Apple Turned Its Epic Defeat Into Another App Store Victory

Despite expensive legal battles and regulatory pressure, Apple’s and Google’s mobile app stores are mostly unchanged. This week, Apple introduced a new fee on developers to protect its business.

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Staking technology provider Kiln raises $17 million in rare crypto funding round

2023 hasn’t been the best year for crypto companies. According to PitchBook data, VC investments in crypto companies are down by 68% in 2023 compared to 2022. To be fair, crypto companies still raised $9.5 billion. But that’s a small number compared to 2022, the year during which crypto companies raised $30 billion. And yet, […]
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Farm-ng makes modular robots for a broad range of agricultural work

Agriculture is poised to be one of the next great robotics categories. Everyone needs to eat, and much of what we eat in this part of the world comes from large farms. Farm work is tough on the body and requires long hours in sometimes extreme environments. It can also be difficult to hire and […]
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BMW will deploy Figure’s humanoid robot at South Carolina plant

Figure today announced a “commercial agreement” that will bring its first humanoid robot to a BMW manufacturing facility in South Carolina. The Spartanburg plant is BMW’s only in the United States. As of 2019, the 8 million-square-foot campus boasted the highest yield among the German manufacturer’s factories anywhere in the world. BMW has not disclosed […]
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How to watch Xbox Direct

The first major livestream from Microsoft Xbox takes place today and we are expecting a whole host of good stuff to be shown off during it. So it is a pretty exciting day.
We can expect news from many of Microsoft’s partner studios – although Blizzard will be hosting its own event around Season 3 of Diablo IV before the Xbox livestream, rather than hijacking it with pure D4 content.
One of the games most people are looking forward to seeing is the new Indiana Jones title. Equally exciting, and one we have been waiting for for a few years now is Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, the follow-up to the amazing well-ahead-of-its-time Senua’s Sacrifice.
It is still probably MachineGames/Bethesda’s Indy title that will garner the most attention though. We have had some leaks about what it may be called, but the prospect of a ‘proper’ Indiana Jones game excites the 80s kid in me who grew up thrilled by the movies the first time around.
The other big title we cannot wait to get a real glimpse of is Avowed from Obsidian. RPGs are big time at the moment as Baldur’s Gate 3 set the bar high, but this first-person affair looks more Skyrim than BG3. If Obsidian gets this right, it could be huge.

How to Watch Xbox Direct
The show will be broadcast on the official Xbox and Bethesda channels – basically, tune in to any streaming set-up or turn on your Xbox and you should be able to find it with minimum fuss.
Here are the times of the showcase for your region so you can make sure you don’t miss out.
8 pm GMT (London)
12 pm PST (Los Angeles)
3 pm EST (New York)
9 pm CET (Paris)
If you can’t make the show live, you will be able to watch it on demand on all the key channels after the event.
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Skilled fight choreography, how long has it been since you’ve seen it?

Nostalgia is rising for the grounded, acrobatic, and often intense combat scenes that once enthralled viewers. As streaming platforms take over entertainment, audiences revisit beloved classics and uncover lesser-known treasures featuring masterful fight choreography. This newfound appreciation for skillfully choreographed fight sequences has increased demand for martial arts films and television shows. As a result, production companies and creators are trying to deliver engaging, action-packed content that showcases the artistry of combat and weaves intricate and captivating stories for viewers to enjoy.
Warrior’s blend of history and action
During a rainy weekend last year, HBO Max’s ‘Warrior’ rose to prominence from the depths of streaming collections. In the 1870s, in San Francisco, the show delves into the world of Chinese gangs, ruthless Irish officers, and dishonest politicians fighting for survival in America. The show may not be considered prime television based on Bruce Lee’s writings — but it is well-crafted and boasts some of the finest fight choreography ever displayed on screen. ‘Warrior’ manages to blend historical accuracy with thrilling action, creating a captivating viewing experience for its growing fan base. As the compelling narratives unfold, viewers are treated to a unique exploration of cultural identity and conflict during a tumultuous period in American history.
Andrew Koji and Joe Taslim in Warrior — Cinemax
American adoption of elaborate fight scenes
Before the superhero surge, fight choreography was not a long-standing practice in the U.S. Acclaimed film essayist Patrick Willems points out that it wasn’t until ‘The Matrix in 1999 that American audiences began seeking the type of fight sequences often seen in cult hits like ‘Eastern Promises’ or Asian cinema. This shift in audience preferences brought a new era of intricately designed, adrenaline-pumping fight scenes that blended martial arts, stunts, and special effects in Hollywood productions. As a result, the demand for expert fight choreographers grew exponentially, creating more visually stunning and thrilling combat sequences on both the big and small screens.
Here is a simple fight scene tutorial.

Streaming services and the demand for intricate choreography
The rise of Marvel Studios and streaming services like Netflix has led to the realization that action entertainment has become somewhat diluted, possibly sparking a renewed interest in detailed fight sequences. Audiences seek more intricate choreography and realism in their on-screen battles, showcasing the hero’s combat skills and the overall art of fight direction and stunt work. As a response to this demand, filmmakers and streaming platforms are investing more time and effort into crafting memorable and engaging action set pieces that can stay etched in viewers’ minds for a long time.
The critical question is not whether Hollywood’s top players will conform but which will adapt rapidly enough to remain pertinent in this ever-evolving domain. With the constant advancements in technology and shifting audience preferences, industry leaders must stay ahead of the curve and embrace necessary changes.
Featured Image Credit: Cottonbro Studio; Pexels
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Upgrade Your Website With 3 Years of Managed WordPress Hosting for $49.99

WP Buzz provides the ultimate hosting service for WordPress sites, with unlimited bandwidth and traffic, free SSL, global CDN and auto-scaling included.

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Insurtech Getsafe acquires a student loan platform to meet its future clients upstream

This is Getsafe’s second acquisition in a few months, after it nabbed the German portfolio of ailing French insurtech company Luko.
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TSMC beats profit and revenue expectations in the fourth quarter

The world’s largest contract chipmaker TSMC on Thursday posted better-than-expected profit and revenue for the fourth quarter of 2023.

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Google CEO says more job cuts are needed in 2024 in order to reach ‘ambitious goals’

Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees in a memo on Wednesday that more job cuts are coming this year

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