Microsoft is dramatically increasing the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S as well as new games and accessories. The Series S will start at $380, up from $300, while the Series X will begin at $550, a $100 increase on its previous price. The company is also increasing the prices of pretty much all its first-party products and peripherals. A basic controller will now cost $65. Microsoft is also increasing pricing in Europe, UK, Australia and many other countries.
Microsoft, however, isn’t pointing the finger at tariffs: “We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development,” the company said. It’s unusual for a mid-generation console to increase in price — typically, companies launch a slightly more expensive, better-specced iteration instead.
Also this week, Samsung’s chief financial officer Soon-cheol Park told reporters “The ongoing uncertainty surrounding US tariff policies continues to pose a potential risk of demand slowdown.” Park said US tariff policies and stronger export controls against artificial intelligence products are expected to have an impact on demand. In addition to a downward trend on sales, the company also expects tariffs to raise prices for the components it uses on its mobile phones — so expect more expensive smartphones down the line.
The recent addition to upward pricing is DJI’s popular Ozmo Pocket 3 vlogging camera. Up from a launch price of $520, it’s gone way up to $799. (DJI had already bumped the price up last month to $620.) The base camera is now more expensive than the Creator Kit available at launch.
— Mat Smith
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The BBC used AI (and an actor) to bring Agatha Christie back to life
With approval from her estate.
BBC Maestro offers classes and courses similar to Masterclass, but with a British twist. Its latest tutor, however, died in 1976. Agatha Christie has been digitally revived to teach us all how to write murder mysteries with no reference to smartphones and the internet.
A blend of licensed images, limited footage and past audio recordings converged to create Christie’s likeness. This was fused with recorded footage of actor Vivien Keene, who ‘performs’ the words of Christie on video.
I got to briefly watch some of the lessons. There’s still a glint of uncanny valley, of course, (I think it’s something to do with the eyes?), but even BBC Maestro CEO Michael Levine noted that since the project’s inception a few years ago, the technology had evolved so quickly that the team was able to do even more than it first thought possible.
Canon Powershot V1 camera review
A powerful compact capable of capturing incredible video.
Canon’s PowerShot V1 is a versatile hybrid camera with excellent video and image quality thanks to the unusually large sensor. It goes up against Sony’s ZV-1 II and beats it in multiple ways, including a built-in fan to minimize overheating. It’s also capable of 10-bit log 4K video for those willing to dig into higher-quality footage. The PowerShot V1 is bound to be a hit because it delivers both on video and photo quality.
Sam Altman's eyeball-scanning ID technology debuts in the US
World is opening six locations across the country.
A startup co-founded by Sam Altman has launched its World eyeball-scanning identity verification system in the US. During an event in San Francisco, Altman reportedly said World’s technology provides “a way to make sure humans remained central and special in a world where the internet had a lot of AI-driven content.” Altman is also one of the founders and is currently the CEO of OpenAI, of Chat-GPT fame. (Or infamy.)
The project uses basketball-sized spherical objects called Orbs to scan the user’s irises, which it turns into their unique IrisCode. It then uses that information to create a World ID for the user, which they can use to log into integrated platforms, including Minecraft and Reddit.
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