WHAT’S INSIDE:

• US Car Prices Soar, Nvidia DGX, Apple M5 chip, Google AI, Sourcetable, Roku

• Arts and culture news, intersection of tech and entertainment

• Latest food and dining and food technology news

• The latest sports news and sports tech

• Futurism, the latest in future concepts and cutting edge deep tech

• Latest news in wellness and wellbeing tech, biotech, medtech and more

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TOP CONSUMER TECH NEWS:

US Car Prices Soar — The average new car price in the US surpasses $50K, driven by luxury models and EVs, (11.6% of sales). EV sales hit 437,487 units in Q3, up ~30% y-o-y + Genesis Electrifies two new SUVs — its first hybrid and an EREV with 1K km.

Nvidia's AI Supercomputer — The $3,000 DGX Spark desktop AI supercomputer arrived this week with petaflop performance and supports models with up to 200B pm to democratize AI research. The first run sold out within days.

Apple — Drops new MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro models with the M5 chip, 4x boost for AI workloads. Also, developing Gesture-Control AirPods Pro with infrared cameras for gesture control, set to launch in 2026 with the H3 audio chip + Positive reviews of new Smart Glasses + Logitech Vision Pro 3D Stylus.

Google — Nano Banana AI in Search, NotebookLM, and Photos + Pixel Buds 2a at $129 w/ noise canceling, Android integration + AI-Boosted Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 AI Laptop + Gmail's AI Scheduling Assistant + Veo 3.1

Sourcetable's Market Mastery — From $20/mth AI-driven tools for stock analysis across 600+ exchanges. Features include macro models and portfolio tools.

Roku's AI Voice Assistant — Roku’s new AI-powered voice assistant rivals  Amazon's Fire TV, enabling conversational content discovery and Bluetooth support.

Walmart x OpenAI — Walmart launches shopping via ChatGPT, w/personalized suggestions and conversational commerce. Enhances Walmart's AI with Sparky.

WEEKEND CRYPTOGRAM:

Polymarket — Plans to launch native crypto token in 2025 after $2B investment from Intercontinental Exchange; valued at $9B with 31% market share, signaling strong U.S. return.

AI Chatbot Rules — California requires AI chatbots to disclose their non-human nature and file annual suicide prevention reports to protect vulnerable users.

OpenAI Subpoena Controversy — OpenAI allegedly uses subpoenas to intimidate AI regulation advocates amid ongoing legal disputes with advocacy groups.

Spotify AI Tools — Teamed up with Sony, Universal, and Warner to develop AI music tools. This marks a strategic shift from opposing AI content to collaborating, ensuring artist consent and fair compensation to lead in AI music innovation.

Magic 8 Ball Film Coming — Ideal Toys turned the Magic 8 Ball into a million-unit seller after acquiring it in 1971; now headed for a film adaptation.

AI Toys Boom — The AI toy market, projected to hit $14B by 2030 in China, features innovations like BubblePal and Curio's Grem. Despite concerns about emotional attachment and content, giants like Mattel explore AI integrations.

Royals Speak on Social Harm — Prince Harry and Meghan addressed social media's youth impact at Project Healthy Minds Gala, calling for accountability.

D'Angelo Passes at 51 — R&B legend D'Angelo died from cancer, leaving behind influential albums "Brown Sugar" and "Voodoo" that shaped modern music.

Swift's Disney+ Special — Disney+ debuts Taylor Swift docuseries and concert film December 12, featuring her Eras Tour finale and behind-the-scenes content.

FOOD & DRINK TECH:

Starbucks AI — Integrating AI technologies — including a "secret AI barista" and "smart Q" system for order processing and innovation in supply chain management. Also partnered with Netflix to release 16 video podcast series in 2026.

Delivery Robotics — Coco Robotics partners with UCLA to launch a physical AI research lab led by Professor Bolei Zhou, leveraging five years of data to develop fully autonomous robots for last-mile delivery.

Bird Flu in Cheese — H5N1 can persist in raw milk cheeses, posing health risks; highly acidic cheeses like feta showed no virus. Study recommends testing and heating milk to prevent contamination.

Food Dye Battle in West Virginia — A trade group representing food dye manufacturers is suing West Virginia to overturn its ban on FD&C color additives, arguing the state targets these additives without regulatory safety concerns.

California's Healthy School Meals — The "Real Foods, Healthy Kids Act" phases out ultra-processed foods in California schools by 2035, supported by Revolution Foods and prompted by CDC data on high UPF consumption.

Glen Powell's Organic Oils — Glen Powell unveils a new line of organic cooking oils under Smash Kitchen, featuring avocado and coconut oil available at Walmart and online; Powell also stars in upcoming films The Running Man and Huntington.

Chocolate Mastery Unveiled — Celebrated pastry chef Amaury Guichon showcases his intricate chocolate sculpture techniques in a live TED Talk with Latif Nasser, featuring his signature chocolate clock pastry creation.

SPORTS & TECH DESK:

Aces' Championship Sweep — The Las Vegas Aces captured their third WNBA title in four years, sweeping Phoenix Mercury with A'ja Wilson earning Finals MVP, cementing their dynasty despite early-season struggles.

Kiplimo's Marathon Record — Jacob Kiplimo shattered the Chicago Marathon record at 2:02:23 using Samsung's Galaxy Watch8, highlighting consumer tech's role in elite sports and boosting Samsung against Apple and Garmin.

Brewers Advance to NLCS — The Milwaukee Brewers reached their first NLCS since 2018, defeating the Cubs in Game 5 behind strong pitching from Vaughn and Misiorowski and three solo homers, next facing the Dodgers.

Netflix's UEFA Bid — Netflix to bid for Champions League rights as UEFA restructures €5 billion deals, attracting streamers like Amazon and Apple to boost revenue and reach new audiences.

Sony Acquires StatSports — Sony purchases GPS wearable firm StatSports to enhance sports data capabilities, improving performance analysis, officiating, and fan engagement in high-occlusion sports.

Allen's Theragun Launch — Josh Allen launches Therabody's Theragun Mini Plus, the first handheld heated massage device enhancing recovery through better circulation, used daily by Allen alongside brands like New Balance.

FUTURISM:

Biometric Barriers — JPMorgan Chase requires employees to provide biometric data (fingerprints or facial recognition) for headquarters entry, sparking privacy and ethical concerns among staff.

Portable Nuclear Power Revolution — Radiant Nuclear plans first portable nuclear reactor factory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, producing Kaleidos nuclear generators by 2028, aiming for 50 reactors annually.

Satellite Security Gap — Continuous satellite data transmissions often lack encryption, exposing calls, texts, military and corporate data to unauthorized access, raising significant security concerns.

Static Electricity Fabric — Researchers develop a fabric patch converting static electricity into power for text communication without batteries, potentially revolutionizing wearable tech with sustainable energy for smart clothing.

Revolutionizing Metal Printing — New 3D printing method using vat photopolymerization creates metal structures 20 times stronger than traditional techniques via hydrogel lattice process, though time efficiency needs improvement.

Probiotic Architecture's Potential — Probiotic architecture integrates diverse microbes into buildings to boost immune health and reduce allergies, though challenges remain in balancing safety and effectiveness.

WELLBEING AND HEALTH TECH:

Drug Price Slash — AstraZeneca offers discounted drug prices to U.S. Medicaid patients via TrumpRx, mirroring a Pfizer deal. While aligning with "most-favored-nation" pricing, experts doubt significant impact due to "best price" protections.

LED Skin Cancer Slayer — A novel light-based therapy using LED light and SnOx nanoflakes kills 92% of skin cancer cells without damaging healthy tissue, offering a less invasive, potentially at-home alternative to traditional cancer treatments.

Body-Internal 3D Printing — German researchers, led by Andrea Toulouse, developed a mini 3D printer for in-body tissue creation using an optical fiber. This breakthrough in regenerative medicine aims for clinical application.

Liver Injury Predictive Power — Cincinnati Children's Hospital unveils a human liver organoid platform predicting immune-mediated drug toxicity. This innovation, in collaboration with Roche, aims to boost drug safety and development.

Embryonic Breakthrough — University of Cambridge researchers develop lab-grown models mimicking early human embryo development. The "hematoids" simulate blood disorders like leukemia, offering potential for personalized medicine.

Interoception Atlas — A $14.2 million NIH project attempts to map human sensory neurons, enhancing chronic pain, autoimmune disorder understanding.