Bryant Francis, Senior EditorJanuary 28, 20254 Min ReadImage via Activision/Microsoft.At a GlanceSeveral right-wing users on X are sharing screenshots of Activision employees discussing DEI programs in Slack.Activision Blizzard employees are facing increased harassment on X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube following the distribution of what appear to be leaked internal messages between employees discussing the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the company.The messageswhich appear to have been sent via Slack, a communications tool used at Activision Blizzardhave been directly posted by far-right users attacking the company for continuing to support diversity in the workplace. It appears someone with access to Activision's Slack channel is sending screenshots and photos of these messages directly to these users.Activision Senior QA tester Sam Hudson appeared to confirm the ongoing harassment in a post on LinkedIn on January 25 and stated several of their colleagues had been "doxxed.""This employee took screenshots of ABK wide discussions about the safety of our protected information (like name changes and visa statuses) and sent them to an an extremely racist, sexist, and transphobic individual on Twitter who has over a 100 thousand followers," they added."It is even more dangerous to be trans or an immigrant at Activision now apparently, as someone who works with us has no problems doxxing people."Game Developer reviewed the leaked message and identified the names of several current employees of Activision and its subsidiaries.Related:These leaks raise questions about what Activision is doing to protect its employees, and what action it will take against the person or persons who shared the screenshots if they work for the company. The company's publicly-posted diversity policy promises it will create "safe spaces to build community" at the studio. The continued leaking of employee messages raises concerns over if that promise is being kept.The first of these screenshots appeared on January 20, around the time of President Donald Trump's inauguration, and reference his presidency as a point of concern over policies and software choices at the company. The first leaked messages shows an employee raising concerns over the security of an HR platform called "Workforce," indicating it may be vulnerable to leaks and exposing the names of transgender employees who have filed for name changes during their time at Activision.Twitter account "YellowFlashGuy" shared several messages over the next 24 hours, including one where employees realized their messages were being leaked to X, and were asking Activision what it was doing to protect their security. The names and profile pictures of Activision employees were on display in the shared messages.On January 27, user Mark Kern (formerly CEO of Red 5 Studios) got in on the action, showing a photograph of a Slack message from Activision president Rob Kostich telling employees the company would be continuing the DEI policies run by the Inclusive Growth team. In follow-up posts, he singled out a technical artist at the company for posts they had liked on Facebook and called for veterans groups to cut ties with Activision over these policies.Other far-right users on X and YouTube have circulated these screenshots, ridiculing the employees and encouraging others to join in.Online harassment campaigns continue to target developers in 2025Game developers have endured a resurgent right-wing harassment campaign lashing out over the depiction of underrepresented characters in games since early 2024. Around that time, content creators and Steam users in the far-right ecosystem began a campaign targeting work-for-hire game narrative studio Sweet Baby Inc., accusing it of attempting to impose a censorious agenda on its clients, including Insomniac Games, Remedy Entertainment, and Rocksteady. Some employees of these companies faced additional harassment after speaking up in support of their collaborators.In the wake of this campaign and other events, organizations like Take This and Games And Harassment Hotline assembled lists of resources for developers targeted by online harassment.One such creator was streamer and Mad Mushroom cofounder "Asmongold," who repeatedly discussed the campaign in a number of 2024 videos, agreeing with the claims against Sweet Baby Inc. Asmongold "stepped down" from Mad Mushroom and other businesses he co-founded under One True King, an influencer network he cofounded with a number of other streamers and YouTubers. This followed a series of anti-Muslim remarks during a Twitch stream that led to him being temporarily banned from the platform.At GDC that year, online extremism researcher Dr. Rachel Kowert explained to Game Developer that this harassment was likely to continue if major companies like Sony, Remedy, etc. didn't publicly speak up against it. "The problem is that when leadership is not speaking up, it sets and reinforces cultural norms," she said.Her words are given new weight following the inauguration of President Trump, who has issued executive orders ending DEI programs at government agencies.For now, Activision employees are left with a message from company leadership saying it will continue to support its inclusion efforts. But they do not appear to be safe from individuals eager to end expanding inclusivity in the game development community.Game Developer has reached out to Activision Blizzard and parent company Microsoft for comment on this story and will update it when a response is issued.Game Developer and GDC are sibling organizations under Informa.About the AuthorBryant FrancisSenior Editor, GameDeveloper.comBryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios' upcoming 4X strategy game Zephon and Amplitude Studio's 2017 game Endless Space 2.See more from Bryant FrancisDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Ten months after its long-delayed first subsonic flight took place last March, Boom Supersonics prototype test plane, the XB-1, broke the sound barrier today three times during its twelfth flight. The XB-1 is a smaller-scale demonstration version of the larger Overture airliner Boom wants to eventually build that will carry 64 passengers on supersonic international flights at cruising speeds of up to Mach 1.7, similar to service that the Concorde offered before it retired in 2003.After taking off from the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, Booms chief test pilot, Tristan Brandenburg, flew the XB-1 to an altitude of 34,000 feet before hitting a top speed of Mach 1.1 (around 844 mph) for approximately four minutes. Todays flight is not only the first time Booms demonstrator aircraft broke the speed of sound, its also the first time a civil aircraft has gone supersonic. The Concorde was built as a joint venture between the governments of the UK and France, not a private company.The XB-1 broke the sound barrier two additional times during its return and descent. Todays test flight took place in airspace known as the Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor (named after the first plane ever to break the sound barrier) and lasted almost 34 minutes. The 63-foot-long plane is powered by three General Electric J85-15 turbojet engines, but the company plans to develop and build the four engines needed to power the larger Overture airliner on its own after Booms partnership with Rolls Royce ended in 2022.During its initial test flight on March 22, 2024 originally scheduled to take place in 2021 the XB-1 achieved a top speed of just 283 mph. The most recent test flight took place earlier this year on January 10th, 2025, when Brandenburg hit a top speed of Mach 0.95 and an altitude of 29,481 feet.Although its first successful supersonic flight is a milestone for Boom Supersonic, theres still a lot of development and test flights needed for the company to achieve its current goal of Overture taking its first flight by 2030. As of May 2024, the company has raised over $700 million and has sold 15 supersonic aircraft to United Airlines (with the option to buy 35 more) and 20 to American Airlines.See More:

It initially seemed like Warner Bros. wanted to keep some of Ryan Goodlers new gothic horror Sinners shrouded in mystery, but the movies latest trailer spells out exactly whats going on.Though nobody says vampire, in Sinners new trailer twin brothers Elijah and Elias (Michael B. Jordan) know that theres something demonic going as they return to their hometown down in the South. Its not just that the town is full of superstition and white men like Remmick (Jack OConnell) who dont take kindly to Black people. There is something hunting folks down in the dead of night and leaving nothing behind but burning buildings. And while the twins know how to deal with garden variety Jim Crow era racists, theyre understandably shocked to realize that theyre dealing with fanged ghouls with a taste for human blood.Between its shots of Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) dancing with one of the brothers, a showdown at the local juke joint, and Remmick feasting on a victim, the new trailer kind of telegraphs what feels like a significant amount of Sinners plots. The movie still looks tremendous, but hopefully there will still be some surprises in store when Sinners makes its theatrical debut on April 18th.

LatestMachine LearningDeepSeeks Power Move! Have We Already Lost the AI War? 0 like January 28, 2025Share this postLast Updated on January 28, 2025 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Myra Roldan Originally published on Towards AI. DeepSeeks Power Move! Have We Already Lost the AI War?Last week, President Trump announced the Stargate project, and a $500 billion private not government investment designed to cement Americas dominance in artificial intelligence. Stargate, backed by tech heavyweights like SoftBank, Oracle, and OpenAI, is poised to be the largest AI infrastructure project ever conceived. The goal is to build 20 massive data centers, turbocharge innovation, and send a clear message to China: Were in this race to win.But today, China hit back hard. DeepSeek, a Chinese AI firm, announced their AI breakthrough, R1, not with a whimper, but a mic drop. First, they theyve figured out a way to to train AI models using older and widely available Nvidia GPUs. Secondly, and the most wild thing to me is that they were able to achieve performance on par with OpenAIs best systems at a fraction of the time and cost. And, as a little cherry on top, theyre giving it all away as open source. Mind blown! DeepSeeks AI Assistant has become the most downloaded app in the iPhone app store. The timing wasnt coincidental in my opinion, it was a deliberate challenge, one that casts doubt on Stargates viability before it had a chance to become a thing.This isnt just an innovation race anymore. Its an arms race. And whether we like it or not, we may already be in the middle of a war. Not a traditional ground war over countries but one fought with data and algorithms.Stargate: A $500 Billion Bet on AI SupremacyFirst, lets understand idea of Stargate. Its the USs moonshot for the AI era. But, if you believe we never went to the moon, you may be able to add this one to your list of things the we never actually achieve.Beyond aiming for AI dominance, the project promises to create over 100,000 jobs and inject life into local economies, transforming selected regions into thriving tech hubs. But Stargate is also a high-stakes gamble, $500 billion riding on the hope that this infrastructure will secure Americas leadership in AI for decades to come. Unlike past government-led moonshot projects, Stargate reflects the growing power of the private sector, with corporations like SoftBank, Oracle, and OpenAI driving the vision. These 20 planned data centers wont just support AI; theyll form the foundation for advancements in quantum computing, autonomous systems, and national security. Most importantly, Stargate is a geopolitical move.On paper, Stargate looks impressive. However, even Elon must questioned the project stating, the backers dont actually have the money. And as of today, it feels like a $500 billion answer to a question DeepSeek just rewrote. Did I mention that it also tanked the stock market? Nvidia dropped 18% as investors started selling off, the S&P also took a hit along with other tech companies in light of DeepSeeks announcement.DeepSeek: The Disruption We Didnt See ComingHeres what makes DeepSeeks announcement so devastating. DeepSeeks engineers sidestepped the need for advanced, U.S.-restricted GPUs like Nvidias H100, instead using older H800 chips. Theyve developed a method to train AI models faster and cheaper without compromising performance. Their flagship model, DeepSeek-R1, matches OpenAIs leading models in key areas like math, coding, and reasoning. This isnt just catching up its overtaking. DeepSeek didnt just keep their innovation to themselves they gave it away. By releasing their models as open source, theyve empowered the global developer community while undercutting the proprietary, closed-door approach favored by the U.S.DeepSeeks announcement has undermined confidence in Stargates strategy. If China can achieve this level of innovation with less, whats the point of building a $500 billion infrastructure?A Tale of Two StrategiesAt its core, the Stargate-DeepSeek showdown reveals two fundamentally different approaches to AI dominance:Stargate: Invest big, build massive infrastructure, and rely on proprietary systems to maintain control and monetize advancements.DeepSeek: Innovate lean, focus on efficiency, and embrace open-source principles to democratize access.The timing of DeepSeeks announcement is a direct challenge to the U.S. strategy, and its working. By achieving similar results with older GPUs, DeepSeek has exposed the inefficiencies in Stargates grand plan. Worse, by going open source, theyve positioned themselves as leaders of a global AI movement, while Stargate like a gaudy heirloom pulled from grandmas jewelry box; once impressive, but outdated and out of touch with the demands of the modern world. Boy that was quick.Are We Already in a War?Make no mistake, the Stargate vs. DeepSeek sage isnt just about technology, its about power. This is a digital Cold War, where the stakes are global dominance, economic influence, and even national security. And although there are no missiles are flying, the implications are just as serious. Heres why:Both Stargate and DeepSeek are tools for geopolitical influence. The race to build the best AI isnt just about economic competitiveness, its about military and strategic advantage.As the U.S. and China build competing AI ecosystems, the dream of a globally unified AI community has faded. This fragmentation increases the risk of conflict and slows collective progress.With DeepSeeks open-source approach, the barrier to entry for developing advanced AI systems has been lowered. While this empowers innovation, it also opens the door to misuse by rogue actors or authoritarian regimes. Plus, it gives China access to tons of data.We should probably begin to look at the TikTok ban for what it is, a distraction. The US government needs to get their priorities in order and fast.What Happens Next? Hypothetical ScenariosSo, whats the future of this AI arms race? I have had a million different scenarios run through my mind. Everything from a nuclear war to a distopian future. Lets take a trip into my brain and some of the scenarious Ive envisioned.Scenario 1: Stargates RedemptionThe U.S. doubles down on Stargate, accelerating breakthroughs that secure its dominance. However, the price tag and lack of collaboration may alienate global partners, creating a fractured AI landscape. Businesses face increased costs as they are forced to adapt to multiple AI systems. Global trade suffers as tech-based economies struggle with interoperability and compliance issues. You thought inflation was bad, this is worse. We all bare the cost of the fractured AI landscape, paying higher prices for everything.Scenario 2: DeepSeeks WorldDeepSeeks open-source strategy flips the AI game on its head, setting a new global standard and leaving proprietary models like Stargates in the dust. By making AI accessible to everyone, innovation would skyrocket worldwide, but at a cost. The U.S.s closed-door approach, pushed by Stargate, would quickly feel outdated and sluggish compared to the speed and adaptability of open-source systems. Companies that once thrived on exclusivity would be scrambling to keep up. The AI landscape you know today? It wont be the same. I would predict that Trump would move to ban the use of DeepSeek in the U.S. ad wed move closer to a fascist theocracy.Scenario 3: AI Cold War EscalationBoth nations pour resources into AI, escalating tensions and creating a bifurcated global tech ecosystem. Cooperation is not in anyones vocabulary, and the world inches closer to conflict, digital or geopolitical. It becomes a war of dominance in AI weaponry, espionage, and influence. Diplomatic conflicts arise over AI misuse or perceived advantages and we move towards a very distopian world; the kind we see in movies.Is Stargate Already Obsolete?Ok. Take a deep breath, those were just scenarios in my brain. Back to reality. The real question isnt whether Stargate is ambitious, its whether its relevant. DeepSeek has proven that innovation doesnt require massive infrastructure or billion-dollar budgets. By focusing on efficiency and collaboration, theyve rewritten the rules of the game.For the U.S., this should be a wake-up call. Stargate may still succeed, but not if it ignores lessons DeepSeek just dropped: 1) Innovation is about agility, not just scale. 2) Collaboration, not isolation. And most importantly, 3) strategy, not ego.At this point Stargate is a litmus test for whether the U.S. can evolve its approach to innovation in a world that rewards speed, openness, and strategic thinking over brute force. The future of AI wont be won by those who build the tallest towers, but by those who build the most connected networks.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

Theres no shortage of rumors circulating about Natalie Portmans potential return to Star Wars. Now that Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor have returned as their Prequel era characters Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, respectively, there seems to be an even greater desire from fans to see Portman to reprise her role as Padm Amidala in a future Star Wars project. While most of the current rumors revolve around her making an appearance in Ahsoka season 2 as Christensen did in the first season, a new rumor suggests Portman was actually originally slated to appear in another Disney+ series in 2022. According to industry scooper Jeff Sneider in a recent episode of The Hot Mic podcast, Portman filmed scenes for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Apparently, she previously did shoot some small stuff for the Obi-Wan show while working on Love and Thunder, Sneider said, but it didnt make the final cut and my source wouldnt stake their life on [her appearing in Ahsoka season 2].If Obi-Wan Kenobi did film scenes with Portman, it makes sense that they were scrapped in the final edit. As wonderful as it would have been to see her again, Padms death in Revenge of the Sith means that these scenes would have been flashbacks, something the six-episode miniseries didnt have a ton of extra time for.That said, the return of Padm at some point in the future isnt such a far-fetched idea. In fact, Portman has expressed interest in returning in the past. In a 2023 interview with GQ, Portman said, I have no information on this. No ones ever asked me to return, but Im open to it.In some ways, it would make more sense for her to appear in Ahsoka. The show has used flashbacks both in the traditional sense and through the strange limbo space the World Between Worlds to show characters and moments from Ahsokas past. We saw Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) interact with Anakin, her former Jedi master, last season, so its not outside of this shows purview to find a way to bring back Padm from the past for new scenes.In the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tales of the Jedi, Padm and Ahsoka are shown to have a close relationship. Just as Anakin is like a brother to her, Padm is like an older sister. After Padms death, Ahsoka even risks potential capture just to attend her funeral on Naboo. She not only had the loss of Anakin to deal with in the aftermath of Order 66, she had to deal with losing Padm too.While bringing characters back from the dead for the sake of nostalgia is something we truly believe Star Wars should take a step back from, we will make an exception to see Portman again, especially after her smaller, grim role in Revenge of the Sith. Just as Christensen and McGregor have had a chance to step back into their Clone Wars-era roles and build Star Wars legacy outside of the Prequel films, Portman should have a chance to do that with Padm. She is such an interesting character, and unfortunately the prequels dont entirely do her justice, despite Portmans best efforts.If Obi-Wan Kenobi really did almost bring Portman back, its a shame we didnt get to see it, even as deleted scenes. Hopefully if and when she does return to Star Wars, shell get the fanfare she deserves from Lucasfilm and fans alike.

Weve long known that Quentin Tarantino has imposed a 10-movie limit on himself, claiming that he plans to retire after directing his next picture, whatever that picture will be. But while speaking with critic and commentator Elvis Mitchell at the Sundance Film Festival, Tarantino put a new twist on his oft-discussed rule. Hes not working on a movie at all anymore. Now hes working on a play. Hell get to that movie eventually, but given the state of the industry (among other reasons) he is in no hurry.When asked why by Mitchell (as per) Variety), Tarantino responded with a powerful rant about the state of the industry. What the fuck is a movie now? he asked. Something that plays in theaters for a token release for four fucking weeks? All right, and by the second week you can watch it on television. I didnt get into all this for diminishing returns. I mean, it was bad enough in 97. It was bad enough in 2019, and that was the last fucking year of movies. That was a shit deal, as far as I was concerned, the fact that its gotten drastically worse? [Its just] a show pony exercise. Now the theatrical release, you know, and then like yeah, in two weeks, you can watch it on this [streamer] and that one.In short, Tarantino has turned to plays instead of movies because, first he wants to wait until his young children will be old enough to remember daddy showing them around a film set, but also, perhaps more importantly, because movies as Tarantino knew them when he was growing up no longer matter. And hes right.Money Muddies the Creative WatersEven when Hollywood was just quaint farmland in California, the story of cinema was the story of the artist versus the businessman. In fact, filmmakers of the early 20th century came to Hollywood in part to take advantage of the longer sunny seasons, but also to escape the litigious Thomas Edison, who wanted to assert copyright control over every moving picture made in the country. As early as 1919, creators such as D.W. Griffith and Charlie Chaplin feared interference from studio heads so much that they established United Artists to defend their vision. Time and again, the costs of productions and the wild profits offered by a successful movie drove executives to feel entitled to advise on productions.Filmmakers who want to defend their visions either have to resign themselves to working with small budgets and, like the recently departed David Lynch, hope they can garner enough of a following to support their projects, or get a patron who protects and profits from them. Tarantino himself had so much success because he was protected by Harvey Weinstein at Miramax, who, to put it mildly, was no great humanist.Part of the reason we thrill to movies such as Dune: Part Two, Nickel Boys, The Brutalist, and Love Lies Bleeding is that they tell beautiful and compelling stories within a famously scared, rigid system. And for most of cinema history, the benefits have been enough for the artists to put up with the system. Ridley Scott couldnt pay for a lavish production like The Last Duel or Gladiator all by himself, so he accepts that he needs a business with deep pockets to foot the bill. The hope for the audience is that the artist is a strong enough personality (which Scott certainly is) to bully his way through with his vision intact.But the fact that a tried and true, bankable name like Tarantino wants to walk away from cinema proves something weve all suspected. The cost is becoming too great, and it may not be worth it for artists to express themselves through mainstream cinema for much longer.Flowing Down the Wrong StreamIn theory, streaming is a great innovation. In theory, people who only have access to a three-screen Regal or AMC can see something beyond the usual Disney fare on their Netflix account. In theory, studios can greenlight different projects and distribute them through lower-stakes venues, prompting them to take more chances. Even better, access to the internet means that filmmakers can just make a movie and put it up on the internet.To be sure, it sometimes has happened that way. The aforementioned David Lynch was one of the first to embrace digital filmmaking and distribution, using his Absurda website to publish his latest oddities and to sell copies of Eraserhead. Further, a miracle like Twin Peaks: The Return happened in part because Showtime wanted to draw subscribers to their service and needed a marquee name to get attention.Yet too often studios have used the advent of streaming to simply replicate and expound upon their worst practices. Sure, Netflix or Apple might be the only companies willing to give Martin Scorsese money to make The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon, but what happens to those masterpieces? They get dumped on the service alongside its many other offerings, with very little push and promotion. Today you have to sort through all manner of stuff on Netflix to find The Irishman, a service that pushes its latest releases today only to bury them tomorrow.If thats how streaming services treat a bonafide master of the form like Scorsese, how much worse it for people trying to follow in his footsteps, especially if they arent straight white men? Gone is Roger Corman, who used his company to find and train the next generation of greats, even if they were making cost-effective genre cheapos. Here to stay is David Zaslav, whose tenure as head of the venerable Warner Bros. has been marked by the cancelation of completely or nearly finished movies, even those with major studio IP like Batgirl; Warner Bros. Discovery also attempted to virtually shutter TCM to save money, even though TCM remained a successful cable network. Despite what WBDs logo says, quoting The Maltese Falcons line about the stuff that dreams are made of, its been far from a fantasy for the talent losing their visions altogethernever mind those who fled the studio, including Christopher Nolan, after previous parent company management unilaterally placed the entire 2021 film slate directly on PVOD.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!The movie system has been constructed in such a way that artists need people with lots of money. And since time immemorial, when the people with lots of money believe that they can make more money by creating garbage instead of art, they will create garbage nine times out of 10. Whats changed is they now believe they can make money by overturning exactly what makes cinema so special to its most ardent admirers, including Tarantino.For Tarantino a movie isnt just content or, Lord help us, a second screen to watch while scrolling on your phone; its an experience shared with friends and strangers in the dark; its a communal dream we all experience at the same time, and as (hopefully) intended by the artists who created it. Yet since the pandemic, the folks paying for the movies increasingly seem to be reinforcing the idea to viewers at home that films are now shovelware; content to be consumed but never experienced while keeping eyeballs glued to a subscription. Is that even cinema at this point? Definitely not as how Tarantino knew it and has fetishized it for the last 30 years onscreen.The Loudest Voice in the RoomSadly, theres very little we can do. Sure, we can try to seek out the really good stuff that studios ignore and streamers pick up at festivals (Check out Hit Man on Netflix! Watch The Peoples Joker!). But unless enough of us band together to demand better movies, the studios and streamers wont care enough to listen.And thats why Tarantinos comments matter so much. In an age of IP over individuals, Tarantinos name still carries weight, and his next release will draw the eyes of movie nerds and the general public. Whichever studio bankrolls Tarantinos next movie stands to make a lot of money. By speaking out against the current practices, Tarantino draws attention to an issue that affects most filmmakers and film fans, but his voice is too big to ignore.Yeah, it sucks that we might have to wait even longer for Tarantinos next and (hopefully not) final film. But if thats what it takes to make studios and streamers change their ways, then it will be worth it.

How do you make the most of small spaces? It is a conundrum that has confronted city dwellers across the world as well as anyone who is trying to turn a tiny room into a space that leaves a big impression. When asked, designers have excellent advice. "Choose pieces with more vertical lines than horizontal," says designer Brynn Olson. Designer Blair Moore agrees. "Floor-to-ceiling drapery in a lightweight fabric can elongate the walls, creating the illusion of higher ceilings." For designer Marguerite Rogers, color can be an excellent enlarging tool. "Painting your ceiling dark can actually create a sense of depth and make the room feel larger," she suggests. "Opting for a wall-mounted lighting fixture can allow for a smaller bedside table, saving valuable floor space too," designer Roger Higgins tells his clients.While their advice will surely lead you in the right direction, the rooms we've rounded up below suggest that there are many ways for even the smallest of quarters to pack a major punch. Draping and lighting are key (a guest bedroom designed by ELLE DECOR A-List designer Sheila Bridges where roman shades wisely save space that curtains would have used). So are clever built-ins. Color and patterns, if we're being honest, can work in many formulations. In his Paris pied-a-terre, ELLE DECOR A-List designer Peter Dunham opts for cozy fabrics; In his Chelsea bolthole, designer William Cullum welcomes the rainbow. Whereas, Moore opts for light and airy hues to give a tight bedroom a major impact.For more inspiration, spend some time with these and other memorable spots to spend the night.1Float The BedWilliam Jess LairdDesigner Mike Moser made the most of the primary bedroom of the house he shares with husband Tyler Thomas by floating the bed. By doing so, it opens up the perimeter of the room for furniture or open wall space. 2Drape the Full Length of the WindowsCourtesy of Meg Lonergan"When designing this small bedroom, we opted to include a wall-to-wall rug to ensure the space felt bigger," designer Meg Lonergan says. "Additionally, draping the windows across the full width of the room helped enhance the overarching sense of space." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below3A Canopy Can Double As A PartitionAnnie SchlechterDrape the bed with a canopy which can do double duty as a room partition. Designer and event planner extraordinaire Rebecca Gardner covered the bed in her downtown Manhattan apartment with a pink linen and tassel trim. 4Cover the Room in a PrintClment VayssieresDesigner Peter Dunham gave the primary bedroom of his Paris pied-a-terre a cozy, enveloping feeling by covering the walls and curtains in a Hollywood at Home fabric.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below5Lean Into Unusual Architecture Chris EverardArchitect and designer Sally Mackereth worked with the round structure of a lighthouse she renovated into a home on the coast of England. Here, custom built in bunk beds curve with the shape of the room. 6Floor-to-Ceiling PatternNoe DeWittWork with slanted ceilings by covering the walls and ceiling in the same pattern, as did ELLE DECOR A-List designer Nick Olsen in this humble Hamptons home. It helps extends the eye upwards. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below7Don't Hold Back on Color Kirk Davis SwinehartAn overabundance of color, as designer William Cullum shows in his Chelsea apartment, can transform small quarters into a grand landscape for the eye and visitor. 8Use Roman ShadesFrank FrancesUsing roman shades over curtains helps keep a small space from looking cluttered. ELLE DECOR A-List designer Sheila Bridges paired roman shades in the same print as the wallcovering of a guest bedroom of a Vermont project. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below9Pay Attention to Texture Kirsten FrancisIn designer Augusta Hoffman's first New York apartment, the walls are covered in a tweed Phillip Jeffries fabric to add depth and texture to the primary bedroom. 10Pay Attention to ScaleChris MottaliniIn a New York apartment by ELLE DECOR A-List designer Hendricks Churchill, the low bed in the primary bedroom emphasizes the ceiling hight of the room. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below11Go Bananas with Built-InsChris MottaliniIn the children's room of a New York apartment by Churchill, a built-in surround with a playful scalloped edge provides optimal space in the room and utilizes spaces high on the walls for storage. 12Light is KeyTim LenzIn the primary bedroom of a project designed by ELLE DECOR A-List designer Pappas Miron, the ceiling and walls are painted in a golden hue that gives off reflective light from the windows. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below13Think Strategically About StorageNick JohnsonIn a Brooklyn townhouse designed by Georgia Tapert-Howe a reading nook features clever storage above and below the bed optimizing the surrounding floor space. 14Use Airy HuesJared Kuzia PhotographyAnd of course, there's the oldest trick in the book: go neutral. "Light, airy hues on the walls and soft, natural textures help reflect light and expand the room visually," says Blair Moore of Moore House Design.

One of the best things about social media is how you can search for home inspiration from far and wide by clicking a few buttons. From Pinterest to Instagram to TikTok, you can find thousands of accounts that cater solely to your specific aesthetic, learn about upcoming trends, and keep up with influencers who post video after video on how they have achieved the look of your dream home. And while many influencers have truly perfected the look of their homes public spaces, only a few have really homed in on their bedroom, which is why weve created a list of the nine best influencer bedrooms youll see across social media. These personal spaces are our best window into their true sense of style. You might even find your next favorite influencer. So go aheadlet yourself be influenced. Related StoriesArvin OlanoView full post on InstagramOlano, a member of our 2024 Creator Class, is an influencer who makes content around vintage items and home decor. His personal retreat proves beige doesnt have to be sad or boring. He uses the neutral tone to ground it, complementing other muted hues like blue and sage green. Its a timeless, serene space. Eric WangView full post on InstagramBased in San Francisco, Wang is a home influencer who has more of a midcentury-modern style. He brings a lot of warmth into his home by using accent lighting and shades of yellow, and his bedroom is no exception. Light-colored wood accents, a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture, a ton of natural light, and those familiar light yellows give his bedroom a clean but not cold or bare feeling. Chriselle LimView full post on InstagramThis fashion and lifestyle influencer may not focus on her interiors in her content, but the glimpses we get into the rest of her home are as chic as her closet. She may lean glamorous with her clothing style, but her bedroom is on the minimalist side. The only color comes from the dark wood tones of the low bed frame, matching bedside tables, and hardwood floors, with everything else shrouded in a warm white. Shes the perfect influencer to look to if you want your minimalist bedroom to feel more welcoming. Maitri ModyView full post on TiktokAt the other end of the interiors spectrum is Maitri Mody, aka @honeyidressedthepug, a color-loving maximalist whose posts cover renter-friendly interior solutions, DIY upgrades, and dopamine decor. Modys bedroom is playful and dreamy, with an accent wall that makes her bed look like its up in the clouds. The color scheme in here is cooler than in the rest of her place, with relaxing blues, greens, and creams.Mallory FletchallView full post on InstagramMallory Fletchall, who goes by the handle @reserve_home on her socials, is a lifestyle and home influencer based in Brooklyn. Her style is reminiscent of the Nancy Meyers aesthetic, with plenty of historic details, warm accents, and intentional clutter. Her bright and airy bedroom is painted in a gorgeous gray-green, which looks especially elegant alongside her gold decor. Lucy WilliamsView full post on InstagramLucy Williams (@lucywilliamshome) is an influencer based in London whose content ranges from design inspiration to decor curation and everything in between. Her bedroom is warm and bright with only a few accessories, though it still feels complete. She leans on yellow tones with a few darker details here and there, like her striped headboard and bedside setup. View full post on InstagramWilliamss guest room is a lot busier than her own bedroom, but it still fits her vibe. The wallpaper is bold and eye-catching, similar to the decor in the public parts of her home, and it gets even more character from the angled ceiling. Drew Michael ScottView full post on InstagramSwipe to see the amazing makeover of this bedroom, which belongs to Drew Michael Scott aka @lonefoxhome. From the different textures to the golden ceiling to the warm, neutral tones, its undoubtedly one of the best influencer personal spaces weve seen. He documents the entire makeover of this room and plenty of others on his page, and it truly is amazing to watch his design process. View full post on InstagramWe cant forget about Scotts guest bedroom. The patterned wallpaper adds so much brightness, and we love the deep brown pieces that help anchor the room and tie in the bedding and headboard. Shelby VanhoyView full post on InstagramShelby Vanhoy, known by her handle @prettyinthepines, is part of our 2024 Creator Class with Olano. Vanhoy started making content about decorating and DIYing smaller apartments, but she semi-recently bought her first home in North Carolina, and thats where this elegant bedroom is. Swipe to the second picture in her post to see the before shot, and youll be amazed at the dreamy transformation. Related StoriesHattie KolpView full post on InstagramInfluencer Hattie Kolp (@hattiekolp) gained a following when she started posting about restoring her childhood homea $1,300-a-month rent-stabilized apartment in New York City. Kolp has preserved original details and brought in new designs and decor, and her bedroom is a perfect example of how to combine historic charm with modern luxuries. Its bright and cozy, and it doesnt need a ton of decoration to feel homey. Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

Were not too far away from Apples expected unveiling of the new iPhone SE 4. And recently, conflicting reports have caused confusion over the devices form factor. Now, a key display analyst has weighed in with a more authoritative answer on the notch-Dynamic Island debate.Reliable source supports iPhone SE having notchRoss Young, analyst at DSCC, has proven one of the most reputable sources when it comes to Apple displays.Now, he has weighed in on the recent notch-Dynamic Island confusion surrounding the iPhone SE.In a reply to 9to5Mac on X, Young states:Notch like iPhone 14 is correctShort, simple, andfor me at leastan authoritative answer to the notch-Dynamic Island question.Its also not at all a surprise.The iPhone SE 4 has long been rumored to resemble the iPhone 14, and adding a Dynamic Island would have taken away a noteworthy advantage held by the iPhone 16.The new SE is already expected to boast several iPhone 16-level features, such as:full Apple Intelligence support8GB of RAMA18 chipUSB-C portand a similar 48MP rear cameraNow, the iPhone SEs notch and iPhone 16s Dynamic Island will at least offer a key visual differentiator between Apples budget model and its flagship.Are you now convinced the iPhone SE 4 will have a notch? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

CVS today announced the launch of a newly rebranded and updated CVS Health app (formerly called CVS Pharmacy). The iPhone app offers a variety of new features, but perhaps the most exciting is one thats currently being piloted in select CVS stores: the ability to open locked-up product cabinets.When it comes to retail shopping experiences, CVS can make things especially frustrating.Thats because, depending on your local store, you may find that CVS locks up the majority of its products.Historically, this has required hitting a button to call a CVS employee for help. The whole process is a pain for shoppers and a pain for employees.But soon, the new CVS app could solve that.Isabelle Bousquette writes for The Wall Street Journal:The company is now trialing an app feature that lets loyalty program members unlock those ubiquitous cabinets from their phone. App users need to be logged in, on the local store Wi-Fi and with their devices bluetooth enabled to activate the feature. The pilot is currently in three stores. Mandadi said the pilot is going well and the next step will be to expand to 10-15 stores, with the ultimate goal of full-scale deployment.It sounds like unlocking a CVS cabinet may require a little jumping through hoops initially, but once everythings set up, it should make shopping a lot easier on return visits.Innovative approaches to app adoptionFunnily enough, this tidbit about the CVS app is presented in the context of CVS thinking of ways to boost user adoption of its app.Youre talking about behavior change. If most people shop in-store, they have a certain way of doing it, said Scheibenreif. For the app, he added, They have to have compelling reasons for you to open it and use it in the store.[]People really, really dislike locked cabinets.I must say, the ability to unlock product cabinets would absolutely get me to start using the CVS app more. Assuming the pilot continues to be successful, I wonder if this application of technology could cause other retailers to find their own fresh methods of driving app adoption.What do you think of the CVS news? Would you use the app to unlock cabinets? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel