Skoda India, the Indian subsidiary of Czech automobile giant Skoda Auto, has made its entry into the Web3 space by launching a Web3 and non-fungible token (NFT) experience in partnership with Near Protocol. The platform, named “Skodaverse India,” is set to provide users with a range of benefits, including low gas fees, interoperable NFTs for multiplatform usage, and eco-friendly and scalable NFTs. The debut collection of Skoda NFTs is scheduled to be launched soon, although no fixed date or offer price has been announced. Users can mint the NFTs by adding funds to their wallets once they ar ..read more

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced plans to lower the minimum age for its virtual reality (VR) headsets from 13 to 10 years old. According to a blog post released by Meta on Friday, parents will soon be able to set up accounts for children as young as 10 years old on Meta’s Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets. However, children in this age group will require parental approval to establish an account and download apps onto their devices. Meta has assured concerned parties that it will provide “age-appropriate experiences” and recommend suitable applications. Meta’s decision to lower ..read more

Meta announced its first round of job cuts in November last year.   American multinational tech giant Meta announced its second round of mass layoffs on Tuesday. The Mark Zuckerberg-led company will reduce the team size by around 10,000 employees and further close around 5,000 open roles.   In a blog, Zuckerberg said Meta leaders will announce over the next couple of months its restructuring plans focused on flattening the organization, canceling lower priority projects, and reducing its hiring rates. While the impacted people in Meta’s recruiting team will be inf ..read more

Meta laid off more than 11,000 employees in November last year amid a grim global economic outlook.   American multinational tech major Meta Platforms is planning a fresh round of job cuts as soon as this week, according to a Bloomberg report. This would be the second job cut by the company in four months and this time as well, thousands of people are expected to be laid off.   Directors and vice presidents in the company are asked to make lists of employees that could be let go, the report added. The layoffs could be finalized in the next week before Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg ..read more

Last month, Meta announced a price hike of Quest 2.   Meta’s chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of company’s next virtual reality headset in October.   Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast on Spotify, Zuckerberg said that the new device will likely make its debut around the company’s annual Connect conference and will have “few big features.” These will include eye tracking and facial tracking features that aim to increase users’ “social presence.” The virtual avatars can imitate users’ real time facial expressions like frowning, smiling etc. and enhance non-verb ..read more

Facebook’s additional profiles feature is currently being tested with select users.   Meta Platforms is testing ways for users to add up to five profiles tied to one single account on its flagship social media platform, Facebook.   Each user could have only one account on Facebook, with the use of their real name only on the main profile. Additional profiles can be accessed only once users log in to this account and do not necessarily include real names. Users will be able to switch between different profiles in a few taps.   The move is a major shift from Facebook’s policy of m ..read more

The doctor’s fees in this metaverse are not yet finalized but are expected to be similar to that of a telephonic consultation.   The United Arab Emirates is set to open the world’s first-ever metaverse hospital, under the management of Thumbay Group, in October wherein patients will visit as customized avatars.   With this launch, the Middle East nation is looking to take first-mover advantage of the metaverse technology and boost medical tourism in the country.   The doctor’s fees in this metaverse are not yet finalized but are expected to be similar to that of a telephonic con ..read more

The departure of David Marcus, the then-Meta executive who headed the Novi wallet effort, was an added blow to the plans and was seen as the beginning of the downfall of the project.   The American multinational technology conglomerate – Meta has announced to end the last remaining piece of its controversial cryptocurrency project – the Novi pilot on September 1.   Novi is Meta’s money-transfer service that uses the company’s own cryptocurrency digital wallet.   The company, on its official website, has advised all users to withdraw their balance “as soon as possible” and added ..read more

According to a report by The Information, Meta plans to release four new VR headsets by 2024, in addition to its AR devices. Sylvia Varnham O’Regan and Mathew Olson of The Information say they’ve seen an internal plan from Meta that depicts an accelerated launch of additional VR headsets. The report specifies that they are “virtual reality headsets” and that the four new devices are distinct from Meta’s AR headsets.  Meta expects to unveil Project Cambria in September, which is a higher-end gadget than its current Quest gear and is internally known as Arcata, followed by an improved vers ..read more

Nonfungible tokens (NFT) and play-to-earn games may be on their way to becoming more widely adopted, as one of the world’s major gaming businesses sees them as the industry’s future In his new year’s address on Saturday, Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda revealed the company’s plans for blockchain and NFT spheres. Matsuda opens his letter with an explanation of the metaverse before pointing out that Facebook’s rename to Meta is proof that the concept isn’t a fad. He predicts that 2022 will be a year of metaverse excitement, as society gradually embraces virtual worlds and their potential to link ..read more