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Meta demonstrated a New York Times Cooking integration for its AI and display glasses at its Connect developer event. A new 'hands-free mode' will deliver audio cues restructured from recipe steps, while the Ray-Ban Display version will show short, swipeable instruction cards. The Times' AJ Chavar said hands-free mode will roll out later this fall, without giving an exact date for the glasses integration.
Meta has introduced a new version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses that drops the camera entirely, offering only audio features. The device keeps the smart glasses form factor while removing the recording capability found in earlier models.
Meta's annual Connect conference is approaching, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg expected to present updates centered on artificial intelligence and wearable devices, particularly smart glasses. Reports suggest the company may unveil a camera-free version of its glasses amid ongoing concerns about users covertly recording others.
The Imagination Library, Dolly Parton's free monthly book program for young children, is expanding to reach 157,000 additional children. The expansion comes about a month after Parton's death, as concerns grow over declining early childhood literacy rates.
Disney has raised prices on most Disney+ and Hulu subscription tiers effective immediately. Ad-free Disney+ and Hulu Premium plans jump from $18.99 to $21.49 monthly, while ad-supported plans increase by 50 cents to $12.49. The combined Disney+/Hulu Premium bundle is expected to rise to $21.99, though it still displayed the old $19.99 price at publication.
Kitchenware brand Caraway has released a new coffee maker priced at $495, built entirely from scratch to eliminate plastic components from its design. The company, known for producing non-toxic, non-stick cookware, applied the same philosophy to this new appliance, aiming to keep plastic out of the brewing process.
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that after years of brands chasing attention through content, emails and notifications, consumers are now seeking analog experiences like dinner parties, run clubs, and phone-free events. The piece suggests marketers should reframe their goal from maximizing time spent with a brand to helping people use their time more meaningfully.
South African studio Free Lives is developing Dressmaker, a game that lets players control the entire process of creating dresses, from choosing fabric patterns to sewing and adding trims and accessories. Players can fulfill commissions for townspeople with varying tastes or design their own ready-to-wear pieces to sell. The project began as a prototype posted to itch.io in July 2025 and was officially greenlit by Free Lives that September.
Disney Plus revised its subscriber agreement in Europe, sparking confusion that ads would now appear across all its plans globally. In reality, ad-free Standard and Premium subscribers in Europe and the US see no change to their viewing experience under the updated terms.
Disney+ amended its Subscriber Agreement in January 2025 to allow advertisements to appear even on plans marketed as "no ads" or "ad-free." Section 2(k) of the new agreement carves out exceptions where ads can run due to streaming rights restrictions, live events, or other limitations, despite the premium tier's original all-ad-free marketing.
A tech guide identifies seven free streaming services offering both on-demand libraries and live, cable-like channel surfing, all available as apps on most major smart TV platforms. These services are ad-supported, meaning viewers get content at no cost but must sit through commercial breaks.
A widely shared essay contends that open-source software will never be reliably funded because it behaves like the 'dove' strategy in an evolutionary game theory model, always losing ground to proprietary 'hawk' competitors who withhold code for profit. The author, after years of mulling the problem, proposes creating registries that could compel companies benefiting from free software to pay into it, rather than relying on voluntary donations or goodwill.