Meta Connect 2024 featured several major announcements across hardware, AI, and the metaverse. Here's a brief summary of the key reveals:

Hardware Announcements
Quest 3S VR Headset
Meta introduced the Quest 3S, a more affordable VR headset priced at $299.99. It shares many features with the pricier Quest 3 but lacks a depth sensor and has lower resolution displays.

Orion AR Glasses
Meta unveiled its Orion augmented reality glasses, which project images directly in front of the user's eyes using Micro LED technology and waveguides. These glasses are still in development and not yet available for purchase.

Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Updates
The Ray-Ban smart glasses received software updates, including a new Reminders feature and improvements to Meta AI responsiveness. New styles and transition lenses were also introduced.

AI Advancements
New Llama Model
Meta launched an updated Llama AI model with visual processing capabilities, allowing it to analyze images.

Meta AI Enhancements
Meta AI received upgrades, including the ability to generate content tailored to users' interests for Facebook and Instagram feeds.

Celebrity AI Chatbots
Meta introduced AI representations of celebrities on Meta AI, accessible through Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.

Meta Connect is still ongoing...

Yup, I'm still here. I live off Duke St. Leaving next week on the 4th for a cruise, though! Lmk when you're around. My number is still the same.

After letting the last movie settle, I was disappointed. Lots of ruined character arcs and missed opportunities. Sadly, the first act (as meta as it was) kind of worked and could have played out as a sort of psychological thriller... pushing forward the idea of not to make another 'stupid' action movie.

But, at this point corporate WB wants more money off this franchise. It's going to happen one way or another. Signing on a passionate writer could bring it some redeeming quality.

The fact that someone else is writing/directing makes me a little more hopeful that it will be a fresh story inside the Matrix universe. I can't imagine them wanting to keep going the Resurrections direction...

I would love for the franchise to get rebooted properly and encourage more Matrix games and content to be made.

A fifth Matrix film has been announced to be in development!  I was high on the hype of Resurrections coupled with access to an early screening of it; however, I was lower on it after multiple viewings.   

Nonetheless, I'm excited that we get another chapter to the story.  Here's to hoping it's good!

https://www.theverge.com/24120122/the-matrix-sequel-drew-goddard

https://variety.com/2024/film/news/matrix-5-lana-wachowski-executive-producing-1235959174/