As the Muppets’ presence at Disney Parks continues to evolve, the beloved Jim Henson Company characters are marking their 70-year anniversary at the same time as Disneyland. With that in mind Disney Experiences and Muppet Studios collaborated on a special show to fit perfectly along with the celebrations across the Disneyland Resort. io9 was present for the premiere of the Muppets’ special greeting before the first showing of World of Color: Happiness, the nighttime water spectacular at Disney California Adventure. Before the show, representatives and producing teams from Disney Experiences discussed the latest collaboration between Disney and Henson. “Well, there’s a lot of hijinks I can tell you that for sure,” said Susanna Tubert, creative director of Disney Live Entertainment. “But it quickly became apparent to us that the Muppets are actually celebrating their 70th anniversary as well. So when we reached out to our partners at the Muppet Studios and said, ‘Hey, do the Muppets want to play with us? It was also resounding: yes.” Tubert added, “I will share that Miss Piggy had a lot of requests, there were a lot of wardrobe requests. There are a few special outfits that may have been made for her for this. Gonzo got into some hijinks [and] it all kind of went rolling down hill very quickly, but we had a lot of fun.” © io9 Gizmodo The Muppets moment before World of Color presents some classic Muppet Show-style shenanigans, as they’re there to give audiences instructions on how to spectate the show they’re about to watch. All of the iconic characters get in on the action and it makes you wish they’d just run the rest of the show. There’s music and classic gags. Be sure to watch out for Gonzo the Great making a death-defying jump over the water, and of course there’s enough Mayhem to go around with Dr. Teeth and friends. What’s interesting is that World of Color: Happiness heavily features Paul Williams’ iconic Muppets tune “Rainbow Connection” covered by Boys II Men—but the characters themselves don’t appear in the show, which is such a wasted opportunity. Inside Out fans will be happy to know all of Riley’s emotions handle the mix-tape tinged new water show that fits the chaotic tone that takes you on a real rollercoaster of feelings with new and nostalgic Disney musical moments. But we wanted more Muppets! We lost their 3D show in California years ago and Disney World’s version just followed suit. While we look forward to the Muppets coaster on the East Coast, we hope the West Coast isn’t forgotten. The World of Color intro got some good cheers and showed how even projected on water, the Muppets energy cannot be contained. And as they celebrate 70 years of timelessness, that is something we shouldn’t take for granted. World of Color: Happiness with a special message from the Muppets will be projected on scheduled nights during Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary at the Disneyland Resort. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

To mark the 100th anniversary of McVitie's Chocolate Digestives, TBWA has launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign that positions the beloved snack alongside the wheel and the telephone in the canon of history's greatest human achievements. And frankly, they make a pretty compelling case. The campaign, which rolled out across out-of-home, digital, experiential and PR, takes a playful but purposeful approach to celebrating the "Choc Dig" – as the team affectionately call it – as a cultural icon. "The brief was to reassert the 'Choc Dig' as an irreplaceable British icon, using its 100th anniversary to elevate it from a mass brand to a timeless one," says Matt Tassell, Creative at TBWA. "We quickly realised that – despite its humble appearance and familiar reputation – the Choc Dig shares a number of traits with some of humanity's greatest inventions." It's a wry, knowing comparison, but one that's underpinned by genuine admiration for the biscuit's staying power and cultural significance. "The joke is we're not joking," Matt explains. "There's a fun tension at play in the campaign, and the lighthearted tone of voice grounds the reverential visuals." This tension plays out beautifully in the creative. Posters feature a giant Chocolate Digestive hovering above landscapes like some sort of snack-shaped Stonehenge, while a limited-run pop-up – The McVitie's Chocolate Digestives Experience – invited the public to indulge their inner biscuit nerd at London's Piccadilly Lights. "Our iconic poster campaign featured a Choc Dig looming large above all else, so it was only fitting that we ran it on Europe's largest single digital billboard," says Matt. "The fact that the Experience was hosted at the very base of the Lights, in the very epicentre of the nation's capital, tied everything together in celebratory fashion and reinforced the magnitude of the Chocolate Digestive's place in British culture." Of course, anniversaries like this are catnip for nostalgic Brits (myself included), but what elevates this campaign is the level of craft, humour and genuine storytelling across the full ecosystem. As Matt puts it, "We had a genuinely legendary product to play with and a simple, strong creative idea to anchor everything back to." That clarity of vision allowed TBWA to deliver a campaign that feels cohesive across channels while also giving collaborators and media partners a clear framework with which to align. At the heart of that framework is a distinct tone of voice that's affectionate, cheeky and quietly profound. It reminds people why they've loved Chocolate Digestives for so long but also hints at why they might continue to do so for the next hundred years. "We wanted to awaken some of that nostalgia and comfort," says Matt. "And playfully articulate its place in the world we all live in." That articulation went far beyond traditional media into a series of large-scale activations, including DOOH takeovers and landmark projections, which brought the campaign to life in ways that felt both irreverent and ambitious. "Bringing the DOOH and landmark projections to life meant juggling our big idea with even bigger tech," Matt admits. "There was plenty of discussion around timing, permissions, pixel capabilities, and, of course, the weather (how very British). But the payoff was more than worth it." The use of cutting-edge digital media also speaks to the other narrative strand running through the campaign – one of innovation and reinvention. "The great thing about the Chocolate Digestive is that its longevity doesn't define it exclusively," says Matt. "It's always on the front foot, pushing out new NPDs and fresh twists on its iconic blueprint." In other words, it's not just a relic of biscuit history – it's still a living, evolving part of British food culture. That's where this campaign really shines: it doesn't just mark 100 years of something old; it positions McVitie's as a brand that understands how to stay relevant. "Like any good innovator, McVitie's is ever-curious," Matt says. "Constantly developing new products, flavours, and collaborations to win over the next generation of biscuit munchers. It's all about staying as relevant and pivotal to British culture today as it has been for the past century." There's a lot to be said for a campaign that can simultaneously land a punchline, pull off a Piccadilly takeover, and plant the seed for future brand evolution. By treating the Chocolate Digestive with the same reverence (and irreverence) as history's greatest invention, TBWA has made a case for the biscuit as a British icon that continues to delight, surprise, and unite people across generations. I mean, can't most problems be solved with a cup of tea and a biscuit?

The Slate Truck base model starts at $25,000, before possible tax credits. Slate 2025-05-14T16:23:16Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Slate Auto says more than 100,000 people have reserved one of its low-frills electric trucks. The ultra-customizable EVs are expected to start around $25,000, or less than $20,000 with the EV credit, with deliveries in late 2026. By comparison, the Cybertruck launch in 2019 nabbed 250,000 reservations in less than a week. It's looking like the utilitarian Slate EV pickup truck has struck a chord.The Michigan-based Slate Auto, backed by Jeff Bezos, says more than 100,000 people have reserved one of its low-frills electric trucks in the three weeks since it launched.Those numbers aren't bad, especially for a fledgling company with little brand awareness. By comparison, Tesla's blockbuster Cybertruck launch in 2019 nabbed 250,000 reservations in less than a week (five years later, around 50,000 have been delivered, according to a March 20 recall filing), and Rivian reportedly pulled in more than 68,000 reservations in the first 24 hours after announcing the new R2 last year.Slate's ultra-customizable electric trucks are expected to start at $25,000 for models that eschew such niceties as power windows, a radio, and an entertainment system, with possible EV tax credits bringing the final cost to below $20,000. Deliveries are expected to begin in late 2026. Slate Auto's website offers customized options (without specific prices for the add-on features) Slate Auto Slate's more traditional, minimalist truck design, specs, and low price have some calling it the "anti-Cybertruck," and other automakers are also betting that car buyers are looking for something more practical — and affordable — than Tesla's sci-fi-inspired pickup.Look no further than the new (and rather awkwardly named) ID.EVERY1, a $22,500 hatchback from Rivian and VW, which aims to prove that EVs can be both cheap and high-tech. The EV is expected to go on sale in Europe by 2027. The company hasn't said if a US launch is planned."We would like to enable choice for customers, but without such severe compromise in terms of the overall experience," Rivian's Wassym Bensaid told Business Insider.Tesla, meanwhile, is working ahead on "more affordable" models of its cars, which it recently said are on track to be announced in the first half of this year.While Slate's 100,000 reservations indicate healthy interest in the lower-cost pickup, it's important to note that refundable reservations often don't translate 1:1 into sales, and final pricing for Slate's truck has yet to be announced.However, CEO Chris Barman said last month that there are a lot of people out there like her who are nostalgic for a simpler way to haul themselves and their stuff around."My first car was a 1984 Ford Ranger pickup, with a five-speed manual, manual windows, and no air conditioning," Barman said. "It was basic transportation, but I loved the freedom it gave me to go places and do things." Recommended video

Spotify's AI DJ is like if ChatGPT decided to switch careers. The DJ curates a playlist of music based on Premium subscribers' previous play history, including new and old songs in the mix. Of course, the headline feature is the DJ's voice, as the AI bot announces which songs are up next, as well as some information about each. Whether you love or hate AI, it's a pretty harmless feature, and seems fun for those who pay for Spotify.While DJ feels interactive, it really isn't. Aside from skipping songs, it's mostly a passive feature. That's now changing: In a blog post on Tuesday, Spotify announced that you will now be able to make requests to the DJ with your voice. If you're enjoying the personalized playlist, but want to listen to something in particular—whether that be a song, genre, or mood—you can now ask the DJ to play it. In a video on the press release, Spotify demos a user asking, "DJ, morning motivation needed ASAP...give me some dance-pop vibes." The DJ responds in kind: "No problem. Here's some LISA." In another example, the user asks, "play me something with a Y2K vibe to celebrate." DJ decides to run with Tate McRae, "with that nostalgic sound you've had on repeat." Some other request examples Spotify highlighted include:“Surprise me with some indie tracks I’ve never heard before.”“Give me some electronic beats for a midday run.” “Play me some cry-in-the-car songs.”Spotify says that DJ requests are available in English for Premium users in over 60 markets. If you have access to the DJ, you have access to requests. How to make a DJ request on SpotifyFirst, you'll need to subscribe to Spotify Premium and live in an area where the DJ is available. If those two points are met, open Spotify and search for "DJ." Press play to launch the DJ, then press and hold the DJ button in the right-hand corner. (Listen for a beep.) Now, place your request. As usual, if you don't have a specific request but want to hear something else, you can simply skip to the next track, which will likely be something totally different than what was just playing.

‘Out of Africa’ champagne picnic experience during a Masai Mara luxury safari, Kenya. All images © Zed Nelson, courtesy of Guest Editions, shared with permission In His New Book, Photographer Zed Nelson Lifts the Veil on ‘The Anthropocene Illusion’ May 13, 2025 Kate Mothes In the 1985 film Out of Africa starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, a picturesque scene highlights the pair on a romantic picnic high above the sweeping Masai Mara National Reserve. Today, tourists are invited to recreate the iconic moment in a colonial-inspired, hillside champagne picnic experience for which “local Masaai tribesman are employed to provide picturesque authenticity to the experience,” photographer Zed Nelson says. In his new book, The Anthropocene Illusion, Nelson takes us on a global journey that lifts the veil, so to speak, on what we think of as “wilderness” and our progressively uneasy relationship with the environment. “While we destroy the natural world around us, we have become masters of a stage-managed, artificial ‘experience’ of nature—a reassuring spectacle, an illusion,” he says. The Anthropocene defines the ever-evolving, rapid changes to the environment due to humans’ unyielding impact. Many scientists place the epoch’s origin during the Industrial Revolution, but some consider 1945—the year humans tested the atomic bomb—to be the true beginning. Yet others suggest that the Anthropocene was initiated even earlier, during the advent of agriculture. At that point, we entered into an increasingly uneasy relationship with the natural world, relying on ever-more extractive processes, heavy manufacturing, plastics, and advancing technology—all of which depend on the earth’s resources. Our societies’ colonialist tendencies also apply to nature just as much as other human-occupied territories. We’re depleting entire aquifurs, forever altering the composition of the land, and irretrievably damaging delicate ecosystems. All the while, Nelson shows, we subscribe to a nostalgic view of untamed wilderness while at the same time expecting it to mold to our lifestyles. In Kenyan national parks like Masai Mara, wildlife is provided sanctuary, “but the animals living within them are allowed to survive essentially for human entertainment and reassurance,” Nelson says. “These animals become, in effect, performers for paying tourists eager to see a nostalgic picture book image of the natural world.” Snow cannon producing artificial snow at Val Gardena ski resort, Dolomites, Italy Nelson’s illuminating series taps into the absurdities of the illusion that nature is still thriving as it once was. Artificial snow shot from a cannon in the Italian Dolomites, for example, nods to warmer winters. A result of the climate crisis, leading to little snow, the powder is manufactured so holidaymakers can ski. From vine-draped brutalist buildings to overcrowded national park lookouts to half-tame lions walked out like entertainers during a safari, he shares moments that feel skewed and incongruous, indicating looming and ultimately inescapable problems behind the veneer. The Anthropocene Illusion series took first place in the professional category of the 2025 Sony World Photography Awards, and the book, which comes out this month, is available for pre-order in the Guest Editions shop. Ten percent of profits will be donated to Friends of the Earth, an environmental justice nonprofit. See more on Nelson’s Instagram. ‘Walk with Lions’ tourist experience, South Africa Next article

The virtual pet Tamagotchi is kept alive by feeding it right and clearing its droppings, but the game has lost its luster. The egg-shaped tiny computer game that had the world in a frenzy once is rekindled from the ruins, in a bolder, bigger, and humanized format, by a YouTuber, and we are amazed at the detail and finesse Terence Grover has managed in his version of the Tamagotchi. Comprising 3D components and Raspberry Pi as the brain, Grover’s Tamagotchi is a representation of real life. The entire creation is based on the classic Tamagotchi game, but it is tied closely to Abraham Maslow’s pyramid of hierarchy of needs, building up from physiological needs to safety, love and belonging, to esteem and self-actualization at the top. The game is simple: keep the virtual pet alive, catering to all possible human needs. You miss one, and the Tamagotchi is no more! Designer: Terence Grover According to Grover, the idea of the real-life simulating Tamagotchi was born from the intention to “build a parody of life simulator games,” which would combine pixel art, game design, electronics, and humor. The result is this fun game, that gets serious as you take the Tamagotchi through all the life’s hardships – Job, Debt, etc, Grover says – to earn money that you need to feed and keep the little creature alive. So instead of the cute creature and the simple feeding game, you are here negotiating the “cynical arc of human life,” going through all the levels of Maslow’s pyramid to increase your pet’s life expectancy. The entire building and rebuilding process is detailed in an interestingly edited YouTube video, which is getting one prominent reaction: Why so few views? The video that has amassed a little above 2.5k views in five days (at the time of writing) is filled with comments such as, “I don’t understand why it’s not viral. He literally did everything right.” Another commenter writes, “Great video, the storytelling is spot on. The amount of work you put into this video is crazy.” Grover has gone a tad fast with his voice over, which hasn’t gone down too well with some viewers, suggesting he go a little slower, “You have all the right content, but you are talking so fast that I have no idea what is actually going on.” Back to the real-life simulating Tamagotchi. Based on a random set of events and scenarios, it has a Raspberry Pi computer connected to a physical RGB LED matrix. It is controlled by three tactile buttons, like on the classic game device. It features a series of unlockable minigames based on “education, job, housing, socializing, hobby, rest, food” that you must toggle to keep the animated pet alive, whose life may be influenced by the choices you make. Find the logic interesting, you can head over to Grover’s Github to download. The post Real-life simulating Tamagotchi is nostalgic, challenging, and really fun first appeared on Yanko Design.