Get ready for Meta Connect

Meta’s annual virtual reality and augmented reality party will kick off a few hours after this newsletter hits your inbox. As usual, it will set the direction for the next year of staging. So before the awkward onstage banter begins, it’s worth reading up on what’s coming. We’ve got .

This includes a pair of Buddy Holly glasses that offer augmented reality in a more user-friendly format. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already hinted at its potential, but he added that we won’t see the prototype until today. We can also expect a cheaper version of the Quest 3 and other AI gadgets for Ray-Ban smart glasses.

It all kicks off at 1pm ET / 10am PT, but color commentary will begin well before then.

— Dan Cooper

All the news (mainly gaming related) you might have missed

She was a key witness in the criminal trial of Sam Bankman-Fried.

Caroline Ellison, . Ellison pleaded guilty in late 2022 to her role in the FTX fraud and was a key witness in Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial. Ellison will spend another three years on supervised release once she leaves prison. In a statement, the disgraced cryptocurrency executive expressed remorse for her conduct.

Except in Japan, for obvious reasons.

Image of a Drowzee with its own minigun. (Pair of pockets)

Depending on your loyalties, Palworld is either an exciting take on the adventure genre or a blatant rip-off. Pokemonbut with weapons. The title has just been surprise-launched on the PS5 in 68 countries, with Japan being an obvious exception.

I want this thing so bad.

I’ve been a fan of cute pianos that teach you how to play for a long time, and I’ve tested a few of them for Engadget. Now, . It will integrate with Duolingo’s app, which offers music lessons to teach people the basics of playing. And, did I mention, I Really do you want to play with one of them?

Raise your hand if you didn’t know this existed.

Image of TikTok Music's announcement, stating that it will shut down on November 28 — Image of TikTok Music’s announcement, stating that it will shut down on November 28 (TikTok Music)

TikTok announced that the platform would shut down on November 28 and delete all user data and login information shortly thereafter. It advised subscribers to contact their payment platforms of choice for refunds before then. Don’t worry, I’m a technology journalist and Even I didn’t know that TikTok had its own standalone streaming service.