Napster sold for US$207 million, eyes metaverse revival

Embed from Getty Images

Roughly 25 years after disrupting the music industry, the original file-sharing service Napster has been acquired by metaverse startup Infinite Reality for US$207 million. Infinite Reality plans to transform Napster into a "social music platform" with virtual concerts and artist tools for selling digital and physical goods.

Click to read more ...

Reddit horror story heads to Hollywood, starring Sydney Sweeney

Embed from Getty Images

A Reddit horror story is making the leap to the big screen, with Warner Bros. securing the rights to adapt "I pretended to be a missing girl so I could rob her family" into a feature film starring Sydney Sweeney.

The original story, posted on the r/nosleep subreddit, a community known for its chilling "creepypasta" tales, captivated readers with its dark premise. The plot centers on a young woman who infiltrates a grieving family by impersonating their long-lost daughter, with sinister intentions.

The r/nosleep community, which encourages users to treat the stories as real, has become a breeding ground for online horror. The term "creepypasta" itself is a nod to the internet phenomenon of "copypasta," highlighting the viral nature of these narratives.

Sydney Sweeney will not only star in the film but also produce it, while Academy Award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) will pen the script. Joe Cote, the Massachusetts English teacher who authored the Reddit post, expressed his astonishment at the project.

SOURCE

Google debuts Pixel 9a with new design, AI features

Photo: Google

Google officially released the Pixel 9a, the latest addition to its budget-friendly A-series lineup. The phone boasts a fresh design, enhanced camera features, and advanced AI capabilities powered by Gemini Nano.  

The Pixel 9a arrives in four distinct colours: Obsidian, Porcelain, Peony, and the new Iris, which replaces Wintergreen from the Pixel 9 series. The device features a 6.3-inch display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

Click to read more ...

YouTube launches tool to simplify brand partnerships for creators

Screenshot: YouTube

YouTube is introducing a new feature called "creator-initiated video linking" to streamline how creators connect with brands for sponsored content. This tool, announced ahead of YouTube's annual Brandcast event, allows creators in the YouTube Partner Program to directly request brands to partner on videos they've already created.

If a brand accepts, YouTube will add a "Paid Promotion" label to the video. Brands will then gain access to the video's organic view metrics, the ability to show ads to viewers who engage with the creator's channel, and insights into viewer interaction post-ad exposure.

Click to read more ...