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TL;DR
In a hurry? Here's our pick of the top news items of the week.
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Browser company Opera has unveiled a new AI agent called Browser Operator that can complete tasks for you on different websites. (Tech Crunch)
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YouTube is bringing its more affordable Premium Lite subscription to the US, priced at $7.99 per month.” (The Verge)
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Google is launching “AI Mode” for search, which will let users ask questions, submit follow-up queries, and more, all within a single stream. (Social Media Today)
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Google is planning to upgrade Google TV with AI features, including News Brief and Gemini Live. (Android Central)
Audiences
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US viewers prefer streaming movies at home. over going to the cinema. (Advanced Television)
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Travelers this year want outdoor activities, immersive experiences and musical performances when they visit a new destination. (Travel Weekly)
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American sports fans are just as likely to watch live games on streaming platforms as they are on broadcast or cable networks. (Media Play News)
Platforms
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Amazon is launching a new tool called Complete TV within its demand-side platform, Amazon DSP, for advertisers to plan and manage their TV budgets, including linear and streaming deals. (AdWeek)
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The Brazilian court has ruled that Apple has 90 days to allow sideloading, the process of loading apps onto a device from a source besides the official app store, on iOS for iPhone users in Brazil. (9to5Mac)
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TikTok is “eyeing an expansion of its local services business to the US,” according to new job postings listed in some regions. (Social Media Today)
Content
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China's “Ne Zha 2” is the biggest animated movie in history, surpassing last year’s “Inside Out 2”, and is on course to become the first animated movie to cross $2B - despite barely showing in US theaters. (Variety)
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BBC News is working to create an AI department to offer more personalized content. (The Guardian)
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"Anora", a $6M indie film from Neon, won a field-leading five Oscars at this year's awards ceremony. (THR)
Tech &
AI-
WhatsApp is getting an AI widget, though no date has been set for an official launch. (The Verge)
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X now lets you query its AI model Grok by mentioning it in replies. (Tech Crunch)
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ChatGPT doubled its weekly active users in under 6 months, thanks to new releases. (Tech Crunch)
Location-based
entertainment-
Australia was IMAX's No. 1 market by PSA (per screen average box office) in 2024, with its small number of screens making it ripe for expansion. (Variety)
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Fyre Festival 2 is coming to an island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico from May 30 - June 2. Tickets start at $1M. (Attractions Magazine)
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Gen Z concertgoers are being priced out of concerts, with some saving up for tickets and others going into debt. (NYT)
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Oakwood Theme Park, in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, announced that it will shut down immediately after nearly 40 years. (Independent)
Travel &
hospitality-
More than 13M women visited Saudi Arabia last year, just six years after women were allowed to work as tour guides in the country. (Skift)
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Social media platforms are the most influential source of travel inspiration, surpassing official travel websites, review platforms, and traditional media. (Skift)
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2025's travel trends so far include an increased appetite for spending among Gen Z travelers, an uptick in bucket-list trips such as safaris, demand for warm-weather escapes and more. (Travel Age West)
Gaming
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Senua's Saga: "Hellblade II" has picked up the most nominations at this year's Bafta Games Awards, up for awards in 11 out of 14 categories at the ceremony. (BBC)
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Capcom has revealed that "Monster Hunter Wilds" is the fastest-selling Capcom game in the history of the company, selling 8M copies in three days. (Forbes)
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To celebrate the 45th anniversary of "Pac-Man," Namco has revealed a year-long celebration of the series to take place throughout 2025 and into early 2026, which spans video games, live events and more. (Time Extension)
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The European Investment Fund (EIF) has pledged $21M to bolster game development in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. (gamesindustry.biz)
