PlayStation fans have launched a new class-action lawsuit in an effort to claim refunds after Sony initiated price increases for the PS5 in response to tariffs last year.

cross-posted from: https://toast.ooo/post/14012800

https://canvas.fediverse.events/

July 18th (4am UTC) to July 20th (also 4am UTC)

Canvas 2026 is in roughly 60 days!

Canvas is an annual event hosted for the Fediverse, allowing everyone to contribute to a pixel canvas, one pixel at a time

Check out the website for a live countdown, login testing, chat room (matrix/discord), and what last year's Canvas was!

If you are a developer, check out the source, and if you're a Fediverse app dev check the docs to add Canvas functionality to your app 👀

The complaint says DoorDash drivers began waiting to batch multiple orders together after gaining virtual visibility into kitchen systems, allowing them to see when pizzas would come out of the oven.

Instead of immediately leaving with a completed order, the suit claims drivers waited "up to fifteen (15) minutes" for additional deliveries, increasing the time between when a pizza is removed from the oven rack and when it leaves the building to be delivered. That delay slowed deliveries, disappointed customers, and caused a sharp drop in sales, the suit says.

The lawsuit also alleges Dashers could see tip amounts and whether orders were cash payments, making some drivers less likely to accept certain deliveries.

cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/4988536

Disclaimer: This is just me rambling based on my own memories and gameplay. Not an objective review. Some details might be off. Old-school players, feel free to jump in. AI disclosure: I wrote this myself – the opinions, the memories, the takes. I only used AI to clean up my grammar and make the English flow better. That's it. Figured I'd be upfront about it.

1. Introduction: 15 years ago, a door opened I've been playing Need for Speed for about 15 years. Before that, I didn't even have a concept of "racing games." NFS: Most Wanted – which looks pretty dated now – opened up a whole new world for me.

In this post, I'll talk about my history with NFS9, why it hooked me, and how I see it today.

2. Memory: LAN party madness as a middle schooler Fifteen years ago, I was in 7th grade. I was mostly into MMOs, which back then didn't exactly have great graphics. I stumbled across this game box online, heard it had a ton of games, and decided to give it a shot.

I wanted to play a racing game, but my PC was crap – basically just barely ran CrossFire. Then I saw Need for Speed: Most Wanted. High rating, only 2GB – my computer could probably handle it. An hour later, I was legit blown away. This is what a racing game should be.

I got my friends to download it too. Our computer lab teachers didn't really care, so we'd run LAN games of NFS9 all the time – just as intense as playing CS 1.6 together. Even as school and work got busier, I'd still fire it up now and then, run a few laps, and try to beat my own records.

3. Why it's a classic: three things NFS9 got right A lot of racing games never reach the level of NFS: Most Wanted. Here's why I think that is.

3.1. The cinematic story mode In NFS9, you have to take down blacklist rivals. Every race has story buildup, so it never feels boring. You actually feel like the main character in a street racing drama. That's something barely any later NFS games pulled off.

One YouTuber put it perfectly: a racing game without a story is just fast-food gaming. That's the power of cinematic storytelling.

3.2. The cops vs. racers system The "cop pursuit" system is unique – basically cops and robbers with cars. But it's more than that. The game gives you an open world, and from there you can do all kinds of stuff. You can speedrun, or just mess around with the cops for fun. Completing objectives gets you bounty, which you use to progress or buy new cars.

3.3. Deep customization and track runs In NFS9, cars aren't static. You buy parts, mod them out, DIY – that alone is a whole thing. The most iconic modded car is the BMW M3 GTR, basically a legend in the game. You can also add your own MODs.

As for tracks – there's a saying in the community: "Run the World Loop if you think you're hot." It's basically a benchmark for skill.

4. How I see it today: some half-baked but honest takes

4.1. This game never gets old It's been 20 years (released in 2005). EA never remastered it for various reasons, but that doesn't mean fans lost interest. A fan-made remaster came out in 2020 – better graphics, more mods, more content, runs on low-end PCs. Only downside: no English? Wait, for Western players it's fine. For us, no Chinese.

4.2. About the later games A lot of people treat the 2012 Need for Speed: Most Wanted reboot (same name as NFS9, I know) as a spiritual successor. Reactions are mixed. Some say it feels unfinished – it doesn't play like NFS9 at all, and instead leans hard into Burnout territory.

Personally? I didn't mind it. But if you're into that style, honestly, just play Need for Speed 14 Remastered. It's cheap as hell on sale, and it holds its own next to that fan-made NFS9 remaster from 2020. Need for Speed 19 is also pretty solid.

As for NFS17 – if you really want to try it, grab it on a discount and don't expect a masterpiece.

4.3. Is it still worth playing today? NFS9 works for all skill levels. It's grip-focused, not drift. Looks casual, but it's not entirely brain-off easy.

Story-wise, some people might be used to fast-food gaming and not have the patience. But if you stick with it, it's unforgettable.

When I played recently – keep in mind this game isn't drift-heavy (NFS14 is the drift king) – I watched some clips and thought "how hard can it be?" Then I tried the simplest track and spent forever just getting the basics down. This game doesn't hold your hand if you refuse to practice.

5. Final thoughts from an old-school player If you want to get into the Need for Speed series, the 9th gen is unavoidable. Some even say: if you haven't played NFS9, you haven't really played Need for Speed.

Look, NFS: Most Wanted isn't perfect. It has plenty of flaws. But the good outweighs the bad. Maybe that's the magic of a true classic.

Thanks for reading. If you have your own memories or hot takes about NFS9, drop them in the comments. Let's talk.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been trying to find a community-made GitHub project that can fill the gap left by Soggfy, which I used daily until it stopped getting updates.

What I am looking for is something focused on Spotify, since its library is much larger than most alternatives and my Likes include local artists and bands that are not available elsewhere.

I have already done some digging online, but most of what I found was dead ends or tools that did not really match what I need. I also tried a few similar options, but none of them felt like a proper replacement.

Ideally, I am looking for a tool that:

Is free and maintained by the community on GitHub Works directly with Spotify as the main source Offers Spotify as a primary or alternative source in its download options

If anyone knows of a tool that fits this use case, I would really appreciate the recommendation.

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/8536170

/s

This is from hellochinese, the mandarin learning app.