Hi Everyone. This is Take Off. We're like a hidden Easter egg in your favorite video game - surprising, delightful, and adding an extra layer of fun to your tech news consumption.

Here's what we're serving up today:

• MSFT Levels up 🧑‍💻

• Wednesday Wires 💰

• Asteroids ☄️

MSFT Levels up 📈 

You know those iconic gaming duos like Mario and Luigi or Master Chief and Cortana? Well, the gaming world just got its latest power pair – Microsoft and Activision Blizzard! The tech titan has swiped right on Activision in a record-setting $69 billion deal.

Microsoft’s Game Pass is gearing up to be the Netflix of video games. With Activision’s showstoppers like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft joining the roster, we can expect some blockbuster binge sessions!

King, the mastermind behind Candy Crush, is also joining the party as it is now rolling with Team Microsoft. Things in the gaming realm just got a sprinkle of extra sweetness!

But wait, it gets juicier! The long game sees Microsoft making a massive push into mobile gaming and in-game advertising. By 2030, they’re eyeing a whopping $1.4 billion from it. Talk about setting those relationship goals high!

But, as in all epic sagas, there was a twist. To seal the deal, Microsoft had to woo French publisher Ubisoft, promising them the cloud gaming rights to Activision games for the next 15 years.

Finally, after some tense moments, with regulators raising eyebrows and sipping their “concerned” tea, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority gave their blessing, paving the way for this gaming matrimony.

So, here’s to the new power couple of the gaming world. May your servers never crash, and your high scores always be legendary!

☄️ Asteroids ☄️

Nvidia and Foxconn are teaming up to create "AI factories" for advancing self-driving cars and more. Plus, Foxconn aims to diversify from manufacturing to offering holistic solutions across sectors. 🤖🚗 

X is testing a $1/year fee for new users to interact with posts in New Zealand and the Philippines. Aimed to reduce spam, it's part of their journey towards profitability. 💰🐦

You can now block Instagram from tracking your app/website activity. Plus, transfer photos between platforms and download Facebook & Instagram data together. 👀📸

⚒️ Trending Tools ⚒️

🖋️ Latent Workers - AI WordPress content creation for SEO & traffic

🖥️ Thiggle - Structured LLM APIs

📆 Cal - The future of open source AI scheduling.

🌐 SingleAPI - Convert the Internet into your own API in seconds

💰 Wednesday Wires 💰

Salted, crafting unique quick-serve restaurant brands, bagged $14 million for expansion! Their secret sauce? Owning their IP and maintaining top-notch quality. 🍕🎉

Riffusion, a cool app turning images of audio into music, secured $4M in funding! Now guided by The Chainsmokers, the app lets users craft unique tunes using text prompts. AI-generated music just got a fun twist! 🎵🤖

Reality Defender, working to detect deepfakes, just secured $15M in funding! With deepfakes on the rise, they aim to stay ahead of the game. It's impressive how technology evolves to tackle new challenges! 🕵️‍♂️🤖

📰 Recommended Reading 📰

1/ Learn how to maximize your credit cards and travel in style. Click here to subscribe.

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3/ The Bay Area Times is the visual daily newsletter on business and tech. Click here to subscribe.

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