Next year is shaping up to be the most important for Xbox ever. A number of significant titles that could finally give Microsoft a foothold during this console generation are scheduled to release in 2023. We'll also likely learn whether or not Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard will go through. As such, there's a lot for Xbox fans to look forward to in 2023.

During the pandemic, when we couldn't travel, I told my sons they could pick a trip for their birthdays.My oldest picked Seattle, and my youngest picked Disney. It's a gift to me being able to spend time with them and letting them call the shots. In a few days, I'll leave my husband and 15-year-old son at home while I board a plane bound for Orlando with my 13-year-old son. We're going to the most magical place in the world at the busiest time of the year, and while I'm dreading the crowds, I can't wait for the experience.In those early days of the pandemic, when all of our travel plans had been canceled, and it felt like we'd never escape our four walls, I told my two sons that we would make up for the lost time when we could. I made them a promise: when they each turned 13, we'd take a trip anywhere they wanted to go in the United States. It was a way to dream about brighter days and celebrate their milestone birthdays.I got to see them in a different wayMy older son, the quieter and more reserved of the two, turned 13 in December 2022. When we started brainstorming potential destinations, he was surprisingly decisive: Seattle. It was an unexpected pick for a teenager from Virginia who doesn't know anyone in Washington state. Then I remembered all those nights he caught glimpses of the Seattle skyline while his father and I watched "Grey's Anatomy." Maybe that image stuck with him, or maybe it was just his love of big cities and rainy landscapes. Whatever the reason for his choice, we were bound for the Emerald City.When we arrived in Seattle, I saw a different side of my son, a quiet confidence that is often overshadowed by the chaos of daily life and squabbles with his brother. It took a couple of days for him to stop asking, "What are we doing next?" and to believe me when I told him that we could do whatever he wanted. He selected our meals and set our schedule, and we lingered for as long as he wanted at his favorite places the top of the Space Needle, among the sculptures of the Chihuly exhibit, among the fishmongers flinging their catch at Pike Place Market.It felt different than a regular vacationI was charmed by the things my son found interesting and the details he noticed. Walking in the rain back to our hotel one afternoon, I was struck by how different it felt from our usual family vacations. Those trips are wonderful in their own way, but they often involve a lot of compromise and juggling everyone's interests. This trip, though, was tailored entirely to my son's curiosity and pace, and it gave us a chance to connect in a way that felt new. We ate a lot of pizza, claimed a favorite doughnut place, and since he's as much of a night owl as I am stayed up far later than we should have, giggling over late-night TV that I hadn't watched since before he was born. Our trip reminded me that he's not just my child but his own person with a growing sense of identity and independence.I'm grateful for the time I get with themNow, I'm gearing up for my younger son's birthday trip. He turned 13 in September, and his destination of choice was EPCOT in Florida to "eat around the world" in the World Showcase. We'll also be spending a day at Magic Kingdom and a day resort hopping to see the holiday decorations, and we'll rate and review our meals and snacks as we go. Compared to his older brother's urban excursion, this feels a little less bold, especially since he's typically the more adventurous of the two, and we've done Disney as a family. But I'm looking forward to seeing this trip through his eyes and being surprised by what he chooses and what holds his interest when it's just the two of us.I'm grateful for the opportunity to share these moments with my sons. What started as a pandemic promise has become a tradition I love. I've already floated the idea of doing international trips for their 16th birthdays. My older son wasted no time declaring that he wanted to go to Australia, while my younger son is leaning toward Paris. Wherever we go, being able to travel with them is a privilege that I don't take lightly. What I hope they someday realize is that sharing these birthday trips with them is a gift for me, too.

Lemon8, TikTok's sister app, is surging in popularity ahead of a possible TikTok ban.Lemon8 uses TikTok's algorithm and is owned by the same Chinese company, ByteDance.The Supreme Court will decide this month on the fate of the law that could ban TikTok and Lemon8.TikTok owner ByteDance's other social media company, Lemon8, is growing in popularity amid confusion over a possible TikTok ban in the United States.This week, Lemon8 shot to the No. 1 spot for free apps on Apple's App Store.What users might not realize is that the law that would ban TikTok, if it is held up by the Supreme Court and then enforced by the administration of President-elect Donald Trump, would also likely ban Lemon8.Lemon8 is the "sister app" to TikTok. It's a social media platform for photo slideshows, more similar to Pinterest or Instagram than TikTok, which is an exclusively short video platform. Lemon8 uses the same algorithm as TikTok. It is now the No. 2 free app, beating out competitors like ChatGPT.But, like TikTok, its future is tenuous.Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act in April. The law gives ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, until January 19 to sell TikTok. If a sale doesn't take place, TikTok will be banned in the United States.TikTok filed a lawsuit in May, arguing that the law violates the First Amendment. The DC Circuit Court upheld the law on December 6. TikTok then filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on December 18. The court is expected to hear arguments on January 10.Trump filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on December 27, asking the justices to pause the law until after his inauguration so he could "pursue a political resolution."The law would also likely ban Lemon8. The bill's text specifically names TikTok and ByteDance as covered companies. However,its language is broad and could affectany company owned by a foreign "adversary" that permits users to "create an account or profile to generate, share, and view text, images, videos, real-time communications, or similar content."Experts previously told Business Insider that Lemon8's success indicates that ByteDance is willing to introduce new apps to keep growing despite a TikTok ban."This is a huge business for ByteDance. They're not gonna go down without swinging," David Glancy, a professor at the Institute of World Politics, previously told BI.

The theater chain's celebrating January's National Popcorn Day with a Bring Your Own Bucket promo to get more butts in seats.

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A majestic humpback whale, dramatic coastlines, and a coral reef ecosystem shine in the NOAA and and National Marine Sanctuary Foundations Get Into Your Sanctuary photo contest. The winning photos celebrate the National Marine Sanctuary System, which encompasses more than 629,000 square miles and includes 17 national marine sanctuaries and Papahnaumokukea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments.Freediving into a school of akule in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.Sanctuary Recreation, Second PlaceCredit: Christian Crook Winners were named across five categories: Sanctuary Views, Sanctuary Life, Sanctuary Recreation, Sanctuaries at Home, and Sanctuaries Around the World. Sunset at Rialto Beach in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.Sanctuary Views, Second PlaceCredit: Elliot Gilfix Potato Harbor on Santa Cruz Island is one of few wind-protected places to hunker down for the night in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Even still, wind and swell sneak their way into the small anchorage under the setting sun.Sanctuary Views, Third PlaceCredit: Dustin Harris Camping under the stars in Florida Keys National Marine SanctuarySanctuary Recreation, First PlaceCredit: Daniel Eidsmoe McWay Falls in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.Sanctuary Views, First PlaceCredit: Peter Reinold Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) are ocean-dependent birds that spend most of their lives on open water. The productive North Atlantic Canadian waters surrounding Newfoundland provide some of the best habitat for these beloved marine birds.Sanctuaries Around the World, Second PlaceCredit: Carolyn Copper Male lined seahorses (Hippocampus erectus) like this one at the Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach, Florida, receive eggs from the female and keep them in a pouch where they fertilize and carry them until they are ready to hatch.Sanctuaries Around the World, Third PlaceCredit: Tamara Christian A humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) dives at sunset in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This photo was taken with a telephoto lens from a safe distance.Sanctuary Life, Third PlaceCredit: Kaelyn DeYoung An arrow crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis) sits in front of a Caribbean long spine sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.Sanctuary Life, First PlaceCredit: Gabriel Jensen Giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) walks the deep coldwater reef in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.Sanctuary Life, Second PlaceCredit: Robert Lee Kite flying on a beach near Palm Coast, Florida.Sanctuaries at Home, Second PlaceCredit: Daniel Eidsmoe A green sea turtle (Chelonia) surfaces for air in the shallows of Playa Punta Corola on San Cristobal in Galapagos, Ecuador.Sanctuaries Around the World, FinalistCredit: Dan Shipp Split shoreline and underwater view of the coral reef ecosystem around Fakarava Atoll in French Polynesia.Sanctuaries at Home, First PlaceCredit: Justin Wallace The post 13 dramatic photos that capture the beauty of marine sanctuaries appeared first on Popular Science.

Each area in Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy offers unique challenges and obstacles for our dynamic duo to overcome, and while you can make it pretty far by only grabbing a few Power Cells in each locale, finding them all is crucial to getting the true ending and (On PS4 and PS5) the Platinum Trophy.

State of Decay 3 is one of the many upcoming games lacking an official release date at the moment. While the zombie survival title has been confirmed with a trailer, it's unclear when developer Undead Labs and Microsoft are planning a launch. The excitement for State of Decay 3 is palpable, but it also puts a rumored zombie game in a tricky position.