Meta Unveils Ray-Ban AR Display Sunglasses; TikTok Agrees to $200 Million Deal
In the world of technology, there's always something new and exciting around the corner. Here's a brief rundown of some recent developments:
Meta has unveiled the Meta Ray-Ban Display, a pair of AI glasses that come with a built-in display and a wrist-worn controller. Priced at $800, these glasses deliver 42 pixels per degree and 5,000-nit brightness, making them suitable for outdoor use.
Snap, on the other hand, is gearing up for the public release of Specs, with the device central to its future beyond smartphones. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is betting big on the company's Spectacles AR glasses, with the upcoming Gen-6 "Specs" expected in 2026. The new Specs will be smaller, lighter, with see-through optics and a built-in AI assistant.
The revival of the Virtual Boy, Nintendo's most infamous console flop, is also on the horizon. Nintendo is set to release a Virtual Boy accessory for the Switch and Switch 2, available from February 17, 2026. The accessory will be available in two versions: a $99.99 plastic replica and a $24.99 cardboard model, similar to Nintendo Labo. Fourteen classic games, including Mario's Tennis, Teleroboxer, and Galactic Pinball, will be released for the accessory via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
Carl Pei, OnePlus co-founder, has founded a new startup named Nothing. The company makes transparent-cased smartphones and earbuds and plans to launch an "AI-native" operating system and devices in 2026. Nothing has already sold more than 7 million devices worldwide and was the fastest-growing smartphone brand in India last year.
The AI/XR Podcast, hosted by Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, and Rony Abovitz, recently featured Tricia Biggio, CEO of Invisible Universe, as a guest. The podcast can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.
Tik Tok remains politically charged due to concerns about its algorithm's sensitivity and potential influence. The sale of Tik Tok's US operations is subject to Chinese government approval. If approved, a consortium led by Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz will take around 80% control of TikTok USA, while ByteDance retains about 20%. The new company will have a majority American board, with six out of seven members being Americans.
The Guardian recently found Tik Tok's algorithm capable of steering users down a hard-right rabbit hole. Critics argue that until the deal is finalized, Beijing still retains leverage over the platform used by 170 million Americans.
Looking Glass has introduced HololuminescentTM Displays, 3D monitors used to create volumetric video, media, and interactive experiences without requiring 3D software pipelines. The Hololuminescent Displays will be available in Q4, with prices starting at $2000 for a 16" display, and larger sizes (27" and 86") also available.
A short film titled "Agoraphobia" has been created by a GenAI artist, featuring an agoraphobic man who believes his apartment building's nine floors are the nine circles of Hell, and the tenants are demons he must defeat to escape.
Finally, Snap OS 2.0 has been released, adding features like a browser overhaul, spatial anomaly UI, speech and text translation, and "Spatial Tips." Snap frames Specs as a new computing paradigm, "AI-first, contextual, shared."
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