Throughout the One Piece franchise, few events have the same importance for the overall story as God Valley. Although this island has been kept a secret from most people for years, the events connected to its disappearance 38 years ago have reverberated throughout the world and are still being felt today, primarily because God Valley involved some of the most important and powerful characters in the history of the setting.

GTA Online is famous for its dynamic world and limited-time events that keep players engaged all year. The Yuanbao Collectibles event is the most recent limited-time event that the developers have continued adding to even as the renowned franchise nears its conclusion.

On Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. PST, The Expanse is reportedly scheduled to leave Prime Video not all of it, mind you. Just the first three seasons; those are the ones that aired on Syfy, before the show was rescued from cancellation by Prime. So while seasons 4-6 will stay on Prime Video, the beginning of the show will be gone.This isnt a sure thing. And there have been times in the past where streaming channels have totally reversed a shows removal even when it seemed set in stone. The world of streaming library rights is bizarre and byzantine, and its a strange and confusing place to be in with a beloved show like The Expanse, particularly when it leaves half a show in its wake. It wouldnt be alone, but that doesnt make it easier to take. Its just another reminder how helpless it can feel amid the carousel of content.The truth is, for as much as they can feel interchangeable with archives, streaming libraries arent anything like that. It makes sense when shows that get rebooted or rescued by streamers go to live there forever (or the streaming timeline equivalent of it) Gilmore Girls is still fully on Netflix after its revival, and Leverage is on Prime Video with ads after Redemption started up a few years ago. But even when it feels like the rights line up just as youd expect, the capitalism of it all makes it slippery. Just like the old Hollywood practices they stem from, these shows are part of a business, an intersection of culture and commerce that pulls back the constant tension between those two sides. And at the end of the day, streaming services dont owe us access, even when theyre the home of those shows.So much of modern life is about chasing preservation in some way what does or doesnt get saved by the apps we use; what moments we can remember forever; what favorites we can maintain, for whenever the mood strikes. Its no surprise theres a similar sentiment among media: For every silent classic or TV icon saved from being forgotten, theres a million more whose film was corrupted, or whose records got taped over, or that just never made it to DVD. There was a time when The Expanse was a darling saved by the goodwill of Jeff Bezos himself. Now its just another show that might hop between sites as rights agreements lapse and renew.All were really left with is accepting that in and of itself can be a beautiful thing not the part where its bandied about and you never know if someday will be the day you click over and its gone, but the fact that it existed at all. The Expanse is a delightful sci-fi epic, marrying intergalactic political intrigue with grounded characters stepping up in the void of the cosmos. As it goes on it keeps layering in more world, and more complication. You might think Jared Harris accent is weird and off-kilter it is! Just in a very specific the Belter creole developed from very specific Earth dialects kind of way. The cast is great, tackling physical and verbal power struggles with equal aplomb. And for my money, Wes Chathams Amos is an all-timer muscle character.Theres no wrong time to watch The Expanse, a show that rather elegantly metes out complicated book lore (and drastically improves its source materials start by both immediately introducing more conflict among the Rocinante crew and giving us Shohreh Aghdashloos spectacular Avasarala right away). Whether its leaving next month, next year, or next century, theres no time like the present to wade into the thoughtful science fiction of its world and ponder how we, too, can step up in the face of bureaucracy and say no to the easy answer in favor of doing the harder thing (in this case: ignoring a weird but promising alien fungus). After all, you dont know what youve got until its gone.All six seasons of The Expanse are streaming (for now!) on Prime Video. The first three may be removed Feb. 6.

Nvidias GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards are now available at select brick-and-mortar and online retailers. If youre lucky enough to snatch one of Nvidias powerful, yet surprisingly compact GPUs before other eager PC gamers, youll get to try out the new Multi Frame Generation feature in DLSS 4 thats exclusive to 50-series GPUs. To put it simply, it uses AI to improvise extra frames (three AI-created frames for every one frame rendered), allowing games to run at even faster frame rates and higher resolutions than theyd be capable of through traditional rendering techniques.If youre interested in buying an Nvidia RTX 50-series GPU online, Best Buy and Nvidia are the only places where youll be able to get the sleek Founders Edition versions, and weve got you covered with links below where you can find them. (Just as a heads-up, the RTX 5070 is coming out sometime in February.) Weve also included a handful of GPUs from OEMs at both Best Buy and Newegg. Hoping to snag one in person at Micro Center? The retailer says every one of its stores will have RTX 50-series cards at launch on Jan. 30 at 9 a.m. local time, though it will be offering vouchers on a first-come, first-served basis to customers who arrive to buy one. Judging from the lines that have been forming outside of stores since earlier this week, you might be too late.Looking for a new desktop that contains an RTX 5080 or 5090? A couple of CyberPowerPCs pre-built machines have shown up on Adoramas site.

I recently wrote for Smashing Magazine about how UX leaders face increasing pressure to deliver more with limited resources. Let me show you how a digital playbook can help meet this challenge by enhancing our works visibility while boosting efficiency.While a design system ensures visual coherence, a digital playbook lays out the strategic and operational framework for how digital projects should be executed and managed. Heres why a digital playbook deserves a place in your organizations toolbox and what it should include to drive meaningful impact.What Is A Digital Playbook?A digital playbook is essentially your organizations handbook for navigating the complexities of digital work. As a user experience consultant, I often help organizations create tools like this to streamline their processes and improve outcomes. Its a collection of strategies, principles, and processes that provide clarity on how to handle everything from website creation to content management and beyond. Think of it as a how-to guide for all things digital.Unlike rigid rulebooks that feel constraining, youll find that a playbook evolves with your organizations unique culture and challenges. You can use it to help stakeholders learn, standardize your work, and help everybody be more effective. Let me show you how a playbook can transform the way your team works.Why You Need A Digital PlaybookHave you ever faced challenges like these?Stakeholders with conflicting expectations of what the digital team should deliver.Endless debates over project priorities and workflows that stall progress.A patchwork of tools and inconsistent policies that create confusion.Uncertainty about best practices, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.Let me show you how a playbook can help you and your team in four key ways:It helps you educate your stakeholders by making digital processes transparent and building trust. Ive found that when you explain best practices clearly, everyone gets on the same page quickly.Youll streamline your processes with clear, standardized workflows. This means less confusion and faster progress on your projects.Your digital team gains more credibility as you step into a leadership role. Youll be able to show your real value to the organization.Best of all, youll reduce friction in your daily work. When everyone understands the policies, youll face fewer misunderstandings and conflicts.A digital playbook isnt just a tool; its a way to transform challenges into opportunities for greater impact.But, no doubt you are wondering, what exactly goes into a digital playbook?Key Components Of A Digital PlaybookEvery digital playbook is unique, but if youve ever wondered where to start, here are some key areas to consider. Lets walk through them together.Engaging With The Digital TeamHave you ever had people come to you too late in the process or approach you with solutions rather than explaining the underlying problems? A playbook can help mitigate these issues by providing clear guidance on:How to request a new website or content update at the right time;What information you require to do your job;What stakeholders need to consider before requesting your help.By addressing these common challenges, youre not just reducing your frustrations youre educating stakeholders and encouraging better collaboration.Digital Project LifecycleMost digital projects can feel overwhelming without a clear structure, especially for stakeholders who may not understand the intricacies of the process. Thats why its essential to communicate the key phases clearly to those requesting your teams help. For example:Discovery: Explain how your team will research goals, user needs, and requirements to ensure the project starts on solid ground.Prototyping: Highlight the importance of testing initial concepts to validate ideas before full development.Build: Detail the process of developing the final product and incorporating feedback.Launch: Set clear expectations for rolling out the project with a structured plan.Management: Clarify how the team will optimize and maintain the product over time.Retirement: Help stakeholders understand when and how to phase out outdated tools or content effectively.Ive structured the lifecycle this way to help stakeholders understand what to expect. When they know whats happening at each stage, it builds trust and helps the working relationship. Stakeholders will see exactly what role you play and how your team adds value throughout the process.Publishing Best PracticesWriting for the web isnt the same as traditional writing, and its critical for your team to help stakeholders understand the differences. Your playbook can include practical advice to guide them, such as:Planning and organizing content to align with user needs and business goals.Crafting content thats user-friendly, SEO-optimized, and designed for clarity.Maintaining accessible and high-quality standards to ensure inclusivity.By providing this guidance, you empower stakeholders to create content thats not only effective but also reflects your teams standards.Understanding Your UsersHelping stakeholders understand your audience is essential for creating user-centered experiences. Your digital playbook can support this by including:Detailed user personas that highlight specific needs and behaviors.Recommendations for tools and methods to gather and analyze user data.Practical tips for ensuring digital experiences are inclusive and accessible to all.By sharing this knowledge, your team helps stakeholders make decisions that prioritize users, ultimately leading to more successful outcomes.Recommended ResourcesStakeholders often are unaware of the wealth of resources that can help them improve their digital deliverables. Your playbook can help by recommending trusted solutions, such as:Tools that enable stakeholders to carry out their own user research and testing.Analytics tools that allow stakeholders to track the performance of their websites.A list of preferred suppliers in case stakeholders need to bring in external experts.These recommendations ensure stakeholders are equipped with reliable resources that align with your teams processes.Policies And GovernanceUncertainty about organizational policies can lead to confusion and missteps. Your playbook should provide clarity by outlining:Accessibility and inclusivity standards to ensure compliance and user satisfaction.Data privacy and security protocols to safeguard user information.Clear processes for prioritizing and governing projects to maintain focus and consistency.By setting these expectations, your team establishes a foundation of trust and accountability that stakeholders can rely on.Of course, you can have the best digital playbook in the world, but if people dont reference it, then it is a wasted opportunity.Making Your Digital Playbook StickIt falls to you and your team to ensure as many stakeholders as possible engage with your playbook. Try the following:Make It Easy to FindHow often do stakeholders struggle to find important resources? Avoid hosting the playbook in a forgotten corner of your intranet. Instead, place it front and center on a well-maintained, user-friendly site thats accessible to everyone.Keep It EngagingLets face it nobody wants to sift through walls of text. Use visuals like infographics, short explainer videos, and clear headings to make your playbook not only digestible but also enjoyable to use. Think of it as creating a resource your stakeholders will actually want to refer back to.Frame It as a ResourceA common pitfall is presenting the playbook as a rigid set of rules. Instead, position it as a helpful guide designed to make everyones work easier. Highlight how it can simplify workflows, improve outcomes, and solve real-world problems your stakeholders face daily.Share at Relevant MomentsDont wait for stakeholders to find the playbook themselves. Instead, proactively share relevant sections when theyre most needed. For example, send the discovery phase documentation when starting a new project or share content guidelines when someone is preparing to write for the website. This just-in-time approach ensures the playbooks guidance is applied when it matters most.Start Small, Then ScaleCreating a digital playbook might sound like a daunting task, but it doesnt have to be. Begin with a few core sections and expand over time. Assign ownership to a specific team or individual to ensure it remains updated and relevant.In the end, a digital playbook is an investment. It saves time, reduces conflicts, and elevates your organizations digital maturity.Just as a design system is critical for visual harmony, a digital playbook is essential for operational excellence.Further Reading On SmashingMagDesign Patterns Are A Better Way To Collaborate On Your Design System, Ben ClemensDesign Systems: Useful Examples and Resources, Cosima MielkeBuilding Components For Consumption, Not Complexity (Part 1), Luis OuriachTaking The Stress Out Of Design System Management, Masha Shaposhnikova

A scene unfolds within AvroKOs newest venture, HOST on Howard, in a dimly lit corner of New York Citys SoHo where a service trolley catches the soft glow of a pendant light. Far more than a design showroom, HOST embodies the cadence of shared moments, with every artifact serving as a chapter in the larger narrative of collective experience. The space itself, with its rich moss and hunter green walls framed by grand arches, evokes the exhibitions inaugural theme of The Paradisa a contemporary interpretation of the Edenic garden.HOST is our celebration of hospitality as a ritual for both gathering and belonging, says Kristina ONeal, Founding Partner and Principal of AvroKO. As part of our daily business we are constantly creating objects that bring people together and enhance our shared experiences warm lighting that makes everyone at the table softly glow, height adjustable tables that work for cocktail or dining height depending on the time of day, or moveable screens that can be molded to illuminate a corner or better create privacy.The collections centerpiece, a series of five service trolleys displayed on jewel-toned platforms, represents a winding evolution in hospitality furniture. These pieces bridge the gap between functional service equipment and sculptural art objects, challenging traditional categories of design classification. These pieces embody a significant shift in contemporary design as service tools transcend their utilitarian origins to become objects of desire and contemplation.A horseshoe-shaped bar serves as both showcase and functional gathering space. This is not just a display piece, but a working laboratory for the firms philosophy of hospitality, complete with top-of-the-line equipment and seating for ten. The bar embodies what Partner William Harris describes as their two-decade quest, to be inventive in the creation of these tools for gathering and find new ways to make people feel comfortable, delighted, and considered.For more on HOST on Howard, visit hostonhoward.com, and for more on AvroKO, visit avroko.com.Photography by Joe Kramm.

It should be as easy to cancel a service as it is to subscribe to it, and at long last, it's about to be. For anyone who's ever found themselves trapped in an endless maze of customer service calls trying to cancel a subscriptionespecially when the company doesn't want you torelief is finally on the way. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has introduced a new rule that will require companies to make canceling subscriptions as simple as signing up for them. Here's what you need to know.The "Click to Cancel" ruleUnder the new FTC regulation, if you can sign up for a service online with a single click, companies must provide an equally straightforward cancellation process. No more lengthy phone calls, buried cancellation links, or complicated multi-step procedures. This consumer-friendly rule aims to eliminate what's known as "dark patterns," aka deceptive design practices that make it unnecessarily difficult to cancel subscriptions.What this means for youWhen the rule fully takes effect later this year on March 31, subscribers will have the right to:Cancel their subscriptions through the same method they used to sign upAccess a simple cancellation mechanism that's easy to find and useAvoid mandatory conversations with retention specialistsReceive clear confirmation when their subscription has been canceledWhile waiting for the new rule to be enforced, let's take a look at some strategies for managing and canceling unwanted subscriptions.Manage your subscriptions nowStart by reviewing your credit card and bank statements to identify all active subscriptions. You may be surprised to discover you're paying for services you rarely or never use. Create a spreadsheet or use a subscription tracking app to maintain an overview of your recurring payments. Here's our round-up of the best subscription managers for canceling services you arent actually using anymore.For immediate action, try these methods:Check your account settings on the service's website for cancellation optionsSearch for "[Company Name] + cancel subscription" to find direct linksUse the company's mobile app, which sometimes offers easier cancellation processesEmail customer service with a clear, direct cancellation requestDocument all cancellation attempts, including screenshots and email correspondenceAdditionally, your bank or credit card company can be a powerful ally. Use your card issuer's subscription management tools, or contact your bank to stop automatic payments. Going forward, consider using virtual credit card numbers for new subscriptions, which allow you to control payment permissions.The bottom lineThe FTC's new rule is a major relief. While companies adjust to comply with these regulations, staying vigilant about your subscriptions and knowing your rights as a consumer remains essential. The days of frustrating cancellation experiences may be numbered, but until then, being proactive about managing your subscriptions is your best defense against unwanted charges.Protect yourself going forward by reading cancellation terms while signing up for new subscriptions, setting calendar reminders before free trials end, and keeping records of all cancellation confirmations. Remember that the most effective approach to subscription management is prevention: Before signing up for any new service, make sure you understand not just how to start it, but how to end it as well.

I don't like how scrolling makes me feel these days. Every headline, meme, and take I scroll past leaves me feeling worse about the world. It isn't entirely unwarrantedthere's a lot of bad happeningbut marinating in that feeling doesn't help.Scrolling isn't always detrimental, of course. It can be relaxing, for one thing, and it can be a way to keep up with what's happening with your friends. But I think we all know there are diminishing returns when it comes to scrollingthe overall quality goes down the longer you keep going. And that's why reading is possibly more important now than its ever been: There aren't diminishing returns. Scrolling is briefly thinking about lots of things; reading is taking the time to think about one thing.That's why I'm trying to do more reading and less scrolling. Seeing hundreds of memes about the latest dumb thing that one billionaire said doesn't help me reach any of my goals. Taking the time to get context on the issues I care aboutand thinking deeply about themmight. So I've been taking active steps to nudge myself toward scrolling less and reading more. I hope these tips will help you achieve the same. Hide (or uninstall) social media appsAre there social media icons on your phone's home screen? The simplest thing you can do in order to scroll less is to get those icons off of there. You can do this by removing the icons from the home screen or by uninstalling the application entirely. Either way, the process is easy: tap and hold on the icon. Both Android and iOS will give you the option to either remove the application from your home screen or delete it.I, personally, tend to just remove the apps from my home screen. This reduces the number of times I turn on my phone and reflexively open an app to scroll in, but leaves the applications available when I actively want them.That might not be enough for you, though. You might find yourself going out of your way to scroll even if it means pulling up the app outside the home screen, or sucked in when there's a notification. If that's you, I recommend just uninstalling the application entirely, if only while you're trying to create the habit of scrolling less. It will cut off the problem entirely.Put books on your phoneGetting books onto your phone isn't hard. There are the big apps, including Kindle and Kobo, if you want to purchase current titles. (Apple has its own proprietary "Books" app as well.) You can access millions of books in the public domain with a little bit of searching. And there's also a good chance your local library offers free e-books: Libby is a common app for this.Set up one or multiple of these applications and put them right on the home screen of your phone. Ideally, you'll put the icon right where the social application you used to open constantly lives. The idea is to trick yourself into opening books. This isn't magicyou're going to need to force yourself to actually read. Over time, though, the habit may begin to form.Another thing to consider: audiobooks. Some people can't get into reading no matter how hard they try. Others can't find the time. In either case, I think audiobooks can be a great alternative. Listening to a book while driving, cleaning the house, or just hanging out at home is a great way to take in and reflect on books. Some people get elitist about thisignore them. Listening to books is great. Most local libraries offer audiobooks, whether in the Libby app or as physical CDs. Otherwise, there are services like Audible and even Spotify to get your audiobook fix.Make reading articles easy for yourselfIf you don't want to read entire books on your phone (I personally don't), you'll likely find its the perfect device for reading articles, and there are plenty of ways to do that without the need to scroll.I like having read-it-later apps on my phone's home screen. These let you save articles you find on the web for future reading. I tend to clip articles during my work day, when I shouldn't be reading, and come back to them in the evening. I personally use FlyLeaf, which is a great option for Apple users, but Instapaper is also a very good tool for the job.But it's also a good idea to have a few publications that you browse regularly. There are all kinds of ways to do this. The simplest is to bookmark the homepages of a few of your favorite websites and blogs so that they show up every time you open your browser. The more techie solution is to find an RSS reader, which shows you the headlines from as many websites as you like. That way, you can keep up with everything in one place.Or, you could look into apps that let you read entire print publications. I recently discovered Press Reader, which offers full versions of magazines and newspapers. It's offered for free by some libraries and lets you read the entire print version of all sorts of publications. Odds are your local library has something similar, or you could physically go there and read the magazine they have on the shelf. (I love doing this.)Mange your notificationsNothing disrupts reading faster than being pulled into something else. If you're actually going to read, take advantage of your phone's Do Not Disturb (DND) functionality. We've talked a bit about how to customize your Android notifications and your iOS notifications, so dig into those articles for more details. But the gist is you don't want notifications popping up when you're trying to read. You can turn DND modes on or off manually, if you want, but can also schedule them. For example, if you read before bed, you could set up your phone to never buzz during your usual nighttime routine.You can get fancy about this: Newer Apple devices can use AI to filter out all but the most important notifications. I've tried this feature and so far it's a great way to unplug without missing the important stuff.Swap out your phone for something elseI've been talking about phones a lot in this article because that's where the bulk of scrolling happens. If you really want to read more, though, it's probably a good idea to do it on something other than your phone. E-ink devices work, but so do paper books and magazines. It's literally impossible to scroll Reddit on a book.Depending on how your brain works, though, a new gadget might help. My colleague Joel Cunningham wrote about how the Boox Portable helped him stop doomscrolling, and I can can understand why. This is basically an e-ink Android device, roughly the size of a phone. If you want something bigger, you can look into an e-ink tablet. These are great for both reading and jotting down ideas. I personally use a Remarkable for reading papers and researching articles. Getting away from my colorful and animated computing devices for a bit is helpful. There are all kinds of e-ink devices out there that can give you the best of both paper and electronics. Look into themthey might be what you need to trick your brain into reading more.

If there are two things Netflix has been pushing over the last couple years its live sports and games. A large part of this initiative has come through its partnership with WWE to stream live shows. But, starting fall 2025, Netflix subscribers will also be getting exclusive access to WWE 2K video games on mobile.The WWE 2K series first launched 25 years ago and has remained extremely popular. Now, the organization is leaning further into its partnership with Netflix to give the streamer unique access.This announcement comes shortly after Monday Night Raw, WWE's flagship show, began weekly live streams on Netflix in the US, UK, Latin America, Canada and more. It's the first time in over 30 years that the show hasn't aired on a linear TV network. Netflix is reportedly paying WWE $5 billion over 10 years for the ability to air Monday Night Raw and other WWE programs.WWE 2K will join over 100 games currently available in Netflix's library. It also won't require ads or in-app purchases. Subscribers can also check out some of the best games on Netflix include Kentucky Route Zero, Triviaverse and Before Your Eyes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-is-the-exclusive-home-of-wwes-2k-fighting-game-on-mobile-140059055.html?src=rss

GrubHub is partnering with Avride, an autonomous robot delivery company, to expand its offerings on college campuses. The pair have launched 100 robots on The Ohio State University's campus, but have plans to expand further.Our robots have already proven their value in campus environments, delivering convenience and delight to students, said Dmitry Polishchuk, CEO of Avride, in a release. Were thrilled to be working with Grubhub to scale this success and expect to see hundreds of our robots serving campuses already in 2025.Avride launched a new model last October, notably ditching its six wheels for a more efficient four. The robots can hold a decent amount of food, such as an assortment of pizza and drinks, the company states. They also have customizable LED panels that offer animated designs, such as the college's colors. The robots can also make 180-degree turns instantly, thanks to a new mechanical connection between each side's wheel pairs. Plus, they can move faster than their predecessor and can park on inclines.This partnership adds to GrubHub's existing robot delivery presence on campuses. Since 2021, the company claims it has delivered hundreds of thousands of orders using robots on dozens of schools. That year, it partnered with Russian tech company Yandex which used to house what is now Avride in its autonomous driving wing. However, that bit of the company spun-off as its own entity, divested its Russian assets following the country's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 and rebranded as Avride.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/grubhub-is-bringing-new-delivery-robots-to-college-campuses-140028029.html?src=rss