/w=1920,quality=90,fit=scale-down){kind=logo}
January 20, 2024
Issue No. 88
CURATOR:
Welcome to this week's AtherXplorer, covering the latest in gaming, blockchain, and everything in between.
This week’s top picks include:
Artificial Intelligence
Samsung and Google Cloud Bring AI to Galaxy S24 Lineup
Samsung has formed a partnership with Google Cloud to incorporate advanced generative AI technologies into its new Galaxy S24 smartphone series. As part of this collaboration, the S24 will utilize Google's Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 AI models hosted on Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform. Gemini Pro aims to improve summarization and translation features within the S24's Notes, Voice Recorder, and Keyboard applications. Imagen 2 enables new generative photo editing capabilities through the Gallery app.
Additionally, Samsung intends to test Google's most powerful Gemini Ultra system. The company will also employ the on-device Gemini Nano model for efficient tasks powered by the Android operating system. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip inside the S24 is designed to optimize AI processing performance. It supports enhanced camera functions generated using AI as well as customized messaging styles.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra commence on January 17, starting at $8,00, $1,000, and $1,300 respectively. The new S24 series will be generally available for purchase beginning January 31 through Samsung's website, Experience Stores, and major carriers and retailers.
Mark Zuckerberg’s New Goal is to Create AGI
Mark Zuckerberg has stated that Meta's new goal is to build artificial general intelligence. While an exact definition of AGI remains elusive, Zuckerberg wants Meta to develop technology with broad, intuitive capabilities spanning reasoning and skills. He sees AGI arriving gradually rather than through a single breakthrough.
Zuckerberg aims to directly apply Meta's research to its apps and ambitions to build AGI to attract top AI talent and researchers. Meta also owns a massive stockpile of over 500,000 GPU chips for training large models at an enormous scale. Zuckerberg contends this puts Meta in a strong position compared to other companies pursuing AGI. He takes an open approach similar to Llama, hoping it addresses safety and access concerns, though acknowledges open-sourcing future AGI is not guaranteed.
Zuckerberg asserts Meta's focus on AGI does not detract from goals like the metaverse, arguing AI will play a crucial role in technologies like augmented reality. He outlines a vision where AI characters populate virtual worlds and distribute content. Meanwhile, Meta is developing Llama 3 and beyond to surpass industry leaders, aiming to standardize AI development through publicly shared models. However, concentrating so much power over AGI and its applications at one private company also presents risks should viewpoints change.
Amazon’s New AI Chatbot and Fire TV AI Image Generator
Amazon is currently testing a new AI assistant feature for its mobile shopping apps that allows users to ask questions about products. The tool was designed for practical queries but has demonstrated more imaginative capabilities by generating jokes, stories, and descriptive passages about items at users' requests. It clarified it does not engage in personal conversations or flirtation.
In addition, Amazon has incorporated several other AI-powered functions. It uses large language models to summarize product reviews and detect fake reviews on its retail platform. Through AWS, Amazon also provides enterprises access to prominent generative models such as Meta's Llama, Anthropic's Claude, and Stability AI's diffusion model. These efforts continue to expand Amazon's portfolio of AI-driven features across its e-commerce business and cloud services.
Meanwhile, Amazon has integrated its image generator called Titan into Fire TV devices. Customers with compatible Fire TV models can now create AI images by speaking prompts to Alexa via the remote control. The feature lets users customize backgrounds by asking for landscapes or portraits with different artistic styles, and save the generated pictures.
In Other AI News…
Gaming
Foamstars Launches In February As a PS Plus Monthly Game
Square Enix's online multiplayer shooter Foamstars will launch on February 6 exclusively for PlayStation 4 and 5. It will also be one of the free monthly games available for PlayStation Plus subscribers between February 6th and March 4th.
In Foamstars, 4v4 matches of "Foamsmash" take place where players take on various class roles and aim foams at opponents to coat them, allowing for slide kicks to knock them out of the match. The foam also affects the arena layout. Publisher Square Enix plans to support the game with seasonal updates for a year including new maps, modes, and characters via $5.99 season passes.
At launch, three main modes will be available - the standard "Happy Bath Survival" as well as "Smash the Star" where the winning player becomes a target, and "Rubber Duck Party" where teams ride a giant rubber duck. Single-player and co-op "Mission Mode" games will also be included to protect the fictional city of Bath Vegas from "Bubble Beasties."
In an interview, producer Kosuke Okatani discussed the possibility of collaborations with Square Enix's other franchises in the future, though nothing is confirmed. K-Pop collaborations were also mentioned as possibilities given the game's art style, but remain unconfirmed. Those who don't have PS Plus can purchase Foamstars for $29.99 after the free period.
Ubisoft Reworks Subscription Service
Ubisoft has reworked its subscription service after 4 years, rebranding it as "Ubisoft+ Premium" and "Ubisoft+ Classics." Premium will offer day-one access to new releases and early access to some titles for $17.99 per month. Classics provides a curated selection of popular back catalog games for $7.99 per month.
The director of Ubisoft's subscription service mentioned these changes in a blog post, noting Premium includes DLC, premium editions, and monthly rewards across Xbox, PC, and Amazon Luna by subscribing once. While the service is above projections in subscribers, an exact number was not disclosed though millions have signed up. New subscribers who had never previously played Ubisoft games makeup 10% of users.
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the exec indicated the subscription model has seen rapid expansion but is still relatively small. It sees an opportunity to reach more PC users. He believes one factor enabling growth is consumers becoming comfortable with not owning titles, as with music and movies on Spotify and Netflix.
However, the permanency of streaming access was questioned given Google Stadia's shutdown after 4 years with users losing purchased games. Other services like Disney+ have also faced criticism for removing content. This poses issues around how streaming affects how media is consumed and preserved long-term.
Diablo IV’s Season Of The Construct Detailed, Kicks Off This Month
Diablo IV's third seasonal event, Season of the Construct, kicks off on January 23. In the story, the demon Malphas acquires an ancient device called The Loom that can create mechanical constructs but warps it for sinister purposes to unleash evil machines. Players are paired with a mechanized companion called a Seneschal that assists in combat and serves as the power gain system.
The Seneschal can be customized with special stones that provide various perks and abilities. Arcane Tremors cover the map, infesting areas with new elemental Construct enemies. Defeating them earns season-specific loot. A new hub called The Gatehall features vendors and portals to activity zones. Vaults are a new dungeon type with deadlier traps, and players begin with a stacking buff called Zoltun's Warding that diminishes trap damage. Better rewards are given depending on the Warding level upon reaching the chest.
Gauntlets will arrive soon as another dungeon type where players compete on leaderboards separated by party size for one week in static dungeons with the same layout. Top scorers are shown on leaderboards, with the top 10 earning a permanent hall display. Quality of life improvements include an extra stash tab, WASD controls, always active Helltides, respec mode, higher powerful drop chances at level 75, gold trading updates, and more ice-summoning items.
In Other Gaming News…
Web3, Metaverse, and NFTs
'Nifty Island' Launches Open Beta With Airdrop Rewards
Nifty Island, a new social multiplayer game featuring NFTs, has officially launched its public beta. In the game, players can complete quests, explore with friends, and customize their environments in real-time similar to games like Roblox, Animal Crossing, and Fortnite. Each player receives a free island that they can redesign without costly land purchases for various social or competitive activities.
Players collect "blooms" in the game that can be redeemed for NFT rewards on Nifty Island's marketplace. These rewards include structures and accessories inspired by real collections like DeGods, Pepe frogs, Pudgy Penguins, and brands. Players can display rewards on their customized islands.
Gamers can access Nifty Island on Windows or Mac computers using a crypto wallet, email, or Discord account. The game has also launched a "play-to-airdrop" campaign where playing, collecting blooms, minting NFTs, and sharing island links allow players to increase their future allocation of the upcoming ISLAND token.
According to its website, Nifty Island aims to bring NFTs to life through engaging experiences that reject artificial scarcity. It believes Web3 can form the foundation for a better creator economy. The open beta launch signifies Nifty Island's vision of building a social gaming platform around customized islands and minted NFT collections.
BlackRock Drops ‘Boomer’ TV Ad Following Bitcoin ETF Approval
BlackRock recently released its first television advertisement for their newly launched iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. The ad featured a BlackRock executive outlining the value proposition of the ETF and how investors can gain exposure through it. Commentators noted the ad lacked flashy graphics or crypto jargon that other Bitcoin ETF ads had used. The ad stressed the product was easily accessible and removed operational burdens, focusing on trust in BlackRock's experience in the ETF space.
Experts said the boring but informative style was an effective way to market the ETF to wealthy baby boomer investors. One analyst observed the calm presentation by the suit-wearing executive without a tie was aimed at this demographic. Other analysts agreed the advertisement's serious tone made it seem safer for baby boomers. One observer said it told them the financial experts now approved of cryptocurrency.
Some baby boomer Bitcoin investors also commented they were happy to add this ETF to their portfolios since it was offered through traditional financial firms they trusted. The Bitcoin ETF marketing war has been heating up since the first ad dropped from Bitwise on Dec. 18, 2023. In January, several other issuers also released new advertising campaigns.
Jupiter Finally Sets a Date for JUP Airdrop, Teases Meme Coin
Decentralized finance aggregator Jupiter announced it will launch its highly anticipated JUP token airdrop on January 31st at 10:00 am EST. Almost 1 million crypto wallets holding Solana-based DeFi assets will be eligible to receive some of the 1 billion JUP tokens being distributed. The bulk of each user's allocation will depend on their past trading volume and transactions made on Jupiter. At a minimum, all users will receive 200 JUP, with heavier users obtaining an additional 500 JUP.
In total, Jupiter plans to distribute 5 billion JUP tokens through 4 community airdrops. Half of the 10 billion total supply will go to the community in this manner. Another 2 billion JUP will be retained by the team, while 2 billion make up a strategic reserve and 1 billion is allocated for liquidity.
In addition, Jupiter announced it will launch its meme coin on its platform next week. This will serve as a test of Jupiter's new launch capabilities but the coin is not officially affiliated with Jupiter. It remains unclear if the meme coin will also be airdropped to users or how.
As one of the largest Solana DeFi projects, Jupiter functions as a swap aggregator to advise users on the best rates. The highly anticipated airdrop and meme coin launch signify Jupiter's ongoing efforts to grow its localized DeFi ecosystem.
In Other Web3 & Metaverse News…
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to our newsletter today and be the first to receive Sipher news, AtherXplorer weekly issues, and new AtherXperiment posts. Sign up now and get ahead of the game!