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What is the ‘Android Pulse’ app that just appeared in Google Play Store updates?
On Saturday morning, you might have noticed an app called “Android Pulse” appearing in the list of available Google Play updates.
‘Penchant for bling’: can Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley take a bigger slice of luxury retail?
Frasers billionaire bought Harvey Nichols and increased Hugo Boss stake despite tough times for high-end stores
This yeast supplement may boost cancer-fighting immunity
A simple yeast-based food supplement may help restore the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, according to new research in mice. Scientists found that yeast beta-glucan reprogrammed early immune cells in the bone marrow, leading to stronger, longer-lasting cancer-fighting responses against colorectal, skin, and breast cancer cells.
Man who was found dead behind Beaufort business identified
The man’s body was found by a store employee on Thursday, but a camera showed he arrived on the property Wednesday.
$100 Best Buy gift cards will be $60 at stores Saturday
Save $40 on almost anything Best Buy sells.
The Emporium record store celebrates 5 years in business this weekend
The Marquette record store is hosting live music from Thursday to Sunday.
What to Expect from ONL | gamescom 2026 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, and more!
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past and Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will be at gamescom Opening Night Live, but what surprises could be in store? Here's what to expect from ONL on August 25.
Meet the scientists 3D printing corneas to restore people's vision, potentially filling a worldwide shortage of transplantable tissue
Corneal blindness affects millions of people globally, but donor tissue for transplants is in short supply. These researchers believe that 3D bioprinting can help close that gap.
Retail sales in Great Britain fall despite heatwave increasing food and drink demand
Volume of goods sold in stores and online dropped 0.5% in July, ONS says
Dana Perino: They’ve made it impossible for business owners to do business
‘The Five’ co-hosts discuss criticism of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to open five city-run grocery stores.
Google releases Pixel 11 series factory images
With the Pixel 11 series hitting store shelves today, Google has released factory images for all the devices.
Fire destroys Umatilla pallet business along Highway 395
UMATILLA — A large commercial pallet fire broke out early Wednesday, Aug. 19, causing numerous propane tanks to explode along Highway 395 near Union Street in Umatilla. The Umatilla Rural […]
Best Buy Is Selling $100 Gift Cards for Just $60 in Local Stores for One Day Only — Here’s Everything You Need to Know
Best Buy is offering $100 gift cards for just $60 during a 24-hour in-store sale this weekend. Here's everything you need to know.
US physical game sales drop to lowest monthly total since 1995
Hardware spending also declined 29% to $282 million, the lowest July total since 2020
Walmart says it will use billions in tariff refunds to keep prices low
Walmart said it received nearly $2.9 billion in tariff refunds and plans to use some of the benefit to support lower prices for shoppers, while the refunds also provided a significant boost to quarterly operating income.
Our Approach to Drought and Wildfire Is Economically Backwards
Investment to restore degraded land is an investment in economic resilience, write Diane Holdorf and Mahmoud Mohieldin.
Allston's 'Rat City' vibes erode as Harvard Ave.'s longtime stores flee
Local stores in the student-dominated neighborhood are grappling against Boston's rising rents.
Dems propose term limits to 'restore fairness' in Supreme Court
A group of Democratic senators are spearheading an effort to establish 18 year term limits for justices, a restriction that would allow presidents to nominate a new justice every two years.
Grocers tour site of future city-run store in East Harlem
Under the program, private operators of city-owned stores will get free rent and tax dollars in order to sell staples at a 30% discount.
4-alarm Arlington, Texas fire damaged businesses, restaurants
Beirut Grill, Smash Toast and Folklore Grove Bookstore among shops damaged by 4-alarm fire in Arlington.
ENTERTAINMENT: Library bookstore opens; cat show set for Maumelle center
Library Square Books, the Central Arkansas Library System’s new used bookstore, opens at 405 President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock’s River Market District, with a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. Thursday that features refreshments and giveaways and a limited number of commemorative items.
Long-empty Jersey Shore drugstore poised for return as family entertainment center
The entertainment center is expected to open by the end of 2026.
Review: In a deluge of free entertainment, Alternating Currents 2026 flowed into a loading dock, record store and the QC's coolest venues
The Quad Cities’ annual Alternating Currents Festival landed on a rainy weekend this year (Aug. 13-16), but the weather didn’t dampen the spirits gathering for over 200 events across Davenport, Bettendorf and Rock Island. The smiles outlasted the downpours as free music, art, comedy and film events carried on, albeit with few a cancellations, a […]
Sony Music Vision, Cinemex, and Fathom Entertainment Bring Juan Gabriel’s Landmark Bellas Artes Concert Film to U.S. Theaters September 15
Sony Music Vision and specialty distributor Fathom Entertainment has today that Juan Gabriel: Mi Primer Bellas Artes, a newly re-edited and restored theatrical presentation of the legendary singer-songwriter’s 1990 performance at Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes, will come to U.S. theaters nationwide for the first time ever on September 15, 2026. Juan Gabriel’s Bellas […]
A speakeasy inside a gas station is the hottest cocktail bar in a Minnesota town—the business brought in almost $5 million in a year
Tony Donatell turned an empty storefront next to a gas station into a sophisticated speakeasy, The Farmer's Cellar. Inside, it's still the "roaring twenties."
I hid a speakeasy in a gas station and now the business brings in about $5 million a year
Tony Donatell, 46, took over an failing gas station and convenience store in 2024. Since Donatell opened a hidden bar in the space in May 2025 called The Farmer's Cellar, the business — which includes the speakeasy, the convenience store and the gas station itself — has brought in almost $5 million in revenue in one year and is profitable.
Kennedy Center tells court it won't try to restore Trump's name to the building before Sept. 8
In a status report filed late Tuesday, opponents of the move said members of the Kennedy Center's Trump-aligned board “seem intent” on defying an earlier court order requiring the president's name to be removed from the building.
Meijer to demolish former 28th Street Flowerland for gas station
Meijer acquired the former Flowerland on 28th Street, with plans to build a new mExpress convenience store.
Boutique to close storefront with owners' move; space draws interest
A Sioux Falls boutique is closing its physical location as its owners move out of state.
Proposed legislation seeks to appoint state monitor to Buffalo Public Schools
The new legislation, proposed by Assemblyman Jon Rivera, seeks to restore a public confidence in the district's leadership following a tumultuous few months.
Businesses reopen after eastern Indonesia earthquake displaced thousands
REO, Indonesia (AP) — Grocery stores, gas stations and other shops reopened Wednesday, four days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 70 people, injured nearly 1,200 others and damaged thousands of homes.
Arlington businesses destroyed by 4-alarm fire
Several Arlington business owners are grappling with a complete loss after a huge fire destroyed the building their stores were located in. FOX 4's David Sentendrey has more.
Florida’s leading coral experts unite in historic effort to restore Florida’s Coral Reef
Backed by a NOAA-funded initiative, 12 organizations joined forces during the annual coral spawning event to produce more than 1.5 million embryos and help preserve genetic diversity for the future of Florida’s Coral Reef.
Apple pulls AI ‘nudify’ app promoted in Meta ads
Meta ran ads for a now-pulled App Store app that let users create AI-generated pornographic deepfakes of real people, including one featuring a woman resembling a prominent US politician.
Dozens of small businesses awarded funding to refresh old storefronts
Ron Fuchs can see Frick Park Market from his front porch. The 90-year-old lifelong Point Breeze native makes his rounds at the market everyday, often opting...
The hidden health cost of dollar store groceries
New UC Riverside research shows a link between dollar store food quality and higher rates of obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.
The physical media selection at Sony's Crunchyroll is even worse than fans feared after store update: all books removed and Blu-ray lineup gutted
Manga, light novels, manhwa, and more have vanished
Meta Ran Ads for an App That Promised to Nudify Female Politicians
One advertisement featured a pornographic video with a deepfake closely resembling a prominent US politician. Apple removed the app from the App Store after an inquiry from WIRED.
Seattle must not leave businesses adrift during city projects
The city could not have prevented the many restaurants and grocery stores from closing this year. But it makes it harder for two more to stay open.
Apple Says Antitrust Issues Are Hurting Services Business
Apple says antitrust battles around its App Store are weighing on its services business. The tech giant acknowledged the issue in its most recent filing
Antitrust attacks start to bite into Apple’s $100bn services business
Court rulings and new App Store rules are beginning to weigh on one of the iPhone maker’s profitable growth engines
Bail revoked for man charged in fatal Hingham Apple store crash
Bradley Rein is facing charges that include second-degree murder in connection with the 2022 crash that killed one and injured nearly two dozen.
DOJ creates a new pathway to restore gun rights for some convicted of felonies
The move is a victory for Second Amendment advocates
DOJ creates a new pathway to restore gun rights for some convicted of felonies
The move is a victory for Second Amendment advocates
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 – We Played This PvE Bug Hunt One Last Time Before Review and Found the Specialist Class to Be Where It's At
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 seems like one of those lazy Sunday games, where you kill part of an afternoon playing a couple hours with friends. It gets Aliens and understands that forty miles of bad road Cameron envisioned. As a co-op game, it’s not going to change the world. Aliens already did that. But it’s a great excuse to play around in that world again, and I’m eager to see what else LV-558 has in store.
Last business on Mohr Concrete property hangs onto hope
True Discount, the last daily-operated store on the Mohr Concrete property, stays optimistic about business while development conversations continue.
Athens business owners revitalize storefronts with new city grant
Seven local small businesses are getting a big boost thanks to a new city grant program designed to spruce up properties and foster economic growth.
The Rare Pyrex Dish That's A Coveted Thrift Store Find
Before you pass over that old Pyrex at the thrift store, check the pattern. This rare vintage design has become particularly coveted by collectors.
Armed suspect with machete, pickaxe detained by customers during Costco jewelry heist: reports
Costco customers and employees helped restrain a man accused of an armed jewelry robbery at a South Carolina warehouse store, according to local reports.
Natrona County health and food inspections (8/7/26–8/13/26)
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper-Natrona County Health Department inspects restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, mobile food units, commissaries and
Laramie County health and food inspections (8/7/26–8/13/26)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department inspects restaurants, bars, convenience stores, delis, grocery stores, bed and breakfasts
Maker of ice cream sold at grocery stores nationwide files for bankruptcy as it appeals $23.8M judgment
Rebel Creamery reported $13.78 million in assets and $23.85 million in liabilities as it appeals a $23.785 million Van Leeuwen judgment.
When we bring back forests and wetlands, some tinier species may be missing
A regrown forest can look tall, lush and green. Restored wetlands can buzz with insects and flutter with birds. But scientists looking more closely are finding that some of their smallest inhabitants — mosses, lichens and algae — are still missing.
Despite health risks, raw milk is having a moment
Unlike the stuff sold in most grocery stores, raw milk isn’t heated to kill harmful pathogens in a process known as pasteurization.
5 Harbor Freight Tools You Can Only Buy In-Store
This socket tool set, compound miter saw, drill/driver, oscillating multi-tool, and jet fan blower are only available in Harbor Freight stores.
Massive Trump merchandise store goes out of business - because nobody is buying anything
‘We’re not busy anymore,’ one employee of the Trump store admitted
I tried Windows 11's new customizable context menus, and they're a major improvement: Microsoft will let you restore Windows 10 style vertical layout for primary actions and more
We go hands-on with the new customizable context menu options coming soon to Windows 11 that make them faster and easier to use!
Killing PlayStation discs could make PS Store games cheaper, according to a former Square Enix exec
A former Square Enix business development director explains why axing PlayStation discs could make PS Store games cheaper.
The Pandemic Decimated Chicago’s Famous Loop. Now, New Business Openings and $673 Million in Investment Are Fueling Its Recovery
A new report finds office vacancies are leveling off and businesses are filling empty storefronts.
An AI running an SF store fired an employee for the first time
Andon Labs, which is experimenting with letting an AI have majority control over a retail store, said that it fired an employee with good reason.
Large-Scale Pokémon Eviction Looms With Pokémon Bank Server Shutdown
After the Nintendo 3DS handheld console saw most its online services including the online store (eShop) taken offline not too long ago, it was only a matter of time before the demise of even the re…
JPS Health Network says it has restored key systems after "suspicious activity" disruption
Youth-associated protein helps restore healthy function in immune cells in the aging brain
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified a role for the youth-associated protein TIMP2 in supporting the healthy function of microglia, the brain's resident immune cells.
Google ordered to make it easier to download alternative Android app stores
Third-party app stores are about to become more visible in Google Play.
Google Play will make rival Android app stores easier to find after judge says it is ‘not acceptable’ yet
Following the arrival of third-party Android app stores on Google Play earlier this week, a judge in Google’s ongoing court...
You Don’t Always Need a Student ID for Apple’s Back-to-School Deals
Apple has a hidden certified refurbished store that offers the popular MacBook Neo for $100 off.
Google Play Store hides Pixel 11 series discounts in plain sight
The Pixel 11 phones are here and there's no shortage of deals. In fact, the Google Play Store has welcome discounts as well.
New Business Licenses: 8.14.26
Chesterfield reports licenses for electrical services, a convenience store, a clothing retailer and more. (BizSense Pro required)
Google Play Has a Secret Pixel 11 Pro Deal
We've talked about the Google Store promos on the Pixel 11 series, as well as Amazon's instant discount, but there's another you should be aware of that is stackable and sizable. Google Play is...
‘That is not acceptable’: Judge orders Google to make rival app store installs easier
Judge Donato was not having Google’s “anticompetitive friction.”
BREAKING: Netflix to shut down two more game studios
Netflix is sticking with video games but once again reducing the number of studios it owns making games. The streaming giant is closing Los Angeles-based Night School studio, which it acquired in 2021 and plans to close Helsinki-based Moonloot, which was founded in 2022. Just six weeks ago, Night School had released Unhinged, a novel 30-minute first-person horror game, streamable on TVs to Netflix users. The game was hailed by Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters in a call with investors. Six weeks later, Night School is closing. Prior to its Netflix tenure, Night School had developed the award-winning supernatural thriller Oxenfree. A second Oxenfree game followed after the purchase, as well as a mobile game designed to tie in to an episode of the Netflix show Black Mirror. Netflix attributed the studio closures to a prioritization around kids gaming, party games, story-driven fare and games with mainstream hooks, such as a recently released FIFA game. “We see an opportunity to be more focused in our execution, so we are making organizational changes to the business to match those priorities,” a Netflix spokesperson told Game File. Netflix is also cutting jobs from its internal games team. A rep declined to say how many jobs were being lost by these cutbacks. “We are incredibly grateful to the talented colleagues we’re saying goodbye to today. We thank them for all their contributions to Netflix, and wish them the best,” the rep said. Netflix started releasing video games, initially on mobile as a free bonus to subscribers, in 2021. By 2023, Mike Verdu, then the head of Netflix’s game operations, was telling me that the company was committed to growing carefully, as it offered more games and built up internal game studios. At the time, it hadn’t made any gaming job cuts. Since then, Netflix has altered its approach. In 2024, it shut down Team Blue, a start-up studio led by ex-Call of Duty and Halo developers that was exploring making a high-end first-person game for the service. Last October, Netflix shut down another studio, Boss Fight, shortly after Peters praised the team’s Squid Game game to investors. (One of Boss Fight’s main developers now works on the Netflix FIFA game for outside studio Delphi.) And in December, Netflix sold cozy game studio Spry Fox back to its founders. Amid all of this, Netflix has shifted from emphasizing mobile games to offering games through TVs and PCs, via streamed connections, with phones used as controllers. That’s how Night School’s Unhinged worked, along with games such as Boggle and Party Crashers that have collectively helped the Netflix game controller app chart well on mobile app stores. The studio cuts leave Netflix with a central gaming team that works with external developers, and a dedicated first party studio in, Helsinki-based Next Games, which produced many of the company’s couch-centric party games. The move away from having a roster of internal game studios aligns with Netflix’s own approach to shows and movies, which are largely produced externally. The company owns few TV/film production studios of its own. The gaming industry overall is seeing large holders of multiple studios cut back, with Sony, Ubisoft, Embracer, Microsoft and other giants closing or selling off studios. Cuts in California-based studios, where costs often run relatively high, have been particularly acute. Netflix has faced skepticism about its gaming plans for years. The moves today are likely to fuel them, and the company has few upcoming projects to counter the narrative. Among the few hinted, acclaimed independent studio Don’t Nod said last year it was working on a game tied to a major Netflix franchise.
'Call Her Daddy' Host Alex Cooper's Unwell Beverage Business Is Shutting Down
The superstar podcaster launched a line of drinks in 2025 in partnership with Nestlé and sold at Target stores
Pokemon Bank is shutting down, announcement released
Today, The Pokemon Company announced that it’s shutting down Pokemon Bank. The service goes offline on February 26, 2027. Once we reach that day, players will not be able to transfer Pokemon from Pokemon Bank to Pokemon Home. It will not be possible to store Pokemon there any longer. Players are advised to send their creatures to Pokemon Home before...
Major supermarket chain closes at least 39 stores as nationwide overhaul takes shape
The grocery giant is closing underperforming locations across several banners, with some stores being consolidated into larger-format locations.
Car crashes into business in Huntington Beach
Injuries were reported after a car crashed into a business Wednesday in Huntington Beach. The crash was reported in the 6000 block of Edinger Avenue. Details about what led to the crash were not immediately available. At least part of the car appeared to end up inside the store, one of several in the strip mall. Patients were transported to…
7NEWS POLL | Should certain businesses, like liquor stores, pay fees to fund child care?
TELL US:Should certain businesses, like liquor or gun stores, pay annual fees to fund child care?
Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Demo Leaks Before Next Week's State of Play
The PS Store strikes again
Small Business Spotlight: Specialty dental practice takes root on Market St.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO OPEN BLUE HERON ROOT CANAL SPECIALISTS? OWNER SARAH ERMOSHKIN: “I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. When I was 23 years old, I owned a cafe in Seattle, where I even fought to oppose oppressive sales taxes on espresso drinks. After selling that business, I got married and started a family. Once my children were in school, I attended dental school through the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), which covered my tuition and provided a stipend. From the beginning, my goal was to eventually own my own practice after completing my military service. The work I do is incredibly rewarding and being able to create an environment that puts patients first while helping employees grow professionally makes every day as a business owner meaningful.” WHAT DOES YOUR BUSINESS PROVIDE? ERMOSHKIN: “Endodontists are often called ‘pain doctors’ because our primary mission is to relieve pain and save natural teeth. We specialize in root canal therapy, retreatment of nonhealing root canals, treatment of root resorption, apicoectomies – microsurgical root-end procedures – and vital pulp therapy for children. Our goal is to preserve teeth that might otherwise need to be extracted and replaced with implants. Saving a patient’s natural tooth is almost always the best long-term solution for their oral health.” HOW DOES YOUR MILITARY TRAINING HELP YOUR BUSINESS? ERMOSHKIN: “My military service taught me how to lead, collaborate and make decisions under pressure. I worked closely with senior leadership while treating a large patient population and collaborating with specialists across multiple disciplines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, (I) served a dual role as Navy dentist and as the public affairs officer for Naval Health Clinic Annapolis, where I helped develop medical and dental communications for the midshipmen and support staff, while coordinating with the broader Navy Capital Region. We worked closely with other military treatment facilities to share best practices and deliver consistent public health messaging. Those leadership experiences continue to shape how I lead my team and serve our patients today.” WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING RIGHT NOW IN YOUR BUSINESS? ERMOSHKIN: “One of our biggest challenges is overcoming the misinformation surrounding root canal treatment. Root canals are safe, effective and often the best way to relieve pain while preserving a natural tooth. Unfortunately, many people choose extraction because they believe it’s less expensive or because they’ve seen misleading information online. What they may not realize is that losing a tooth can lead to shifting teeth, changes in the way they bite and chew and significantly higher costs to restore their smile later.”
Inflation cooled in July but remained elevated as Fed weighs rate hikes
The Labor Department released the consumer price index (CPI) for July which showed that inflation cooled, even as the pace of price growth remained elevated.
Whitfield's expanding their business into a brick and mortar
Whitfields is a new restaurant in Akron which originally solely operated through social media. Cooking meals at home, and gaining their following plate by plate now has officially opened a store front in the heart of the city.
Whitfield's expanding their business into a brick and mortar
Whitfields is a new restaurant in Akron which originally solely operated through social media. Cooking meals at home, and gaining their following plate by plate now has officially opened a store front in the heart of the city.
UK 'joke' candidate Binface pushes serious point about politics
British politics has a long-cherished reputation for attracting the weird and wonderful. But in a pantheon of colorful characters, Count Binface, a man wearing a rubbish bin over his head, is stealing the show. The self-described "intergalactic space warrior" from the fictional planet Sigma IX takes on hardline anti-immigrant politician…
Saber denies replacing Rideshare Stimulator’s writers with ChatGPT
Stella Sacco says Saber is “trying to have it both ways” on AI.
Stop Killing Games Joins Dutch Consumer Group's $457M Lawsuit Against Sony Over Digital Store 'Monopoly'
The Stop Killing Games movement is officially suing Sony, claiming the company’s “monopoly” over the video game market is blatantly “against the law.”
Apple extends 2026 Back to School deals on Macs and iPads until September 24
College students in the United States just got a few extra weeks to claim Apple’s 2026 Back to School deals on select Macs and iPads.
Rare Mario Brothers cartridges being auctioned off for sale after unique find in Wisconsin
A set of unique, extremely rare Super Mario cartridges was found in a gaming store in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and will be auctioned off starting Friday.
Michaels reimagines in-store experience as shopping habits change
In North Texas, Michaels is testing a new way to shop and switching up some things for the customer’s in-store experience.
ND Expert on democracy: Can better civics education restore voter dissatisfaction over political corruption?
This summer, America celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, widely recognized as the formal founding of our nation and one of the early stages of establishing a democratic government. Over the past two decades, however, democracies all over the world have struggled with a lack of clear support. Democracy scholars have referred to these challenges as evidence of backsliding, a phenomenon that has many political and social scientists concerned, including Notre Dame development economist Enrique Seira Bejarano.
PUMA pop-up store and autograph sessions in Europark
On Theaterplatz until WednesdayFrom now until Wednesday, PUMA will have its own pop-up store on Theaterplatz in Europark station. In addition to selected PUMA products, you'll also find our latest jer...
Everything New in iOS 27 Beta 5
We're a little over a month away from the launch of iOS 27, and Apple is continuing to make changes. The fifth beta of iOS 27 changes the look of some app icons and adjusts Liquid Glass, plus it adds some smaller features that make the iPhone just a little nicer to use. App Icons There are updated Liquid Glass icons for Safari, Siri, Settings, Remote, App Store, and Preview. Some of the icons have been entirely redesigned, while others feature more detail than before.
Dallas Hair Replacement for Business Professionals Offers Non-Surgical Hair Replacement for Men
Look Sharp, Stay Competitive. Restore your confidence with non-surgical hair replacement in Dallas.Dallas, TX, Aug. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the competitive business environment of Dallas, confidence and success go hand in hand. Whether you're presenting in the boardroom, networking at a conference, or closing a major deal, how you look plays a critical role in your self-esteem, which in turn affects how others perceive you. If you're a busy executive or professional experiencing hair los
Saber's newest game trailer takes a shot at Gearbox's CEO, if you look closely
The first hint that something might be up with the recent debut trailer for Saber Interactive’s Rideshare Stimulator is an unusual choice of words—aside from that second one in the game’s title. “Don’t take your passengers too seriously,” the trailer’s narrator says, as he describes this upcoming game. It a car game about the gig work of driving eccentric people to their destinations, a riff on Crazy Taxi. And then, he says: “When I think I’ve met the randiest of passengers, someone even stranger gets in.” “Randiest”? That suggests “randy,” which usually means having strong sexual desire. Yet none of the oddball backseat occupants featured in the trailer seem particularly lustful. One is an old man who considers his grandson a failure, another shares the theory that birds might control traffic lights, another says he’s banned from an aquarium. A little later, there’s a license plate, shown 63 seconds into the trailer, on the front of an SUV: USB DRV It’s a Texas plate. The symbol between those letters is a cog wheel. If you know, you know. That’s a reference to Texas-based Borderlands game development studio Gearbox Software (their logo features a cog wheel). More specifically, it’s a reference to Gearbox’s CEO Randy Pitchford, who in 2018 found himself explaining the nature of video he’d saved on a USB drive that was found at a Medieval Times restaurant before being returned to the studio: “It was ‘barely legal’ porn. This girl’s handle was ‘Only 18.’” The “girl” in the video had committed a solo sex act that Pitchford, an avid practitioner of magic, found remarkable. “I realized, this is not a sex worker…This is a fucking magician.” Back then, the USB drive was central to competing lawsuits against Gearbox by the studio’s former lawyer and by Gearbox against him. A settlement in late 2019 “exonerated” Pitchford, per the Hollywood Reporter. The USB story has resurfaced at times, now in a trailer from a company that not long ago was corporate brethren with Gearbox. Saber vs. Gearbox The head of Saber told Game File that the reference is payback. “The dig is because Randy took shots at Embracer in Borderlands 4,” Saber CEO Matt Karch told me when I asked him about the license plate. “Without Embracer, Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living.” Having interviewed Karch during a cross-country flight in late 2024, I can confirm that Karch was unimpressed with Pitchford during their time both working in the Embracer group. I’d approached him not out of surprise that there was animosity but that it was manifesting publicly now. Gearbox was founded in 1999, worked on a port of Halo early on, and developed hit series such as the loot-based sci-fi shooter Borderlands before it was purchased by The Embracer Group in early 2021 for $363 million (with a possible earn-out of over $1 billion, if certain targets were hit by 2027). Saber was founded in 2001, worked on a remaster of Halo early on, had a big hit with zombie shooter World War Z and was purchased by Embracer in early 2020 for $150 million, with a potential earn-out of up to $375 million. For a few years, the Embracer group was a voracious acquirer of game studios. Then, as investment dried up, it choked. In March 2024, Embracer sold Saber to an investment company controlled by Saber CEO Matt Karch, and it sold Gearbox in an all-stock deal to long-time Borderlands publisher Take Two Interactive. Other studios were shut down. Hundreds of developers were laid off. Gearbox didn’t say much about their Embracer experience, nothing too direct, at least. In the summer 2024, Pitchford told reporter and occasional Game File contributor Nicole Carpenter that Borderlands 4’s story was in some way thematically connected to Gearbox’s experience at Embracer: “There’s this cultural and emotional shift in me, personally, and at the studio. What does it mean to trade some autonomy for organization?” When Borderlands 4 came out, there was something stranger: the matter of “Embracer’s Bluff,” a location in the game featuring an AI-powered toilet and a large trash dump, according to a detailed Kotaku account of the place. Gearbox never commented on it; Take Two never got back to me about it when I asked them last year. By contrast, since Saber exited Embracer, Karch has been one of Embracer’s biggest defenders, casting their management as well-meaning and supportive despite the layoffs and studio closures that resulted from their excessive expansion. Like others, Saber’s Karch saw Embracer’s as a shot. With Rideshare Stimulator’s trailer, he’s returned fire. “It’s amazing to me how fast people forget those who went above and beyond for them,” Karch told Game File. A rep for Gearbox did not comment by press time. Game File is a reader-supported publication. Your backing makes my reporting—including any coverage of trailer-based beefs—possible. Good news! I’m currently running Game File’s first big sale of 2026. You can get a one-year subscription for 23% off. Click here to take advantage of the limited-time offer. And thank you for your support! Item 2: In brief… 🚫 Wal-Mart has laid off the staff of Restart, a games media outlet launched in 2024, Aftermath reports. 🟥 A GTA VI preview is on the way, at last, via an “extended look” that will premiere, unusually, on Netflix at 3pm ET on August 27, then officially go live elsewhere six hours later. Last week, Game File noted that Take Two label Rockstar Games is overdue for showing off GTA VI, based on the timing of the initial hands-off previews of GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. During a call with investors, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said pre-orders for GTA VI were “unprecedented and astonishing,” but added the company can’t predict how many of those pre-orders represent bonus sales vs. sales that otherwise would have been made at launch. During the same call, Zelnick was noticeably bullish on the future of playing games over streaming cloud connections (predicting wider adoption in three or so years). He sounded unbothered by Sony’s plans to stop making discs for new games (he said the business is 90% digital already and predicted that there could still be limited edition physical editions of games “in the same way there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business.”) 👀 Take Two wrote off $43 million in their spring quarter after deciding “not to proceed with further development of an unannounced title in its pipeline from a third-party developer.” 🤔 Some rare age-demographics from a big publisher: Capcom recently told investors that “users in their 20s account for approximately half of the users of both Pragamata and Resident Evil Requiem.” Item 3: The week ahead Tuesday, August 11 Game releases: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (Switch 2; already out for PC, PS5, Xbox) continues the Bethesda strategy of putting Elder Scrolls games on everything; Royalty Free-For-All is a Smash Bros.-style fighting game featuring public domain characters such as Mother Goose brawling with Oliver Twist in a stage based on the original Little Shop of Horrors movie. Wednesday, August 12 Game release: Pro Jank Footy (PC, console) is an arcade-style Australian Rules Football game with increasingly ridiculous rules, the more you play (I enjoyed the Steam demo) Thursday, August 13 Game release: Super Mario Sunshine (Switch 2, originally released in 2002 on the GameCube) is released for Switch 2’s Nintendo Switch Online service. This game is the black sheep of 3D Mario games. It’s the successor to the breakthrough Super Mario 64 and the rare Mario game built around a single (vacation resort) theme. Mario’s got a water-spraying backpack, a Yoshi pal and a lot of blue coins to collect.
Second Academy Sports + Outdoors store planned in Tyler
The City of Tyler could be getting another Academy Sports and Outdoors store, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Are Madison's vintage shops Gen Z's new small-business boom?
These entrepreneurs in their 20s are selling old-school threads in physical stores, proving that online isn't the only way.
iOS 27 Beta 5 Brings New Icons for Siri, Safari, Settings and More
In the fifth beta of iOS 27, Apple is continuing to make design tweaks. There are updated Liquid Glass icons for Safari, the Siri app, Settings, Remote, App Store, and Preview. The Safari icon is a brighter blue with more detailed compass lines and arrows, while the Siri icon looks more like the actual Siri bubble that's displayed when Siri is activated.
Third-party app stores are rolling out in Google Play, but there's only one right now
Aptoide has become the first app store distributed inside Google Play under a judge's order.
Google Play Store starts distributing third-party Android app stores – here’s how it works [Gallery]
Google has opened the floodgates, with third-party app stores on Android now showing up in the Play Store in the US.
Alliance Entertainment and AMPED Distribution Highlight Independent Retail Engagement at Record Store Day Summer Camp
Alliance Entertainment attended Record Store Day Summer Camp, engaging independent retailers and showcasing product growth and upcoming releases.Quiver AI SummaryAlliance Entertainment and its distribution arm, AMPED Distribution, actively participated in the Record Store Day Summer Camp in New Orleans from July 27 to 30, 2026, engaging with numerous independent retail partners to discuss business performance, future releases, and product initiat
The first rival Android app store just arrived in the US Play Store
Game store Aptoide is now available through Google’s own Android storefront in the US.