Fuel prices surged after the Trump administration launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, immediately raising questions about whether the war would increase energy costs for Americans, put more pressure on power grids, and push companies to pump out more oil and gas in the US. If conflict drags on, that could potentially play into Donald […]
**TikTok Experiences Service Interruptions Due to Oracle Outage**
TikTok users across the United States are presently encountering service interruptions resulting from a notable outage at Oracle’s data facility. This represents the second significant service disruption for TikTok since the creation of its Oracle-supported joint venture, TikTok USDS, which assumed control of the platform’s U.S. operations in January 2026.
As per a message from the TikTok USDS Joint Venture account on X, the outage is impacting various elements of the user experience, especially for content creators who are dealing with delays and lags during posting. The announcement reassured users that Oracle is actively engaged in resolving the situation and thanked them for their understanding.
Oracle’s Cloud Infrastructure System Status page verified that the outage commenced around 8:24 a.m. ET at its US East data center situated in Ashburn, Virginia. The page has since issued multiple updates, indicating that Oracle engineers are investigating the issue and taking measures to enhance network stability.
This event follows a prior service interruption that took place just a month ago, raising worries about the dependability of the infrastructure backing TikTok’s operations in the U.S. Users have expressed their frustrations loudly, as the platform has turned into an essential arena for content sharing and interaction.
As the situation unfolds, Oracle has affirmed that it is working diligently to reinstate normal service operations. Updates will be shared as more details emerge concerning the resolution of the outage.
In the interim, TikTok users are advised to remain patient as the technical teams work to resolve the ongoing challenges.
The company says the new model will reduce the “cringe” that’s been annoying its users for months.
**The Iconic Keanu Reeves Film That Competes with ‘The Matrix’ and ‘John Wick’ is Available on Hulu**
From science fiction masterpieces such as “The Matrix” to the high-stakes “John Wick,” Keanu Reeves has crafted a career marked by monumental films in cinematic history. However, five years prior to his portrayal as Neo, Reeves was already leading genre-defining action movies. The 1994 film “Speed” garnered over 20 esteemed accolades, including the Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film, along with Academy Awards for Best Sound and Best Effects. You can explore the beginnings of Keanu Reeves’ ascent as an action hero; “Speed” is currently available for streaming on Hulu.
Within a film repertoire adorned by timeless classics, “Speed” ranks as the second-highest-rated film featuring Keanu Reeves. It boasts a critic score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, trailing only 2019’s “Toy Story 4,” wherein Reeves lent his voice to the character Duke Caboom. The top-rated “John Wick” installment, “John Wick: Chapter 4,” holds a score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Viewers are somewhat more discerning regarding “Speed,” giving it an aggregated audience rating of 77%. Nevertheless, there is no denying that the 90’s car-chase classic stands up to the finest “gun-fu” films that have established Keanu Reeves’ enduring appeal.
**Fast-paced action that continues to thrill**
When Los Angeles police officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) thwarts the schemes of a bomb specialist turned extortionist, the furious criminal devises a plot for vengeance against Traven. He equips a city bus with a bomb designed to detonate if the bus falls below a speed of 50 miles per hour. The outcome is an action film that incessantly maintains its pace. Jack Traven must handle negotiations with a terrorist, diffuse tension on a bus filled with passengers in peril, and navigate barriers that could cause the bus to dip beneath the speed limit.
Keanu Reeves received a nomination for Best Male Performance from the MTV Movie Awards for his portrayal of Jack Traven in “Speed.” It marked an encouraging beginning for a career that would lead to numerous awards and nominations for “The Matrix” and “John Wick,” among other notable films. For its part, “Speed” epitomizes the 90’s action genre, complete with all the excitement, charisma, and nostalgia that it brings. It’s streaming now on Hulu alongside a collection of other essential films like Freya Allan’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”
Kelley Blue Book (KBB) indicates that the starting MSRP for the 2021 Tesla Model X was $81,190, and its current value is approximately $36,200, reflecting a decline of about 55% over a span of five years.
In spite of the significant price reductions the brand has implemented in recent years to stay competitive within a saturated market, the Model X has surprisingly avoided more severe depreciation, unlike the 60% decline over five years observed with the 2021 Tesla Model Y. When manufacturers update their models, resale prices can take a hit, and Tesla vehicles overall have been particularly affected by such changes. Additional elements such as ongoing price reductions on new models, a substantial influx of vehicles into the used market, and waning interest linked to “Musk fatigue” can further influence Tesla’s resale values.
These challenges can be felt more acutely in the premium segment, where the depreciation of luxury EVs has become prominent as advancements in technology and shifting MSRPs alter consumer expectations. This situation can result in diminished resale values for older EVs, making it significant that the 2021 Model X has retained a relatively substantial portion of its initial worth.
**8 Gaming Consoles That Defined The ’80s**
The 1980s represented a crucial decade for the gaming sector, characterized by both obstacles and achievements. This period witnessed the emergence of legendary gaming consoles that made a significant impression on the industry. Here are eight gaming consoles that defined the ’80s:
1. **Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)**
– Debuting in 1985, the NES rejuvenated the gaming sector post the 1983 crash. Nintendo’s approach of presenting it as an “Entertainment System” rather than merely a gaming console, coupled with top-tier games like “Super Mario Bros” and “The Legend of Zelda,” enabled it to surpass 60 million unit sales.
2. **Sega Master System**
– Introduced as an alternative to the NES, the Sega Master System featured superior hardware with a 3.58 MHz CPU and 16KB of VRAM. Even with quality titles such as “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Phantasy Star,” it fell short of the NES’s triumph, achieving sales of around 20 million units.
3. **Atari 2600**
– First launched in 1977, the Atari 2600 became emblematic of the initial days of home gaming. It included classics like “Asteroids” and “Space Invaders.” However, due to insufficient quality oversight, it suffered from the notorious 1983 crash, from which the console was unable to recover.
4. **Intellivision**
– Launched by Mattel in 1979, the Intellivision was pioneering for its era with a 16-bit microprocessor and an innovative controller. Regardless of its offering of groundbreaking games, it could not withstand the 1983 crash, resulting in the shutdown of Mattel’s gaming branch.
5. **Magnavox Odyssey 2**
– Following the original Odyssey, the Odyssey 2 was released in 1978 with enhanced specifications and a color palette. It provided hybrid board games like “The Quest for the Rings,” but managed to sell only about 2 million units, eclipsed by the Atari 2600.
6. **Game & Watch**
– Nintendo’s inaugural move into gaming, the Game & Watch series, commenced in 1980. These portable devices merged a clock with a game, achieving sales of 43 million units and setting the stage for Nintendo’s forthcoming successes.
7. **ColecoVision**
– Released in 1982, the ColecoVision showcased advanced graphics and a robust game library, including “Donkey Kong.” Yet, the 1983 crash and Coleco’s financial difficulties resulted in its discontinuation in 1985.
8. **TurboGrafx-16**
– Known as the PC Engine in Japan, the TurboGrafx-16 was a leader in that market but faced challenges in the U.S. due to its late launch and rivalry from the Sega Genesis. It was the inaugural console to utilize a CD-ROM, presenting games like “Splatterhouse” and “Bomberman.”
These consoles not only influenced the gaming environment of the ’80s but also established the foundation for future advancements in the industry.
**Vibe Coding Transitions to Voice Coding with Anthropic’s Claude Code Feature**
Anthropic has recently unveiled a new voice mode feature for its Claude Code platform, signifying a major transformation in user interaction with coding tools. This cutting-edge feature enables users to communicate with the coding environment via voice commands, improving both accessibility and efficiency.
**Voice Mode Activation**
Claude Code’s voice mode is crafted for ease of use. To turn it on, users just need to hold the space bar to articulate their commands and let go to submit the input. This hands-free method is anticipated to simplify the coding workflow, fostering a more intuitive engagement with the software.
**Gradual Rollout and Accessibility**
Currently, the voice mode is being gradually introduced to about 5% of users, with intentions to widen access in the upcoming weeks. This feature will be made available to various subscription levels, including Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise. Users who obtain access will receive a notification on their welcome screen, showing that they can toggle the voice mode on and off using the command /voice.
**Recent Enhancements to Claude**
Alongside the launch of voice mode, Anthropic has implemented several upgrades to the Claude platform. Recently, the company has activated memory import features, which are now provided free of charge to all users. This capability enables Claude to integrate context from different coding environments, further enhancing its functionality. The platform has also gained traction, becoming the most downloaded iPhone app shortly after these updates.
**Integration with Xcode**
Additionally, Anthropic’s Claude has been adopted by Apple, with the Claude Agent now incorporated into Xcode. This partnership reflects a growing acknowledgment of the potential of AI-driven coding assistance in mainstream development settings.
In summary, the rollout of voice coding via Claude Code marks a notable leap forward in programming tools, with the goal of improving user experience and accessibility. As the deployment progresses, it will be intriguing to observe how this feature influences the coding community and the wider development scene.
The Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal is SharkNinja’s latest robot vacuum and mop. A flagship model with a multifunctional dock that empties the dustbin and refills and washes its mop, the Reveal’s signature feature is a UV light designed to “find” stains on your floors. It costs $1,299.99 and is available now. Combined with an RGB […]
Another high-profile live-service game is shutting down soon after launch: this time it’s the free-to-play squad shooter Highguard. Developer Wildlight Entertainment says that, even though Highguard reached 2 million players, the game will be shut down permanently on March 12th. That’s less than two months after the game debuted on January 26th. “Despite the passion […]
The US version of TikTok is once again experiencing issues due to an Oracle outage, just a month after coming back online from a similar outage in February. The service disruption, impacting Oracle’s Ashburn, Virginia data center, began early Tuesday afternoon, with Downdetector reports spiking around 1PM Eastern. TikTok USDS confirmed in a post on […]
