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Meta revives the Facebook "Poke" — what's new? Meta has quietly brought back the old Facebook "poke" feature, making it easier to find on user profiles and centralizing poke activity at facebook.com/pokes. The relaunch includes gamified elements such as emoji "streaks" that change based on how many pokes have been exchanged — a mechanic clearly aimed at younger users who value features like Snap streaks. What changed Pokes are now surfaced again in the Facebook app on profiles and via search, increasing visibility. A dedicated poke page (facebook.com/pokes) lets users track pokes, dismiss them, and see poke counts with friends. Emoji "streaks" and badges appear next to friends as poke activity increases, gamifying the interaction. Why it matters Once a novelty (and sometimes seen as creepy or flirty), poking never…

Apple 'Awe Dropping' Event — What to Expect (Sept 9, 2025) Apple’s keynote is set for Tuesday, September 9 at 1:00 PM ET. It will be livestreamed on Apple’s Events page and Apple’s official YouTube channel. Watch live: Apple YouTube livestream — or visit Apple Events. Highlights to watch for iPhone 17 lineup — Reports point to multiple models, including a rumored ultra-thin iPhone nicknamed the “iPhone Air” (~5.55 mm). Expect trade-offs: likely a single 48MP main camera and a smaller battery, though a high-density silicon-anode battery has been rumored to help offset capacity loss. iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max — Possible switch from titanium back to aluminum, an expanded rear camera "island" across much of the back, and improved telephoto performance (rumored 48MP telephoto). Standard iPhone 17 —…

New Street Fighter Movie — Release Date, Cast & First Details The new live-action Street Fighter film is scheduled to hit theaters on October 16, 2026. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the story is reportedly set in 1993 as a nod to the original Street Fighter II arcade era and will follow familiar fighters uncovering "a deadly conspiracy." Main cast (announced) Andrew Koji — Ryu Noah Centineo — Ken Callina Liang — Chun‑Li David Dastmalchian — M. Bison Jason Momoa — Blanka Cody Rhodes — Guile 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) — Balrog Orville Peck — Vega Tone & expectations The film leans into the arcade-era vibe and — judging by the casting — may mix serious action with campy, larger-than-life performances. It could be a cult hit, a divisive blockbuster, or…

Firaxis confirms staff reductions amid restructuring Firaxis Games, the studio behind Civilization, has confirmed staff reductions as part of a restructuring and optimization effort, according to multiple industry reports. 2K characterized the changes as steps to improve "adaptability, collaboration, and creativity," but has not disclosed the exact number of employees affected. Several former staff members who worked on Civilization VII and Marvel's Midnight Suns have posted that they were laid off, and industry sources say the cuts may have impacted dozens of workers. Key points 2K confirmed a "staff reduction" at Firaxis but did not specify numbers. Reports suggest "dozens" of employees were laid off; some former Firaxis staff have confirmed this on social media. The layoffs come after the February 2025 release of Civilization VII, which had a mixed…

White House AI Education Pledge: wins, gaps, and questions Today the White House, hosted by First Lady Melania Trump, convened major tech companies — including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic — to sign a pledge committing to expand AI education in U.S. K–12 schools. The commitments published alongside the pledge include: Cash prizes and competitions for students and teachers that use AI in educational projects. Free or low-cost access to companies' AI tools and platforms for schools. Training programs, certifications and curricular resources to build AI literacy for students and professional development for educators. Mentorship and workforce-prep resources to help students transition into AI-related careers. These steps could help close gaps in access to AI tools and build practical skills. However, critics question whether the initiative was thoughtfully planned:…

ExpressVPN moves to tiered pricing — Basic, Advanced, Pro ExpressVPN has shifted to a tiered pricing model with three service levels — Basic, Advanced and Pro — each available as monthly, 1-year and 2-year subscriptions. That creates nine subscription options in total. Legacy plans remain active for now and existing customers won’t be downgraded. What changed Features are now tied to the subscription tier rather than plan duration (previously some features required a 24-month plan). Some Identity Defender features (identity monitoring, credit reports, data removal, leak alerts and identity-theft insurance) are rolled into higher tiers — these ID protection features remain limited to users in the United States. Maximum simultaneous connections increase (up to 14 on Pro). Tier breakdown Basic Core VPN features: Lightway protocol, Network Lock (kill switch), split…

Sesame Street Expands to YouTube: Hundreds of Episodes and Creator Workshops Sesame Workshop has announced an expanded partnership with YouTube that will bring hundreds of full episodes of Sesame Street to the platform, alongside new videos made especially for YouTube and a series of workshops to help creators produce entertaining, learning-focused kids content. What’s included Hundreds of full episodes and YouTube-original Sesame Street content aimed at families and kids. Creator workshops led by Sesame Workshop to train the next generation of kid-friendly entertainers. A separate distribution deal keeps new seasons available on Netflix and U.S. public broadcasters (PBS/PBS KIDS), ensuring multiple viewing options. Why this matters After changes in prior broadcast partnerships, these deals give Sesame Street a more stable, multi-platform future and broaden access—both on free public TV (PBS)…

ExpressVPN moves to tiered pricing: Basic, Advanced & Pro ExpressVPN has replaced its single-plan model with a tiered pricing system effective today. Customers can choose between Basic, Advanced and Pro plans, each available as monthly, yearly or two-year subscriptions — giving nine total choices. Key changes Features are now tied to the subscription tier instead of the plan duration. Legacy plans remain active “for now” and existing customers won’t be downgraded. Identity Defender features (identity monitoring, credit reports, data removal, $1M insurance) are included in Advanced & Pro but are available only to US users. Maximum simultaneous connections increase to 14 on Pro. Tier highlights Basic: Core VPN (Lightway, Network Lock kill switch, split tunneling on supported OS), ad & malicious-site blocker, up to 10 devices. Prices: $12.99/month, $74.85/year, $97.72/2…

Netflix’s Tomb Raider animated series ending with Season 2 — full update Netflix has confirmed that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will return for a second season on December 11. The season will also be the show’s final chapter. The animated series, produced by Legendary Television, premiered in October 2024 and stars Hayley Atwell as Lara Croft. What else is coming Live-action series: Amazon is developing a live-action Tomb Raider series; filming is reported to begin in January, with Sophie Turner attached to play Lara Croft. The project has high-profile producers involved. New game: Despite reports of recent layoffs, Crystal Dynamics is said to still be working on a new Tomb Raider title. Sources Official Tomb Raider announcement — Season 2 premiere Eurogamer — Season 2 confirmed as…

iPhone 17 roundup — what to expect (Sep 9, 2025) Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 lineup on Tuesday, September 9 at 1PM ET. The new phones are expected to ship with iOS 26 and bring a mix of design, camera, and battery changes — though most details remain rumors until Apple’s announcement. Top rumors iPhone 17 Air: Extremely thin design, rumored silicon-anode battery for higher energy density, eSIM-only in some regions, possible titanium frame, and a single-camera setup. iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max: Better camera resolution via software optimizations (potentially improved zoom), brighter displays for sunlight use, revised antenna design for better reception, and possible all-aluminum chassis to cut weight. Battery & charging: Leaked numbers suggest the Air may have a smaller, thinner battery (~2,800 mAh reported for a test…