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AWS Outage Disrupts Major Apps; DNS Issue in us‑east‑1 Resolved A widespread Amazon Web Services (AWS) incident on October 19–20 temporarily knocked many popular services offline, including Venmo, Snapchat, Canva, Fortnite and even Amazon’s own Alexa and Ring devices. AWS reported that the trigger was a DNS resolution issue affecting DynamoDB API endpoints in the US-EAST-1 (N. Virginia) region. Operations were gradually restored, with AWS noting that services returned to normal by the afternoon and later confirming resolution. What happened According to AWS status updates, the outage began with increased error rates and latencies across multiple services in us-east-1. After mitigating the DNS problem, knock-on effects lingered—particularly with new EC2 instance launches—before recovery completed. ~3:11 AM ET: AWS flags increased errors/latency in us-east-1. ~5:01 AM ET: Root cause identified as…

Yelp’s Fall Update: Upgraded AI Assistant, AI Calling Services, and Menu Vision Yelp is putting AI front and center in its fall product release. The upgraded Yelp Assistant now supports all business categories, pulls details from business websites and user reviews, and can remember past queries and preferences to personalize results. Memory can be managed in the app under the Assistant’s memory settings. Two AI-powered calling products are rolling out for businesses: Yelp Host for table-service restaurants and Yelp Receptionist for eligible local businesses. Yelp Host can take reservations, modify bookings, and capture special requests; pricing starts at $149/month (or $99/month for customers with a Yelp Guest Manager plan). Yelp Receptionist can answer calls and manage scheduling for a range of local services; subscriptions start at $99/month and begin rolling…

EA to Shut Down The Sims Mobile Servers on January 20, 2026 Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that it will discontinue online services for The Sims Mobile on January 20, 2026. After that date, servers will be turned off and the game will no longer be playable. The decision ends a seven-year run for the mobile life-simulation title. EA has not indicated changes to other Sims games at this time, so this update appears specific to The Sims Mobile. Players with questions about in-app purchases, refunds, or account data should consult EA’s official support resources. Shutdown date: January 20, 2026 Platforms: iOS and Android Status after shutdown: Servers offline; game becomes unplayable Scope: Applies to The Sims Mobile only (no changes announced for other Sims titles) Why it matters: Live-service…

EA to Shut Down The Sims Mobile Servers on January 20, 2026 Electronic Arts (EA) will discontinue online services for The Sims Mobile on January 20, 2026. After that date, the game will no longer be playable, effectively ending its seven-year run on iOS and Android. The wind-down marks the sunset of a popular life-sim experience on phones. EA typically provides guidance on account data, in-app currency, and support policies via its service update and help pages, so players should review the resources below to prepare ahead of the cutoff. Shutdown date: January 20, 2026 Platforms: iOS and Android Status after shutdown: Servers offline; game becomes unplayable Other Sims titles: The Sims FreePlay and PC/console entries are not affected by this change Why it matters: Live-service mobile games periodically sunset…

EA will shut down The Sims Mobile servers on January 20, 2026 Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that it will discontinue online services for The Sims Mobile. Servers are planned to be shut down on January 20, 2026 — roughly seven years after the title’s iOS debut — after which the game will no longer be playable. The shutdown marks the end of one of the most recognizable life-simulation experiences on phones. Once the servers go offline, players should expect that existing saves and access to online features will cease. Details about in-app purchases, refunds, and any potential grace periods typically appear on EA’s official service update pages; players should consult the resources below for the latest guidance. Shutdown date: January 20, 2026. Affected title: The Sims Mobile (iOS/Android). What…

Sky Germany’s €9.99/mo (24‑month) bundle: Entertainment Plus, Netflix (ads) and Friday Bundesliga — what to know Sky Germany is promoting a low entry price of €9.99 per month on a 24‑month contract, bundling Sky Entertainment Plus with Netflix Standard (with ads). Some plan variants are also said to include the remaining Friday Bundesliga matches. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s being advertised and what to double‑check before you commit for two years. What’s in the bundle Price & term: €9.99/month with a 24‑month commitment. Entertainment: Sky Entertainment Plus library (series and films). Netflix: Netflix Standard with ads included in the price. Sports (in some variants): Access to the remaining Friday Bundesliga matches (confirm exact fixtures and device coverage). Key caveats and checks Official details: Verify the final inclusions and any…

Sky Germany’s €9.99/mo (24‑month) Bundle: Entertainment Plus, Netflix (Ads) and Friday Bundesliga Sky Germany is reportedly marketing a new streaming offer that locks in €9.99 per month for 24 months. The promo is said to bundle Sky Entertainment Plus with Netflix Standard (with ads), and include access to the remaining Friday Bundesliga matches. An official, detailed landing page has not yet been published, so treat this as a developing offer pending full confirmation. What’s being advertised Price & term: ~€9.99/month with a 24‑month commitment. Content: Sky’s Entertainment Plus library + Netflix Standard with ads. Sports: Inclusion of the remaining Friday Bundesliga fixtures has been mentioned; verify the exact scope before subscribing. Important fine print to check Official page: Confirm the full terms and any regional restrictions on Sky’s offer hub:…

Sky Germany’s €9.99/mo (24‑month) bundle reportedly adds Netflix (ads) — some plans include Friday Bundesliga German reports flag a new Sky Deutschland streaming promotion priced at €9.99 per month on a 24‑month term, bundling Sky Entertainment Plus with Netflix Standard (with ads). Some plan variants are said to include the remaining Friday Bundesliga matches. As of publication, Sky has not posted a clearly matching landing page with full details, so treat this as a developing offer until officially confirmed. What’s reportedly included Price & term: ~€9.99/month with a 24‑month commitment. Content: Sky Entertainment Plus library and Netflix Standard with ads. In some variants, access to Friday Bundesliga match coverage is included. Platform: Expected to be a streaming bundle (check whether it applies to Sky Stream, Sky Q, or app‑only access…

iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro: Tyler Stalman’s Camera Comparison — Key Takeaways for Buyers Photographer Tyler Stalman has shared a focused review of the iPhone Air’s camera with side-by-side comparisons against the iPhone 17 Pro — a timely breakdown for shoppers debating how much camera performance they give up by choosing Apple’s lighter, less expensive model. His verdict: the iPhone Air’s main camera delivers strong results for everyday shooting, especially in good light. The iPhone 17 Pro still pulls ahead in tougher scenes and creative flexibility thanks to extra lenses and pro-centric features. Highlights from the comparison Daylight parity: In well-lit conditions, the iPhone Air’s primary camera can look surprisingly close to the 17 Pro’s main shooter. Lens flexibility (Pro): Ultra-wide and telephoto lenses on the 17 Pro offer…

Apple TV+ may offer free MLS Playoff access to woo subscribers Apple is reportedly planning to sweeten its streaming bundle by giving Apple TV+ subscribers free access to Major League Soccer (MLS) Playoff matches. An official announcement has not been made yet, and it’s unclear whether the offer would be limited to the United States or available globally. If confirmed, this would be a notable shift from Apple’s current approach. MLS coverage lives in a separate MLS Season Pass package in the Apple TV app, with Apple TV+ subscribers typically receiving a discount rather than included access. Extending free Playoff viewing to TV+ subscribers would mark a stronger push into live sports as a driver for sign-ups and retention. What’s new: Reported plan for free MLS Playoff access for Apple…