A team of data scientists, machine learning developers, and product designers to help get Christmas shopping done... we’re listening.

Outdone has just launched its AI-powered gift recommender that aims to tackle the rough experience of shopping for gifts online. Co-founder Hugh Lagrotteria painted a picture of what that looks like today. The TL;DR: Your Google search delivers a bunch of content, and you have to sort through it (from clickbait to sponsored and biased content) and figure out what’s disingenuous or organic.

Outdone tackles the problem in a couple of ways. First, a clean UI to contrast the messy search experience. Gift givers answer a few questions about the person they’re shopping for and Outdone recommends 3 to 4 apparel brands (apparel only so far) that the engine identifies are a great match.

Those suggestions are based on surveys of thousands of consumers. “[W]e used that brand preference data to build a neural net recommender system — a first of its kind in the gift-giving space!” Lagrotteria explains.

GiftPicker takes a similar approach in regards to using a modern UI and an “epic database” of gifts. The makers (a team from Presently which enables group gifting) called it “Buzzfeed quiz meets holiday shopping.”

Then there’s Giftpack which is also powered by AI but is focused primarily on employee gifting. It’s a CRM software to help you select, deliver, and track gifts in bulk. Giftpack also starts with a brief questionnaire. The software picks 5 of the best gift options and sends the suggestions to your email, where you can just make a selection and begin shipping globally.

Gifty also launched earlier this month with a different approach to gift-giving. It's a social platform where people can create gift lists, connect them with friends and family, and shop. Maker Ines Makula noted that she was motivated to create the app because of all the waste created by unwanted gifts:

“In the UK every Christmas people receive 120 million unwanted gifts that either end up in landfill or in storage.” Makula is looking for feedback so be sure to pipe up with any thoughts.

NeuralCam has released its latest iteration to improve both your nighttime and daytime photos. It includes features like High Detail capturing, AI Macro Mode, and 48MP Super Resolution.

One user shared: “Already owned the app but what a terrific update! Such a great app to use, can't wait to try the AI Super-resolution.”

Star Wars: Eclipse was officially announced at the 2021 Game Awards. It will be set in the High Republic era of the Star Wars universe (before the Skywalker Saga, during the golden age of the Jedi Order and the Republic).

Eclipse will let you play as a diverse cast of charismatic characters, each with their own story, abilities, and role to play.