Sleep Awake arrives Dec 2: Blumhouse-backed psychedelic horror leans on immersive sound Sleep Awake, a first‑person psychedelic horror from Eyes Out (founded by Spec Ops: The Line director Cory Davis and Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck), is due to release on December 2 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Published by Blumhouse Games, the title promises a sound‑forward, narrative‑heavy experience that leans into audio design to build tension and dread. The game takes place in the last known city on an Earth ravaged by The HUSH — a mysterious force that eliminates anyone who falls asleep. Players control Katja, who must stay awake and survive as residents resort to extreme measures to avoid The HUSH. Expect surreal visuals, unsettling encounters, and a strong emphasis on atmosphere rather…

Daily AI Brief: Anthropic advances Claude with domain focus and TPU scale Quick roundup of the past 24–48 hours focused on Anthropic (Claude) and OpenAI. Anthropic announced several notable product and infrastructure moves — domain enhancements, workflow customization and a large Google Cloud TPU expansion — while OpenAI had no major public announcements in this window. Top developments Claude for Life Sciences: Anthropic unveiled capabilities tailored for life‑sciences research, promising improved performance and integrations with scientific workflows. Read Anthropic’s post Agent Skills: New Agent Skills let organizations customize Claude for specific workflows and integrate with tools like Box and Notion, easing enterprise adoption. Agent Skills details Google Cloud TPU expansion: Reporting indicates Anthropic plans to significantly increase its Google Cloud TPU commitments to scale Claude, a major infrastructure bet that…

Daily AI Brief: Anthropic advances Claude with domain focus and TPU scale Quick roundup of the last 24–48 hours focused on Claude (Anthropic) and OpenAI. Anthropic announced a string of product and infrastructure moves — notably domain enhancements, workflow skills, and a major expansion of Google Cloud TPU usage — while OpenAI had no major public announcements in this window. Top developments Claude for Life Sciences: Anthropic rolled out capabilities aimed at life‑sciences research, improving performance and offering integrations to scientific platforms for domain workflows. (Anthropic) Agent Skills: New Agent Skills let organizations customize Claude for specific workflows and integrate with tools like Box and Notion, making Claude more adaptable for enterprise use. (Anthropic) Google Cloud TPU expansion: Reports indicate Anthropic plans to significantly increase its Google Cloud TPU commitments…

Daily AI Brief: Anthropic surges ahead — Claude updates, TPU expansion; OpenAI quiet Here are the latest developments from the past 24–48 hours focusing on Anthropic (Claude) and OpenAI, compiled from recent reporting and company posts. The main headlines: Anthropic rolled out product and infrastructure moves (notably expanding Google Cloud TPU capacity), while there were no major public updates from OpenAI in the same window. Top items Claude for Life Sciences: Anthropic announced enhancements aimed at supporting life‑sciences research workflows, with improved performance and integrations to scientific platforms. (Anthropic) Agent Skills: Claude now supports Agent Skills to customize assistants for specific workflows and integrate with services like Box and Notion, making Claude more adaptable to enterprise use cases. (Anthropic) Major TPU expansion: Anthropic plans to expand use of Google Cloud…

Strava withdraws patent suit against Garmin after just 21 days Strava has filed paperwork to dismiss its patent infringement lawsuit against Garmin after only 21 days. The suit had accused Garmin of infringing patents related to heat maps and segments and sought to halt sales of products Strava said relied on those patents. The dispute escalated with a public post from Strava’s chief product officer, Matt Salazar, criticizing Garmin’s API requirements. But the sudden reversal suggests private negotiations — and possibly the specter of counterclaims from Garmin, which holds an extensive patent portfolio. What happened Strava sued Garmin over patents covering heat maps and segments and asked the court to stop sales of allegedly infringing devices. The companies exchanged public barbs, including a Reddit post from Strava’s CPO highlighting concerns…

Verizon’s new ad misunderstands CRTs: bad physics, retro value and e‑waste concerns Verizon’s new 30‑second commercial has drawn criticism for a surprisingly obvious detail: it treats a 27‑inch CRT TV as if it were light and easy to lift. Viewers noted the unrealistic handling, and some commentators have pointed out broader issues beyond the gag — including the vintage value of CRTs and the environmental cost if a working set was destroyed for the shoot. The ad shows a woman walking into a big‑box store and handing over a chunky CRT to a salesperson, who accepts it without struggle. In reality, mid‑sized CRTs can weigh dozens of pounds, and many collectors prize working units for retro gaming and nostalgia. The commercial’s portrayal rings false to anyone familiar with those sets.…

Leica M EV1 swaps the rangefinder for a 5.76M‑dot electronic viewfinder Leica has introduced the M EV1, a new 60‑megapixel mirrorless addition to its M‑system that replaces the traditional optical rangefinder with a high‑resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF). The move keeps the beloved M design cues — including a hand‑stitched diamond‑pattern leatherette and compact body — while modernizing the shooting experience for photographers who prefer an EVF. The M EV1 is largely similar in imaging to the M11‑P, but Leica trimmed weight (about 1.62 ounces lighter) and removed the dedicated ISO dial in favor of a consolidated control scheme. The camera uses a 60MP sensor, records 14‑bit RAW, and offers up to 4.5 fps burst shooting. Leica emphasizes still photography: the M EV1 does not support video capture. Notable specs Sensor:…

Best MacBook 2025: Which model should you buy? Apple’s MacBook lineup in 2025 centers on two families: the MacBook Air (M4) and the MacBook Pro (M5 or M4 Pro/Max). Recent changes include the M5 chip appearing in the base 14‑inch Pro and a $100 price cut to the M4 Air, which now starts at $999 for the base configuration. The product choices can feel small at first glance, but differences in chip, RAM, storage and screen size meaningfully affect real‑world use. Apple has also raised the baseline memory: the Air now ships with 16GB of unified RAM, reflecting growing needs for on‑device AI and multitasking. Quick recommendations Best for most people: MacBook Air (M4) — great battery life, lightweight, and now the best value with the $100 cut. Best for…

OpenAI acquires Software Applications Inc., bringing Mac automation app Sky into ChatGPT OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Incorporated, the team behind Workflows (the iOS automation app that evolved into Apple’s Shortcuts) and the new Mac automation app Sky. The startup’s staff will join OpenAI as the company plans to fold Sky’s deep macOS integration into ChatGPT to enable apps to take more direct actions on users’ devices. Sky is positioned as an agentic automation tool: it understands what’s on your screen and can carry out multi‑step tasks across apps, similar to the way automation apps like Shortcuts operate — but with tighter OS integration and AI‑driven decision making. OpenAI says it will use Sky’s macOS product craft to expand ChatGPT’s ability to act inside desktop apps and workflows. Why OpenAI…

Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao — implications for Binance and US crypto policy President Donald Trump has issued a pardon for Changpeng Zhao (known as "CZ"), the founder of Binance. Zhao previously pleaded guilty to federal money‑laundering charges in 2023, stepped down as CEO and received a four‑month prison sentence; he was released in September 2024. As part of his plea agreement he was barred from involvement with Binance for three years. The White House statement framed the pardon as a reversal of enforcement pursued under the prior administration. Both Zhao and Binance reportedly submitted formal pardon applications by August. Key facts Pardon granted: President Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, removing federal penalties tied to his 2023 guilty plea. Prior sentence and restrictions: Zhao pleaded guilty in 2023, served a…