US stock indexes rallied on Thursday, with the Dow regaining the 40,000 level and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posting gains of over 2%. This was driven by strong first-quarter results from major US tech names, including Alphabet and Intel. Alphabet's revenue grew 12% year over year, beating Wall Street expectations, and its shares rose over 5% in after-hours trading. Intel also reported better-than-expected results but warned of a potential recession due to tariffs and trade tensions. Despite the positive earnings reports, trade tensions between the US and China remain a concern, with China denying that ongoing trade talks are underway. The US and China have been engaged in a trade war, and the uncertainty surrounding the situation continues to impact markets.
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April 25, 2025
Meta Platforms is laying off over 100 employees in its Reality Labs division, which focuses on virtual reality and wearable devices. The job cuts affect staff working on VR experiences for Meta's Quest headsets and hardware operations. Meta aims to streamline similar work across teams. The company confirmed layoffs but didn't disclose the number of employees impacted. Those affected can apply for new roles within the company. This comes after Meta cut around 3,600 staff earlier in 2025.
April 25, 2025 • By Mark Henninger
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April 24, 2025 • By Kate Seltzer
A new report from the Guttmacher Institute found that Virginia saw a 16% increase in abortions in 2024, with 5,500 more clinician-provided abortions than the previous year. This increase is likely due to patients traveling from states with restrictive abortion bans, such as Florida, which enacted a six-week ban in May 2024. Virginia is the last state in the Southeast without a ban on abortions after six or 12 weeks of pregnancy, making it a destination for those seeking abortion care. The Virginia League for Planned Parenthood reported a significant increase in out-of-state patients, from 2-3% to 30% of their patient population, after the Dobbs decision and Florida's abortion ban. The state's abortion laws and access to care are expected to be a major issue in the upcoming election, with a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution.
April 24, 2025 • By Brian Fagioli
Researchers from Google, Harvard University, and HHMI Janelia have introduced the Zebrafish Activity Prediction Benchmark (ZAPBench), a tool to help create more accurate models for predicting brain activity. ZAPBench is based on two hours of brain recordings from larval zebrafish, capturing the activity of roughly 70,000 neurons in response to virtual reality scenarios. The project uses genetically modified zebrafish and a light sheet microscope to scan their brains and record activity. The goal is to challenge the research community to build models that can predict what happens next in the brain, given a clip of brain activity. Early results suggest that models trained on 3D data perform better, and those with access to longer sequences of context data make better predictions. The research also showed that some areas of the zebrafish brain are harder to predict than others. The team is now working on creating a detailed connectome for the zebrafish brains, which will pair with the activity data to open the door to deeper research into brain structure and function.
April 24, 2025 • By Vincent Nguyen
Sightful has launched Spacetop for Windows, a software-first platform that brings augmented reality (AR) workspaces to Windows laptops. This shift is driven by the increasing availability of AI-capable PCs with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs), which enable efficient and battery-friendly spatial computing. Spacetop creates a private, 100-inch virtual workspace that can run multiple applications side by side, with users able to shift, resize, and reposition them using keyboard shortcuts. The platform is optimized for AI PCs with Intel architecture and works with laptops equipped with modern NPU, CPU, and GPU combinations. The full Spacetop for Windows bundle launches at $899, including XREAL Air Ultra 2 AR glasses and a 12-month subscription. Sightful is targeting professional productivity, bringing the benefits of a multi-monitor home office setup into a single device that fits in a backpack. Early adoption patterns show traction with remote workers, travelers, and those who need to work securely and comfortably. Partners such as Deutsche Telekom, SHI, and Intel have praised Spacetop for redefining mobile productivity and offering a secure, digitized workspace that scales with modern B2B demands.
April 24, 2025 • By pdixit@insider.com (Pranav Dixit,Jyoti Mann)
Meta has laid off an undisclosed number of employees in its Reality Labs division, affecting Oculus Studios and the Supernatural VR fitness app team. The company confirmed the changes, stating it remains committed to investing in mixed reality experiences. The layoffs follow a broader reduction earlier this year, where Meta announced it would eliminate nearly 4,000 roles. Despite the cuts, 495 roles remain open in Reality Labs, and affected employees are eligible for internal opportunities. The changes are part of a restructuring effort, with Meta's COO now leading the Reality Labs team and other leaders reporting to top executives in the main business.
April 24, 2025 • By Alex Levin, Contributor, Alex Levin, Contributor https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexlevin/
Porsche has launched a new app called "911 Spirit 70" for Apple Vision Pro, allowing users to design and customize their dream Porsche 911. The app enables real-time customization, providing historical context for each design option and simulating authentic engine sounds. This move marks Porsche's first significant foray into customer-facing spatial computing. The app is available on the Vision Pro App Store, and users can place a virtual Porsche 911 in their physical environment, examine it from all angles, and customize it in real-time. Porsche has been exploring the potential of Apple Vision Pro since its launch in Q1 2024, including transforming media events, enhancing shop floor training, and providing real-time data insights for race management. The company's initiative may prove prescient or premature, but it certainly won't be the last attempt to reimagine how people shop for, customize, and connect with automobiles. The history of automotive customization is deeply rooted in the craft of coachbuilding, and the relationship between client and coachbuilder was intimate, with extensive consultation and collaboration throughout the design process. As mass production revolutionized the industry, car showrooms evolved, and the digital revolution brought online configurators, allowing consumers to experiment with colors and options from home. Spatial computing represents the next step in this evolution, attempting to bridge the gap between digital convenience and physical experience. While questions of immediate utility versus novelty arise, spatial computing has already proven its value as a significant tool in the design world, offering tangible benefits in visualization, collaboration, and efficiency. The spatial computing landscape is rapidly evolving, with Android XR and Samsung's Project Moohan expected to launch soon, promising wider accessibility and affordability. The true value and user adoption will depend on software developers creating compelling experiences for these devices. As spatial computing becomes more accessible, its true impact on automotive retail will become clearer.
April 24, 2025 • By Jasica Usman
The article discusses the future of smart home technology and innovative household gadgets for 2025. It highlights the top 14 new home gadgets, including smart home devices powered by AI automation, interactive displays, and augmented reality glasses. These gadgets aim to make daily tasks seamless and automated, enhancing convenience, comfort, security, and well-being. Some notable gadgets include motion sensor lighting, smart mirrors with AI-powered insights, smart showers with personalized temperature and spray settings, and soundscaping systems that adjust ambient tones in real-time. The article also mentions smart side tables with air purifiers, motorized shades, and smart home AI assistants that bring human-like conversations and autonomous home management. Experts emphasize the importance of establishing a reliable Wi-Fi network, considering compatibility and communication protocols, and taking a gradual approach to automating the home. They also highlight the benefits of adaptive automation systems, robotic lawn care solutions, and smart home devices that anticipate and personalize the environment. Overall, the article showcases the rapid evolution of home technology, promising unprecedented levels of convenience, comfort, and security, and transforming living spaces into smart and intuitive environments.
April 24, 2025 • By cnbc.com
Meta has laid off an unspecified number of employees in its Reality Labs division, which is responsible for developing virtual reality, augmented reality, and related wearable devices. The cuts specifically affected the Oculus Studios unit, where employees work on creating VR and AR games and experiences. This move is part of the company's efforts to restructure and prioritize its focus areas.
April 24, 2025 • By Shoshi Parks
The California Migration Museum has launched a series of free, immersive, phone-based walking tours that explore the history of various San Francisco neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Japantown, the Castro, and the Mission. The tours use augmented reality and 360-degree video to superimpose historical imagery over modern landscapes, offering a new perspective on the past and its connection to the present. Each tour delves into significant events and themes, such as the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the transformation of Japantown into the "Harlem of the West," and the impact of immigration on the city's culture and identity. The museum's founder and director, Katy Long, aims to build empathy and encourage people to consider the importance of documenting history as a means to understand the past and shape the future. The tours are available for streaming or download on the museum's website, along with other interactive resources, such as a 38-stop interactive map and a podcast about SF's immigrant food stories.
April 24, 2025
Meta has laid off an unspecified number of employees in its Reality Labs division, which develops virtual and augmented reality technology. The cuts affected the Oculus Studios unit, including employees working on the Supernatural VR workout app. A company spokesperson stated that the changes are meant to help the division work more efficiently on future mixed reality experiences. This comes after Meta laid off 5% of its overall workforce in February and reported a $4.97 billion operating loss in its Reality Labs division during the fourth quarter.
April 24, 2025 • By Amanda Silberling
Meta laid off employees in its Reality Labs division, which includes Oculus Studios, affecting those working on Quest products like the VR exercise app Supernatural. The company didn't disclose the number of impacted employees but stated that the changes aim to improve efficiency in developing mixed reality experiences. Reality Labs has been a significant cost for Meta, losing almost $5 billion in the last quarter of 2024. The layoffs come ahead of Meta's first-quarter earnings report, and affected employees can apply for other jobs within the company. Supernatural users will see fewer new workouts per week, but individual workouts will be available at more skill levels.
April 24, 2025
Meta Platforms is laying off an unspecified number of employees from its Reality Labs division, affecting teams within Oculus Studios, which develops games for Quest virtual reality headsets. The move aims to improve efficiency in creating mixed reality experiences. Despite a $5 billion loss in the fourth quarter, CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains committed to augmented and virtual reality technologies.
April 24, 2025 • By techcrunch.com
Meta has conducted layoffs in its Reality Labs division, specifically impacting Oculus Studios. Oculus Studios develops apps and games for Meta's Quest headsets, including the VR exercise app Supernatural. The number of employees affected by the layoffs was not specified.
April 24, 2025
Google Research, Harvard University, and HHMI Janelia have created the Zebrafish Activity Prediction Benchmark (ZAPBench), a dataset to help model brain activity in larval zebrafish. The dataset was developed from 4D recordings of 70,000 neurons responding to virtual reality stimuli. This research aims to understand brain activity and ultimately demystify human behavior and neurological issues. The goal is to use AI to predict brain activity, similar to language models predicting the next word in a sentence.
April 24, 2025 • By Demi Leverett
The year 2015 was a great time for anime fans, with a surge in production and viewership. According to the Association of Japanese Animations, 2015 saw a record-high 340 anime series airing on television. Some notable anime shows from 2015 include One-Punch Man, Death Parade, Food Wars!, Assassination Classroom, The Boy and The Beast, Himouto! Umaru-chan, School-Live!, My Love Story!!, Overlord, and Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?. These shows offered unique takes on various genres, such as superheroes, fantasy, romance, and comedy. Many of these shows are still popular today and can be streamed on various platforms like Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Netflix.