Together with
Spidey cents. What a week to be a gamer, FutureParty people. Not only did Mario and Sonic drop new titles but Sony also recently released Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on the PS5, and fans were all about it. So much so that the highly anticipated game sold 2.5 million copies (physical and digital) in its first 24 hours — becoming the fastest-selling video game ever made by PlayStation.
It looks like we won’t be going outside anytime soon.
In other news… Apple has a vision for treating mental health, Hollywood goes crazy for IPs, and AI tries to save the publishing industry.
Top Trends
Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe
TECHNOLOGY
iTherapy // Illustration by Kate Walker
Apple may use its Vision Pro headset to track mental health
The Future. Company insiders say Apple is working on using the mixed-reality device’s cameras and sensors to diagnose mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. That’s a major leap in functionality that still needs to undergo significant clinical testing, governmental approval, and privacy assurances before it can be used that way. But with mental health being one of Apple’s four pillars of its health ambitions (along with nutrition, exercise, and sleep), expect the company to pour immense resources into making it a reality.
Headspace
Apple may be planning to expand its health innovations to its upcoming Vision Pro headset.
The Information reports the company would potentially leverage the device’s eye-tracking features to gauge mental health, clocking things like facial expressions and pupil dilation.
It would also use external cameras and microphones to measure a person’s “affect” (how they express emotions), which psychologists use to determine conditions like autism and schizophrenia.
Apple would then roll out features to help treat some of these issues, such as different light and sound therapies.
There’s no timeline (or even confirmation) for if and when Apple will debut these capabilities. The company’s Vision Pro team has already hired mental health experts to consult on the features.
None of this is new territory for Apple, which has beefed up its devices’ health-tracking benefits, especially the Apple Watch — getting clearance from regulators for things like its EKG feature. But its blood-oxygen tracker and pulse oximeter don’t yet have approval (and may not need it).
Using the Vision Pro to measure mental health conditions professionally would likely require many more clinical trials and governmental approval before it’s ready for action.
     |
ENTERTAINMENT
Adaptation fascination // Illustration by Kate Walker
Hollywood gets caught up in IP
The Future. Buzzy books, articles, comics, and podcasts were hot commodities all summer, with film and TV rights (especially TV) being the only dealmaking that could happen while writers and actors were (and still are on, as far as actors go) strike. Some believe all the dealmaking is a strike bubble that could pop as Hollywood contracts and content spends become more conservative. If true, that could make companies unwilling to jump into the bidding frenzy turn to original (and cheaper to purchase) stories.
Any name brand
Despite the strikes, Hollywood execs kept busy.
Even though only directors and producers could attach to IP, bidding was sky-high for podcasts like The Girlfriends and viral articles like Esquire’s “Daddy Ball,” with authors and creators commanding up to 10x the amount of money they used to a decade ago.
And it’s not the legacy studios who are behind the winning bids — it’s a mix of streamers (Netflix and Amazon, of course), premium indie outfits (A24, MRC), and A-list production companies (Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap).
Michelle Weiner, co-head of CAA’s books department, credits the IP boom to “a combination of streaming and the volume that’s necessary to power a streaming service, as well as the number of TV studios that now exist out in the world and the number of independent financiers that are meaningful and successful.”
Lately, IP — any IP, really — gives studios some measure of security in pouring millions of dollars into a project. And with so many options out there, everyone’s trying to break through the noise.
That’s a potent cocktail for authors, journalists, and podcast creators… and potentially a boon for screenwriters looking for a job post-strike. As one programmer told THR: “Without a writer POV, who cares?”
| |
Transfer your balance, yo
Did you know some credit cards may actually help you get out of debt faster? We know it sounds crazy. But it’s true.
The secret: find a card with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers. Then, transfer your debt balance and pay it down as much as possible during the intro period. No interest gives you a chance to pay off the debt faster.
And guess what? The folks at Finance Buzz reviewed a ton of these cards and shared their faves with us. Enjoy!
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Chat economy // GIF by Kate Walker
Direqt wants to help publishers make their own chatbot
The Future. Direqt is helping publishers create customizable AI chatbots that they have full control over. It’s not that publishers don’t like AI. They just don’t want systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard to use their content freely and indiscriminately. So, by keeping chatbot tools within their ecosystem, publishers may be able to make the experience on their platform easier and more enjoyable for readers… which typically means more time they’ll spend engaging with content.
My AI
Direqt is making it easier for publishers to harness the power of AI without opening themselves to all the pitfalls of the tech, thanks to proprietary chatbots.
The chatbots can be placed anywhere — as a messaging service, directly on a publisher’s website, and, soon, on social media.
They can be used to direct readers to stories in their archives, allow writers to craft stories with the help of generative AI, and build quizzes about content they’ve made in the past.
And if publishers really want, they can create their own version of ChatGPT since the company works with OpenAI and similar firms for underlying technology.
Publishers can serve ads directly within consumer-facing chatbots, with Direqt taking a cut of the revenue.
Over 75 publishers have already signed up to use Direqt, including Popular Science, Field & Stream, and The Drive. Mitch Rubenstein, founder of the Sci-Fi Channel and owner of Hollywood.com and Dance Magazine, told TechCrunch the Direqt-created chatbot has increased site engagement by over 200%.
Could AI save the journalism industry?
| |
Manscape like a pro
You’re gonna need a pro tool for that… Good thing MANSCAPED® just released The Lawn Mower® 5.0 Ultra. And guess what? It’s as legit as a groin and body hair trimmer can be.
The interchangeable dual-head system is designed to give you a skin-close shave. Just use the SkinSafe™ Trimmer Blade to take a little off the top. Then, go in with the SkinSafe™ Foil Blade for a smooth finish. Oh, and it’s waterproof and it features a 60-minute battery life. So, you can mow, mow, mow!
Join the 9 million men worldwide who love MANSCAPED®.
Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
Just over two years after Endeavor went public, Silver Lake Management is preparing a bid to buy out the remaining 29% stake it doesn’t own and take the entertainment powerhouse private. Read more → bloomberg
With a deal yet to be reached between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP, movie theaters are not just bracing for a tough winter but also a potentially even tougher 2024. Read more → variety
Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures is partnering with the Los Angeles Media Fund to lift the curtain on a live theater financing venture and has already named its first three commissions. Read more → deadline
Fashion & E-Commerce
Atelier, Angelina Jolie’s sustainable fashion house, is debuting its first line of luxury wear with French brand Chloé that’ll be released in January. Read more → hypebeast
H&M has released a generative AI tool that allows customers to design prints to put on tees. Read more → bof
MSCHF is mounting its first retrospective next March at South Korea’s Daelim Museum, aptly titled, “NOTHING IS SACRED.” Read more → hypebeast
Tech, Web3, & AI
Israeli cybersecurity firms are helping survivors of October 7th’s attack lock their stolen electronic devices and secure their digital identities to stop Hamas from being able to access them. Read more → forbes
Google is rolling out a tool to help users access an image’s metadata to see its publishing history and determine if it’s been manipulated by AI. Read more → engadget
Uber now lets users book a hot air balloon in Cappadocia, Turkey. Read more → forbes
Creator Economy
TikTok is putting on its first-ever live, in-person music festival, TikTok in the Mix, in Mesa, Arizona — featuring performances from Cardi B, Charlie Puth, and a host of musicians who’ve gone viral on the platform. Read more → theverge
Even though YouTube is Gen Z’s favorite place to watch product reviews, Facebook is the top platform to buy those products. Read more → insider
Swatting and doxxing will now get you banned from Twitch… even if the violations didn’t occur on the platform, specifically. Read more → tubefilter
JOBS OF THE WEEK
Explore a weekly curated list of the latest and greatest opportunities in business, tech, and entertainment. For more listings, check out the complete job board.
Technical Writer II
Fivetran
Oakland, CA
Senior Data Scientist
Vive Financial
Draper, UT (Remote/Hybrid)
Property Technical Specialist
The Travelers Companies
Austin, TX
Payroll Specialist
Circa Hospitality Group
Las Vegas, NV
Like what you see? Subscribe Now or Partner With Us
Keep the editorial team going! Buy the team a coffee! ☕️
Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.