MacworldBack in 2020, Apple introduced the $99 HomePod mini for those seeking a miniature, more affordable edition of its smart speaker. While I absolutely adore the pair Ive connected to my Apple TV for audio output, certain annoyances sometimes downgrade the overall experience. With the HomePod mini 2 rumored to launch at some point this year, I hope Apple addresses my concerns by equipping it with these five upgrades.1. ChatGPT integrationOn the latest versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, users can rely on ChatGPTs smarts when addressing Siri. Notably, this integration, like other Apple Intelligence perks, is limited to the latest iPhones, iPads, and Macs.With the HomePod mini 2, I sincerely hope Apple supports the ChatGPT integration and lets users configure it in the Home app. Limiting Writing Tools and image generation features to devices with at least 8GB of RAM makes sense because they work offline. Incorporating ChatGPT, on the other hand, would merely send queries to and fetch relevant responses from OpenAIs servers. Im confident there are no technical challenges preventing the company from supporting it on less powerful products.Now, you may be wondering: Cant this guy just use the upgraded Siri on his iPhone, iPad, and Mac? Does he really need ChatGPT on the HomePod?The problem is that, by design, HomePods will always handle your voice commands. So, when you holler Siri or Hey Siri, the smart speaker will process your request, even if youre actively using an Apple Intelligence-equipped device. This limits me to Siris infamous knowledge and bars me from using the ChatGPT integrationunless I trigger Siri using the physical button on my iDevice or Mac. But thats impractical when ones hands are occupied.As a workaround, I set my HomePods to only respond to Hey Siri (and not Siri). This way, when I need to control media playback on my Apple TV, I can use the longer wake phrase to catch its attention. For all other queries, I opt for vanilla Siri, which only my iPhone, iPad, and Mac recognize. While this workaround is effective to an extent, its unnecessary, and most users are probably unaware of it. Baking ChatGPT into the HomePod mini 2 would make everyones lives easier.2. A Dolby Atmo-SphereMy HomePod mini journey started with a single unit a couple of years ago. I instantly fell in love with the 10cm sphere and decided to buy a second one to enable stereo listening. Initially, Apple promised it would bring Dolby Atmos support to both the original and mini variants of its smart speaker. However, it ultimately restricted spatial audio to the non-mini editions. While some claim you can force the minis to output spatial audio with certain workarounds, I havent personally been able to make it work. Furthermore, Apple explicitly states on an official support document (https://support.apple.com/en-us/102357) that the HomePod mini is incompatible with Dolby Atmos.FoundryCritics may argue that spatial audio is a privilege exclusive to flagship devices. Though, given that the entry-level AirPods 3 and 4 support the format, its clear that Apple isnt limiting it to its premium products. So, heres hoping the HomePod mini 2 officially adopts spatial audio output to help users further liven up the atmosphere.3. Casting call: mini meets AndroidUnfortunately, life sometimes throws green-bubbled friends our way, and we cant always say no to that. While us humans have, to some extent, learned how to accept each others differences, the HomePod mini still has a long way to go. Despite packing a Bluetooth chip like most other wireless speakers, it limits audio input to Apples proprietary AirPlay protocol.So, when we accidentally invite an Android phone user over, they cant cast audio to the HomePod mini, as AirPlay isnt officially supported on Googles platform. Apples solution is using the recently upgraded SharePlay feature in Apple Music that lets anyone in your house control the queuewithout necessarily having an iPhone or active subscription.Not all HomePod owners pay for Apple Music and can access SharePlay, however, and sometimes the greenlings may want to cast a different type of audio that isnt music. While a simple OS update could theoretically unlock this restriction on existing HomePod models. I wish Apple would let mini 2 users cast media via Bluetooth, at least.4. Visual symphoniesThe HomePod mini already has a smart display of sorts. When in use, its brightness automatically adjusts to the rooms lighting, and the colors change based on the performed action. For example, you get Siris hues when relying on the assistant and a generic white dot when playing media.FoundryA welcome HomePod mini 2 upgrade would be introducing an even smarter screen that adapts to the playing media. When streaming music, the screen would double as a basic visualizer featuring the album arts prominent colors. The shades would also sway accordinglysimilar to Siris existing animations that react to your voice and its responses.5. A green-minded speakerLast but not least, a truly smart speaker would also care about our deteriorating planet. The original HomePod has a semi-removable power cord that requires users to pull it out in a very careful and specific manner. Apple then addressed the issue with the HomePod 2 by making the cables ejection process safer and more straightforward.Unlike both models, the HomePod mini has a totally non-removable cord. So, those who damage the power cable cant simply buy another one and replace it at home. Theyd either need to buy a new speaker or check if Apple can repair the damagewhich typically costs a premium. Hopefully, the HomePod mini 2 will follow in the HomePod 2s footsteps and introduce a similar cord. Its unethical to deem a functional speaker useless strictly because its degenerated cable is glued to it.The next HomePod mini should be more easily repairable, including a replaceable power cord.FoundryMake the upgrade matterThe HomePod mini is already a well-rounded speaker as it is. Besides offering a voice assistant, solid sound quality, and seamless integration with Apples ecosystem, it also fully supports Thread networking and controlling HomeKit, and Matter smart home accessories. Nevertheless, and as weve established above, there are a few imperfections that the iPhone maker could address with the forthcoming model, and I hope itll be a noteworthy refresh.Given the insignificance of the recent AirPods Max upgrade, I fear Apple may similarly go for a lazy approach with the HomePod mini 2. Beyond featuring an upgraded, in-house Wi-Fi chip with support for Wi-Fi 6E, not much is known about the new models enhancements.

Chinese start-up DeepSeeks cost-saving techniques for training and delivering generative AI (genAI) models could democratize the entire industry by lowering entry barriers for new AI companies.DeepSeek made waves this week as its chatbot overtook ChatGPT downloads on the Apple and Google App Stores. The open-source AI models impact lies in matching leading US models performance at a fraction of the cost by using compute and memory resources more efficiently.DeepSeek is more than Chinas ChatGPT; its a major step forward for global AI by making model building cheaper, faster, and more accessible, according to Forrester Research. While large language models (LLMs) arent the only route to advanced AI, DeepSeeks innovations should be celebrated as a milestone for AI progress, the research firm said.The efficiencies of DeepSeeks AI methodology means it requires vastly less compute capacity on which to run; that means it could also affect the chip industry, which has been riding a wave of GPU and AI accelerator hardware purchases by companies building out massive data centers.For example, Meta is planning to spend $65 billion to build a data center with a footprint thats almost as large as Manhattan. Expected to come online at the end of this year, the data center would house 1.3 million GPUs to power AI tech used by Facebook and other Meta ventures.Brendan Englot, a professor and AI expert at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, said the fact that DeepSeeks models are also open source will also help make it easier for other AI start-ups to compete against large tech companies. DeepSeeks technology provides an excellent example of how disruptive and innovative new tools can be built faster with the aid of open source software, said Englot, who is also director of theStevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI).DeepSeeks arrival on the scene tanked GPU-leading provider Nvidias stock, as investors realized the impact the more efficient processes would have on AI processor and accelerator sales.DeepThink a feature within the DeepSeek AI chatbot that leverages the R1 model to provide enhanced reasoning capabilities, uses advanced techniques to break down complex queries into smaller, manageable tasks.Thanks to those kinds of optimizations, DeepThink (R1) only cost about $5.5 million to train tens of millions of dollars less than similar models. While this could reduce short-term demand for Nvidia, the lower cost will likely drive more startups and enterprises to create models, boosting demand long-term, Forrester Research said.And, while the costs to train AI models have just declined significantly with DeepThink, the cost to support inferencing will still require significant compute and storage, Forrester said. This shift shows that core AI model providers wont be enough, further opening the AI market, the firm said in a research note. Dont cry for Nvidia and the hyperscalers just yet. Also, there might be an opportunity for Intel to claw its way back to relevance.Englot agreed, saying there is a lot of competition and investment right now to produce useful AI software and hardware, and that is likely to yield many more breakthroughs in the very near future.DeepSeek base technology isnt pioneering. On the contrary, the companys recently published research paper shows that Metas Llama and Alibabas Qwen models were key to developing DeepSeek-R1 and DeepSeek-R1-Zero its first two models, Englot noted.In fact, Englot doesnt believe DeepSeeks advance poses as much of a threat to the semiconductor industry as this weeks stock slide suggests. GenAI tools will still rely on GPUs, and DeepSeeks breakthrough just shows some computing can be done more efficiently.If anything, this advancement is good news that all developers of AI technology can take advantage of, Englot said. What we saw earlier this week was just an indication that less computing hardware is needed to train and deploy a powerful language model than we originally assumed. This can permit AI innovators to forge ahead and devote more attention to the resources needed for multi-modal AI and advanced applications beyond chat-bots.Others agreed.Mel Morris, CEO of startup Corpora.ai, said DeepSeeks affordability and open-source model allows developers to customize and innovate cheaply and freely. It will also challenge the competitive landscape and push major players like OpenAI the developer of ChatGPT to adapt quickly, he said.The idea that competition drives innovation is particularly relevant here, as DeepSeeks presence is likely to spur faster advancements in AI technology, leading to more efficient and accessible solutions to meet the growing demand, Morris said. Additionally, the open-source model empowers developers to fine-tune and experiment with the system, fostering greater flexibility and innovation.Forrester cautioned that, according to its privacy policy, DeepSeek explicitly says it can collect your text or audio input, prompt, uploaded files, feedback, chat history, or other content and use it for training purposes. It also states it can share this information with law enforcement agencies [and] public authorities at its discretion.Those caveats could be of concern to enterprises who have rushed to embrace genAI tools but have been concerned about data privacy, especially when it involves sensitive corporate information.Educate and inform your employees on the ramifications of using this technology and inputting personal and company information into it, Forrester said. Align with product leaders on whether developers should be experimenting with it and whether the product should support its implementation without stricter privacy requirements.

This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Reviews weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here.Donald Trump has officially been in office for just over a week, and the new administration has hit the ground running with a blizzard of executive orders and memos.Some of the moves could have major effects for climate change and climate technologiesfor example, one of the first orders Trump signed signaled his intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the major international climate treaty.The road map for withdrawing from the Paris agreement is clear, but not all the effects of these orders are quite so obvious. Theres a whole lot of speculation about how far these actions reach, which ones might get overturned, and generally what comes next. Here are some of the crucial threads that Im going to be following.Will states be able to set their own rules on electric vehicles?Its clear that Donald Trump isnt a fan of electric vehicles. One of the executive orders issued on his first day in office promised to eliminate the electric vehicle (EV) mandate.The federal government under Biden didnt actually have an EV mandate in placerather, Trump is targeting national support programs, including subsidies that lower the cost of EVs for drivers and support building public chargers. But thats just the beginning, because the executive order will go after states that have set their own rules on EVs.While the US Environmental Protection Agency does set some rules around EVs through what are called tailpipe standards, last year California was granted a waiver that allows the state to set its own, stricter rules. The state now requires that all vehicles sold there must be zero-emissions by 2035. More than a dozen states quickly followed suit, setting a target to transition to zero-emissions vehicles within the next decade. That commitment was a major signal to automakers that there will be demand for EVs, and a lot of it, soon.Trump appears to be coming after that waiver, and with it Californias right to set its own targets on EVs. Well likely see court battles over this, and experts arent sure how its going to shake out.What will happen to wind projects?Wind energy was one of the most explicit targets for Trump on the campaign trail and during his first few days in office. In one memo, the new administration paused all federal permits, leases, and loans for all offshore and onshore wind projects.This doesnt just affect projects on federal lands or watersnearly all wind projects typically require federal permits, so this could have a wide effect.Even if the order is temporary or doesnt hold up in court, it could be enough to chill investment in a sector thats already been on shaky ground. As I reported last year, rising costs and slow timelines were already throwing offshore wind projects off track in the US. Investment has slowed since I published that story, and now, with growing political opposition, things could get even rockier.One major question is how much this will slow down existing projects, like the Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho, which got the green light from the Biden administration before he left office. As one source told the Washington Post, the new administration may try to go after leases and permits that have already been issued, but there may be insufficient authority to do so.What about the money?In an executive order last week, the Trump administration called for a pause on handing out the funds that are legally set aside under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. That includes hundreds of billions of dollars for climate research and infrastructure.This week, a memo from the White House called for a wider pause on federal grants and loans. This goes way beyond climate spending and could affect programs like Medicaid. Theres been chaos since that was first reported; nobody seems to agree on what exactly will be affected or how long the pause was supposed to last, and as of Tuesday evening, a federal judge had blocked that order.In any case, all these efforts to pause, slow, or stop federal spending will be a major source of fighting going forward. As for effects on climate technology, I think the biggest question is how far the new administration can and will go to block spending thats already been designated by Congress. There could be political consequencesmost funds from the Inflation Reduction Act have gone to conservative-leaning states.As I wrote just after the election in November, Donald Trumps return to office means a sharp turn for the US on climate policy, and were seeing that start to play out very quickly. Ill be following it all, but Id love to hear from you. What do you most want to know more about? What questions do you have? If you work in the climate sector, how are you seeing your job affected? You can email me at casey.crownhart@technologyreview.com, message me on Bluesky, or reach me on Signal: @casey.131.Now read the rest of The SparkRelated readingEVs are mostly set for solid growth this year, but what happens in the US is still yet to be seen, as my colleague James Temple covered in a recent story.The Inflation Reduction Act set aside hundreds of billions of dollars for climate spending. Heres how the law made a difference, two years in.For more on Trumps first week in office, check out this news segment from Science Friday (featuring yours truly).STEPHANIE ARNETT/ MIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW | RAWPIXELAnother thingDeepSeek has stormed onto the AI scene. The company released a new reasoning model, called DeepSeek R1, which it claims can surpass the performance of OpenAIs ChatGPT o1. The model appears to be incredibly efficient, which upends the idea that huge amounts of computing power, and energy, are needed to drive the AI revolution.For more, check out this story on the company and its model from my colleague Caiwei Chen, and this look at what it means for the AI industry and its energy claims from James ODonnell.Keeping up with climateA huge surge in clean energy caused Chinas carbon emissions to level off in 2024. Whether the countrys emissions peak and begin to fall for good depends on what wins in a race between clean-energy additions and growth in energy demand. (Carbon Brief)In a bit of good news, heat pumps just keep getting hotter. The appliances outsold gas furnaces in the US last year by a bigger margin than ever. (Canary Media) Heres everything you need to know about heat pumps and how they work. (MIT Technology Review)People are seeking refuge from floods in Kentuckys old mountaintop mines. Decades ago, the mines were a cheap source of resources but devastated local ecosystems. Now people are moving in. (New York Times)An Australian company just raised $20 million to use AI to search for key minerals. Earth AI has already discovered significant deposits of palladium, gold, and molybdenum. (Heatmap News)Some research suggests a key ocean current system is slowing down, but a new study adds to the case that theres no cause to panic yet. The new work suggests that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, hasnt shown long-term weakening over the past 60 years. (Washington Post) Efforts to observe and understand the currents have shown theyre weirder and more unpredictable than expected. (MIT Technology Review)Floating solar panels could be a major resource in US energy. A new report finds that federal reservoirs could hold enough floating solar to produce nearly 1,500 terawatt-hours of electricity, enough to power 100 million homes each year. (Canary Media)What sparked the LA wildfires is still a mystery, but AI is hunting for clues. Better understanding of what causes fires could be key in efforts to stop future blazes. (Grist)

Shortly after its release, developer KUNOS Simulazioni has released a new update for its latest driving sim, Assetto Corsa EVO. The update brings up the Early Access title up to version 0.1.4, and is largely focused around bug fixes.Some of the key fixes in the update include a reworked music system along with the addition of new music for the menu and gameplay, improvements to the responsiveness of Manage Presets UI, and even graphical bugs like missing lights and incomplete dash display renders in the Showroom.The studio has also promised more updates down the line, namely to the server infrastructure. This will bring with it online mode. While there isnt yet a release date for this update, the studio has said that it will be coming soon.Assetto Corsa EVO was released as an early access title on PC earlier this month. The studio has a series of updates planned for the title, with the hopes of bringing in plenty of new content before its 1.0 release. At launch, however, it features 5 tracks and 20 cars. Players can race around across a number of game modes: Free Practice, Quick Race, and a training mode dubbed Driving Academy.By the time it hits 1.0, the studio has stated that Assetto Corsa EVO will have 100 cars and 15 officially licensed circuits. For more details about the title, check out how its different from Assetto Corsa Competizione. We also found its launch to be a bit disappointment. Find out why here.Assetto Corsa EVO Update 0.1.4 patch notes:AUDIO:reworked music system to result in better reliability and improved fadingnew music for menu, gameplay and ending sessionsfixed potential issue when audio device is losttweaked Mount Panorama audio reverb zonestuned audio slip ratio logic and feedbackfixed BMW M4 CSL backfire audio playing in idlefixed Lotus Emira compressor soundfixed Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 compressor soundCONTROLS/UI:localization updatesfixed responsiveness issue in Manage Preset UIfixed mirrors toggling in multi-mirror (with right mirror disabled by default)Showroom: fixed car instrumentation inconsistencies via the car controls widgetShowroom: fixed missing lights on showroom scene changeShowroom: fixed incomplete dash display renderimplemented function to listen to concurrent devices: if multiple devices are responsible for the same input, one device can be active, the other device will sleep until they are moved by a margin, replacing the active onefixed controller steering assist affecting direct input devices when both devices were connectedmouse cursor now disappears after a few seconds of inactivitychanged default FOV of driving cameras (default button now resets to 55)fixed overlap between game version and online status in localizationenabled axis visualization in the controls pageadded 0.2s repeated function for L/R/U/D in controllersfixed inconsistency behaviour when making quick turning inputs with a controllerfixed an issue with garage cars visibility with Italian localizationincreased mirror yaw limitsfixed an issue with double startup scene loadingRENDERING:fixed black screen at Imola and other tracks in triple screendisabled TV camera movements in VRreduced VRAM usagefixed VR and triple screen missing undercar shadows, artefacts on probes, veil flicker etc.fixed VR flickering on the sky boxoptimized VR GPU performanceoptimized triple screen GPU performanceimproved car reflections to be more cubemap resolution independent (notably medium setting has an improved quality)fixed an issue on resource indexing (fixes some of the minor AMD-specific glitches)GRAPHICS:fixed missing mesh skinning from the Alfa Romeo Junior front springsfixed minor visual issues on the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAmfixed Hyundai i30 N LOD issues with lightsfixed an issue with the AMG GT2 lights colour inheritfixed a missing default rim customization definition of a Toyota GR86 configurationPHYSICS:fixed BMW M4 CSL ride height limitsfixed BMW M4 CSL launch controlraised minimum pressure in setup limitsadjusted minimum tyre pressure limits

Hello Games has released the second part of its Worlds update for No Mans Sky, casually adding billions of new stars and planets to explore. Check it out below.Some of the new landscapes include new mountains, valleys, plains, deep oceans where the suns light doesnt reach (and a deepwater guardian dwells), jungles, and more. You can also encounter purple-class solar systems where a new story unfolds, visit massive gas giants and even deal with environmental hazards like geysers, volcanoes erupting, etc.Quality of life features include inventory sorting by type, name, value, and color, and there are new fishing-themed helmets to unlock. Water sports higher-quality visuals, reflecting the surrounding terrain, clouds, and nebulae, and theres a new Abandoned Mode that removes all alien life.Theres much more to dive into, so check out the in-depth video by studio founder Sean Murray. No Mans Sky is available for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Thursday, January 30th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerAdobe launches unmetered access to Substance 3D Assetshtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd": Substance 3D subscribers now get unmetered access to nearly 20,000 professional materials, models & lights from the #Substance3DAssets library! No points, no restrictionsjust everything you need to push your ideas as far as they can go. Learn more: https://t.co/QiBV8RylfG pic.twitter.com/67lN3V28hP Adobe Substance 3D (@Substance3D) January 29, 2025Adobe has changed its subscription plans for its Substance 3D applications, giving all subscribers unmetered access to the online Substance 3D Assets library.Subscribers now have access to over 19,000 materials, 3D models and HDR lights with no points [and] no restrictions, for use in game art, VFX, motion graphics and visualization.What is the Substance 3D Assets library?Allegorithmic, the original developer of the Substance 3D applications, launched Substance Source the precursor of the Substance Assets library in 2016.Originally a collection of parametric materials in in Substance 3Ds SBSAR and SBS formats, it was expanded to include 3D models and HDRIs in 2021.The online library now hosts over 13,000 materials, grouped into Surfaces, Decals and Atlases; over 6,000 3D models in FBX and GLB format; and 99 HDRs in EXR and SBSAR format.The assets are created by professional artists, either manually or based on 3D scans: Allegorithmic used to regularly commission leading artists to contribute to the library.How did artists previously access the library?The library originally operated on a system of download points, with users accumulating download credits as part of subscriptions to the Substance software.After Adobe launched its current Substance 3D subscription plans in 2021, they included a limited number of downloads per month.For individuals, Substance 3D Texturing subscriptions Substance 3D Painter, Substance 3D Designer and Substance 3D Sampler included 30 downloads per month.Substance 3D Collection subscriptions which also include Substance 3D Stager and Substance 3D Modeler included 50 downloads per month.Teams subscriptions included 100 downloads per month.How has access to the Substance 3D Assets library changed?Adobe has now introduced unmetered access to the Substance 3D Assets library, with all subscribers able to download any of the assets without managing points.At the time of writing, Adobe still lists download limits on its website, but Substance 3D Product Director Jrmie Noguer has tweeted that this means unlimited access for all subscribers:Starting today, all #Substance3D subscribers have unlimited access to all 20k+ assets on our #Substance3DAssets platform! No more download limits, no restrictions, for both Collection and Texturing plan users. That also includes students, who get all this content for free! https://t.co/zwfG8cTUEC Jrmie Noguer (@Gahadmor) January 29, 2025Weve contacted Adobe to confirm whether download restrictions have been completely removed, and will update if we hear back.The assets can be downloaded from the Substance 3D Assets web portal, or directly within Substance 3D Painter.Can I download Substance 3D Assets for free without a subscription?For artists with free Adobe accounts, but no active Substance 3D subscription, Adobe makes a selection of the Substance 3D Assets available to download for free.At the time of writing, 175 assets are available free: the selection used to be updated regularly, but this has stopped over the past two years.How much do Substance 3D subscriptions cost?For individuals, Substance 3D Texturing subscriptions cost $19.99/month or $219.88/year; Substance 3D Collection subscriptions cost $49.99/month or $549.88/year.For teams, Substance 3D Collection subscriptions cost $1,199.88/year.Read Adobes blog post announcing unmetered access to the Substance 3D Assets libraryCompare Substance 3D subscription plans onlineHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsAdobe launches unmetered access to Substance 3D AssetsSubstance 3D Texturing and Substance 3D Collection plans now include 'unlimited access' to 19,000+ materials, 3D models and HDRIs.Thursday, January 30th, 2025Adobe releases Photoshop 26.3Check out the new features in the image-editing app, with the Frame Tool getting new shape options and generative AI integration.Thursday, January 30th, 2025Chaos releases V-Ray 7 for HoudiniCheck out the new features in the renderer, including a new Houdini-specific volume shader and better integration with Solaris.Wednesday, January 29th, 2025Chaos releases V-Ray 7 for MayaCheck out the new features in the VFX renderer, including OpenPBR support and changes to USD support specific to the Maya edition.Wednesday, January 29th, 2025Adobe releases Substance 3D Modeler 1.19Check out the latest features in the VR modeling app, including the new Assets workflow, Shell parameter, and updates to Mesh to Clay.Wednesday, January 29th, 2025Red9 ProPack gets new tools created for Sonic the Hedgehog 3Maya animation toolkit for VFX and games gets new tools developed for Red9's character rigging work on the latest Sonic movie.Tuesday, January 28th, 2025More NewsJangaFX teases IlluGenCheck out the new features due in EmberGen 2.0Tutorial: Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5PhotoLine 25 now reads Cryptomatte dataPolygonflow releases Dash 1.8.5After Effects' latest beta lets you preview HDR compsNew version of iOS and Android scanning app Kiri EngineRE:Vision Effects launches Twixtor StandaloneSee the new features due in Unreal Engine 5.6 and beyondLeft Angle releases Autograph 2025Check out this GPU-accelerated Houdini Skin Slide DeformerCheck out this free 2D Rim Light Tool for NukeOlder Posts

Check out the new features in the image-editing app, with the Frame Tool getting new shape options and generative AI integration.

Omnitron Sensors, which makes MEMS sensor chips, has raised $13 million to create inexpensive sensors for self-driving cars.Read More

PlayStation Plus to solely focus on PS5 gamesPS4 games will "only occasionally be offered" on service starting January 2026 News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 30, 2025 PlayStation Plus will begin focusing solely on PlayStation 5 games starting January 2026.In a blog post announcing its monthly games for February, the firm said PlayStation 4 games will "no longer be a key benefit" on PS Plus and will "only occasionally be offered" on its monthly games and games catalog services."As many of our players are currently playing on the PS5 and have shifted towards redeeming and accessing PS5 titles from [these services], PS Plus is also evolving with this trend," it said. "We may still provide titles that can be playable on both PS4 and PS5 after this date."The change will not affect PS4 monthly games that players have already redeemed. They will continue to have access to these titles so long as they remain a PS Plus member.As for the game catalog service, PS4 titles will remain available until they leave the catalog as part of its "monthly refresh" of games.

TIGA appoints four new board members for 2025UK trade association welcomes representatives from Hyperpixel Studios, Ubisoft, Steel City, and Playground GamesImage credit: TIGA | Left to right: Aaron Donaghey, Rebekah Simpson, Connor Crossland, Laura Treanor News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 30, 2025 Trade body TIGA has announced the appointment of four new board members from across the UK games industry.The representatives joining the TIGA board are:Aaron Donaghey, CEO, Hyperpixel StudiosConnor Crossland, UK corporate affairs manager, UbisoftLaura Treanor, head of HR, Steel City InteractiveRebekah Simpson, chief of staff, Playground Games"I'm delighted to welcome Aaron, Connor, Laura, and Rebekah to the TIGA board," said CEO Richard Wilson."I look forward to working with them, and the rest of the TIGA board, as we head into what is set to be a busy and exciting year for TIGA, with new events and initiatives due in the coming months."The new additions join Jason Kingsley (CEO and creative director, Rebellion), Mark Gerhard (co-CEO and CTO, Build a Rocket Boy), Carl Cavers (CEO, Sumo Group), Elaine Green (Director, Nelly Vision) Halli Bjornsson (CEO, Lockwood Publishing), and Jon Rissik (CEO, Dovetail Games).