News
Twitter deletes (then restores) verified checkmarks
An odd series of events
Every month brings a new chapter in the ongoing Twitter saga with Elon Musk. Throughout the latter half of last week and the weekend, the latest chapter brought out the never-ending controversy surrounding the once-coveted blue checkmark. If you missed all the hullaballoo, here’s your chance to catch up.
Since acquiring the platform, Musk promised the transformation of the blue checkmark into a monetized badge for subscribers. Instead of awarding the badge to popular personalities active on the platform, Twitter wanted to give the marker out only to those who paid the monthly US$ 8 for Twitter Blue. Naturally, those who already have legacy badges rallied against the change, resulting in endless delays.
Twitter blazed it
Finally, Twitter had enough and called for a change on one of the most meme-worthy dates in internet culture, 4/20. Since that date, a lot of legacy badge holders lost their verified checkmarks for good. Because of the universally panned change, those who lost their badges already vowed to not pay for a new one through Twitter Blue.
It’s not a smooth change, though. Soon after the apocalypse, some users discovered that their badges survived. Despite finally getting rid of the old ways, Twitter has apparently figured out a way for high-profile users to keep their verified checkmarks after all.
So much for sweet goodbyes
Currently, Twitter has not confirmed why these users retained their checkmarks. However, Musk has personally commented on some profiles, saying that he’ll personally pay for their badges going forward. Some have also speculated that users over a certain threshold of followers will keep their badges; however, it’s unclear what that threshold is.
Those who refused to pay for Blue are now quailing at the retention of their blue checkmarks. The platform is not differentiating between users who paid for Blue and those who retained their old badges. It’s causing some confusion since they don’t want to be perceived as someone who paid for a free social media platform.
Since the acquisition, Twitter Blue has lost its already fragile veneer of exclusivity. Instead of turning the subscription service into a tempting package for users, Musk has inadvertently created a narrative wherein it is now a cause for ridicule.
It’s unlikely that the saga ends here. The finish to this weekend’s controversy is hardly a smooth one for the platform.
SEE ALSO: Twitter ‘no longer exists’
India
TECNO’s POVA 8 5G is both futuristic and future-ready
8000mAh battery, Sony LYTIA 600 camera, Alive Matrix display, and more
Four months after the POVA Curve 2 5G, TECNO adds the POVA 8 5G to their performance-focused arsenal.
Futuristic vibe
TECNO’s POVA 8 5G continues the series’ signature sci-fi-inspired design language. The latest smartphone features sharp geometric elements and a semi-transparent rear panel.
One of its standout features is none other than the new Alive Matrix Display. It’s a customizable light panel on the back that can display up to 49 animations for incoming calls, notifications, charging status, gaming sessions, and more. Prospective users can also personalize the lighting effects to match their style.
Beside that LED display lies the 50MP main rear camera based on Sony’s LYTIA 600 (or LYT-600) sensor. The said sensor offers improved light capture for brighter and more detailed photos. It also supports 2x lossless zoom. Up front, you’ll get a 13MP front-facing shooter.
Powering the device is MediaTek’s Dimensity 7100 SoC. That’s paired together with TECNO’s in-house G1 Signal Enhancement Chip and SE1 Wi-Fi Enhancement Chip — making it a triple chipset smartphone.
TECNO says these chips help improve connectivity in challenging environments such as elevators and basements while boosting Wi-Fi reception.
The phone also features a 144Hz display with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification and military-grade durability.
Last but definitely not the least, its 8000mAh battery that can last as much as two days. For some measure, TECNO says the phone can last up to 85+ hours of music playback, 29+ hours of YouTube streaming, 26+ hours of WhatsApp, or 14+ hours of playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
Future-ready
Aside from the beastly battery packed inside, TECNO is also bringing several practical AI tools to the POVA 8 5G.
Among them is AI YouTube Summary. This turns lengthy videos into concise notes with key points and timestamps. The device also features AI-powered noise cancellation that helps isolate the speaker’s voice during calls, recordings, and meetings.
For photography, AI LightMaster 2.0 can remove unwanted reflections, lens flare, and shadows. The phone also supports uploading Live Photos directly to Instagram as Boomerang.
In select markets, users can even access AI Health features that estimate metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and respiration through facial scanning technology.
Further solidifying its future readiness, TECNO promises two major Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates.
The company is also bundling three years of FREE 256GB cloud storage for POVA 8 5G users. Eligible markets can also receive a 3-month Google AI Plus trial which includes 2TB of cloud storage.
Pricing and Availability
The TECNO POVA 8 5G debuts first in India and is available in 16-Bit White, Terminal Green, and Plasma Orange colorways.
Specific pricing and availability in global markets are yet to follow along these four color choices: Arc White, Graphite Black, Echo Green, and Helios Orange.
There are a few titles that an overwheling majority of gamers consider as an absolute must-play for other gamers. One of those titles is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Originally launched for the Nintendo 64, it’s not easy to play the iconic game today. But, later this year, the game is about to get much more accessible. Nintendo has officially announced a remake of Ocarina of Time.
Modern gamers might not realize the effect of the original Ocarina of Time on the RPG genre. Besides adding a third dimension to the then-fledgling Legend of Zelda series, the 1998 game also revolutionized the gaming world by popularizing targeting systems. That, and the refining of the formula in Majora’s Mask, makes Ocarina an essential in gaming history.
During today’s Nintendo Direct, the company capped off the hour-long presentations by announcing a remake of the game. Though the short, short trailer didn’t reveal any gameplay, it did confirm that the remake will retain the original’s more whimsical art style, as opposed to the realism put forth by the Breath of the Wild duology.
It’s not the first re-release for the game, though. In the past, Nintendo released remastered versions of the game for the GameCube and the 3DS. This is, however, the first official remake of the title for a much more modern system.
We didn’t know when the remake will officially launch, but it’s coming out within this year.
News
Apple has essentially confirmed the launch of the iPhone Fold
Some hidden references were not hidden enough.
No, Apple did not officially launch the iPhone Fold yet.
However, WWDC 2026 had a few surprises for those attentive enough to go deeper into the event’s announcements. And it all revolves around iOS 27.
Of course, the main event of WWDC 2026 is the first peek into the upcoming mobile operating system. Though we already covered everything that Apple visibly announced, something hidden has essentially confirmed the band’s first foldable phone.
On X, Sam Henri Gold, an engineer, spotted a few crucial references to a foldable form factor. Hidden underneath the recently released iOS 27 beta are mentions of “foldState” and “angleDegrees.” The code also includes references to the number of displays a single device has.
Notably, iOS 26 did not include such mentions. It can’t be purely coincidental. Unless Apple is suddenly shipping iOS 27 out to foldables from other brands (highly unlikely), this is the prelude to an iPhone Fold coming later this year.
Now, rumors of an iPhone Fold have been making the rounds for a while now. But they haven’t been as strong as this year. There’s heavy speculation that the brand’s first foldable phone is coming later this fall.
There’s still a nonzero chance that it makes an appearance during WWDC 2026, but don’t put all your eggs in this basket. Apple traditionally reserves the conference for software developments. Fall is the usual playing ground for Apple’s hardware.
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