Sora joins the Android party, kinda
You’ve likely seen OpenAI’s Sora 2 video-generation content bleed into other social media platforms by now. However, full access to the Sora video app remains iOS-only, assuming you can snag an invite. Not for long, according to Artem Russakovskii, Android Police founder, the app just appeared on the Google Play Store.
The catch? You can’t download it. Yet. But its appearance in the store shows OpenAI is nearly ready to have its app breach the Android economy, driving us deeper into the infernal hellscape the company has generated for us. Thus far, interested users can only pre-register their interest in downloading the app in the US and Canada.
The app isn’t just about generating AI videos, but rather providing users with a proper feed of slop content. We doubt it’ll be long before OpenAI expands that beyond North America and lets its tool run loose everywhere. Users can still access the listing on the Play Store, but with no option to register interest ahead of release.
Following Gemini
While Waze users are constantly getting handy AI-adjacent features like ‘Conversational Reporting’, those who have stuck to Google Maps must make do with the search giant sticking entire AI models where they don’t belong. Gemini is reportedly being plugged into Google Maps — a move anyone could’ve seen coming — in a bid to offer a smarter travel companion, judging by Android Authority’s dive into the latest beta.
The idea is to eventually phase out the current hands-free Google Assistant with the Gemini model, as has happened in the 25.41.03.815390258 beta. That way, drivers can have full-on conversations with the Maps app, asking it things like “What’s the weather at my destination,” or “Find me a route without any tolls.” We’re guessing Gemini’s abilities will extend beyond just navigation and can likely answer any question you have.
It may prove useful to drivers, assuming it functions as promised. Google’s still ironing out the kinks, considering no Gemini integration is live in any of the public-facing versions of the app yet. With it hidden in beta, however, we reckon it won’t be long before Google’s ready to unleash Gemini on Google Maps.
Nu Metro continues to kill it with SA’s first 270-degree screen
In one of the biggest comebacks ever, Nu Metro has steadily grown in 2025 — eyeing major expansions across the country as Ster-Kinekor’s chain of theatres continues to falter. As though to drive the dagger deeper, Nu Metro just opened its first 270-degree ‘ScreenX’ theatre in the Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga, Durban.
Despite announcing the expansion and ScreenX theatre in July this year, the theatre’s launch still came as a surprise to many, as Nu Metro didn’t invite any media or fans to cover it. Instead, TV journalist Thinus Ferreira stumbled upon it as well as the chain’s new VIP Premiere Cinemas, of which there are nine.
It certainly looks impressive, even if a 270-degree may not be optimal for watching anything but Fast and Furious XXX: The Return of Xander Cage. We’ll reserve judgment until we’ve seen it, which may be a while, considering the Durban location and the fact that a ScreenX ticket will run you R100 in October, after which they will rise to R200 per. It’ll reportedly first show movies like Superman, How to Train Your Dragon, and F1.
“Nu Metro Gateway is more than just a cinema — it’s a showcase of our brand’s evolution. From the sleek new design to the immersive formats, every detail reflects our commitment to delivering unforgettable entertainment,” said Beverley Govender, Nu Metro senior marketing manager. “This complex sets the benchmark for what the future of cinema should feel like.”
Instagram on your TV. No, really.
Why anyone would want Reels on their TV is beyond our comprehension, but that isn’t stopping Meta from implementing that very feature. At the Bloomberg Screentime Conference, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said that the social media platform is working on a dedicated TV app as part of a larger video push.
If YouTube can do it, then why can’t we? That seems to be the thinking behind Instagram’s bizarre push to get its content onto television — aside from the obvious boost to views and users it provides. “If behavior [and] the consumption of these platforms is moving to TV, then we need to move to TV, too,” Mosseri said.
Even so, Mosseri failed to actually announce anything concrete, simply stating that the company was “exploring” the idea of a dedicated TV app. All that tells us is that there is almost certainly a dedicated TV app on the way. Where does Instagram go from here once it’s conquered most of the world’s smartphones? Your lounge TV, of course. And Meta’s not one to leave views on the table, uh, TV.
