Instagram 90 Minute Videos Microsoft Buyouts Dollar General Lawsuit OLED iPad Mini Ballon dOr Crofam Video
Instagram Tests 90-Minute Videos, Microsoft Offers Buyouts, and Apple Unveils OLED iPad Mini
📱 Instagram is testing horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes through a format called Features. The limited test could support full-length podcasts, interviews, and comedy performances, with shorter clips helping viewers discover longer programs. A complete public rollout schedule has not been announced.
💼 Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to approximately 60,000 eligible employees in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and India. The program comes as the company reshapes its operations while investing heavily in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure. The eligibility figure does not represent confirmed departures or compulsory job cuts.
🛒 The Federal Trade Commission and 20 states have sued Dollar General over alleged pricing discrepancies. The complaint accuses the retailer of charging customers more at checkout than prices displayed on shelves and in advertisements, despite knowing about the problem. These remain allegations in an unresolved lawsuit.
🍎 Apple has unveiled an updated iPad mini featuring an 8.5-inch OLED display and an A20 Pro processor. The thinner and lighter tablet adds water and dust resistance, faster connectivity, and fast-charge support. A 12-megapixel Center Stage camera positioned along the landscape edge improves its setup for horizontal video calls.
📡 Verizon raised its annual outlook after adding 406,000 net postpaid phone customers during the third quarter, its strongest performance for that period in five years. The company also announced an agreement worth more than $2 billion with Amazon Web Services. The deal involves fiber infrastructure supporting connections for artificial intelligence workloads.
✈️ JetBlue reported that stronger demand and fares helped it recover approximately 87% of its increased fuel costs during the third quarter. Revenue per available seat mile rose 18.4%, while the airline highlighted expansion in Fort Lauderdale. JetBlue remains under financial pressure but expects its fourth-quarter operating margin to improve compared with a year earlier.
🏴☠️ Ubisoft has detailed Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s October 27 update. Nightmare Mode introduces harder-hitting enemies, tighter parry timing, faster stealth detection, and more dangerous naval encounters. The update also expands New Game Plus with additional rewards and a currency tied to repeat playthroughs.
🦸 New gameplay details offer a closer look at Marvel Cosmic Invasion: The Siege of Castle Doom ahead of its November 10 release. The expansion takes players into Doctor Doom’s stronghold and introduces a new mode alongside playable Doctor Doom and Susan Storm. It builds on the original game’s cooperative, arcade-style action.
🎮 Voting has opened for the Golden Joystick Awards’ Ultimate Game of the Year and runs through October 30. The twelve-game shortlist includes Resident Evil Requiem, 007 First Light, Forza Horizon 6, and Pokémon Pokopia. Winners will be announced at the November ceremony.
📖 Dictionary.com has selected “maxxing” as its 2026 Word of the Year. The term describes pursuing an activity to the fullest or optimizing an aspect of life, often appearing in combinations related to appearance, sleep, or food. Its selection reflects how online language and self-improvement trends have entered everyday conversation.
⚽ Harry Kane and Alexia Putellas received the leading individual honors at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London. Kane won his first men’s award ahead of Kylian Mbappé, becoming the first English winner in 25 years. Putellas claimed the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time.
🏀 The WNBA has confirmed that Finals Game Six between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will take place at State Farm Arena on October 29 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, or 11:30 a.m. Central. The afternoon arrangement accommodates an Atlanta Hawks game at the same venue that evening. Fans should check the revised start time when planning to attend or watch.
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