $20 a month or $200 a year (the Advanced tier).

The good news is you won’t need to upgrade to the new Google Home Speaker (though you can if you want), as the update will be supported by all of Google’s home tech launched in the last decade.

7. Xbox Game Pass got a price hike

(Image credit: Xbox)

Microsoft set the internet on fire by announcing big changes coming to Xbox Game Pass. That is that a top-tier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription now costs $29.99 / £22.99 / AU$35.95.

This means that a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – at $359.88 – costs only a little less than an Xbox Series S – with its recently increased $379.99 price.

Now, Ultimate does come with some useful benefits. It now includes a Fortnite Crew membership (which nets you skins, 1,000 V-Bucks per month, and the Battle Pass), Ubisoft+ Classics (curated classic Ubisoft games), and shorter wait times and 1440p resolution when streaming.

That said, many gamers haven’t taken this news well, with the page players would use to cancel their subscriptions crashing. Yikes! Don’t worry completely about the price rise, as you can still get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $19.99 per month for now – while stock lasts.



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