Author: News Room
New Year’s Day is one of the easiest days to end up scrolling Netflix without actually committing to anything. The problem isn’t a lack of options, but choosing something that fits how you’re likely to watch, which usually means a show that starts quickly or keeps a steady rhythm without demanding too much attention. Whether you’re recovering from a late night or just easing into a slower start to the year, the right show can do most of the work for you. This list narrows it down to five that are particularly effective right now, not just because they’re popular,…
The debate over AI in Hollywood just found its biggest stage yet. AGC Studios is bringing Critterz to the upcoming Cannes Film Market, positioning it as the first mainstream commercial animated family film to be made with AI assistance woven into its production pipeline (via Deadline). The film is a feature-length expansion of a 2023 viral short of the same name. That original short was itself one of the earliest films to use OpenAI’s creative tools. What is Critterz actually about? The story follows a nervous but courageous woodland creature who bands together with a ragtag group of outsiders. Their…
Every time you create a new online account, you’re handing over personal data to a server you’ll never control. Since an average person can have hundreds of online accounts on different services, that adds up to a lot of data sitting in corporate databases. Researchers at Harvard’s Applied Social Media Lab say that this system puts your privacy at risk and makes you more vulnerable to identity theft. Their solution to this problem is Keyring, an open-source identity wallet that stores your biometric data on your phone instead. How does Keyring actually work? Think of it as a privacy-first digital…
If you’ve ever stared at a paper loyalty card and wished your iPhone could just store it digitally, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has dropped a key update for you. Apple is developing a “Create a Pass” feature for the Wallet app as part of the iOS 27 update. The feature will let users build and digitize their own passes directly on their iPhones without waiting for businesses to add official Wallet support. What can you actually do with the new Wallet feature? Per the report, the feature covers the passes that matter the most in daily life. These include digital tickets,…
Google’s long-running face unlock comeback story may have hit another wall. A recent Pixel 11 series leak claims that Project Toscana, Google’s rumored infrared face unlock system, likely will not debut on the Pixel 11 lineup because it is still not ready for release. The feature was expected to give future Pixel phones a stronger rival to Apple’s Face ID. Earlier reports said Project Toscana was tested on both Pixel phones and Chromebooks, with Face ID-like speed and better low-light performance. The latest leak suggests Pixel users may have to wait beyond the 2026 lineup for that upgrade. Is Google…
You might think the ads you scroll past every day are just background noise. But a new research suggests they’re doing a lot more than selling you things. The study found that AI can analyze the ads shown to you online and reconstruct sensitive personal details about you (via UNSW). That includes your political preferences, education level, employment status, age, gender, and broader financial situation. The scary part is that you don’t need to click anything; just seeing the ads is enough. How does this actually work? Researchers analyzed over 435,000 Facebook ads shown to 891 users, collected through a…
Our home galaxy has a secret buried inside. A new study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society suggests that the Milky Way swallowed an ancient dwarf galaxy billions of years ago, and its stellar remains are still embedded within ours. Researchers have named this lost galaxy Loki, after the Norse trickster god, and the name is quite fitting because it remained hidden in plain sight for a very long time. How did astronomers find Loki? The discovery came down to star chemistry. The first stars that formed after the Big Bang were made almost entirely of…
I am a huge fan of the Star Wars game Shadows of the Empire. I can’t argue it is the best, but I can argue that it is my personal favorite. Back in 2018, I tracked down one of the game’s directors, Jon Knoles, and spoke in depth about the creation of the game, Shigeru Miyamoto’s feedback, and a lot more.
Samsung may be preparing a major camera upgrade for the Galaxy S27 Ultra, with a new leak claiming its 200MP main camera could get variable aperture support. The claim comes from Weibo leaker Smart Pikachu (智慧皮卡丘), suggesting that Samsung may be looking at a hardware response to Apple’s own rumored iPhone 18 Pro camera plans. Why does variable aperture matter? A variable aperture camera can physically adjust the lens opening to control how much light reaches the sensor. A wider aperture helps with low-light shots and stronger background blur. A narrower aperture can help in bright outdoor scenes and keep…
There is something special about the Japanese convenience store, or konbini. Alongside the sushi, noodles, sights, and sounds of a trip to Japan, the konbini is an amazing part of any visit to the country. They are venues for trying new snacks and drinks, testing your “Arigatou gozaimasu” that you practiced over and over again on the plane, and witnessing a quality of convenience that’s rare back home; they’re special little pitstops you will make countless times there. Inkonbini: One Store Many Stories attempts to tap into this, putting you in the shoes of a konbini worker to play a…