LITS bits:
This week, Matt and Griff cover quite a few tech and gaming innovations!
Microsoft Celebrates their 50th Anniversary!
Microsoft recently celebrated its 50th anniversary on its Redmond campus, with all three past and present CEOs—Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella—reflecting on the company's history and future. Matt and Griff reflect on the company's history, what they feel was their most impactful decisions and what the future may hold.
https://www.gatesnotes.com/home/home-page-topic/reader/microsoft-original-source-code
Nintendo Switch 2: A New Level of Gaming
Launching on June 5 at $450 (or $334 in Japan), the Nintendo Switch 2 introduces some upgrades in size and speed, along with game chat, a webcam, and Jaycon cursors. Following the original Switch's 150-million-unit sales, launch titles like "Mario Kart World" and "Street Fighter 6" are generating buzz, contributing to a 28% increase in Nintendo's stock.
Roblox Partners with Google for Enhanced Ads
Roblox has teamed up with Google to offer Rewarded Video and immersive ads, specifically targeting Gen Z. These 30-second ads, designed to reward players with in-game perks, show an impressive 80% completion rate. Partnerships with measurement firms like Kantar ensure advertisers receive robust campaign effectiveness metrics. This collaboration aims to engage the highly coveted Gen Z demographic.
YouTube's New "Inspiration" Tab
YouTube is enhancing content creation with its new "Inspiration" tab, offering AI-driven tools like "Brainstorm from Anywhere" and "Hooks" for idea and content development. Creators also get a free 3-month trial of Repurpose.io to easily repost TikTok and Instagram videos as YouTube Shorts. These tools can significantly improve engagement for content creators.
New Palo Alto Vulnerability on the Horizon?
An uptick in scans for GlobalProtect Login sites has been seen recently - with up to 20k scans seen in one day from IP addresses in US & Canada. 154 IPs confirmed malicious. Does this hint at a vulnerability on the horizon?
New Cybersecurity AI model from Google
Google announced Sec-Gemini v1, a new experimental AI model aimed at enhancing cybersecurity. Designed to tackle the inherent asymmetry in cybersecurity, where defenders must secure against all threats while attackers need only exploit one vulnerability, Sec-Gemini v1 combines advanced AI reasoning with near real-time cybersecurity knowledge to empower defenders.
Enjoyed what you heard? We release a new episode every two weeks, so be sure to come back for the next one!