Software
* Familiar Face library cleaned up to improve person identification accuracy. * Animal detection now distinguishes cats and dogs at distance and better preserves colors. * Home Brief descriptions for people are more accurate when faces aren’t visible. * Longer videos get richer AI-generated summaries to capture important events. What’s included in
AI
* Familiar Face filtering now prioritizes clear, complete images to reduce false matches and improve detection accuracy. * Improved animal detection distinguishes dogs and cats at a distance and better identifies color in low‑light scenes. * Home Brief descriptions are more useful for unidentified people and longer videos now get richer AI-generated
Gadgets
* Portable projector and collapsible monitor in one: Arovia’s Splay folds into a 4×4-inch case and weighs about 2.5 pounds. * Strength in projector mode: ultra-short-throw pico projector claims 285 lumens and up to an 80-inch image; integrated fabric screen removes the "right room" problem. * Weakness as
Games
• Key Takeaways: * Game developers across studios named wildly different 2025 favourites, from chaotic co-op (Peak) to tightly written narrative experiments (Type Help). * The list highlights recurring trends: retro-arcade revivals (Parking Garage Rally Circuit), inventive storytelling (The Alters, The Roottrees are Dead) and polished roguelike design (Hades 2). * Several picks are
Space
Key Takeaways: * A NASA safety advisory panel says agency leaders should have declared an in‑flight mishap or high‑visibility close call after Boeing’s CST‑100 Starliner experienced thruster failures and helium leaks in June 2024. * Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remained on the ISS for nine months;
Security
• Anna's Archive says it scraped roughly 86 million Spotify audio files — about 300 TB — and made metadata for ~256 million tracks available. • The group frames the collection as a "preservation archive" and claims the audio covers about 99.6% of Spotify listens. • Spotify says it identified
Chips
* Apple will source about 60%–70% of iPhone 17 LPDDR from Samsung, per industry reports. * LPDDR5X module prices jumped from roughly $30 to about $70 in 2025, tightening margins. * SK Hynix and Micron are redirecting capacity toward HBM for AI/data-center demand, reducing LPDDR supply. * Apple’s A19/A19 Pro
Games
* Key Takeaways: * Vince Zampella, co-creator of Call of Duty and founder of Respawn Entertainment, has died at 55. * Electronic Arts confirmed Zampella’s death on Dec. 23, 2025; local reports say a car crash on Angeles Crest Highway is involved. * The California Highway Patrol reported the vehicle left the roadway
Games
• Blue Prince won Game of the Year at the 2025 Indie Game Awards, according to Game Informer. • The Indie Game Awards highlighted independent development across multiple categories. • Blue Prince's win underscores growing mainstream recognition for indie titles. • Full category winners were published by Game Informer; readers should consult
Games
• Blue Prince tops Bloomberg’s year-end list and embodies 2025’s indie dominance. • Bloomberg notes: “Almost all of them are independently developed, which speaks to the state of the games industry.” • The list (Dec. 22, 2025) is subscriber-only, but its headline—indie studios driving quality releases—reflects a broader market
Games
* Key takeaways: * Vince Zampella, co-creator of Call of Duty and Respawn co-founder, has died in a Los Angeles car crash at age 55. * The crash involved a Ferrari that struck a concrete barrier, caught fire, and resulted in both occupants dying, the California Highway Patrol said. * Electronic Arts, which owns
Gadgets
* Key Takeaways: * A Weibo leak from Digital Chat Station says Apple is still experimenting with ultra-thin flexible glass (UFG) to achieve a crease‑free iPhone Fold display. * The leaker reports UFG samples of varying thickness are under test and technical challenges remain, though a September launch is still targeted. * Chinese
