Meta’s latest venture into VR is an inexpensive VR headset that has roughly the same features as the $500 Quest 3. The Quest 3S has some, but not all, of the key features of more expensive headsets. Compared to Quest 2, it has a more powerful processor, better hand and controller tracking, and can step into mixed reality.
Costs have been reduced. There are lower-resolution screens and cheaper Fresnel lenses, but Meta has wisely chosen the right specs to make the Quest 3S feel as capable as more expensive options. You get the same delicate and comfortable controller, as well as a camera array to track your environment.
You can also use your 3S to play Xbox titles or connect it to your PC to play VR games like Half Life: Alyx. Quest 3S pricing starts at $300 with 128 GB of storage. If you’re interested, check out the full review.
— Matt Smith
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Provides most of the features of the X-T50.
fujifilm
At $799, the X-M5 is aimed at photographers on a budget and vloggers stepping up from smartphones. Fujifilm has cut down some features, such as the viewfinder (EVF), to bring it to that price point, but it does feature the company’s latest 26-megapixel X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor. There are also useful video blogging features like portrait enhancer, background blur, and product prioritization, similar to what we’ve seen on Sony’s Vlogging Z series cameras. Now on pre-order for $799.
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The company has agreed to purchase energy from seven small nuclear reactors.
Google has announced a partnership with startup Kairos Power to build seven small nuclear reactors in the United States. The agreement aims to generate 500 megawatts of nuclear power from small modular reactors (SMRs) by the end of this decade. The first power plant is expected to be operational by 2030, with the remainder completed by 2035. This is the first-ever corporate transaction to purchase nuclear power from SMR. Small modular reactors are smaller than existing reactors. Components are built in the factory rather than on site, which helps reduce construction costs. It’s not dead proof: Kairos will need the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve the plan.
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This is a major milestone in making Starship and Super Heavy rockets fully reusable systems.
After liftoff, SpaceX’s superheavy booster was captured by the launcher’s mechanical arm and safely returned to its pad. It’s rather incredible – please take a look. The milestone was achieved during the company’s Starship’s fifth flight and represents a major step toward the rocket’s planned reusability goals. The Falcon 9 normally lands on a drone ship at sea, but the Super Heavy had to return to the launch site and enter a narrow opening between the elongated “chopsticks” of the launch tower. Just look!
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