Gaming Updates : Akihabara Loses Former Sega Arcade Landmark After 32 Years

Source : 

https://geekculture.co/akihabara-loses-former-sega-arcade-landmark-after-32-years/

ChatGPT : 

The landmark Akihabara Gigo 1 arcade—formerly Sega’s flagship site—is set to close at the end of August 2025. Originally opened in 1992 as High Tech Land Sega Shintoku, the iconic red building evolved through multiple rebrandings. Its closure marks another step in Akihabara’s shift from niche gaming and anime culture to mainstream tourism.

Acquired by Genda in 2022, the arcade business continued under the Genda Gigo name. Rising rental costs likely prompted the closure. However, Genda still operates three arcades in the area and plans to convert the site into a new amusement hub. Meanwhile, Sega will open a new flagship store in Shibuya PARCO on July 18.

Gaming Updates : The best mobile games of 2025 so far (July 2025)

Source : 

https://www.pocketgamer.com/best-games/mobile-games-of-2025/

ChatGPT : 

Pocket Gamer and affiliated sites reviewed hundreds of mobile games released in 2025, selecting the best across various rating tiers. Highlights include:

⭐ 5 Stars (10/10 – Platinum Award):

- Crunchyroll: Shogun Showdown

- EvoCreo 2

- I Am Your Beast

⭐ 4.5 Stars (9/10 – Gold Award):

- Dredge, Jump King, Lara Croft: Guardian of Light, True Fear 3, Resident Evil 2, Songs of Conquest, Vampire’s Fall 2, and more.

⭐ 4 Stars (8/10 – Silver Award):

- Crashlands 2, Duck Detective, Primrows, Thronefall, Wargroove 2, etc.

⭐ 3.5 to 3 Stars (7–6/10):

- Backyard Baseball '97, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Persona 5: The Phantom X, and more.

⭐ 2.5 Stars (5/10):

- Ultimate Chicken Horse

Games were filtered and reviewed by Pocket Gamer, 148Apps, and others in the Steel Media group, with decades of experience in mobile gaming. The list is regularly updated.

Rewards Updates : Discover the Top Air Miles Credit Cards in Singapore for a Luxurious Travel Experience

Source : 

https://lobangsiah.sg/discover-the-top-air-miles-credit-cards-in-singapore-for-a-luxurious-travel-experience/

ChatGPT : 

✈️ Top Air Miles Credit Cards in Singapore (2025)

1. Citi PremierMiles

- ⭐ 1.2 mpd (local), 2 mpd (overseas), no expiry.

- ✅ Lounge access, travel insurance, flexible airline/hotel transfers.

- 🎁 Welcome gifts via SingSaver (e.g. $400 cash or Dyson Airwrap).

2. DBS Altitude

- ⭐ 1.3 mpd (local), 2.2 mpd (overseas), up to 3 mpd for flight/hotel bookings.

- ✅ No expiry, $1M travel insurance, 2 lounge visits/year.

- 🎁 Sign-up perks via SingSaver.

3. OCBC 90°N

- ⭐ 1.3 mpd (local), 2.1 mpd (foreign), bonus with Agoda.

- ✅ No expiry, flexible redemption in 1,000-mile blocks.

- ✅ DragonPass lounge, spa/dining perks.

4. Standard Chartered Journey

- ⭐ 1.2 mpd (local), 2 mpd (overseas), 3 mpd (online transport/food/groceries).

- ✅ Points don’t expire, 2 lounge visits/year, travel insurance.

- 💡 Good for Grab/Deliveroo/RedMart users.

5. Amex KrisFlyer

- ⭐ 1.1 mpd (local), 2 mpd (overseas), 3.1 mpd (Singapore Airlines/Scoot).

- ✅ Miles go directly to KrisFlyer with no manual conversion.

6. UOB PRVI Miles

- ⭐ 1.4 mpd (local), 2.4 mpd (overseas), 6 mpd (online flight/hotel bookings).

- ✅ Uncapped miles, travel insurance, valid for 2 years.

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🧠 What to Consider in a Miles Card:

- ✅ High earn rates (at least 1.2 mpd local).

- ✅ No expiry or long validity on miles.

- ✅ Bonus categories: travel, online, dining.

- ⚠️ Watch out for earn caps and foreign currency fees.

- 🎁 Use welcome bonuses to jumpstart your miles.

- ✈️ Look for perks: lounge access, insurance, easy redemptions.

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💡 Tip:

Use rewards cards as pseudo-miles cards by maximizing high-mpd categories and converting points to miles. Always pay full balances to avoid negating rewards.

Rewards Updates : 2025 Edition: Best Credit Cards for Hotels

Source : 

https://milelion.com/2025/07/14/best-credit-cards-for-hotels/

ChatGPT : 

Best Credit Cards for Hotels (2025 Edition)

By Aaron Wong | July 14, 2025

Hotel bookings can earn up to 10 miles per dollar (mpd) if you use the right credit card — but it depends on how and where you book and pay.

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🔍 Key Factors to Consider:

- Merchant Category Code (MCC): Determines how your transaction is classified

- Direct hotels: MCC 3500–3999 (major chains) / 7011 (others, incl. Airbnb)

- OTAs (Agoda, Booking, etc.): MCC 4722

- Payment Mode:

- Online (prepaid) = likely to earn online bonus

- Offline (pay at hotel) = depends on card/payment method

- Currency:

- Use FCY-friendly cards for overseas stays

- Avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) scams — always pay in foreign currency

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🏨 Best Cards for Direct Hotel Bookings:

Earn up to 4 mpd with:

- UOB Lady’s / Solitaire (choose “Travel” category)

- DBS Woman’s World Card (online only)

- HSBC Revolution

- UOB Preferred Platinum / Visa Signature (check payment method conditions)

- DCS Imperium, Maybank, StanChart, BOC cards — especially for FCY spend

❌ Citi Rewards Card excluded — no bonus miles for travel-related categories.

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🌐 Best Cards for Online Travel Agents (OTAs):

For public OTA pages:

- Same cards as above (e.g., DBS WWMC, UOB Lady’s, etc.)

For special cardholder landing pages:

- Citi PremierMiles: Up to 10 mpd on Kaligo, 7.2 mpd on Agoda

- UOB PRVI Miles: Up to 8 mpd

- OCBC 90°N: Up to 7 mpd

🛑 Be cautious: special pages might have marked-up prices.

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🪙 Buying Hotel Points (via Points.com):

Not coded as hotel spend — use:

- Citi Rewards Card, DCS Imperium, UOB Visa Signature, or similar FCY-optimized cards

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⚠️ Tips & Caveats:

- Agoda (Mastercard payments) charges 1% cross-border fee — avoid with Atome or Visa.

- Some prepaid hotel rates still charge offline — check with the hotel if unsure.

- Bonus caps and rules vary; refer to each card’s T&Cs for limits and payment conditions.

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✅ Bottom Line:

To maximize miles on hotel stays:

- Know how your booking codes (MCC)

- Choose the right card for online vs offline and SGD vs FCY payments

- Compare prices before booking through bonus-miles landing pages — more miles aren’t worth it if you’re overpaying!

Gaming Updates : Steam Users Have Until July 17 to Claim 3 Games for Free

Source : 

https://gamerant.com/free-games-on-steam-july-2025/

ChatGPT : 

Steam users can claim three free strategy games — Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock, Field of Glory 2: Medieval, and Fantasy General 2 — until Thursday, July 17, 2025. All three games are published by Slitherine Ltd and have received "Very Positive" reviews. No subscription is required; users simply need to claim the games on their Steam store pages to keep them permanently. Steam regularly offers free games, but these giveaways are often unannounced in advance.

Investing Updates : What to Expect in the Week Ahead (Earnings from JPM,BAC and Netflix; Inflation Data, PPI and Fed Speakers)

Source : 

https://www.moomoo.com/community/feed/114845290135557?share_code=0fZyCi

Eney : 

Upcoming Week Financial Overview

• Earnings Reports: Key earnings announcements are expected from major companies including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), and Netflix.

• Inflation Data: Investors should prepare for inflation data releases which could impact market dynamics.

• Producer Price Index (PPI): The PPI report will provide insights into inflation at the wholesale level, affecting economic forecasts.

• Federal Reserve Communications: Fed officials are scheduled to speak, potentially offering clues on monetary policy and interest rate adjustments.

• Market Considerations: The week's events will likely influence stock market trends, investor sentiment, and economic outlooks.