If you’ve been waiting to see someone other than Sony show off the PlayStation 5 Slim or the PlayStation Portal, you’re in luck. While the two products aren’t available to buy just yet, reviewers have started to get their hands on both devices for our viewing pleasure.

First, let’s check out the PS5 Slim. Ahead of its official release later this month, The Verge has gotten their hands on the console. According to their first impressions, the new console is definitely smaller, but even though its volume shrank by “more than 30 percent,” it is still a “big boi!” They also describe its removable disc drive as a “strange growth” coming out of the side of the console.

Image source: The Verge

That said, the PS5 Slim has plenty going for it. Not only is it smaller, but its storage has been upgraded to the full 1TB rather than the 825GB that was previously available to users of the original version. The front of the console now also features two USB-C ports instead of one USB-C and one USB-A port. The removable disc drive, even if it does look like a “strange growth,” is a nice feature for those who buy a digital version and then decide to get back into Blu-ray in the future.

Next, let’s jump over to the PlayStation Portal. The Portal is set to release on November 15th, but ahead of its debut, technology Youtuber UrAvgConsumer got his hands on the new gaming handheld as well as the PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds that go with them. While he didn’t turn the Portal on (I imagine that he’s not technically allowed to yet per Sony and the beloved embargo), you can get a sense of the size and comfort of the handheld.

You can watch Judnar’s video showing off the hardware on his YouTube channel below:

The Portal is still the device that really confuses me the most. From not supporting PlayStation’s cloud services to not supporting Bluetooth headphones and forcing you to buy the company’s $200 earbuds, it feels like an incomplete product. That said, for the diehard PS5 fan who wants to play some games in bed, it’s going to be exactly what they are looking for.

The PlayStation 5 Slim models will launch later this month, and the PlayStation Portal will launch on November 15th. The PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headphones will launch on December 6th.

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Earlier this year, Qualcomm announced a partnership with satellite connectivity provider Iridium to create Snapdragon Satellite, a proprietary technology to connect smartphones to satellites in order to provide emergency and other services. Ten months after the plan was announced, the companies are already calling it off.

As reported by CNBC, Qualcomm blames phone makers for the death of the feature, saying that there wasn’t much interest from brands to include the proprietary feature. While the company says that they “successfully developed and demonstrated the technology,” phone makers just “have not included the technology in their devices.”

Due to the lack of interest, Qualcomm has ended its partnership with Iridium. The company says that the market is moving towards a standards-based solution rather than a proprietary one, so that will be where their focus goes in support of satellite connectivity going forward.

Qualcomm said in a statement smartphone makers have “indicated a preference towards standards-based solutions” for satellite-to-phone connectivity….We expect to continue to collaborate with Iridium on standards-based solutions while discontinuing efforts on the proprietary solution that was introduced earlier this year,” the company said.

Iridium CEO Matt Desch said in a statement, “While I’m disappointed that this partnership didn’t bear immediate fruit, we believe the direction of the industry is clear toward increased satellite connectivity in consumer devices.” It’s interesting to see Qualcomm abandon a proprietary solution since Samsung announced something similar earlier this year.

Image source: Starlink

The feature would have competed with Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, which the company originally launched on the iPhone 14 lineup. With it, users are able to contact emergency services — even if they don’t have a cellular connection. So far, Apple’s is the only widely available service for smartphone customers.

While Qualcomm has abandoned its current plan, other companies like SpaceX are moving forward with their own. Starlink’s satellite communication service is set to launch next year. Eventually, the company wants to provide satellite connectivity in the form of text, phone, and even data to phones without the need for any special hardware.

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It looks like Hollywood is wasting no time after the release of the Walter Isaacson biography on Elon Musk. As reported by Puck, a biopic film about the richest man in the world is already being optioned, and some interesting people are potentially attached to the project.

According to the report, the film would be based on the biography written by Isaacson. This isn’t surprising, especially since his biography on Steve Jobs was also used when screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and director Danny Boyle made the 2015 Steve Jobs film. That film earned Michael Fassbender an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of the late Apple founder.

A24 is apparently the studio that may produce the film and Darren Aronofsky is reportedly attached to direct. This also makes a heck of a lot of sense since both the studio and director worked together recently on The Whale, the 2022 drama that starred Brendan Fraser. His performance in the film earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Elon Musk attends Heidi Klum’s 2022 Halloween Party at Sake No Hana at Moxy LES on October 31, 2022, in New York City. Image source: Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Other details of the film are still unknown, such as who may star as Musk or when the film may be released. The project is in the very early stages, so we’ll likely need to wait a bit before we start to hear more information. The project, of course, could also get scrapped, but that seems less likely — especially as Hollywood has been leaning more into biopics lately. Just last year, Baz Luhrmann released the anticipated Elvis biographical drama starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks.

While the film could obviously be very interesting, this seems like an odd time to do it. Musk is obviously still in the middle of his career, so I’m curious why Hollywood would choose to make this film now when we are still unsure where the billionaire and his companies (Tesla, SpaceX, and X) will end up in the long run.

Of course, Musk is obviously a controversial and well-known character on the world stage right now, so perhaps that is all Hollywood needs to push the project forward.

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Fourteen years after Facebook withdrew operations from China, the company is heading back into the market. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the company has reached a preliminary deal with Chinese gaming giant Tencent that will bring the company back to Chinese customers.

While the company is re-entering China, it doesn’t appear that it will be doing so with Facebook — at least at first. According to the report, the first product that Meta will offer to customers in China will be a new low-cost version of its Quest headset.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

While details about the headset are unclear, there are rumors that it will pack a lower resolution display when compared to the Quest 3 but come with a more powerful GPU than the last generation Quest 2. The report says that sales of the low-cost headset will begin in “late 2024” but we don’t yet know what pricing will look like.

The agreement with Tencent Holdings will make the world’s largest videogame company the exclusive seller of Meta’s headsets in China, people familiar with the matter said, offering the U.S. technology giant a major new market as it looks to boost tepid global demand for its niche gear. Tencent will start selling the headset beginning late 2024, with the two companies reaching a deal after about a year of negotiations.

The announcement comes as Meta recently launched its new Quest 3 mixed reality headset. The Quest 3 is a big update compared to the Quest 2, especially since it can achieve full color passthrough mixed reality. It features a 40% slimmer optic profile and, while it is slightly heavier than the previous generation, is supposed to still be more comfortable to wear due to its better weight distribution. The headset features a display of 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye, a bump compared to the Quest 2’s resolution of 1832 x 1920 pixels. It also packs new built-in speakers.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

The Quest 3 comes packed with the second generation of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 processor, which the company says is twice as performant as the second-generation headset which uses the first-gen XR2. It is expected to achieve between two to three hours of battery life, features removable batteries in the redesigned controllers, and can also pair with the company’s new optional charging dock.

While I’m interested to see what Meta can accomplish with a lower-cost headset in China and other markets, I’m personally okay with the price the company has set for the Meta Quest 3. It’s an impressive headset and a big upgrade over the Quest 2 which I also owned. It is also astonishingly seven times cheaper than Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset — making it by far the best value in VR and AR.

The Meta Quest 3 launched on October 10th and starts at $499 for the 128GB configuration or $649 for the 512GB configuration. We’ll have to see what the low-cost model costs in China and the “other markets” that Meta plans to sell it as we get into next year. Perhaps we’ll have another Quest announcement at Meta’s Connect event in September 2024!

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After a years-long wait, we finally have all of the details about what Humane has been up to. In a short ten-minute video, the company has officially unveiled the Humane Ai Pin, an AI-powered device that looks to utilize AI, a camera, a speaker, and lasers to pull people’s eyes away from their smartphone and focus instead on the world around them.

The Humane Ai Pin is certainly one of the most hyped technology products over the last decade, and it is finally here to take us into the AI era with some hardware. The company describes it as a “standalone device and software platform built from the ground up with AI” — meaning that you won’t need to pair it to your smartphone in order to use it.

You can watch the announcement video on X below:

With the Ai Pin, you can call, text, take a photo or video, listen to music, get directions, learn about food nutrition, and more. You can interact with the device using your voice or touch and play audio through either the built-in speaker or through a pair of Bluetooth-connected headphones. It’s powered by a built-in battery but also pairs with a “battery booster” for extra juice that also serves as a magnet to attach it to your clothing.

Humane communicator has a built-in projector. Image source: Humane

The company says that there are no apps with the AI Pin — instead, the device is completely powered by AI. Your assistant does everything for you — from finding messages to having a conversation in another language. Paired with the camera, the AI can also recognize objects like food to inform you of their nutrition. It can also recognize items in the real world and even purchase them for you online.

The company has partnered with Microsoft, T-Mobile, Google, OpenAI, Slack, Tidal, and more to bring these hands-free experiences to life. You’ll also get access to the Humane Center, which is where you’ll be able to access all of the content you capture and query using the device.

The Humane Ai Pin will cost $699 and come with the Pin, an extra battery, the charging case, the charging pad, and a charging cable. The company has announced a range of accessories, including a clip for attaching it to thicker things like a jacket or bag as well as a non-battery magnet to attach it to finer clothing like a workout shirt. They are also releasing protective covers if you want to give your Pin a flare of color while protecting the sides of the device.

In addition to the $699 base price, you’ll need to pay $24 per month for a subscription plan. That plan, which works with T-Mobile, gives you voice, text, data, and an unlimited number of queries with the AI. People can start ordering the Ai Pin in the United States on November 16th.

The Ai Pin is definitely one of the most ambitious and radical technology products I’ve seen since we started to see VR and mixed-reality headsets start to make their way onto the scene. I wouldn’t mind a world where I don’t need a smartphone to navigate it anymore. Whether or not that will happen in the form of Humane’s AI Pin or perhaps Apple’s rumored smart glasses remains to be seen.

Whatever happens, AI sure seems to make an alternative to the smartphone possible.

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Every time I think I’m in the right place with Apple Music, Spotify fights back with a sweet redesign to one of its apps, and I get sent into another internal battle over which music streaming service to use. Today is another one of those days after seeing the redesign of Spotify’s TV app.

Today, Spotify announced that it is rolling out a major redesign to its TV app. In a blog post, the company revealed the new design, which takes a lot of inspiration from the desktop version of the music streaming app. It appears that the company wanted to update everything, considering that it has also rolled out updates to its mobile and desktop apps this year as well.

The new version of the TV app brings the experience of using Spotify on television closer to the experience on the mobile and desktop experience — especially the desktop experience. The new Home page looks almost exactly what the desktop app looks like with its shortcuts, recently played, and recommendation sections.

The company is also rolling out a new “Up Next” queue to see all of the songs that will play next, a new Dark mode to dim the screen at night, and an easier way to switch between accounts so everyone can easily play their favorite music — no matter who is using the TV.

You can check out all of the new features listed below:

• New Home design: We’ve redesigned the Home page, bringing the big-screen experience in line with our Mobile and Desktop apps. You can now easily find familiar shortcuts to favorites, recently played audio, and personalized recommendations right on top of the Home page.
• ‘Up next’ listening queue: Previously it was only possible for TV listeners to view the next song lined up. Now, with the newly introduced Now Playing view, you can better manage your listening session by viewing and controlling what plays next through the easily accessible queue.
• Dark mode: For those occasions where the TV is not meant to be the center of attention, simply turn on Dark mode through Now Playing view. This will dim the screen and tune down the visuals to display a minimal amount of information so you can listen and still keep the mood.
• Account switching: Since multiple people in your household probably use the TV, account switching is a key feature for TV app users. We’ve made it easier to switch accounts by always showing the active profile in the top-right corner of your screen. Changing profile accounts can be done at any time by selecting your profile image, keeping the experience tailored to your preferences and listening habits.

After checking out the announcement video, it seems that Spotify is trying to blend the long-beloved audio experience with the video one as well. Spotify has recently made a push to get video podcasts on its service, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the company highlighting video versions of podcasts — especially on the TV app. I’m sure the company would love for you to watch them there instead of on YouTube.

I’m really interested to dive into this new experience and compare it to what I currently experience with the Apple Music app on the Apple TV. Spotify says that the new TV app is starting to roll out to Free and Premium users today to “supported Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and media-streaming devices.”

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Anxiety comes for all of us at some point in our lives, but probably not more than when we turn into dreaded teenagers. It seems that Riley is going to deal with the same struggles when anxiety moves into her head and starts causing havoc with the other emotions in Inside Out 2.

Today, Disney and Pixar released the official teaser trailer for Inside Out 2. The animated film, which will tell the story of the new range of emotions that Riley will go through as she turns into a teenager, will premiere in theaters in June 2024.

You can check out the official teaser trailer for Inside Out 2 on YouTube below:

What is Inside Out 2 about?

Inside Out 2 will introduce a new voice inside Riley’s head. In addition to Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, Anxiety — as well as a range of other emotions — are moving into her head. Director Kelsey Mann said “Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, might be new to the crew, but she’s not really the type to take a back seat. That makes a lot of sense if you think about it in terms of what goes on inside all our minds.”

Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.

Maya Hawke, who will be playing the new character of Anxiety, will be joined by Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, Tony Hale as Fear, and Liza Lapira as Disgust. The film is directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen.

Watching the teaser trailer for Inside Out 2 makes me want to go back and watch the first film again. It also makes me want to watch Elemental again, Pixar’s sole film from 2023. According to Disney CEO Bog Iger in the company’s most recent earnings call, that film has already made more than $500 million, so Pixar seems to be doing just fine.

Inside Out 2 will premiere in theaters in June 2024, but we don’t have an actual release date just yet. If you want to watch the film in the best quality possible when it eventually comes to Disney+, check out our list of the Best TVs and Best Soundbars.

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I remember when Apple first announced its Apple TV+ streaming service back in March of 2019, and Steven Spielberg took to the stage to reveal Masters of the Air. Almost five years later, we finally have a teaser trailer for the series and, after watching it, I think it’s going to be worth the wait.

Today, Apple TV+ released the official teaser trailer for Masters of the Air, its World War II series that comes from the minds of Spielberg and Tom Hanks — the duo that also brought Band of Brothers and The Pacific to the world. It’s also scripted by John Orloff, who wrote Band of Brothers.

The series will make its debut on the streaming service on January 26th.

You can check out the official teaser trailer for Masters of the Air on YouTube below:

What is Masters of the Air about?

Masters of the Air is “a salute to the brave men of the 8th Air Force, who, through their courage and brotherhood, helped defeat Nazi Germany in World War II.”

Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, “Masters of the Air” follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air. Portraying the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich, is at the heart of “Masters of the Air.” Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.

The series, like Band of Brothers and The Pacific, is produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman. It features an enormous cast, including Academy Award nominee Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann, Rafferty Law, Academy Award nominee Barry Keoghan, Josiah Cross, Branden Cook, and Ncuti Gatwa.

An all-star lineup of directors that includes Cary Joji Fukunaga, Anna Boden, and Timothy Van Patten is the icing on the cake.

This is one of the most anticipated series for Apple TV+ and, after watching this teaser trailer, I don’t think it’s going to disappoint. I have rewatched Band of Brothers and The Pacific more times than I can count and I don’t think I’m alone in saying that they are some of the best television series ever created. I can’t wait to watch the third installment that Spielberg and Hanks have in store for us.

The first two episodes of Masters of the Air will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, January 26, 2024, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday until its finale on March 15, 2024. If you want to watch the series in the best quality possible, check out our lists of the Best TVs and Best Soundbars.

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We finally have an update to the Backbone One! I personally love my Backbone One controller, so I’m excited to see that the company is finally updating it after three years of — in my opinion — revolutionizing mobile gaming.

The Backbone One was originally launched in October 2020, so the controller has been on the market for quite a while now. The company did technically update the controller when it released the PlayStation edition back in July 2022. That controller came decked out with the same layout but buttons and coloring specific to the PlayStation brand.

So, while the design changed, the features of the controller remained the same. That changes today. In a blog post, Backbone announced a number of updates for the holidays, including an actual hardware update to the Backbone One controller. The new version, which is available today, includes an upgraded D-pad and magnetic adapters for “even better phone fit.” What that really means is that the new version can finally fit a phone with a case still on it — fixing one of the biggest complaints about the first generation.

These new controllers continue our commitment to impeccable design and further our position as the leader in mobile and cloud gaming devices. Magnetic adapters allow for even better phone fit and a reshaped D-pad enhances responsiveness, resulting in superior feel and control across multiple genres of gameplay–all while still maintaining the form factor and ergonomics that players know and love. When combined with the Backbone app–which puts all of gaming in one place–it’s our most accessible gaming experience ever. 

Personally, I’m a sucker for a good D-pad. It’s such a vital part of tons of games, and hardcore gamers hate a bad D-pad, so I’m glad the company improved that part of the controller. The magnetic adapters also look much more elegant than the 3D-printed ones that the company offered to users over the last couple of years. The 2nd generation of the Backbone One is available now and Backbone+ can get $30 off if they claim a discount through the Backbone app through November 17th.

The company also announced a refresh to the iOS and Android app, which it describes as a new “look and feel of the Backbone app for a rich and interactive experience when discovering games across all kinds of gaming: Remote Play, Cloud Gaming, and App Store.”

It also is releasing its first carrying case for the Backbone One controller. The carrying case will be available in black as well as a Playstation-branded white version. The carrying case costs $24.99 and is also available to order starting today. If you’re a Backbone+ subscriber, you’ll get a 20% discount on the carrying case if you order through the Backbone app.

For anyone who purchases one of the new Backbone One controllers between today and May 8, 2025, they’ll get three free months of Apple Arcade. In addition to the free trial, Backbone says that it is also “launching a new experience inside the Backbone app” that will “enable instant game launching and gameplay of the Apple Arcade titles.”

I’ve been a huge fan of Backbone since it launched back in 2020. It is easily the best controller I’ve ever used to play games on my iPhone. Whether it be games from the App Store, Apple Arcade, or from Xbox through Remote Play or Xbox Cloud Gaming, the Backbone has been a fantastic way to elevate those experiences.

I’ll be picking up the new version and the case for travel and storage. This is such a great gift idea for the gamers in your life for the holidays, so I might end up buying a few of these this year.

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You ain’t afraid of no ghosts? Well, it appears that at least some people in New York are.

Today, Sony Pictures Entertainment released the official teaser trailer for the next installment in the Ghostbusters franchise. The next film, called Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, will release this spring and bring an icy spectral into the streets of New York City.

You can check out the official teaser trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on YouTube below:

What is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire about?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire brings the old and new Ghostbusters together to fight a new spectral force that threatens to bring New York City — and the world — into a second ice age.

In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

The new film will star Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Bill Murray. It is written by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan and directed by Gil Kenan.

I really enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife, so I’m excited to see what the team does with this next one in the franchise. I’m just excited that Ghostbusters is back. It’s such an iconic franchise and, after the total mishap that was the 2016 film, it seems to be back in good hands. I’ll always tune in for a Ghostbusters film, so I’ll definitely be hitting the theater this spring to watch it.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will premiere in theaters this spring, but we don’t have an actual release date just yet. If you want to watch the film when it comes to one of the streaming services, check out our list of the Best TVs and Best Soundbars.

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