Meta is introducing some big changes with its Quest v71 update, including a redesign of Meta Horizon OS, a calendar app, and the ability to use Travel Mode on a train. The update will start rolling out gradually next week.

Let’s start with the redesign. Meta says that it’s “tweaking the look and feel of Horizon OS” and that new headsets will use an “improved” light theme by default. (Dark mode fans, fear not: the dark theme is still present, and if you’re already using it, Meta won’t switch you over automatically.) Meta has “also made assorted changes to the way panels look and behave, where the control bar resides, the colors of various UI elements, and so on,” according to a blog post. And the Settings menu has “a new look and layout” and improved search.

The calendar app looks like, well, a calendar app, and based on a brief video, it appears you’ll be able to look through different days while you’re in VR. Meta says the app can integrate with Google and Outlook calendars and will also include Meta Horizon Worlds events you subscribe to and meetings you’re invited to that take place in Meta Horizon Workrooms.

With the update to Travel Mode, you’ll be able to use the feature when on trains. Meta first introduced the feature in May, but at the time, it was only available to use on airplanes. Note that when in Travel Mode, you can’t use the Quest Pro or Touch Plus controllers, so some games might be difficult to play. Instead, Travel Mode is probably better suited for watching a movie or TV show while in transit. (Meta also explicitly says that you should not use travel mode in a car.)

The AI-powered search game is heating up, with OpenAI adding search capabilities to ChatGPT just yesterday, and Perplexity launching a macOS desktop app a week ago. Perplexity could be considered a leader in AI-powered search right now, and now Mac users can quickly use Perplexity’s advanced search engine right from their desktop without having to access it through a web browser.

If you’re not familiar with Perplexity, it’s a conversational search engine that launched the same year as ChatGPT. It allows you to ask questions and make queries using natural language (like how we communicate with each other in real life). Similar to ChatGPT, there are two tiers for users – a free ‘Standard’ tier which allows you to make unlimited ‘Quick’ searches, ideal for those seeking quick, basic answers produced by the Standard Perplexity AI Model (plus five free Pro tier searches a day), and the ‘Pro’ tier which includes Quick searches as well as 600 Pro searches a day.

Amazon Prime Gaming has 24 games up for grabs for members during November, and many are worth your time. But you’ll want to check out the first game on the list, which is now available for free.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, developed by Eidos-Montreal, was vastly underrated when it came out in 2021. While it was critically acclaimed, with one of the best superhero narratives we’ve seen outside of the PlayStation Spider-Man games and an excellent 1980s-inspired soundtrack, then parent company Square Enix said it “undershot” expectations. Whether it was due to poor marketing, comparisons to the poorly received live-service game Marvel’s Avengers (also published by Square Enix) from the previous year, or something else entirely, it flew under the radar.

It did manage to eventually surpass 8 million players, according to Crystal Dynamics, thanks to it entering PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass catalogs. Now, you have the chance to get it with another deal through Prime Gaming. At the very least, you should check it out because it has Cosmo, who is the fan-favorite talking dog, and also a llama for some reason.

There are other great games you can grab as well, including Dishonored: Definitive Edition on November 7,  Tomb Raider: Anniversary on November 14, ridiculous couch co-op game Overcooked: Gourmet Edition on November 21, and the space MMO Elite Dangerous on November 27.

You can check out the full list of games below. Be sure to double-check the platform, as some are for GOG, while others are for the Epic Games Store or the Amazon Games App. And as a reminder, you’re automatically a Prime Gaming member if you subscribe to Amazon Prime.

November 1

• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Epic Games Store)
• Mafia: Definitive Edition (GOG)

November 7

• Dishonored: Definitive Edition (GOG)
• Duck Paradox (GOG)
• Close To The Sun (GOG)
• Disney Pixar Cars (Amazon Games App)
• Bang Bang Racing (Amazon Games App)
• Snakebird Complete (Epic Games Store)

November 14

• Ms. Holmes: The Case of the Dancing Men (Amazon Games App)
• Chasm: The Rift (GOG)
• House of Golf 2 (Epic Games Store)
• Tomb Raider: Anniversary (GOG)
• Blade of Darkness (GOG)

November 21

• Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (Amazon Games App)
• Overcooked: Gourmet Edition (GOG)
• Gloomy Tales: One-Way Ticket (Legacy game code)
• Super Meat Boy (Epic Games Store)
• Moonscars (GOG)
• Riot: Civil Unrest (GOG)

November 27

• Elite Dangerous (Epic Games Store)
• Sir Whoopa**: Immortal Death (GOG)
• Jurassic World Evolution (Epic Games Store)
• Mystery Case Files: The Dalimar Legacy (Amazon Games App)
• Shogun Showdown (GOG)

TIDAL, the high-definition music streaming platform, is not having the best of times. The company has already made layoffs, and its management has been mulling a potential restructuring to get back on track to profitability. Now, a report claims that an upcoming round of layoffs will affect around a quarter of the current TIDAL staff.

Competition in the music streaming service segment has become quite fierce. Other platforms have been getting more and more features and a growing catalog of songs. TIDAL’s main selling point over the others has always been Hi-Fi audio. While rival services were betting on formats with quality compression, TIDAL offered premium plans with lossless music.

TIDAL could get rid of a quarter of its staff in new round of layoffs

However, the arrival of high-quality audio plans at rival services probably led a percentage of TIDAL users to consider switching. While the latter’s Hi-Fi quality typically offers a higher bit rate than its rivals, only a specific niche of users truly value this feature. It even requires using earbuds or headphones of a certain range to enjoy it.

In December 2023, the company shed around 10% of its workforce. Now, according to Fortune, an upcoming round of layoffs will impact around a quarter of TIDAL’s workforce. The source says they gained access to a memo from Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Block Block Head (Tidal’s parent company). “We’re reducing the size of our design team and foundational roles supporting TIDAL, and we will consider reducing engineering over the next few weeks as we have more clarity around leadership going forward,” the memo said, according to Fortune.

In this round of layoffs, around 100 employees could leave the company. In July of this year, Dorsey was reportedly considering restructuring TIDAL. The staff reduction could align with this plan. TIDAL is not the only tech company to have made massive layoffs recently. Others, like DropBox and even Meta, have had to do the same.

Recent moves to make TIDAL more attractive

Earlier this year, in a move to become more competitive in the market, TIDAL bundled its Hi-Fi plans. Priced at $10.99, the new premium subscription undercuts the previous, more expensive one. The company has also made moves to solidify its position as a streaming service focused on Hi-Fi audio. The list includes setting FLAC as the default format and adding Dolby Atmos support.

The first American-made Polestar EVs are now on the road. The Swedish automaker said on Friday it delivered the first Polestar 3 SUVs to US and Canadian customers. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Biden in 2022, incentivizes automakers to manufacture EVs in the US, offering tax credits for companies and buyers.

Polestar began stateside Polestar 3 production in August at its Ridgeville, South Carolina plant. Those vehicles will serve North American and European markets, complementing the company’s more established production in Chengdu, China.

The automaker says American and Canadian Polestar 3 deliveries will pick up steam in the coming weeks. You can take one for a spin if you live near one of the automaker’s Polestar Spaces, essentially brand-building fancy showrooms in or near major US cities.

The Polestar 3 is billed as the company’s coming-out party, expanding the niche reach of the first two models to a more mainstream audience. Engadget’s Tim Stevens tested the EV last month and found that, apart from a few early software glitches, the $73,400 and up SUV is “great.”