9 great reads from CNET this week: Smart homes, NFTs in games, Activision's future and more
Check in here for thoughts on how smart homes are becoming the new normal, how gamers are responding to NFTs, how Microsoft might deal with Activision's toxic culture, and lots else.
Here are a few of the high-tech gadgets you might already have in your house: a programmable thermostat; a doorbell with a camera and an internet connection; a bevy of smart speakers; lighting you control from your phone. Or if you don't have them yet, you may well be thinking it's about time you did. Congratulations: You're putting together a smart home.
Now home builders are getting in on the game and making their new construction ready for all that tech right from the get-go. Because home buyers are coming to expect that as standard. It's a mutually reinforcing cycle, as CNET's David Priest points out in his story about the trends: The smart home isn't just getting easier to use; we're also getting better at using it.
That story is among the many in-depth features and thought-provoking commentaries that appeared on CNET this week. So here you go. These are the stories you don't want to miss.
Brave new home: 2022 will be remembered for how it redefined the smart home
Commentary: For the first time, we're peering clearly into an automated future.
NFTs are coming for your video games. Players, get ready
As the industry reconsiders digital ownership, gamers are eyeing the line between playing to earn and playing for fun.
Microsoft promises culture change at Activision Blizzard. Here's how
The tech giant plans to expand its already sizable video game division, but Activision is full of turmoil.
The race to build AR glasses is heating up, and Samsung is surprisingly quiet
Commentary: Samsung has a history of adopting new tech early. But companies like Meta and Snap have been claiming the smart glasses and AR spotlights.
How next-gen satellites are transforming our view of climate change
As more frequent and more severe storms erode coastlines, mapmakers must adapt quickly.
Our universe isn't supposed to exist, but we're slowly learning why it does
Scientists test the strange phenomena of antimatter using an experiment that mimics an electric guitar.
That thing you like is being rebooted
King of the Hill. Justified. Quantum Leap. The Santa Clause. Those things you used to watch are coming back so we can all just feel something.
The metaverse is just getting started: Here's what you need to know
Facebook, Microsoft and a host of other companies are jockeying to define the next iteration of the internet.
Why my Xbox should worry about Samsung's next phone
Commentary: The upcoming Galaxy S22 will most likely include the Exynos 2200 chip, a big step forward for gaming.
