Eliana Willis

Screenshot by Jason Perlow/ZDNETFor decades, the friendship between Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock symbolized Star Trek’s core message of unity and hope. But for fans like me, their story felt unfinished — until now.As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I have always cherished the bond between Kirk and Spock. Their friendship was the heartbeat of the original series, embodying humanity’s best ideals by transcending logic and emotion. This is why Star Trek: Generations  (incidentally, the movie my future wife and I saw on our first date) left me with bittersweet closure 30 years ago. While Kirk’s death was undeniably heroic, sharing his final moments with Captain Picard felt incomplete because Spock wasn’t there. I have always wished for a different ending where Kirk and Spock could share a final farewell.Also: How Apple, Google, and Microsoft can save us from AI deepfakesWhen Leonard Nimoy passed away in 2015, that dream seemed impossible. But thanks to the Roddenberry Archive, that longing has been addressed. Their new short film, 765874 — *Unification*, brings together William Shatner’s Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock in a deeply emotional farewell that left me in tears. Directed by Carlos Baena and enhanced by advanced AI and deepfake technology from the cloud graphics firm OTOY, the film bridges a decades-old gap in the Star Trek universe and provides the moment of closure that fans like me have been craving for years.[embedded content]A reunion that feels rightWatching Kirk and Spock share the screen again feels like reconnecting with an old friend. The film imagines Kirk leaving the Nexus, where he existed outside of time after Generations, to visit Spock in his final moments. This profoundly emotional encounter blends nostalgia with raw poignancy. For fans who grew up with these characters, it feels like both a farewell and a celebration of their bond.The performance is a testament to the care and artistry behind the production. Actor Lawrence Selleck portrays Spock’s physical presence, while advanced CGI and deepfake technology restore Nimoy’s unmistakable features. The result is a seamless blend of old and new, preserving Spock’s essence in a way that feels authentic. Every expression and nuance — from his calm demeanor to the famous eyebrow raise — reflects the Spock we know and love. More

Sign up for Costco and get a $45 gift card — cutting down your membership price to just $20 for the year. Stack Social Thinking about joining Costco to save ahead of the holidays? Or, have you been sharing a membership card with your parents or friends? Now that Costco is starting to crack down […] More

J Studios/Getty Images Meta-owned Instagram has been making significant changes to how the social media site operates and recommends content, especially focusing on original content in Instagram recommendations and creating a safer online environment for teens.  Also: Bluesky hits 20 million users and counting – watch it keep growing here Today, in a blog post, […] More

Get a Babbel lifetime language subscription at a big discount right now.  StackSocial Learning a new language can be daunting. But right now, you can buy a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning from Stack Social that lets you choose from 14 languages and access more than 10,000 hours of online language education for $150 — […] More

Yaroslav Kushta/Getty Images Digital transformation is so last year. CEOs and their boardroom colleagues have heard about the potential power of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), and they want their CIOs to deliver a new type of data-led change program: AI transformation. Gabriela Vogel, a senior director analyst in the Executive Leadership of Digital Business […] More

Zen Rial/Getty Images Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and other assistants have the potential to improve teachers’ workloads, especially when it comes to lesson planning, grading, and personalized learning materials. However, knowing best practices is crucial to get the most out of the tech — and this new free AI course is meant to teach just […] More

Westend61/Getty Images Previously, I discussed how Google’s decision to merge ChromeOS and Android marks a critical moment for the company. While this merger is a positive step forward, it raises an important question: Can Android truly evolve into a desktop-class operating system for touchscreen laptops? Google faces challenges and opportunities as it reimagines Android for […] More

Daniel Megias/Getty Images For some Android users, battery life can be a constant problem, especially when working with a non-flagship device (where batteries tend to be smaller and less capable of making it through the day) or with apps that aren’t optimized for battery life.  You’ve seen this plot play out in many films or […] More