Apple is once again at the center of a major class action fight, and this one could carry an unusually large price tag. According to the report, an Illinois lawsuit is seeking as much as $5,000 for each affected user, which could add up to $32.5 billion if the claims were successful across the full group of 6.5 million residents.

The case focuses on Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, a state law passed in 2008 to limit how companies handle sensitive identifiers such as fingerprints, voiceprints, iris scans, and faceprints. The lawsuit argues that Apple’s Photos app uses facial recognition to analyze pictures in a user’s library, create a faceprint, and identify people without first getting the written consent required by the law. Plaintiffs also claim that because Photos can sync across devices, some of that biometric information is stored on Apple’s servers rather than staying only on a user’s device.

The lawsuit is organized into several groups. One covers Illinois users whose devices placed a photo of them into a People album from September 13, 2016 through today. Another applies to users with a People album tagged with their name or another identifier and an enabled iCloud photo account during that same period. A third group is narrower, covering users with devices running iOS 17.6, iPadOS 17.6, or macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later, plus at least 5,000 photos and videos in iCloud Photo Library, from March 25, 2025 through today.

Apple has pushed back and asked for the case to be dismissed. The company says its Photos privacy protections comply with Illinois law, arguing that the raw biometric data cannot be used to reconstruct a face or connect it to a person’s identity. Apple also says it cannot access users’ Photos data and that facial recognition happens locally on each device, not through a shared system that carries over the underlying recognition data between devices. The dispute is not new, either; according to the report, the case was originally filed in March.

Source: lifehacker.com

The post Some Illinois Apple Users Could Be Entitled to a Major Payout in a Biometric Privacy Case appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

The appeal of the series, the review argues, is the freedom that comes with its far-future setting. Taking place centuries after the films, it opens up a new corner of the galaxy without the immediate weight of the Skywalker Saga. Even so, the show still leans on recognizable Star Wars ingredients: a novice Jedi learning under an experienced mentor, a galaxy scarred by conflict, and a dark ruler backed by destructive super-weapons. The review says those familiar pieces make the opening stretch feel sluggish, especially for viewers hoping for a clean break from the franchise’s usual patterns.

As the season goes on, though, The Ninth Jedi reportedly finds a stronger rhythm. The story shifts attention toward Zhima and Nawaam, giving them more texture and making their beliefs about the Force more interesting than simple hero-versus-villain roles. Kara also grows into a more distinctive lead as the series develops. The review notes that the Japanese audio is the stronger choice, since the English dub is described as comparatively flat.

Beyond the plot, the series is said to explore ideas that have been circling through modern Star Wars projects, including the idea that the Force should be open to more than a gifted few, and that a Jedi’s identity may depend as much on courage and moral choice as on natural talent. It also uses changing lightsaber colors as a reflection of a character’s inner state, and it touches more directly on the idea of Gray Jedi than other Disney-era projects have. Even as a non-canon story, the review suggests, that freedom may be what allows The Ninth Jedi to dig into those themes with more room to breathe.

Source: ign.com

The post Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi Finds Its Own Space in a Familiar Galaxy appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

J. Cole brought his latest run to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night for the second of two shows at the venue, part of a New York-area stretch that also included stops at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and Long Island’s UBS Arena. According to the report, the rapper’s current tour has been framed as a major career moment, and the MSG date showed why: instead of leaning on spectacle, he focused on connection, catalog, and control.

Before Cole appeared, Dreamville’s Bas opened with a short set that included songs like “Down Bad” and “Tribe.” Cole then emerged around 9:15 p.m. and began the night from a section of the arena floor with “39 Intro,” launching into a nearly two-hour performance centered largely on The Fall-Off, his eighth studio album. The set leaned into the album’s split “Disc 29” and “Disc 39” concept, which reflects different stages of homecoming and personal reflection, while the stage design echoed Fayetteville imagery through projections of the city’s Market House and Cole’s Honda Civic.

Rather than building the show around multiple platforms or oversized production tricks, Cole kept the setup more traditional, using lighting, pacing, and a proscenium-style stage to carry the night. The report notes that his stamina and precision were on display throughout, with few pauses and strong vocal control. The performance also highlighted how much of his catalog still resonates live, moving from mixtape material and deep cuts to hits and collaborations, while also leaving out some albums in favor of songs that better served the show’s arc.

Among the night’s standout moments was a fan getting the chance to rap alongside him during “Johnny P’s Caddy.” The concert closed with a powerful one-two combination of “No Role Modelz” and “Quik Stop,” reinforcing the idea that Cole’s live strength comes not just from his newest material, but from the breadth of his career. According to the report, the tour is widely expected to be one of his last large-scale treks for the foreseeable future, which only gave the evening more weight as a reflective, crowd-focused showcase.

Source: billboard.com

The post J. Cole Turns Madison Square Garden Into a Career-Spanning Homecoming on ‘Electric Fall-Off World Tour’ appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

For Spring 2027, Paolina Russo returned to Copenhagen with a collection built around a girl living two very different summer lives. By day, she is at her grandmother’s house, surrounded by floral prints and patchwork quilts; by night, she slips away to the skate park, channeling a more restless, teenage energy. According to the designers, the idea was to follow a character searching for identity through a mix of memory, fantasy, and small-town recollection.

That contrast showed up clearly in the clothes. A neat pea coat came in a muted cargo green but was broken up with clashing floral motifs, while wooden buttons were threaded with rainbow embroidery. The label’s familiar laser-printed denim was updated with geometric patterns inspired by quilting. Accessories carried the same sentimental, playful spirit: childhood Beyblade toys were transformed into bubblegum and acid-green earrings, skateboard wheels became chunky necklaces, and melted plastic cutlery was turned into neon floral details. The brand’s skater-girl belt chains also returned, now decorated with keys and found objects. Footwear came via Ecco, whose Joke shoes were finished with rhinestone laces.

The show itself was designed as a community event. Paolina Russo opened the doors to a large crowd of fans, then welcomed even more people for a second presentation after industry guests had left. The runway was paired with a live battle of the bands featuring singer Grace Ives and Copenhagen band Haloplus+, both tied to the designers’ personal and creative world. Behind the scenes, the brand also marked a sustainability milestone: after adopting Copenhagen as a second home and following the city’s standards, it reached about 77% mono-material garments, above its target. Its lenticular knitwear returned too, appearing in T-shirts, skirts, and capri leggings made from 100% Oekotex-certified cotton.

According to Russo, the collection was as much about belonging as it was about style. The result was a runway that connected nostalgia, youth culture, and technical progress without losing the brand’s playful identity.

Source: vogue.com

The post Paolina Russo Blends Nostalgia, Skate Culture, and Sustainability in Copenhagen Spring 2027 appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Google is bringing Nano Banana 2 to Google Earth on the web, giving the mapping tool a new way to generate AI images from the places people are already exploring. The update is rolling out now for all web users, and it builds on the image-generation improvements recently added to Google Gemini.

With the new capability, users can take Google Earth’s aerial, satellite, and 3D views and ask the AI to reimagine them in different ways. That could mean picturing a site as it may have looked in the past, or turning it into a futuristic version of itself. Google says the feature can also be used for more practical ideas, such as creating infographics about landmarks or visualizing possible home projects like a dream lakeside house or a planned extension.

The company has also suggested using the tool to imagine how a place might look in 100 years, or to reconstruct historical scenes such as Pompeii in 78 AD. Google says the model draws on real-world information and images from the web, along with the material it learned during training, and it can trace existing ruins in cases like Pompeii. Even so, the usual AI limitations still apply, so the results may not always be perfectly accurate or structurally realistic.

Source: lifehacker.com

The post Google Earth Is Getting a Nano Banana 2 Upgrade appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is doing more than drawing attention at the box office. According to the report, the film has also sent a wave of players back to Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, creating a clear bump in engagement for the 2018 game.

Data cited from Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliot suggests the game’s active user base has nearly doubled over the past week across PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam on PC. Xbox saw the sharpest rise, climbing from 36,000 daily active users to 84,000, which amounts to a 134% increase. Ubisoft appears to have benefited from the timing as well, since Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is currently available through Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, making it easy for subscribers to jump in without paying extra.

Elliot noted that while software sales have only moved modestly, with around 400,000 copies sold year-to-date, the bigger story is renewed player engagement. That, he said, could help Ubisoft build a case for a future remake or resynced version of Odyssey. He also pointed to Ubisoft’s own response, including timed social media campaigns around Nolan’s film release and a renewed push for Discovery Tour, the game’s combat-free educational mode, as a way to catch the attention of moviegoers curious about Ancient Greece.

The renewed interest makes sense given how closely the game lines up with the film’s setting and themes. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is one of Ubisoft’s biggest and most expansive entries in the series, with a large open world, historical figures, myths, and legends woven into its story. It also pushed the franchise further into RPG territory, a shift that won over many players even if it divided longtime fans who preferred the earlier, more compact style of the series.

With more than 10 million copies sold in its first two years, Odyssey remains one of the most successful Assassin’s Creed titles. Its lead character, Kassandra, has also stayed popular enough to reappear in later games. The report also notes that fans should not expect the movie and game stories to overlap directly, since Nolan’s film is set around 800 years earlier. Even so, both follow an outcast traveling the Greek islands by ship, facing armies and other threats while trying to reclaim their family.

Source: ign.com

The post Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Gives Assassin’s Creed Odyssey a Surprise Player Boost appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Justin Bieber’s custom sneakers from the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show have turned into a major charity win. According to Christie’s, the pair he wore while performing “Everything Hallelujah” at the Spain vs. Argentina final sold for $26,400, landing just under $30,000 and far above the shoes’ original estimate of $2,000 to $4,000.

The low-top SKYLRK sneakers, part of Bieber’s Matter Daddy line, were worn in a “latte” colorway with light pink detailing during the performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. The sale was part of Christie’s One Goal auction, which supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative focused on expanding access to education and soccer for children worldwide.

Bieber’s shoes were only one highlight from the auction. Items tied to BTS also drew strong bidding, with clothing and accessories from the group’s “Dynamite” era bringing in $300,300 in total. Among the top sellers were Jimin’s white and red jersey with BTS patches at $110,000, V’s custom black silk scarf at $46,200, and Jung Kook’s red, black and white motocross jacket, which also reached $46,200.

Other pieces from the halftime-show memorabilia lineup also found buyers, including Shakira’s bright yellow costume from the “Dai Dai” video, Madonna’s pink bedazzled fingerless gloves, and a signed Earth Ball soccer ball linked to Shakira, Kaka and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Christie’s also sold Chris Martin’s handwritten lyrics and setlist for Coldplay’s “We Dance,” along with a World Cup Earth ball inscribed with the names of the halftime performers.

Source: billboard.com

The post Justin Bieber’s World Cup Final Sneakers Bring in Nearly $30K at Charity Auction, BTS Items Top $300K appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Ferragamo is leaning into its identity as a footwear house with a fall 2026 campaign built around shoes, archival references and a distinctly sculptural visual language. Shot by Johnny Dufort and unveiled on Thursday, the images revisit the brand’s old-fashioned campaign format, in which founder Salvatore Ferragamo was often shown alongside film stars surrounded by his creations.

This season’s cast includes Anok Yai, Vittoria Ceretti and Thibaud Charon, while Jingyu Huang and Ning Chang make their campaign debut after being named global brand ambassadors. Styled by Lotta Volkova, the group appears in a setting that also incorporates work by contemporary artist Willie Cole. A 1994 sculpture made entirely from colorful pumps becomes a throne for Yai, reinforcing the campaign’s shoe-first concept.

Creative director Maximilian Davis said the collaboration made sense because the imagery aligns with his interest in Surrealism and Dadaism. He also noted that Ferragamo’s footwear continues to be defined by construction, comfort and innovation, while his work has focused on sharpening the brand’s codes for a modern audience. The campaign also highlights accessories, including the new Cara bag in calf leather with Gancini hardware and a new east-west version of the Hug bag.

Beyond the campaign styling, the visuals point back to Ferragamo’s design history, including stilettos inspired by a 1954 style, the Opanka design with its architectural shell sole, and updated versions of the signature Varina flats. Together, the images position footwear not just as a product category, but as the central language of the brand’s current image.

Source: wwd.com

The post Ferragamo Puts Footwear Front and Center in Its Fall 2026 Campaign appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

If you’re trying to stretch your budget on gadgets and home tech, this week’s roundup is packed with options worth a look. According to the report, the featured deals span everything from Apple’s back-to-school offers and Samsung’s newest devices to Microsoft Surface computers, the GoPro Max 2, and other popular tech categories. The selections were checked with price-tracking tools to help confirm that the markdowns are legitimate, not just temporary hype.

Among the biggest headlines are several Apple and Samsung promotions. The roundup mentions a MacBook Air deal that comes with a $100 Apple Gift Card, plus discounts on Apple’s AirPods Max 2. Samsung shoppers can find offers tied to the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, Galaxy Watch 9, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy S25+, with some listings including gift cards and others showing notable savings off the regular price. Microsoft’s Surface lineup also gets attention, with a free pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones included with select Surface Pro and Surface Laptop purchases.

One of the strongest home-and-living picks is the Neomow X SE Robot Lawn Mower, which the report says is $700 off thanks to an on-page coupon. The mower is described as a wire-free model designed to simplify setup, and it uses 3D LiDAR and AI vision for mapping and obstacle avoidance. It also includes all-terrain wheels, support for 4G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, plus GPS anti-theft tracking and an IPX5 waterproof rating for outdoor use. For readers who prefer indoor convenience, the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite is also highlighted at a record-low price, with Best Buy offering the 16GB model for $124.99 and the 32GB version for $144.99.

The Kindle Paperwhite is presented as a strong choice for most readers because of its larger seven-inch screen, faster performance, waterproof design, and generous storage. Taken together, this week’s deals lean heavily toward everyday tech people actually use at home, on the go, and in their routines—whether that means reading, working, listening, or taking care of the yard.

Source: lifehacker.com

The post This Week’s Best Tech Deals Include Apple, Samsung, Surface, and More appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Across the five modern mainline Grand Theft Auto games, beginning with GTA 3, there are 346 story missions in total. Some are forgettable detours, but others have become defining moments for the series, thanks to Rockstar Games’ mix of cinematic presentation, criminal set pieces, and sandbox mayhem. According to the report, the most memorable GTA missions are the ones that turn a simple objective into something much bigger, whether that means a tense heist, a chaotic escape, or a mission structure that pushes the series in a new direction.

One of the earliest examples is GTA 3’s “Give Me Liberty,” which serves as the player’s first mission after Claude is freed from his prison transport. The task itself is basic: get to a safehouse, then head to Luigi’s. But its importance comes from how it introduces the world and tone of the game. Rather than relying on punishing tutorials, it gives players a cinematic welcome to Liberty City, with rain-soaked streets, moody lighting, and a sense that the series was moving toward something more ambitious than the earlier top-down entries.

GTA 4’s “Museum Piece” stands out for a different reason. What begins as a deal involving stolen diamonds quickly collapses into a gunfight inside The Libertonian, a museum inspired by real New York institutions. The mission sends players through marble halls, past shattered exhibits, and even into a sequence where a dinosaur skeleton is destroyed. It also matters because it connects multiple GTA stories: Niko Bellic shares the mission with Johnny Klebitz, while the sniper who interrupts the exchange is Luis Fernando Lopez. That overlap gave players an early taste of the multi-perspective storytelling later used more prominently in GTA 5.

Then there is GTA: San Andreas, a game known for its range, from kart races and house robberies to remote-controlled chaos and long-distance flights. “Black Project” fits that spirit by shifting into stealth-driven action more reminiscent of a tactical espionage game than a typical GTA mission. The report highlights it as one of the clearest examples of San Andreas’ willingness to experiment, showing how the series could move from open-world crime fantasy into something that felt closer to a spy thriller without losing its identity.

Taken together, these missions help explain why Grand Theft Auto has remained such a major force in gaming culture. They are not just objectives on a map; they are carefully staged moments that blend atmosphere, action, and personality in ways that have shaped how players remember the series.

Source: ign.com

The post The GTA Missions That Helped Define the Series appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Apple is once again at the center of a major class action fight, and this one could carry an unusually large price tag. According to the report, an Illinois lawsuit is seeking as much as $5,000 for each affected user, which could add up to $32.5 billion if the claims were successful across the full group of 6.5 million residents.

The case focuses on Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, a state law passed in 2008 to limit how companies handle sensitive identifiers such as fingerprints, voiceprints, iris scans, and faceprints. The lawsuit argues that Apple’s Photos app uses facial recognition to analyze pictures in a user’s library, create a faceprint, and identify people without first getting the written consent required by the law. Plaintiffs also claim that because Photos can sync across devices, some of that biometric information is stored on Apple’s servers rather than staying only on a user’s device.

The lawsuit is organized into several groups. One covers Illinois users whose devices placed a photo of them into a People album from September 13, 2016 through today. Another applies to users with a People album tagged with their name or another identifier and an enabled iCloud photo account during that same period. A third group is narrower, covering users with devices running iOS 17.6, iPadOS 17.6, or macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later, plus at least 5,000 photos and videos in iCloud Photo Library, from March 25, 2025 through today.

Apple has pushed back and asked for the case to be dismissed. The company says its Photos privacy protections comply with Illinois law, arguing that the raw biometric data cannot be used to reconstruct a face or connect it to a person’s identity. Apple also says it cannot access users’ Photos data and that facial recognition happens locally on each device, not through a shared system that carries over the underlying recognition data between devices. The dispute is not new, either; according to the report, the case was originally filed in March.

Source: lifehacker.com

The post Some Illinois Apple Users Could Be Entitled to a Major Payout in a Biometric Privacy Case appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

The appeal of the series, the review argues, is the freedom that comes with its far-future setting. Taking place centuries after the films, it opens up a new corner of the galaxy without the immediate weight of the Skywalker Saga. Even so, the show still leans on recognizable Star Wars ingredients: a novice Jedi learning under an experienced mentor, a galaxy scarred by conflict, and a dark ruler backed by destructive super-weapons. The review says those familiar pieces make the opening stretch feel sluggish, especially for viewers hoping for a clean break from the franchise’s usual patterns.

As the season goes on, though, The Ninth Jedi reportedly finds a stronger rhythm. The story shifts attention toward Zhima and Nawaam, giving them more texture and making their beliefs about the Force more interesting than simple hero-versus-villain roles. Kara also grows into a more distinctive lead as the series develops. The review notes that the Japanese audio is the stronger choice, since the English dub is described as comparatively flat.

Beyond the plot, the series is said to explore ideas that have been circling through modern Star Wars projects, including the idea that the Force should be open to more than a gifted few, and that a Jedi’s identity may depend as much on courage and moral choice as on natural talent. It also uses changing lightsaber colors as a reflection of a character’s inner state, and it touches more directly on the idea of Gray Jedi than other Disney-era projects have. Even as a non-canon story, the review suggests, that freedom may be what allows The Ninth Jedi to dig into those themes with more room to breathe.

Source: ign.com

The post Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi Finds Its Own Space in a Familiar Galaxy appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

J. Cole brought his latest run to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night for the second of two shows at the venue, part of a New York-area stretch that also included stops at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and Long Island’s UBS Arena. According to the report, the rapper’s current tour has been framed as a major career moment, and the MSG date showed why: instead of leaning on spectacle, he focused on connection, catalog, and control.

Before Cole appeared, Dreamville’s Bas opened with a short set that included songs like “Down Bad” and “Tribe.” Cole then emerged around 9:15 p.m. and began the night from a section of the arena floor with “39 Intro,” launching into a nearly two-hour performance centered largely on The Fall-Off, his eighth studio album. The set leaned into the album’s split “Disc 29” and “Disc 39” concept, which reflects different stages of homecoming and personal reflection, while the stage design echoed Fayetteville imagery through projections of the city’s Market House and Cole’s Honda Civic.

Rather than building the show around multiple platforms or oversized production tricks, Cole kept the setup more traditional, using lighting, pacing, and a proscenium-style stage to carry the night. The report notes that his stamina and precision were on display throughout, with few pauses and strong vocal control. The performance also highlighted how much of his catalog still resonates live, moving from mixtape material and deep cuts to hits and collaborations, while also leaving out some albums in favor of songs that better served the show’s arc.

Among the night’s standout moments was a fan getting the chance to rap alongside him during “Johnny P’s Caddy.” The concert closed with a powerful one-two combination of “No Role Modelz” and “Quik Stop,” reinforcing the idea that Cole’s live strength comes not just from his newest material, but from the breadth of his career. According to the report, the tour is widely expected to be one of his last large-scale treks for the foreseeable future, which only gave the evening more weight as a reflective, crowd-focused showcase.

Source: billboard.com

The post J. Cole Turns Madison Square Garden Into a Career-Spanning Homecoming on ‘Electric Fall-Off World Tour’ appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

For Spring 2027, Paolina Russo returned to Copenhagen with a collection built around a girl living two very different summer lives. By day, she is at her grandmother’s house, surrounded by floral prints and patchwork quilts; by night, she slips away to the skate park, channeling a more restless, teenage energy. According to the designers, the idea was to follow a character searching for identity through a mix of memory, fantasy, and small-town recollection.

That contrast showed up clearly in the clothes. A neat pea coat came in a muted cargo green but was broken up with clashing floral motifs, while wooden buttons were threaded with rainbow embroidery. The label’s familiar laser-printed denim was updated with geometric patterns inspired by quilting. Accessories carried the same sentimental, playful spirit: childhood Beyblade toys were transformed into bubblegum and acid-green earrings, skateboard wheels became chunky necklaces, and melted plastic cutlery was turned into neon floral details. The brand’s skater-girl belt chains also returned, now decorated with keys and found objects. Footwear came via Ecco, whose Joke shoes were finished with rhinestone laces.

The show itself was designed as a community event. Paolina Russo opened the doors to a large crowd of fans, then welcomed even more people for a second presentation after industry guests had left. The runway was paired with a live battle of the bands featuring singer Grace Ives and Copenhagen band Haloplus+, both tied to the designers’ personal and creative world. Behind the scenes, the brand also marked a sustainability milestone: after adopting Copenhagen as a second home and following the city’s standards, it reached about 77% mono-material garments, above its target. Its lenticular knitwear returned too, appearing in T-shirts, skirts, and capri leggings made from 100% Oekotex-certified cotton.

According to Russo, the collection was as much about belonging as it was about style. The result was a runway that connected nostalgia, youth culture, and technical progress without losing the brand’s playful identity.

Source: vogue.com

The post Paolina Russo Blends Nostalgia, Skate Culture, and Sustainability in Copenhagen Spring 2027 appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Google is bringing Nano Banana 2 to Google Earth on the web, giving the mapping tool a new way to generate AI images from the places people are already exploring. The update is rolling out now for all web users, and it builds on the image-generation improvements recently added to Google Gemini.

With the new capability, users can take Google Earth’s aerial, satellite, and 3D views and ask the AI to reimagine them in different ways. That could mean picturing a site as it may have looked in the past, or turning it into a futuristic version of itself. Google says the feature can also be used for more practical ideas, such as creating infographics about landmarks or visualizing possible home projects like a dream lakeside house or a planned extension.

The company has also suggested using the tool to imagine how a place might look in 100 years, or to reconstruct historical scenes such as Pompeii in 78 AD. Google says the model draws on real-world information and images from the web, along with the material it learned during training, and it can trace existing ruins in cases like Pompeii. Even so, the usual AI limitations still apply, so the results may not always be perfectly accurate or structurally realistic.

Source: lifehacker.com

The post Google Earth Is Getting a Nano Banana 2 Upgrade appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is doing more than drawing attention at the box office. According to the report, the film has also sent a wave of players back to Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, creating a clear bump in engagement for the 2018 game.

Data cited from Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliot suggests the game’s active user base has nearly doubled over the past week across PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam on PC. Xbox saw the sharpest rise, climbing from 36,000 daily active users to 84,000, which amounts to a 134% increase. Ubisoft appears to have benefited from the timing as well, since Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is currently available through Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, making it easy for subscribers to jump in without paying extra.

Elliot noted that while software sales have only moved modestly, with around 400,000 copies sold year-to-date, the bigger story is renewed player engagement. That, he said, could help Ubisoft build a case for a future remake or resynced version of Odyssey. He also pointed to Ubisoft’s own response, including timed social media campaigns around Nolan’s film release and a renewed push for Discovery Tour, the game’s combat-free educational mode, as a way to catch the attention of moviegoers curious about Ancient Greece.

The renewed interest makes sense given how closely the game lines up with the film’s setting and themes. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is one of Ubisoft’s biggest and most expansive entries in the series, with a large open world, historical figures, myths, and legends woven into its story. It also pushed the franchise further into RPG territory, a shift that won over many players even if it divided longtime fans who preferred the earlier, more compact style of the series.

With more than 10 million copies sold in its first two years, Odyssey remains one of the most successful Assassin’s Creed titles. Its lead character, Kassandra, has also stayed popular enough to reappear in later games. The report also notes that fans should not expect the movie and game stories to overlap directly, since Nolan’s film is set around 800 years earlier. Even so, both follow an outcast traveling the Greek islands by ship, facing armies and other threats while trying to reclaim their family.

Source: ign.com

The post Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Gives Assassin’s Creed Odyssey a Surprise Player Boost appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Justin Bieber’s custom sneakers from the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show have turned into a major charity win. According to Christie’s, the pair he wore while performing “Everything Hallelujah” at the Spain vs. Argentina final sold for $26,400, landing just under $30,000 and far above the shoes’ original estimate of $2,000 to $4,000.

The low-top SKYLRK sneakers, part of Bieber’s Matter Daddy line, were worn in a “latte” colorway with light pink detailing during the performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. The sale was part of Christie’s One Goal auction, which supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative focused on expanding access to education and soccer for children worldwide.

Bieber’s shoes were only one highlight from the auction. Items tied to BTS also drew strong bidding, with clothing and accessories from the group’s “Dynamite” era bringing in $300,300 in total. Among the top sellers were Jimin’s white and red jersey with BTS patches at $110,000, V’s custom black silk scarf at $46,200, and Jung Kook’s red, black and white motocross jacket, which also reached $46,200.

Other pieces from the halftime-show memorabilia lineup also found buyers, including Shakira’s bright yellow costume from the “Dai Dai” video, Madonna’s pink bedazzled fingerless gloves, and a signed Earth Ball soccer ball linked to Shakira, Kaka and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Christie’s also sold Chris Martin’s handwritten lyrics and setlist for Coldplay’s “We Dance,” along with a World Cup Earth ball inscribed with the names of the halftime performers.

Source: billboard.com

The post Justin Bieber’s World Cup Final Sneakers Bring in Nearly $30K at Charity Auction, BTS Items Top $300K appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Ferragamo is leaning into its identity as a footwear house with a fall 2026 campaign built around shoes, archival references and a distinctly sculptural visual language. Shot by Johnny Dufort and unveiled on Thursday, the images revisit the brand’s old-fashioned campaign format, in which founder Salvatore Ferragamo was often shown alongside film stars surrounded by his creations.

This season’s cast includes Anok Yai, Vittoria Ceretti and Thibaud Charon, while Jingyu Huang and Ning Chang make their campaign debut after being named global brand ambassadors. Styled by Lotta Volkova, the group appears in a setting that also incorporates work by contemporary artist Willie Cole. A 1994 sculpture made entirely from colorful pumps becomes a throne for Yai, reinforcing the campaign’s shoe-first concept.

Creative director Maximilian Davis said the collaboration made sense because the imagery aligns with his interest in Surrealism and Dadaism. He also noted that Ferragamo’s footwear continues to be defined by construction, comfort and innovation, while his work has focused on sharpening the brand’s codes for a modern audience. The campaign also highlights accessories, including the new Cara bag in calf leather with Gancini hardware and a new east-west version of the Hug bag.

Beyond the campaign styling, the visuals point back to Ferragamo’s design history, including stilettos inspired by a 1954 style, the Opanka design with its architectural shell sole, and updated versions of the signature Varina flats. Together, the images position footwear not just as a product category, but as the central language of the brand’s current image.

Source: wwd.com

The post Ferragamo Puts Footwear Front and Center in Its Fall 2026 Campaign appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

If you’re trying to stretch your budget on gadgets and home tech, this week’s roundup is packed with options worth a look. According to the report, the featured deals span everything from Apple’s back-to-school offers and Samsung’s newest devices to Microsoft Surface computers, the GoPro Max 2, and other popular tech categories. The selections were checked with price-tracking tools to help confirm that the markdowns are legitimate, not just temporary hype.

Among the biggest headlines are several Apple and Samsung promotions. The roundup mentions a MacBook Air deal that comes with a $100 Apple Gift Card, plus discounts on Apple’s AirPods Max 2. Samsung shoppers can find offers tied to the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, Galaxy Watch 9, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy S25+, with some listings including gift cards and others showing notable savings off the regular price. Microsoft’s Surface lineup also gets attention, with a free pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones included with select Surface Pro and Surface Laptop purchases.

One of the strongest home-and-living picks is the Neomow X SE Robot Lawn Mower, which the report says is $700 off thanks to an on-page coupon. The mower is described as a wire-free model designed to simplify setup, and it uses 3D LiDAR and AI vision for mapping and obstacle avoidance. It also includes all-terrain wheels, support for 4G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, plus GPS anti-theft tracking and an IPX5 waterproof rating for outdoor use. For readers who prefer indoor convenience, the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite is also highlighted at a record-low price, with Best Buy offering the 16GB model for $124.99 and the 32GB version for $144.99.

The Kindle Paperwhite is presented as a strong choice for most readers because of its larger seven-inch screen, faster performance, waterproof design, and generous storage. Taken together, this week’s deals lean heavily toward everyday tech people actually use at home, on the go, and in their routines—whether that means reading, working, listening, or taking care of the yard.

Source: lifehacker.com

The post This Week’s Best Tech Deals Include Apple, Samsung, Surface, and More appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Across the five modern mainline Grand Theft Auto games, beginning with GTA 3, there are 346 story missions in total. Some are forgettable detours, but others have become defining moments for the series, thanks to Rockstar Games’ mix of cinematic presentation, criminal set pieces, and sandbox mayhem. According to the report, the most memorable GTA missions are the ones that turn a simple objective into something much bigger, whether that means a tense heist, a chaotic escape, or a mission structure that pushes the series in a new direction.

One of the earliest examples is GTA 3’s “Give Me Liberty,” which serves as the player’s first mission after Claude is freed from his prison transport. The task itself is basic: get to a safehouse, then head to Luigi’s. But its importance comes from how it introduces the world and tone of the game. Rather than relying on punishing tutorials, it gives players a cinematic welcome to Liberty City, with rain-soaked streets, moody lighting, and a sense that the series was moving toward something more ambitious than the earlier top-down entries.

GTA 4’s “Museum Piece” stands out for a different reason. What begins as a deal involving stolen diamonds quickly collapses into a gunfight inside The Libertonian, a museum inspired by real New York institutions. The mission sends players through marble halls, past shattered exhibits, and even into a sequence where a dinosaur skeleton is destroyed. It also matters because it connects multiple GTA stories: Niko Bellic shares the mission with Johnny Klebitz, while the sniper who interrupts the exchange is Luis Fernando Lopez. That overlap gave players an early taste of the multi-perspective storytelling later used more prominently in GTA 5.

Then there is GTA: San Andreas, a game known for its range, from kart races and house robberies to remote-controlled chaos and long-distance flights. “Black Project” fits that spirit by shifting into stealth-driven action more reminiscent of a tactical espionage game than a typical GTA mission. The report highlights it as one of the clearest examples of San Andreas’ willingness to experiment, showing how the series could move from open-world crime fantasy into something that felt closer to a spy thriller without losing its identity.

Taken together, these missions help explain why Grand Theft Auto has remained such a major force in gaming culture. They are not just objectives on a map; they are carefully staged moments that blend atmosphere, action, and personality in ways that have shaped how players remember the series.

Source: ign.com

The post The GTA Missions That Helped Define the Series appeared first on toppoptoday.com.