Technologies

Facebook Connect: How to watch the big AR, VR event

The social network is doubling down on the metaverse.

At its annual conference Thursday, Facebook is expected to unveil more details about its vision for the future of virtual reality and augmented reality.

The social media giant has been betting big on what it calls the «metaverse,»a virtual space where people can be present with friends and family like they’re there in person. Work on the metaverse has already begun. Facebook has been building new versions of its VR headsets and recently partnered with Ray-Ban on its first pair of smart glasses.

«I view this work as critical to our mission because delivering a sense of presence — like you’re right there with another person — that’s the holy grail of online social experience,» Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Monday, ahead of the Facebook Connect conference.

The big event comes during another rough week for the social media giant. Several news outlets published a series of stories on Monday from a trove of leaked Facebook documents, underscoring the challenges the company faces as it tries to police content globally. Concerned that Facebook prioritizes its profits over user safety, Frances Haugen, the former Facebook product manager turned whistleblower, gathered the documents before she left Facebook in May. The Wall Street Journal also used some of these documents earlier in its series known as The Facebook Files.

Zuckerberg addressed the leaked documents on Monday, saying that the company is trying to balance free expression with efforts to reduce harmful content. More than 40,000 people work on safety and security at Facebook, and the social network expects to spend more than $5 billion on safety and security in 2021, he said. Content moderation in virtual reality, though, has its own challenges.

Here’s what you need to know about Facebook Connect:

When

The conference is scheduled to kick off Thursday at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.

Where

The conference is set to be streamed live on Facebook.

What to expect

Facebook has said it’s working on a Pro version of its Oculus Quest headset. The company could provide more details about that product. With the release of its first smart glasses, the social network might provide details about what’s next as it develops augmented reality glasses.

The conference could also be an opportunity for Facebook to talk about its work with creators and developers, who’ll be essential for building out its next apps for Facebook’s metaverse. The company is already testing a virtual reality workplace app and a VR social space known as Horizon Worlds.

Meanwhile, there are also rumors that Facebook could do some rebranding with a new name during the conference. The company said Monday that it’s planning to break out reporting for Facebook Reality Labs, which houses its augmented and virtual reality efforts. Zuckerberg said the company plans to invest $10 billion this year in its metaverse efforts.

Technologies

The Most Exciting Video Game Rumors and Leaks Ahead of 2026

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Dec. 17

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 17.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Nod (off)
Answer: DOZE

5A clue: Naval submarine in W.W. II
Answer: UBOAT

7A clue: Tricky thing to do on a busy highway
Answer: MERGE

8A clue: Heat-resistant glassware for cooking
Answer: PYREX

9A clue: Put into groups
Answer: SORT

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Break up with
Answer: DUMP

2D clue: Falls in line, so to speak
Answer: OBEYS

3D clue: Legendary vigilante who cuts a «Z» with his sword
Answer: ZORRO

4D clue: Rarin’ to go
Answer: EAGER

6D clue: Common reminder for an upcoming appointment
Answer: TEXT

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

You Can Watch an Exclusive Avatar: Fire and Ash Scene on TikTok Right Now

Disney and TikTok partner on an immersive content hub for James Cameron’s latest movie about the alien Na’vi.

If you’re not quite ready to head to the theater to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash, an exclusive scene preview might sell you on the visual spectacle. As part of a new collaboration with the social media giant, Disney is posting snippets of its new movie to its TikTok account.

This scene isn’t part of any trailer and won’t be posted to other social media accounts, making TikTok the only place you can view it — unless you buy a movie ticket. A first look at the new movie’s scenes isn’t the only Avatar-related bonus on the social media platform right now, either. TikTok has partnered with the house of mouse to bring an entire «immersive content hub» to the app.

A special section of TikTok includes quizzes and educational videos that explore the alien world of Pandora shown off in the movies. On TikTok, you can take a personality quiz to find out what Na’vi clan you most closely align with and unlock a special profile picture border to use on your account.

Science and fiction blend together with a series of videos from real doctors who explain the basis for some of Avatar’s world-building. If you want to learn about exoplanets or how realistic the anatomy of the movie’s alien animals is, these videos will feed your brain while still providing entertainment value.

Perhaps the most enticing part of Disney’s latest social media collaboration is the opportunity for fans to win prizes and trips. TikTok creators who make edits with the #TikTokAvatarContest hashtag are entered into a competition to win Avatar merchandise. The biggest winners will be able to take a trip to visual effects studio Wētā Workshop in New Zealand or visit Avatar director James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment Studio in Los Angeles.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third installment in director Cameron’s cinematic passion project. While the first Avatar movie was released in 2009, Cameron didn’t release another entry in the franchise until 2022. In total, there is a five-movie arc planned for the indigo alien Na’vi on the moon of Pandora.

The Avatar movies are known for pushing the boundaries of CGI visual effects in cinema. They are also historically big winners at the box office: the original Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all time, earning $2.9 billion across its theatrical releases. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, is the third-highest-grossing film of all time, trailing Avengers: Endgame. You can stream those movies on Disney Plus.

It remains to be seen whether Avatar: Fire and Ash will financially live up to its predecessors. The film currently has mixed reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.