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Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, is reportedly under criminal investigation by Russian authorities for abetting terrorist activities. According to the Financial Times, state-run publications are accusing Durov of enabling attacks on Russia and Telegram of becoming an intelligence tool for Ukraine and the west. Telegram was one of the apps that Russia blocked in the country just a few days ago, along with WhatsApp, in what seemed to be an effort to push local users towards the unencrypted state-owned app, Max. When Telegram was banned, pro-Russian voices criticized the countrys decision, because it was apparently harming frontline operations. Russias own soldiers are using the app to communicate and coordinate their moves. Authorities near the Ukrainian border, for instance, send out warning for incoming drone and missile attacks through the messaging app. Even Vladimir Putins spokesperson uses Telegram to speak to the media.Now, the Times says Russia is accusing Telegram of being the main instrument for NATO countries secret services and the Kyiv regime. Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a Russian state-run publication, added that Telegram was intercepting location data, selling secret information and intimidating soldiers and their families. Digital platforms like Telegram, the publication said, are becoming strategic weapons. Rossiiskaya Gazeta said its information came from Russias Federal Security Service, the countrys primary domestic security agency. Durov has yet to issue a statement, but after Russia blocked access to Telegram, he said the country was restricting access to the application to force its citizens onto a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship. The Telegram founder was born in Russia and co-founded the countrys largest social network, VK. He left his country after Kremlin pressured him to sell his stake in the social network. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/telegram-founder-pavel-durov-is-reportedly-under-criminal-investigation-in-russia-121000511.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
A new brand wants to change how people interact with honey by addressing two persistent frustrations: the sticky jar and the gloopy drip. Honey Department's honey comes in a squeezable, infinitely recyclable aluminum tube, replacing the traditional glass jar or plastic container with packaging borrowed from the toothpaste aisle. The honey itself has been transformed through a "controlled micro-crystallization process" that creates a smooth, spreadable texture thick enough to hold its shape on toast without running or dripping, yet creamy enough to squeeze from the tube.Founded by Noah Phillips, son of a beekeeper, the product starts with 100% raw wildflower and mesquite honey sourced from a co-op in Central Mexico. The liquid honey undergoes processing at a family-owned Texas apiary, where it's transformed into what the industry calls creamed honey. By controlling crystallization to form microscopic, uniform crystals, the texture stays stable and won't turn grainy or harden. Tubes are priced at USD 15 for 6 oz (170 g).TREND BITEHoney Department illustrates how traditional food categories can be overhauled through format innovation rather than flavor novelty. The insight here isn't about honey itself it's about everyday points of micro-friction. Jars require utensils, while plastic squeeze containers don't work with thick, creamy honey. And both can get messy. Tubes eliminate those snags. Making the tubes aluminum instead of plastic taps into another consumer expectation: packaging that feels both premium and environmentally considered.For brands in mature categories, the opportunity lies in reimagining the physical experience of using a product rather than just reformulating what's inside. Format shifts can unlock new consumption occasions (desk lunches, after-workout snacks, anywhere and usage contexts that ingredient tweaks never could.
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Marketing and Advertising
King of Meat's reign is ending. The game will end service on April 9, less than a year after its October 2025 debut. The Amazon Games-published title will be playable until that date, but will then be taken entirely offline. "Despite the creativity and innovation Glowmade brought to King of Meat, the game has unfortunately not found the audience we hoped for," the announcement read. Developer Glowmade had high hopes for King of Meat, its debut game, but it fell starkly short of expectations. The developer wanted a concurrent player count of at least 100,000, but peaked at 320, according to Insider Gaming. The game had a multi-million dollar marketing budget that included a video on MrBeast's YouTube channel and custom-wrapped London buses. The company even made a pilot for an animated TV show. Here at Engadget, we were so-so on a preview version of the game. December brought voluntary redundancies to Glowmade after previous assurances to staff. Anyone who has purchased King of Meat will be able to get a refund through their purchase platform and, in most cases, these refunds should process automatically by April 9. While it seems that King of Meat struggled to reach its audience, Amazon has a history of pulling games that are popular. Last fall, Amazon Games announced it would wind down support for New World: Aeternum, which first debuted in 2021. The news came as the division faced layoffs, but just that week the game had reached almost 50,000 concurrent players on Steam. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/amazon-games-is-winding-down-king-of-meat-113049172.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
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