The PlayStation 5 is getting a software update that brings back the looks of yesteryear. After fans applauded the move to apply the appearances of past Sony generations to their consoles' home screens during the PlayStation 30th anniversary last year, the company said it was working on making those permanent aesthetic options. That promised return of the four retro UI looks is the highlight of the upcoming PS5 update. Unfortunately, the start-up audio chimes that accompanied each generation are not coming back. But the visual part can be changed at will under the Appearance tab of the Settings menu. The other big component of the upcoming software update is a feature called Audio Focus that can help increase immersion during a play session while using headphones or headsets. With these presets, players can choose to boost the voice, the low pitch sounds, the high pitch sounds or the quiet sounds. You can also set whether the amount of amplification is weak, medium or strong. The PS5 update will begin its global rollout on April 24.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/retro-playstation-ui-options-return-permanently-to-the-ps5-230337414.html?src=rss

Character.AI’s new AvatarFX animates still images into expressive, speaking videos.

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The company warned that macroeconomic uncertainties including tariff policy have created demand volatility that will impact the second half of the year.

Several units within Google have told remote staffers that their roles may be at risk if they don't start showing up at the office for a hybrid work schedule.

Check it out in their video breakdown of the shot. I love how this was achieved. And find out more about WeFX here. Some notes from a WeFX release: The scene, depicting the harrowing demise of a horse and its rider during a high-speed chase across the American frontier, unfolds over roughly 20 shots and was brought to life by a 50-person team led by VFX Supervisor Ryan Ng. The sequence required a seamless blend of digital artistry and practical effects to capture a pivotal and emotionally charged moment in one of the season’s final episodes. The scene depicts Native American Pete Plenty Clouds being pursued by Marshal Kent and Father Renaud. In a desperate attempt to escape, Pete pushes his horse to its limits. As exhaustion sets in, the horse begins foaming and bleeding from the mouth before succumbing to its injuries and collapsing to the ground with Pete in a tangle of dust and limbs. This pivotal moment required seamless integration of practical and digital elements to achieve photorealism, making it a very complex sequence in the series. Given creator Taylor Sheridan’s deep expertise in horsemanship, the CG horse needed to be indistinguishable from the real one(s) used in the show. The WeFX team meticulously studied reference footage of horse racing accidents, carefully analyzing how horses fall and collapse mid-gallop. A full digital double was created for both the horse and its rider, Pete, with intricate details such as muscle movement, skin simulations, and dynamic hair and tail physics. Additionally, every part of the saddle was modeled and simulated to ensure accuracy. One of the biggest challenges was blending the CG elements with the practical environment. A special effects dummy horse was used on set, and the CG animation had to precisely match its movement and final resting position. A hero digital ground asset was also recreated, complete with matching grasses, foliage, and topography to seamlessly replace any traces of the set while ensuring the terrain appeared as untouched natural plains. Both Pete and the horse’s interactions with the ground were carefully matchmoved to ensure realistic interactivity and dust level continuity throughout. To bring the sequence to life, the team relied on industry-standard software—including ZBrush, Maya, Houdini, Nuke, and Arnold—to simulate everything from muscle dynamics to environmental integration. The result is a technically complex, photorealistic sequence that highlights the precision and innovation driving modern visual effects. Credits Ryan Ng vfx supervisor Filip Kicev cg supervisor Parichoy Choudhury cg supervisor Josh Clark tracking & matchmove supervisor Pankaj Brijlani matchmove supervisor Ehsan Ramezani compositing supervisor Scott Buda compositing supervisor Ethan Lee rigging supervisor Patrick Hirlehey vfx editor Vimal Mallireddy fx supervisor Steve Stransman executive producer Mohammad Ghorbankarimi executive vfx supervisor Amanda Lariviere executive producer & head of studio Igor Avdyushin head of cg Laurence Cymet head of technology Wes Heo head of 2d Brandon Terry head of editorial & i/o Jeremiah McWhirter editorial lead Maurizio Sestito senior vfx editor Austin Baerg layout supervisor Cesar Dacol Jr. creature supervisor Carlos Jacinto creature artist Brandon Golding creature artist Mauro D’Elia Matheus creature artist Amanda Heppner lead creature/lookdev artist Dajeong Park groomer/lookdev Eric Fernandez Garcia groomer/lookdev Arian van Zyl senior compositor Kenwei Lin senior compositor Keyur Patel senior compositor Prashant Goel senior compositor Lisa Jiang lead compositor Ashley Hakker compositor Christian Linker compositor Corey Allen compositor Kathryn Fay compositor Lurival Jones compositor Duc Nhan Nguyen junior lighting artist Fernando Gallo lead animator Mariia Nikiforova animator Tunyakarn Anucharchart animator Nadav Ehrlich animation supervisor Jay Kinsella associate animation supervisor Sonny Ong asset supervisor Bruna Hirosse Albino junior asset artist Jejin Lee asset artist Hyelee Park asset artist André Suk Hwan Ko cg generalist Darren Lesmana fx artist Mykyta Berezin fx artist Jesús Guijarro Piñal lead cfx Lewis Hawkes rigger Pankaj Brijlani matchmove supervisor Olabisi Famutimi senior lighting artist Rainy Chi Yuen Tsang lighting artist Viduttam Rajan Katkar lighting pipeline supervisor The post This ‘1923’ CG horse visual effects work by WeFX is…intoxicating appeared first on befores & afters.

The European Commission is coming for “SkinnyTok.” EU regulators are investigating a recent wave of social media videos that promote extreme thinness and “tough love” weight-loss advice, assessing whether TikTok is doing enough to protect children online, per Politico. France’s minister for digital media, Clara Chappaz, recently reported #SkinnyTok to both the French media regulator Arcom and the EU. “These videos promote extreme thinness. Protecting minors online is one of my priorities,” Chappaz said in a TikTok video posted Friday. @clara.chappaz Et si on parlait plutôt de #StrongTok ? S’aimer, commence par se respecter. Ces modèles d’extrême maigreur peuvent faire beaucoup de mal. #skinnytok #fyp ♬ son original – clara.chappaz Arcom told Politico it is collaborating with the European Commission to examine the trend “given the public health risk” it may pose. A Commission spokesperson also confirmed to Politico that it is “aware of the issue” and “ready to cooperate.” This comes alongside an ongoing EU investigation into TikTok’s algorithm and its impact on minors. The Commission is already looking into how the platform promotes content related to eating disorders—suggesting that further action may soon follow. Although the investigation is still in its early stages, discussions with TikTok are underway. The platform’s community guidelines claim it does “not allow showing or promoting disordered eating and dangerous weight loss behaviors.” Still, content that “shows or promotes potentially harmful weight management” is permitted for users over 18 and is excluded from the For You feed. Fast Company has reached out to TikTok for comment. Search “SkinnyTok” on TikTok, and the first thing you’ll see is a platform-generated message stating, “You are more than your weight.” Tap it, and you’ll find links to resources for disordered eating support, including the National Eating Disorder Association. But once you move past that well-meaning message, you’re hit with thousands of videos promoting restrictive eating, body checks, and before-and-after transformations. “Unhinged skinny advice,” one post reads. Another declares: “Being skinny is an outfit.” And, of course, the old favorite: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Weight-loss and pro-anorexia communities have long thrived on social media—just ask anyone who used Tumblr in the 2010s. In recent years, this kind of content has surged on TikTok, coinciding with the rise of GLP-1 medications. Many credit these drugs with pushing back against body positivity and ushering in a resurgence of thinness as the ideal. The effects aren’t just digital. According to a recent report by Trilliant Health, eating-disorder-related health visits among those youths younger than 17 have more than doubled in the past five years. From 2018 to mid-2022, these visits rose by 107.4%, with visits related to anorexia nervosa increasing 129.26%. In 2021, a report revealed that Instagram had failed to protect vulnerable users from pro-anorexia content. Let’s hope TikTok learns from those mistakes.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. A company’s corporate brand name should be its hardest working marketing asset. Nothing will be used more often or for longer than the company’s name. And in a world where competitors can copy almost everything else, they can’t duplicate your name. However, sometimes the original name, chosen long ago, no longer fits and it’s time to rebrand. Rebranding a company is not just a superficial exercise; this strategic move can redefine your business, energize your team, and reshape your future.  Steve Jobs, a master at communication, understood that a brand is more than a name or logo—it’s a story, a purpose, a promise, and the right name can make or break a brand. After all, the man turned a company named after a fruit into one of the most successful brands in the world. Here is some guidance on when to rebrand and the steps to make a rebrand successful, with inspiration from Steve Jobs.   When to rebrand  So, when is it time to rebrand? Maybe your brand no longer reflects who you are or what you stand for. If your company has evolved—expanding into new markets, adopting new technologies, or shifting its mission—your brand must evolve too. Just as Jobs famously redefined Apple’s purpose to focus on innovation and simplicity, you must ensure your brand reflects where you’re headed, not where you’ve been.   Perhaps your brand is facing increased competition. If customers can’t tell the difference between you and your competitors, it’s time to stand out. A rebrand can help clarify what makes your business unique and why it matters. And most common, you are merging or acquiring another company. Mergers and acquisitions often demand a new identity that reflects the combined strengths of the entities involved—an opportunity to tell a fresh story.   Once a decision has been made to rebrand, here are five steps for success.  1. Tell the story first   We are all wired for story. When someone says, “I have a story to tell you,” we lean in. So the first step is to tell the story of the rebrand with emphasis on the benefits to the audiences. Why you are changing is a good start, but what does this mean for your customers? Craft a narrative that resonates emotionally and aligns with your audience’s needs. As Jobs said, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” Anchor your rebrand in a strong “why.” And an even stronger what!  2. Write your future headlines  Imagine the article you want to see in The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times about your brand. What would they say about your rebrand? This exercise will clarify your vision and guide all creative efforts. While this sounds simple, the strategic exercise can be your compass as you prepare your creative and launch activities.  Take a recent Lexicon name, Lucid Motors. The company’s mission statement expresses that “through technology, we create exceptional experiences to drive the world forward.” For this assignment, the client was looking for a name that would capture that notion while setting itself apart from any other auto brand. The name “Lucid” achieves this by working on our imagination, moving us from the literal meaning “clear-headed” to “exceptionally efficient brain power” to “exceptionally efficient battery power.” While this is going on in the intellectual realm, we experience the shock of the name’s unexpectedness in its category. Of course, shock by itself is not enough. As we see, the name also moves us from the literal meaning of lucid to one that fits the character of the car.   3. Focus on the unexpected and emotion.  Humans like to think of themselves as rational animals, but it comes as no news to marketers that we are motivated to a greater extent by emotions. Logic brings us to conclusions; emotion brings us to action. Whether we are creating a poem or a new brand name, we won’t get very far if we treat the task as an engineering exercise. True, names are formed by putting together parts, just as poems are put together with rhythmic patterns and with rhyming lines, but that totally misses what is essential to a name’s success or a poem’s success. Consider Microsoft and Apple as names. One is far more mechanical, and the other much more effective at creating the beginning of an experience. While both companies are tremendously successful, there is no question that Apple has the stronger, more emotional experience. What is that worth?  4. Identify your audience and speak directly to each group   Different stakeholders care about different things. Employees need inspiration; investors need confidence; customers need clarity on what’s in it for them. Break down these audiences and craft tailored messages for each group.  Identifying the audience groups can be challenging. While the first layer is obvious—customers, employees, investors, and analysts—all these audiences are easy to find and message. However, what is often overlooked is the individuals in those audiences who can more positively influence the rebrand. It may be a particular journalist, or a few select employees. Once you have identified these influencers, develop more relevant conversations that help them understand the rebrand.  5. Plan for longevity   A successful launch must be roadmapped with events and reminders over a 9-18 month timeline. It is much more than simply reannouncing the name change; it becomes an opportunity to build stronger relationships with the audiences that matter most to your brand. Consistency builds trust. Plan events and marketing efforts over a longer timeframe to reinforce your new identity. For example, company or industry conferences are excellent venues to reinforce the change and show where the company is headed. Any event must be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen the reasons for the rebrand.  Steve Jobs approached branding with clarity, simplicity, and a relentless focus on storytelling and user experience. He didn’t just change Apple’s logo—he transformed its identity by aligning every touchpoint with its purpose: empowering individuals through technology. By following these principles, you can ensure that your rebrand isn’t just a name change but a strategic leap forward that captures attention, inspires loyalty, and drives growth. As Jobs might say, “Think different.”  David Placek is founder and CEO of Lexicon Branding. 

In 2025, per usual, Milan Design Week, the Salone, delivered an overwhelming banquet for the creative appetite, here's what Core77 found particularly tasty.In the category of national exhibitions, a highlight was House of Switzerland Milano. It was organized by Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and Presence Switzerland. The theme of collaboration ties together a broad range of work and talent:https://ecal.ch/en/feed/projects/8162/designed-in-ch-made-in-jp/"Designed by ECAL and produced by Karimoku New Standard for the Swiss pavilion in 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Kansai, Japan.Designed in CH Made in JP is a cross-cultural collaboration from the MA Product Design programme at ECAL, Karimoku New Standard (KNS) and Presence Switzerland. Asked to design wooden chairs for the Swiss Pavilion at the World Exhibition in Osaka, Japan, ECAL's students presented their designs with one selected for production in partnership with Japanese furniture makers KNS. With some designs taking stimulus from the pavilion's scenography, others reference cultural iconography while celebrating the symbiosis between the two nations. Each chair's unique narrative displays how the heritage of both nations are aligned to values of craftsmanship and innovation."Press Picture: Andre Hoenicke & Zoe Ammann CoLAB: ICDP Prospects Unfoldedhttps://www.instagram.com/hgkbasel_industrialdesign SWISSWOOL X CLAUDIA CAVIEZEL http://www.caviezel.cc/ https://www.instagram.com/cecilefeilchenfeldthttps://www.instagram.com/adrienroverostudio/"LIGHT KNIT Cecile Fellchenfeldt (Franco/ Francia) & Karla Huft (Germany / Germania)In collaboration with Adrien Rovero Studio (Switzerland / Svizzera)Textile creation/ Creazione tossile.Sequins, Lycra yarn / Paillette, filato di lycraEach of these standing lamps has a different base and textile covering. The highly elastic 3D 'pockets' were engineered on knitting machines and stretched out by pastilles (sequins without a hole), making them transiucent."https://www.instagram.com/raphaelkadid/"Bringing together Swiss gallery Raw Senses and surface specialists BWB, initiated for Zurich Design Week, the Philae Bookshelf by Raphael Kadid is crafted entirely from hand-anodised aluminium. With its structure mirroring architectural principles, the piece is assembled with triangulated connections akin to a card tower, ensuring stability. Taking inspiration from aerial photography of aluminium mining sites, Kadid has created an abstract pattern across the surface through hand-anodising processes developed with BWB. Becoming an ode to its mineral origins, the bookshelf has also been created with modularity in mind and can be easily extended or recycled at the end of use."* * * See more of our 2025 Milan Design Week coverage here * * * /// - - - - M-I-L-A-N-O - 2-0-2-5 - - - - ///

This Dearborn Pop-Down Drain is designed to improve not only the UX of the end user, but of the person who has to install it. In the works by Cleveland-based plumbing products company Oatey, It's a bathroom sink drain with a stopper that sits flush with the bottom of the sink—when it's open. Pushing it down, beneath the surface of the sink bottom, seals it shut. The stopper can be removed for cleaning or maintenance by hand, without the use of tools, a boon for users; there's no pivot rod to detach first.By doing away with the pivot rod arrangement used by most sink drains, the design also eliminates a potential leak path. It additionally eases installation for the plumber; no tools are required beyond putty for the seal, as the body is knurled for hand-tightening. Perhaps best of all for the plumber, it reduces the need to carry inventoryf. While other pop-down drains exist on the market, Oatey's design is universal in that it can be used with sinks with or without overflows; in other words, the plumber only needs to stock one SKU, rather than be prepared for both options.One thing the user might not like is that after filling the basin for a cleaning task, a finger must be immersed into the water to open the drain. This might be a dealbreaker for the finicky.The Dearborn is designed to fit all 1 ¼" bahtroom sink openings, and can be used with both thick and thin sinks. The user-facing components are made from machined brass for longevity.The product isn't yet market-ready; Oatey unveiled the design at the recent KBIS show (see below). They say the Dearborn will hit store shelves later this year.