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Published 28.07.2025.09.00.MON
Retro Diners, Lego Game Boys & Alibaba’s Code Ambitions
Hey everyone, Ritik here! This week felt like we traveled back to the future. From Tesla's Hollywood diner blending nostalgia with tech, to Lego recreating a Game Boy so accurate it might make you tear up. We saw Apple take the wraps off iOS 26 and its liquid-glass AI era, Pebble rising from the dead (for real this time), and Alibaba trying to dethrone US coding assistants with its massive Qwen3-Coder. A week packed with nostalgia, AI breakthroughs, and brand comebacks, here's the breakdown:
1. Tesla’s Retro-Futuristic Diner Opens in LA
“Charging stations now come with burgers and movies.”
What’s Happening: Tesla officially opened its Diner & Drive-In at 4:20 p.m. in Hollywood, Los Angeles, turning a vision long teased by Elon Musk into a tangible reality. The retro-themed venue boasts 80 v4 Supercharger stalls, two massive 45-foot LED movie screens, and a full diner experience offering classic menu items like burgers and hot dogs. Tesla is betting big on making EV charging more engaging and even entertaining. With synchronized in-car audio during movies, branded merchandise, and even an Optimus robot on display, it’s more than just a pit stop, it’s an attraction. Musk hinted at expanding the concept to more cities and long-distance routes if this first location succeeds, signaling a strategy to deepen Tesla’s cultural footprint beyond automobiles. Long queues at the launch suggest strong initial public interest.
Why It Matters to You: This could redefine how we think of EV charging, less like waiting at a gas station, more like an experience. Tesla is betting that lifestyle and brand immersion can become part of your commute.
Why It Matters to the World: It represents a fusion of mobility, commerce, and entertainment—and might spark a global trend of location-based EV ecosystems.
2. Lego Unveils an Official Nintendo Game Boy Replica
“Lenticular magic, button nostalgia, and no stickers!”
What’s Happening: Lego has officially revealed its stunning take on the classic 1989 Nintendo Game Boy. Priced at $60 and shipping October 1st, this brick-built tribute includes lenticular displays to simulate game scenes like Super Mario Land and Link’s Awakening. With functional-feeling A and B buttons and printed tiles instead of stickers, the replica nails the original’s design down to speaker grilles and serial numbers. It's even sized nearly identically to the real thing. While it doesn’t play games, the lenticular screens give you the illusion of gameplay scenes as you tilt the device. It's an impressive homage with easter eggs and a nod to Nintendo history, and Lego even recreated part of the original Game Boy commercial to mark the release. It’s a perfect collector's item for fans of both brands.
Why It Matters to You: A nostalgic and display-worthy collectible that doubles as a tactile trip down memory lane. A perfect gift or display piece for retro lovers.
Why It Matters to the World: Highlights how legacy tech and physical nostalgia are being reborn for a new generation through modern craftsmanship and creative licensing.
3. Apple Launches iOS 26 Public Beta
“Liquid Glass design and AI-powered everything.”
What’s Happening: Apple has rolled out the public beta of iOS 26, showcasing a sweeping design update called “Liquid Glass,” which brings a translucent, fluid interface across apps, controls, and system UI. The update introduces real-time AI translation, smart poll suggestions in Messages, live transcription across apps, and deeper Apple Intelligence integration. The Lock Screen and app icons are revamped with 3D and customizable visuals. Features like Call Screening, Hold Assist, and smarter workout modes on watchOS 26 show a tighter link between hardware and AI. Mac and iPadOS also see improvements like windowed multitasking and predictive Spotlight search. New features like Workout Buddy, intelligent media autoplay, and automatic sound calibration on Apple Watch are standout additions. Overall, Apple is positioning iOS 26 as a deeply intelligent, cross-platform update with usability and design in mind.
Why It Matters to You: Expect your devices to become more personalized, responsive, and visually stunning, especially if you rely on Apple across iPhone, Mac, and Watch.
Why It Matters to the World: Marks a major step in integrating AI across everyday devices with a privacy-first approach, challenging other tech giants' centralized AI strategies.
4. Pebble is Pebble Again
“The smartwatch OG is officially back.”
What’s Happening: Pebble is making a formal return, this time, with its original name restored. After a trademark recovery, the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 smartwatches will now be sold as Pebble 2 Duo and Pebble Time 2. CEO Eric Migicovsky confirmed that Pebble’s open-source community can now legally use the name in their projects. Pebble, once a pioneer in the smartwatch world before being acquired by Fitbit in 2016, saw a resurgence via the grassroots “Rebble” movement. These devices now include AI voice agent support and are built with new chipsets for extended compatibility. Tariff impacts from US-China trade tensions may increase future prices, but Pebble fans remain loyal. The comeback taps into nostalgia while introducing modern smart features.
Why It Matters to You: If you ever missed your Pebble, now’s the time to get back on board. Expect open-source support and retro vibes with modern smarts.
Why It Matters to the World: Demonstrates the power of brand loyalty and community-driven revivals in an age dominated by corporate tech giants.
5. Alibaba Releases Qwen3-Coder: Its Most Advanced AI Coding Model Yet
“An open-source powerhouse with 480B parameters.”
What’s Happening: Alibaba has launched Qwen3-Coder, an open-source AI model aimed at dominating the AI coding landscape. With 480 billion parameters (35 billion active) and trained on 7.5 trillion tokens (70% code), the model uses a mixture-of-experts architecture and supports a 256K token context window. It's designed to tackle agentic coding tasks, where AI autonomously completes complex software workflows, and rivals GPT-4 and Claude Sonnet 4 in coding benchmarks. Post-training involved reinforcement learning in multi-stage environments, and Alibaba’s infrastructure supported 20,000 parallel simulations. The model shines in browser automation, tool use, and reasoning-intensive tasks. Alongside it, Alibaba released Qwen Code, a developer command-line tool that integrates with popular SDKs and supports long-context code handling.
Why It Matters to You: A powerful and free alternative to expensive proprietary code assistants. Useful for developers seeking to build with long context and automation.
Why It Matters to the World: Signals China’s strong push in open-source AI development, increasing competition and accessibility while reducing reliance on US-based models.
My Creative Conclusion
From Tesla’s cinematic vision for EV charging to Apple’s mesmerizing liquid-glass UI and Alibaba’s monumental leap in AI coding, this week redefined innovation with soul. Classic legends like Pebble and Lego’s Game Boy prove nostalgia isn’t just memory, it’s potential energy, waiting to be unleashed anew. What threads these stories together isn’t merely the technology itself, but how thoughtfully designed experiences can shape our emotional bonds with the future. As these brands merge intelligence with identity, they’re teaching us something profound: the past isn’t just history to reminisce about, it’s the foundation on which tomorrow’s boldest ideas are beautifully built.
— Ritik Sharma Founder, RSN (Ritik Sharma Newsletter)