Perplexity AI has launched its Comet browser for mobile, taking on Google in the Android ecosystem. Perplexity says it will soon release an iOS app as well. The AI-powered Comet browser debuted in July on a limited basis for Mac and Windows desktops, followed by a wider release in October. The Comet browser uses Perplexity’s AI-powered search engine to answer questions, either typed or posed conversationally, and lets users mention specific tabs or can focus on open tabs. It can also agentically complete tasks. Perplexity hasn’t disclosed Comet usage figures, but says manufacturers are already requesting to include Comet on-device. Read more

OpenAI is live with a retail companion it calls “shopping research” that helps consumers find viable purchase options based on detailed requirement parameters. Trained on a version of GPT‑5 mini, it can query on a virtually unlimited list of discovery constraints, sourcing only from “reliable retailers.” “Results are organic and based on publicly available retail sites,” OpenAI says, indicating there are no advertiser-boosted entries — not yet, anyway. Available on iOS, Android and the Web for logged-in ChatGPT users on the Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans, OpenAI is making nearly unlimited usage available to all plans through the holidays. Read more

Snapchat is adding community conversations under the header Topic Chats. Aiming to stimulate public discourse on news, events and other trending topics, Snap will be aggregating the threads across the app in the coming weeks for users in the U.S., Canada and New Zealand. Chat shortcuts, search, the Stories page, and Spotlight videos will feature “a big yellow button” that says “Join the Chat” inviting users to the parley. Profiles will stay private to those who a user is not friends with, a feature intended to help avoid unwanted friend requests and direct messages. “This is new for Snapchat, because we’ve primarily focused on supporting private conversations rather than public ones,” Snap notes. Read more

Unless there is breaking news, ETCentric and The Daily News Brief will not publish during the upcoming 4-day holiday weekend. We wish you and your families a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. We’ll be back on Monday with the latest in media and entertainment technology news. Read more

Two months after its launch, Meta Platforms is overhauling its Horizon Hyperscape Capture app, moving the rendering process from the cloud to on-device for lower latency and mobility. Hyperscape Capture, unveiled at Meta Connect in September, lets you use a Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset to scan and generate a real-world 3D environment — like your office or living room — to share as a photorealistic VR replica. Rather than cloud-rendered captures that were accessible solely within the app, Hyperscape Capture can now generate a Hyperscape as a Horizon Worlds destination — with audio. Read more