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Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Open Network Test to begin on 29th August

by admin August 20, 2025

A Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Open Network Test has been announced for PS5, Xbox Series Consoles, PC, and Nintendo Switch. The multiplayer test will begin on 29th August and run over that weekend until 1st September.

Sega has noted that the Network Test won’t be available for PS4 and Xbox One users.

Variety of Game Modes

Grand Prix

Compete solo or with friends in local split screen co-op for first place in one of 7 cups (comprised of 4 races each). Racers are awarded points based on their placements at the end of races, and the racer with the most points at the end wins!

World Match

Test your skills and compete online against 11 other players. Earn Rank Points, increase your World Rank, and aim for the top!

Friend Match

Play with up to 11 other players online in custom lobbies where you can control all aspects of a race such as Speed, Team Size, Course/CrossWorlds, AI Difficulty, Frenzy Gates, Items, and Rule Sets.

Race Park

Change up the rules and teams online and offline in this party mode that features six unique race formats.

Time Trial

Compete for the best time on individual courses and aim for the top of the Leaderboard Rankings.

Custom Match

Play with up to 4 players offline split-screen where you can control all aspects of a race such as Speed, Team Size, Courses/CrossWorlds, AI Difficulty, Frenzy Gates, Items, and Rule Sets.

Rival System

With the new Rival System, players are randomly assigned to a rival racer for the duration of the four Grand Prix races. The rival will playfully taunt the main racer with unique dialogue interactions, allowing for fun competition within the main races.

Four Player Local Co-Op

Compete against friends for first place with local co-op! Hop on the same device and see who has what it takes with up to four players and split screen capabilities.

Cross-Platform Matchmaking

Players can also look forward to racing online with up to 11 other friends! With cross-platform matchmaking, everyone can hop into the race no matter what console they own.

Sonic and Pac-Man are also getting a crossover, with the pair hopping into each other’s new games. You can check out the crossover in the trailer below:

Watch on YouTube

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will release digitally and physically on 25th September for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. A Switch 2 edition will release later this year digitally and on physical in 2026.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.

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August 20, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Solana Handles 100K Transactions Per Second in Test Run: Here’s Why It Matters

by admin August 19, 2025

In brief

A Solana validator processed blocks with greater than 100,000 transactions per second in an experiment.
The performance improvement was more than 25x the typical throughput of the Solana mainnet.
Key Solana backers suggest that it means the network is ready for much more.

The Solana network briefly processed more than 100,000 transactions per second (TPS) in an on-chain experiment Sunday. That’s more than 25 times the network’s typical throughput, according to data gathered by the network’s explorer.

Solana already massively outpaces O.G. blockchain networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum on that front, but the Sunday peak beats Visa’s own high mark of handling up to 65,000 transactions per second.

The Solana validator operator behind the feat said that it showcases what’s possible if continued technical developments and efficiency improvements make their way to the popular layer-1 blockchain.

“The main point I want to get across is that Solana needs more efficient programs and an efficient token standard,” pseudonymous validator Dr. Cavey PHD told Decrypt.

The rest of the network struggled very little to replay these blocks, and the subsequent leader produced their blocks normally.

This is a significant milestone not only for the network of over 1000 validators, but for distributed systems.

— dr cavey phd ⏳ (@cavemanloverboy) August 17, 2025

Cavey’s validator achieved a peak of 104,529 TPS on Sunday in what they called an experiment conducted on a “whim.”

However, unlike a typical Solana block filled with transactions like token swaps or meme coin launches, the experimental blocks instead were filled with “votes, a few normal transactions, and a significant number of ‘no-op’ transactions,” or those that don’t require much computation.

Nevertheless, if extrapolated out and handled with more efficient programs and token standards, Cavey believes the network could process approximately 100,000 token transfers per second—or 10,000-20,000 swaps in its current state.

With such programs and token standards in place, they said, Solana can become the foundational infrastructure for on-chain markets that it aims to be.

“High capacity enables the world’s markets to all be on-chain,” said Cavey. “Without the capacity, we can only ever hope to support a handful.”

Solana’s real-time throughput is around 3,600 TPS at present time, according to the block explorer on Solana.com. For comparison, competing network Ethereum’s real-time mark is around 20.7 TPS, according to data from Etherscan—around 170 times slower than Solana.

Why is it so important that Solana can achieve 100,000 TPS?

“It’s important insofar as it demonstrates that the network can clearly scale over an order of magnitude more than the current utilization, which is already several orders of magnitude over most blockchains,” Multicoin Capital Managing Partner Kyle Samani told Decrypt. “It means that Solana is ready to support web-scale applications today.”

“This enables more activity to come on-chain,” Mert Mumtax, CEO of Solana infrastructure firm Helius Labs, told Decrypt. “More finance, more oracle updates, more market-making, etc. And of course: lower fees for users.”

Developers too stand to gain, according to Samani, who added that major throughput gains “opens up an entirely new design space for transaction-heavy applications.”

In July, a blog post authored by leading Solana stakeholders (including Samani) outlined a technical roadmap designed to make Solana the home of the world’s best financial markets, with improvements scheduled regularly for the next few years.

But according to Cavey, major throughput improvements like those showcased in their experiment could be here even sooner.

“Three months at best,” the validator said, “six months at worst.”

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August 19, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

As Bitcoin strengthens, Strategy faces a test of relevance

by admin August 19, 2025

What explains the growing disconnect between Bitcoin’s strength in 2025 and Strategy’s lagging stock, once the market’s favorite equity proxy for the asset?

Summary

Bitcoin hit record highs above $124,000 in 2025, yet Strategy Inc’s stock fell nearly 9% and trades one third below its 52-week high.
The company holds about 629,000 BTC worth $72.5 billion, but its market capitalization premium has compressed to near parity from 2.5–3 times in 2024.
Financing pressures are mounting, with cheap debt windows gone and share dilution losing investor support; outstanding shares have grown over 40% in three years.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs and easier retail access have reduced the need for a corporate proxy, eroding the appeal that once drove Strategy’s valuation.
Investor focus has shifted to $360 as a key support level, highlighting weaker conviction and raising questions about the long-term role of Bitcoin treasuries.

Bitcoin sets records while Strategy shares stumble

Bitcoin (BTC) has pushed into record territory in 2025, briefly crossing $124,000 before easing to around $115,000 by Aug. 18.

Normally, such a rally would have lifted Strategy Inc, the company once known as MicroStrategy, whose identity and valuation have been closely tied to Bitcoin for years.

Since 2020, Strategy has positioned itself as the largest corporate holder of the asset. Its balance sheet includes about 629,000 BTC, worth around $72.5 billion at current market prices.

For much of that time, investors treated the stock as a way to gain amplified exposure to Bitcoin without holding it directly. When Bitcoin rose, MSTR often rose faster.

That relationship looks weaker in 2025. During the week when Bitcoin set new highs, Strategy’s shares fell from about $400 on Aug. 11 to $366 by Aug. 15, a decline of nearly 9%.

The stock is also trading roughly one third below its 52-week peak of $543, despite the size of its reserves.

Valuation highlights the disconnect. Strategy’s market cap stands near $104 billion, which works out to a net asset value multiple of about 1.4 times its Bitcoin holdings.

In earlier cycles, that ratio was much higher. Throughout 2024, the premium often stretched between 2.5 and 3 times, showing how much investors once valued the stock as a proxy. Today, the premium has compressed toward parity.

The change is visible in recent returns. Between February and August 2025, a $10,000 investment in Bitcoin grew about 22%, while the same investment in Strategy gained less than 9%.

BTC vs MSTR comparative analysis | Source: Portfolios Lab

Earlier in the year, the pattern was reversed, with Strategy shares delivering more than 30% while Bitcoin advanced about 15%. Since June, Bitcoin’s climb has continued, while the stock has slipped back, losing the amplification effect that once defined it.

Funding model shows signs of strain

The weakness in Strategy’s stock is not just about charts. It reflects strain in the financing structure that has allowed the company to keep building its Bitcoin reserve.

Since 2020, the firm has relied heavily on equity sales and convertible debt, raising billions through repeated issuances. The model worked while investors believed that dilution was offset by the promise of leveraged gains from Bitcoin.

That confidence has started to fade. The company’s recent update to its equity issuance guidelines triggered a sell-off, signaling that shareholders are less willing to accept more dilution when the stock is already lagging behind Bitcoin itself.

Earlier fundraising rounds benefited from unusually favorable conditions. In 2021 and again in 2023, Strategy issued convertible notes with coupons as low as 0.75% to 1.5%, locking in billions at terms that looked cheap even before Bitcoin’s appreciation was considered.

Those opportunities are harder to come by now. With higher interest rates and a thinner stock premium, the company has shifted toward preferred shares as a financing tool.

Preferred equity avoids immediate dilution but comes with fixed payouts that narrow flexibility in the future.

Share issuance has also become more of a reputational burden. Over the past three years, the number of outstanding shares has risen by more than 40%.

That pace was tolerated when MSTR consistently outperformed Bitcoin. Today, with the stock trailing the underlying asset, the trade-off looks less compelling.

The result is a financial engine that no longer spins as smoothly as before. Strategy still controls the largest corporate Bitcoin treasury in the world, yet the mechanics that once helped it expand that position are now under pressure.

Why investors no longer pay a premium for Strategy

When Michael Saylor first turned his company toward Bitcoin in 2020, owning MSTR shares offered a straightforward way for equity investors to gain exposure without buying the asset directly.

Institutional products were scarce, custody solutions were less mature, and buying Bitcoin on retail platforms carried frictions that justified the premium investors attached to the stock.

The environment in 2025 looks very different. Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have gathered hundreds of billions of dollars in assets since approvals began in early 2024.

BlackRock’s fund alone has crossed $89 billion under management, with other issuers adding substantial inflows.

These products give investors liquid, regulated, and cost-efficient exposure to Bitcoin, often with annual management fees below 0.25%. For institutions, that combination of safety, simplicity, and low cost has proved compelling.

Retail channels have also widened. Coinbase, Robinhood, and even traditional brokerages now allow users to buy fractions of Bitcoin directly within the same apps used for equities and ETFs.

The ease of purchasing digital assets in small amounts has reduced the need for a corporate proxy.

That shift explains why the premium once attached to Strategy has compressed. Investors no longer need to rely on a software company’s balance sheet to hold Bitcoin. They can buy it outright or use regulated ETFs that avoid dilution and carry minimal fees.

$360 emerges as the market’s pressure point

Strategy’s stock is increasingly being defined by psychology rather than just balance sheet math. The share price has hovered in one of its narrowest ranges in years, with $360 emerging as the level investors are watching most closely.

The character of ownership has also changed. Vanguard, once the anchor shareholder, reduced its position last quarter. In its place, hedge funds have taken on a larger role in daily trading.

Other treasury-style plays show the same stress. In Japan, Metaplanet has dropped more than a third over the same period, pointing to a broader loss of investor appetite for listed corporate holdings of Bitcoin.

What has drained the appeal is a collapse in volatility. Investors who once paid above intrinsic value to chase amplified gains now see less reason to do so.

Capital is being redirected toward areas that feel newer and less crowded, such as Ethereum-linked reserves and crypto IPOs.

The open question is whether Strategy can remain relevant in this new order. A firm support at $360 might provide a tactical entry point, but the longer-term story rests on whether treasury-style companies can regain their role as amplified proxies for Bitcoin.

Analysts remain divided on what comes next. Some still see upside, with price targets in the $550 to $570 range suggesting more than 50% potential gains from current levels.

Much will depend on how Strategy adapts. A strong Bitcoin market can provide support, but investor confidence will rest on whether the company balances reserve growth with shareholder value.

The role Strategy once played as the de facto proxy for Bitcoin is no longer unique. User access to ETFs and direct ownership means that investors have simpler choices today.

Strategy’s challenge is to redefine its appeal in this new environment. If it succeeds, the company can remain a prominent, listed vehicle tied to the largest corporate Bitcoin treasury in the world. If it falls short, its once-central role as a bridge to Bitcoin may continue to fade.

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August 19, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

I Tried the Best At-Home Pet DNA Test Kits on My Two Cats (2025)

by admin August 17, 2025

If You Have a Dog, Consider These Kits

I don’t have a dog, so I didn’t try these at-home DNA test kits for dogs, but these are the kits specifically for dogs from Basepaws and Wisdom Panel, the two companies I’ve tested for my cats.

Wisdom Panel

Breed Discovery Dog DNA Kit

Wisdom Panel

Premium Dog DNA Kit

Wisdom Panel

Essential Dog DNA Kit

How Does a DNA Testing Kit Work?

Pet DNA tests rely on pet owners collecting cells for testing through a cheek swab, where the sample is put into a sealed stabilizing or preserving fluid for transit. You’ll mail the sample back to the lab in the prepaid envelope. It takes up to five weeks to get results. (The first time I sent my cat Basil’s Basepaws sample, the company emailed that the results were inconclusive, and I had to wait for another kit to be sent, re-swab him, and wait another five weeks for results.)

At the lab, the sample is analyzed against the company’s breed and genetic health database. They use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays—the standard technology used to identify breed ancestry—as well as various inherited traits and risk of common diseases. Essentially, different breeds have distinct patterns of SNPs in their genomes, which act as the genetic markers. These tests analyze the pet’s DNA sample for specific SNPs and then compare them to the company’s existing database to estimate the composition of breed types in the animal. This not only tells you about breed composition, but can also identify the specific DNA sequences that are markers for potential health risks, like predispositions to diseases or hereditary cancers.

Don’t take the health or DNA test results as absolute truth, however. “This can lead to a false sense of security or false alarms,” says veterinarian Amanda Chambers. Forward your results to your veterinarian and always follow up with scheduling a visit to the vet if your pet is marked as a carrier for any genetic disease.

Limitations of At-Home DNA Test Kits

After chatting with Jamie Richardson, head of veterinary medicine at Small Door Veterinary, I’ve found that these are the major areas of limitations with at-home DNA test kits:

Results depend on the size/diversity of the genetic database
Most kits test known markers only—not full genomes
Feline data is less developed
Misinterpretation of results can lead to unnecessary concern

How Accurate Is At-Home DNA Testing?

Wisdom Panel claims its breed results for cats are over 98 percent accurate and that tests for dogs are over 99 percent accurate.

I’ve outlined the results below, so you can see the disparity in results from the two kits I tested, particularly with breed ancestry.

One problem with the vast disparity in results is that the two companies have different sample sizes and metrics for identifying breeds. But the biggest issue for cat owners taking these at-home DNA tests is that you can’t really identify most cats’ breeds the way you can with dogs. Unless your cat is a purebred, around 95 percent of cats don’t belong to a recognized breed. Cats’ genetic backgrounds are muddied—they’re just similar mixes with different physical characteristics, so the tests only show the breed(s) they share the most markers with. Basically, these tests for cats aren’t able to reliably tell us about breed composition, just similarity to other breeds’ traits in the company’s data pool.

From my research, it seems the breed identification part of these tests is more accurate for dogs, as dog DNA is so much more diversified. Breeds have been clearly defined after centuries of diversifying from other breeds, and dog DNA mutates quickly, with genes changing quickly after just a few generations. Cats are not much different from their Egyptian ancestors.

Interestingly, in this report from CBS in 2023, the news organization sent dog and human DNA to different at-home test companies and got various results, ranging from 65 to only 29 percent German shepherd DNA for the dog. The human DNA results were attributed to a bulldog, border collie, and cane corso mix.

TL;DR

There isn’t one catch-all way to determine a pet’s genetic makeup or ancestry. Humans like categories. And breeds are essentially human constructs, based on the way the dog or cat looks. The genetic part of the test is fun, but take it with a grain of salt—especially with cats.

Ancestry Results

If you read above, you know that there’s a significant disparity in results based on the pool the sample is compared against.

For example, below are the results I got for my cat Clover, who’s a dilute calico with long, white fur and visually looks most like a Maine coon or Norwegian forest cat.

(I also tested my run-of-the-mill gray cat Basil, but he was almost entirely “American domestic cat” and “polycat/domestic shorthair”—basically the mutt final boss, a result of many generations of mixed breeding between different types of cats, where ancestry and origin is almost impossible to determine.)

Health Results

Wisdom Panel tests for 49 genetic health predispositions by comparing the pet’s DNA against a panel of cat or dog genetic health checks. It tests for the top five genetic conditions that could impact the pet’s vet visits—essentially, the most common conditions that are seen in cats or dogs with a similar breed makeup as your pet. These are for things like drug sensitivity, immune deficiency, and bleeding disorders. They also identified the cat’s blood type (both of my cats were A) and transfusion risk (both were moderate).

Basepaws tests for up to 115 health markers, but my cat received results for only 44 genetic diseases (owners are encouraged to check results often in case missing markers are added as more data becomes available). This list felt more in-depth than the Wisdom Panel test, testing genes for markers against disorders in musculoskeletal and connective tissue; eyes; metabolic, autoimmune, and endocrine systems; blood; and more. Both of my cats, Clover and Basil, were cleared as having none of the genes that mark them as potential carriers of genetic diseases. It also identified blood type and transfusion risk, which were A and moderate (the same results I got with Wisdom Panel’s test).

If your pet gets flagged for any of these results, don’t panic. “The presence of a certain gene does not always mean a patient will develop a certain disorder that is associated with that gene—it just means they’re at higher risk of it. I would encourage owners to reach out to their veterinarian if they have questions after receiving the results of a DNA test,” says Chambers.

Oral Health Results

Wisdom Panel doesn’t screen for oral health, which is a huge problem in many pets, and can lead to tooth extraction and bigger health issues.

Oral health was a concern for me, and Basepaws tests for oral health by testing against an oral microbiome database. In this regard, Basepaws wins out.

According to the Basepaws results, Clover was a low risk for periodontal disease and tooth resorption, but at a high risk of halitosis. The report said bad breath could be indicative of a larger health issue, but she was cleared for disease, so I wasn’t sure what to do with that information.

Courtesy of Molly Higgins

My other cat, Basil, was at high risk for all the dental markers mentioned above, and Basepaws came up with a health plan for him: “adopt a daily oral healthcare routine, consider supplementing Basil’s routine with products accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian in the next month.”

Courtesy of Molly Higgins

Although I was alarmed at the results, I liked that Basepaws gave me recommended next steps so I could come up with a plan of action for care. And it’s important to remember that these results don’t necessarily mean a pet is guaranteed to develop the disease.

“These can be a helpful flag for your veterinarian to keep an eye on […] but does not necessarily mean aggressive testing is needed at that moment,” says Richardson. “DNA tests are tools to support—not replace—veterinary care.”

Traits Results

Both of the tests had this section, which tests for coat color traits and variants, but I found it mostly useless. Wisdom Panel’s assertions of both cats’ physical traits were correct. But with Basepaws, Clover, a dilute calico, was marked as being likely black in color.

I can see with my eyes what my cat(s) look like, but if you’re a genetic nerd, this might be fun to see what the actual DNA reflects.

A Note on At-Home Allergy Testing Kits

I recently tested both of my cats for their allergies and intolerances using a similar at-home test kit, 5Strands Pet Food & Environmental Intolerance Test for $100. For this, you only need to send a fur sample in the mail to a lab; results were sent to my inbox within seven days. The report showed that both of my cats showed strong intolerances to common ingredients in their diet, like various types of fish and chicken meal. This sent me into a panic about the health and (dis)comfort of my cats.

After more research, I learned that hair/fur samples are not an accurate way to measure allergies and intolerances, and studies show kits claiming to provide these results perform no better than chance and often produce inconsistent or false results.

“There’s no scientific evidence to support allergy testing through hair, fur, or saliva,” says Richardson. “Veterinarian-supervised elimination diets to test for food allergy and intra-dermal skin testing or blood tests to test for environmental allergies remain the gold standard.”

So, save your money and consult a vet instead if you suspect your pet is suffering because of allergies or intolerances.

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August 17, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

I Tried Hear.com’s At-Home Prescription Hearing Aids Test

by admin June 19, 2025

Putting aside their exorbitant cost, the trouble with prescription hearing aids is the prescription. Find a doctor. Get an appointment. Sit in a waiting room. Suffer through an hour of testing before getting the hard sell on a pair of hearing aids. Why, the indignity of it all is even worse than going deaf.

Telehealth offers a glimmer of a solution, but as everyone who’s tried to show off a concerning mole to a doctor via a smartphone camera knows: Video technology can only get you so far. Audiological testing requires significant one-on-one interaction and plenty of technology to back that up. Every audiogram I’ve sat for has been inside a sophisticated, soundproof chamber.

Hear.com—a company that sells prescription hearing aids online and via traditional retail channels —has a workaround. It puts all the technology needed to perform a full-on hearing test in a box and mails it to you along with a set of prescription hearing aids, then walks you through the whole thing with an audiologist via a video call. I’ve taken Hear.com’s virtual hearing test twice—this is what a tele-hearing exam looks like, should you decide to take one.

It’s All Online

Photograph: Chris Null

The process begins with a simple discussion. If you’ve never had hearing aids before, this is probably a good first step; veterans will likely skip it, especially if they know what model hearing aids they want (or how much they want to spend). A Hear.com salesperson will discuss your personal impressions of your hearing loss, any hearing aid devices you have tried, prior audiological testing, and your budget (along with any insurance you have). From there, they will suggest the best hearing aids (from their product line) to meet your needs, though you can also advocate for a specific product if you’ve already identified one.

Next, you’ll set a time for your testing and hearing aid fitting, and a few days later, a box will arrive on your doorstep. Open it up, and the collection of hardware and the tangle of wires connecting it all may seem daunting, but rest assured, with even a modicum of technical knowledge, it all goes together quickly, and Hear.com professionals can guide you through any confusion over the phone.

Despite the significant amount of gear inside, the box is about as organized as it can get. On top, you’ll find a Microsoft Surface tablet that has been stripped down to do just one thing: serve as the conduit for a video-based audiology session. After plugging the Surface into wall power, you’ll find a USB breakout box to connect to the Surface’s USB port. Assuming all the other devices are still properly plugged into that USB breakout box (which is far from assured; it’s good to check everything is snug), you are effectively good to go. The Surface has no other functionality besides initiating the call with the audiology professional, and at the scheduled time you tap a button on the screen to get the session underway.

Photograph: Chris Null

After greeting you, the audiologist will guide you through a series of tests. First is a physical exam of your ears, which is made possible thanks to the included USB-powered otoscope, which you probably know better as the lighted tool with the black, conical tip a doctor uses to look into your ear canal. There’s no doctor to guide the tool by hand, so the audiologist will tell you how to position it in each ear so they can get a good look at your eardrum. And yes, you, too, can see what the doctor sees right on the Surface’s screen. Spoiler: There is more wax inside your ear canal than you think.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Assuming you have no physical damage that would preclude hearing aid use, it’s on to the traditional hearing exams. This series of tests will consume the bulk of the appointment time, and most involve wearing a pair of oversize, noise-isolating headsets like professional musicians use. The tests were very familiar to me, starting with tones played at varying frequencies and volume levels in each ear, during which you tap the Surface screen whenever you hear something.

The test is then repeated with a bone-conduction appliance that attaches to your forehead with a Velcro band for another look at the way you process sound. Lastly, a third test measures your ability to distinguish various consonant and vowel sounds—sh vs. ch, for example—which is performed by having you repeat the words you think you hear back to the audiologist multiple times.

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June 19, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

SpaceX’s Starship explodes on the ground during a routine test

by admin June 19, 2025

A SpaceX Starship vehicle has exploded yet again, and this time, it happened before it even took off. NASASpaceflight has captured the event in a livestream, wherein you can see the spacecraft (Ship 36) suddenly explode into a fireball after the company tested its forward flap and just before it was supposed to conduct a static fire test. The company said on X that on June 19 at approximately 12AM Eastern time, the Starship it was preparing for its 10th flight test “experienced a major anomaly” while it was on a stand in its Starbase, Texas facility.

Since SpaceX maintained a safety clear area around the vehicle, all its personnel were safe and accounted for. It also said that there’s no danger to nearby residents, but it’s asking people not to approach the area. According to local authorities, the explosion happened due to a “catastrophic failure.” No injuries have been reported, and investigation is already underway to determine the root cause of the incident.

Starship is the super-heavy-lift launch vehicle SpaceX is developing for bigger launches with more payload and for missions heading farther than low Earth orbit, such as to the moon and to Mars. Based on its most recent tests, however, it’s far from ready. During its seventh and eighth flights, its second stage, which is known as the “Ship,” exploded during ascent. It was the Ship that exploded on Wednesday night. The second stage managed to reach space during its ninth test flight in May, but SpaceX lost contact with it and wasn’t able to achieve a controlled splashdown into the ocean. SpaceX also lost contact with its Super Heavy booster stage upon re-entry, and it went through a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” six minutes after launch.

On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted…

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 19, 2025

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June 19, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Instagram is running another test of a repost feature

by admin June 16, 2025

Instagram is testing a new repost feature. TechCrunch reported that social media network is currently running a test that gives users the opportunity to repost content. The current feature test is focused on resharing a post, the content that appears in a user’s feed, as a new post. The platform does already offer the ability to share a post to someone’s Story, but this post-to-post repost would be a new addition to the available interactions.

Instagram did a very similar test of a very similar feature in 2022 and also trialed a repost button all the way back in 2017. Considering the company has made multiple attempts at an idea that’s already well-established on other social networks, it seems surprising that the platform would once again revisit this idea. Between posts, Stories, Reels and DMs, Instagram already has a lot of unique content types. On the one hand, there are plenty of ways to share and resurface content, either your own or another account’s to the feed. On the other hand, though, having different rules about what material can be shared to which format can put users in confusing situations.

We’ve reached out to Instagram for comment on this test and will update if we hear from the company.

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June 16, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Wikipedia cancels plan to test AI summaries after editors skewer the idea

by admin June 16, 2025

Wikipedia is backing off a plan to test AI article summaries. Earlier this month, the platform announced plans to trial the feature for about 10 percent of mobile web visitors. To say they weren’t well-received by editors would be an understatement. The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) then changed plans and cancelled the test.

The AI summaries would have appeared at the top of articles for 10 percent of mobile users. Readers would have had to opt in to see them. The AI-generated summaries only appeared “on a set of articles” for the two-week trial period.

Editor comments in the WMF’s announcement (via 404 Media) ranged from “Yuck” to “Grinning with horror.” One editor wrote, “Just because Google has rolled out its AI summaries doesn’t mean we need to one-up them. I sincerely beg you not to test this, on mobile or anywhere else. This would do immediate and irreversible harm to our readers and to our reputation as a decently trustworthy and serious source.”

“Wikipedia has in some ways become a byword for sober boringness, which is excellent,” the editor continued. “Let’s not insult our readers’ intelligence and join the stampede to roll out flashy AI summaries.”

This screenshot from 404 Media shows another version of an AI-generated summary on a Wikipedia page. The planned test would have only showed up on the mobile web version of the site. (Wikimedia Foundation)

Editors’ gripes weren’t limited to the idea. They also criticized the nonprofit for excluding them from the planning phase. “You also say this has been ‘discussed,’ which is thoroughly laughable as the ‘discussion’ you link to has exactly one participant, the original poster, who is another WMF employee,” an editor wrote.

A Wikimedia Foundation spokesperson shared the following statement with Engadget:

“The Wikimedia Foundation has been exploring ways to make Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects more accessible to readers globally. This two-week, opt-in experiment was focused on making complex Wikipedia articles more accessible to people with different reading levels. For the purposes of this experiment, the summaries were generated by an open-weight Aya model by Cohere. It was meant to gauge interest in a feature like this, and to help us think about the right kind of community moderation systems to ensure humans remain central to deciding what information is shown on Wikipedia.

For these experiments, our usual process includes discussing with volunteers (who create and curate all the information on Wikipedia) to make decisions on whether and how to proceed with building features. The discussion around this feature is an example of this process, where we built out a prototype of an idea and reached out to the Wikipedia volunteer community for their thoughts.

It is common to receive a variety of feedback from volunteers, and we incorporate it in our decisions, and sometimes change course. We welcome such thoughtful feedback — this is what continues to make Wikipedia a truly collaborative platform of human knowledge.

As shared in our latest post on the community discussion page, we do not have any plans to continue the experiment at the moment, as we continue to assess and discuss the feedback we have already received from volunteers.”In the “discussion” page, the organization explained that it wanted to cater to its audience’s needs. “Many readers need some simplified text in addition to the main content,” a WMF employee wrote. “In previous research, we heard that readers wanted to have an option to get a quick overview of a topic prior to jumping into reading the full article.”

The organization didn’t rule out future uses of AI. But they said editors won’t be left in the dark next time. “Bringing generative AI into the Wikipedia reading experience is a serious set of decisions, with important implications, and we intend to treat it as such,” the spokesperson told 404 Media. “We do not have any plans for bringing a summary feature to the wikis without editor involvement.”

Update, June 13, 2025, 12:52PM ET: This story has been corrected to note that Wikipedia never actually started its AI summary test. The plan was announced, but cancelled before it took place. A statement from the Wikimedia Foundation has also been added, and the headline has been updated as well.

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June 16, 2025 0 comments

GameStop earnings preview: New Bitcoin game plan faces first test

Crypto Trends

New BTC strategy faces first test

by admin June 9, 2025

GameStop stock price will be in the spotlight this week as the company publishes its first earnings since it started buying Bitcoin.

GameStop stock ended the week at $29.58, down 16% from its highest point this year. Its market capitalization is over $13 billion.

Wall Street analysts expect the company’s core business results to show sustained weakness as more customers pivot towards online games. Data compiled by Yahoo Finance show that revenue will be $754 million, down by 14.47% from the same period last year.

Analysts also expect its guidance for the second quarter to be $748 million, down 6.28% year over year. The estimate for its annual revenue is $3.56 billion and $3.13 billion next year.

These numbers will represent a continuation of what has been happening. GameStop’s annual revenue moved from $6 billion in 2022 to $5.27 billion in 2023 and $3.8 billion last year.

Analysts expect that GameStop’s core business may face extinction as the video game industry changes. This explains why the company decided to emulate Strategy, a company whose valuation has jumped to over $100 billion because of its Bitcoin (BTC) holdings.

GameStop has become one of the biggest Bitcoin holders. It holds 4,710 coins valued at over $497 million, and the management hopes to continue purchasing.

GameStop has room to boost its Bitcoin holdings because of its strong balance sheet. It ended the last quarter with over $4.7 billion in cash, short-term investments, and no debt. Its equity valuation of over $13 billion also gives itthe flexibility to sell shares to fund these purchases.

The company’s Bitcoin holdings to market cap are 3.76% (in contrast, Michael Saylor’s Strategy is 58%).

GME stock price analysis

GameStop stock chart | Source: TradingView

The daily chart shows that the GME share price has retreated since it started implementing its Bitcoin strategy.

It moved from $35 in May to $29.58. This price is inside the ascending channel connecting the highest and lowest swings since May last year.

The stock remains above the 50-day and 100-day moving averages, a bullish thing.

GME stock’s outlook is neutral ahead of its first quarter fiscal 2025 results, set to be released after the market closes on Tuesday, June 10.

The key levels to watch will be the psychological point at $20 and the resistance point at $35.78.

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June 9, 2025 0 comments

NewGenIvf to invest $30m in Solana staking strategy

NFT Gaming

Solana indicators point north, bulls test $165 target

by admin June 7, 2025

Solana rallied nearly 5% on Friday, down almost 10% in the past week. The Ethereum competitor will likely rally towards its $165 target, a 13% rally within the next week. While Ethereum draws the interest of institutional investors, Solana is competing through partnerships and decentralized applications on the blockchain.

Solana price forecast

According to technical indicators on the SOL/USDT daily price chart, Solana (SOL) could soon observe a trend reversal. SOL is trading at $149.92, and the Ethereum (ETH) competitor could rally 13% and test resistance at $170, the upper boundary of the FVG on the daily price chart.

Above $170, there are two key resistances: R1, which is the psychologically important price level of $200, and R2, which is the lower boundary of an FVG on the daily price chart, at $218.40.

The RSI on the SOL/USDT price chart reads 39 and slopes upwards. MACD flashes red histogram bars under the neutral line. The OBV indicator shows a bullish divergence, with the price heading downwards while the OBV indicator slopes upward. The divergence is typically a sign of a potential trend reversal.

In this case, the consolidation likely ends and SOL price changes in the coming week.

SOL/USDT daily price chart | Source: Crypto.news

Conversely, SOL could find support at $143.25, the lower boundary of an FVG on the daily price chart.

SOL could rally for these three reasons

Bybit, one of the key crypto exchanges, has partnered with Circle, Tether, Solana, and Sui to introduce a collaborative blockchain ecosystem. The project, Ecopedia, is set to provide structured and accessible crypto education.

Solana’s meme coin ecosystem tanked in response to the tussle between U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla Chief Elon Musk. In the past week, the past 24 hours, and on Friday, the sector’s market capitalization has declined.

The market cap of the Solana meme coin ecosystem has fallen 5% in the past 24 hours to nearly $10 billion.

It is likely that once the tussle settles, Solana could resume its uptrend.

According to data from The Block, the seven-day daily average of the number of transactions on the Solana blockchain has been steadily upward.

Number of active addresses on the Solana Network | Source: TheBlock

Solana derivatives analysis

Solana derivatives analysis data from Coinglass shows nearly $40 million in long positions were liquidated in the last 24 hours. Less than $5 million in short positions were liquidated in the past 24 hours.

The options volume has climbed nearly 50% in the same timeframe, while open interest slips nearly 7%. The long/short ratio exceeds one on Binance and OKX meaning traders are taking more bullish bets on Solana, expecting the token’s price to rally.

Solana derivatives data analysis | Source: Coinglass

How Trump-Musk tussle influenced Solana price

The public spat between the U.S. President and Tesla Chief made headlines for its impact on Nasdaq, Tesla stock price, and Bitcoin (BTC), among other things. Solana’s price slipped, alongside other altcoins, as traders turned risk-off. Sentiment shifted from neutral to fear in the past day.

Solana has made strides with gains on Friday, it remains to be seen whether the token can wipeout the losses from the past seven days, in the coming week.

The Trump-Musk tussle’s impact is felt in the Solana meme coin ecosystem, with a steep decline in market capitalization. A 5% drop within a 24-hour timeframe is significant, and a recovery is less likely unless led by a catalyst.

Solana: A one-trick pony or not

Analysts at Standard Chartered, the banking giant, labeled Solana a one-trick pony for the meme coin ecosystem’s role in pushing SOL’s price and value higher in the past year. However, it is likely that there is more to SOL with stablecoins, DeFi protocols and partnership announcements in 2025 alone.

Standard Chartered meme coins have stress-tested the blockchain in the past, proving its scalability and throughput are effective and paving the way for higher adoption and partnerships.

In their report, Standard Chartered suggests Solana expand to other sectors to boost its utility, however SOL generates higher volume and utility from meme coin transactions in the past year. While usage may have declined since the peak of the meme coin rally.

Meme coin utility peak | Source: Standard Chartered

Solana trades at $150 at the time of writing on Friday. Depending on the catalysts, the price could steer upwards or downwards and end the state of consolidation, bordered by resistance at $187 and support at $141.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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June 7, 2025 0 comments