Now you can access the sci-fi/Western universe of Westworld from your very own living room — all you need is an Amazon Echo. HBO just launched its first full-scale Alexa voice skill called Westworld: The Maze, and you’ll need to know a lot about this award-winning show to get through the choose-your-own adventure simulation.
The Maze arrives just in time for the show’s season 2 finale on Sunday, June 24. Fans can pass the time by being transported into an unknown world and challenged to make life-or-death decisions. If you haven’t finished season 1, check out our recap to get caught up.
Before you enter the Westworld universe, you first have to go to your Amazon account and search Alexa skills for Westworld: The Maze. Don’t forget to make sure your Echo device is connected to your Amazon account. Enable the skill and you are ready to go.
Now you can cozy up to your Amazon Echo and simply say, “Alexa, open Westworld.” You will be whisked away to a world you have literally only experienced from your sofa. The Maze features over 60 captivating storylines, 400 possible choices, and more than two full hours of game time. Answer riddles and ask the right questions to get to the center of the maze faster. The game can be completed in just 20 minutes, but only if you make the right choices, and stay alive that long.
The game starts with the sounds of a train in the background, and the sound of your footsteps leading you into a saloon. You are introduced to the Madam of the Saloon, Rose, who will be your guide through the game. She tells you that The Maze consists of three levels — memory, improvisation, and self-interest. If you can answer the questions correctly, you will make it to the center. Hike through Python Pass, even explore Delos Inc., but choose wisely because your life depends on it.
Voices of your favorite characters like Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) and Clementine (Angela Sarafyan) will hopefully bring you a sense of encouragement as you make your way through the challenges.
Check out the ominous trailer, and put your Westworld knowledge to the test in Westworld: The Maze.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.