Author: The West News

For 2026, Toyota’s compact electric crossover receives a major mid-cycle refresh as the Toyota bZ (dropping the old “4X” suffix). Toyota’s press materials make clear that the 2026 bZ “makes advancements in range, output, charging performance, and vehicle design”. The headline change is a new 74.7-kWh lithium-ion battery (on higher trims), boosting the estimated driving range to about 314 miles. Toyota also added a North American Charging System (NACS) port, so the bZ can use Tesla Superchargers nationwide. In sum, Toyota says the refreshed bZ delivers “a Toyota BEV in a small SUV package that is ready for the all-electric…

Get ready for an action-packed June 2025 in Pokémon GO! This month features major content drops: Gigantamax Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon debut in Max Raids, Shadow Registeel returns on Shadow Raid weekends, and legendary titans Groudon and Kyogre are back in five-star raids. Plus, GO Fest season is upon us with multiple in-person and free global events offering unique bonuses. Trainers attending in-person GO Fest events will have fun around the world: Pokémon GO Fest 2025 in Osaka, Japan (May 29–June 1) coincides with a free global Serene Retreat event (May 30–June 3) featuring bonus spawns of Pokémon like Shiny…

Spider Cat Funko Pop Figures – Overview & Buying Guide Funko’s Spider-Man Funko Pops continue to thrill Marvel collectors, especially the new Spider Cat-themed editions. In Funko’s own words: “Every hero needs a sidekick! … Spider-Man Miles Morales has backup in his backpack with the Bodega Cat Suit!”. For example, the Miles Morales (Bodega Cat Suit) Funko Pop is a detailed vinyl bobblehead about 4.5 inches tall, featuring Miles in his cat-themed suit and sidekick. Amazon’s listing of the classic Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (No Way Home) notes it “swings into action” in a leaping pose, with a 4.1-inch vinyl figure.…

Addison Rae performing on stage at Coachella 2025. On Wednesday (May 21), Addison Rae revealed the track list for her debut album, Addison, through a unique underwear-themed rollout on Instagram. The TikTok star turned pop singer used a rack of panties to provocatively display the names of her 12 songs, including unreleased titles like “Fame Is a Gun” and fan-favorite singles such as “Diet Pepsi” and “Headphones On”. Rae previously announced the album’s June 6 release by showing off the date on the back of her underwear during an appearance with Arca at Coachella in April. She has expressed deep…

Toyota has been here before—the predecessors to the modern Tacoma were truly compact, cheap trucks. Executives say “decisions have been made” and it’s “not a matter of ‘if,’ at this point” for a new small pickup. The future model will use the unibody TNGA architecture and can use Toyota’s hybrid powertrain system. Toyota’s goal is a lightweight, fuel-efficient work truck: “SUV-like capability in a truck that is lighter, with a hybrid powertrain…in a truck that costs less”. Industry analysts expect a new Toyota compact truck to debut within about 18 months (targeting the 2027 model year). Design and Features Toyota’s…

For $19.88, you’re getting a streaming player that’s largely similar to Google’s Chromecast with Google TV 4K in terms of performance and day-to-day user experience. It provides the same content-forward home screen, flush with recommendations, built-in casting, and Google Assistant integration. The Onn 4K Pro model costs $50 and delivers speedy performance with plenty of storage and a feature-rich remote. Like the $20 base Onn 4K box, it runs the Google TV software, which helps in finding new things to watch, but the Pro model also supports Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos for enhanced video and sound. Take a…

The Google Pixel 10 could give the Samsung Galaxy S25 a run for its money, with Google’s late-2025 flagship likely to offer high-end specs paired with cutting-edge AI features. Leaks and Rumors We’ve already seen the Google Pixel 10 being filmed for an advert on the streets of Canada, but the leaks aren’t stopping: we now have unofficial information about some of the color options and wallpapers the flagship phone will bring with it. According to tipster Mystic Leaks (via 9to5Google), the standard Pixel 10 will be available in Obsidian (black), Blue, Iris (purple), and Limoncello (yellow-ish) shades. We haven’t…

“Lilo & Stitch” is successfully causing box office mayhem. The children’s science fiction comedy is a live-action remake of Disney’s 2002 “Lilo & Stitch,” which was fully animated. Blockbuster $145.5 Million Opening Weekend Families turned out in force for Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Stitch” remake, which collected a blockbuster $145.5 million in its opening weekend and an estimated $183 million through Monday. This one was originally set to debut on Disney+ before the studio reversed course. Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” scored the biggest Memorial Day weekend opening of all time, hauling in $145.5 million to lap Tom Cruise’s eighth and…

The Last of Us Season 2 finale delivered what one recap deemed a “brutal, sadistic triumph of television,” bringing the hit HBO series to a dramatic end after a season of heartbreaking deaths and new threats. How about that? A perfect ending to a near-flawless series. In an absolute gut-punch denouement, the finale paid off just about everything that has been set up on their epic journey, all while leaving viewers sad, touched, and a little scared by the end. Season 2 Finale Review HBO’s adaptation offers a strong finish to an epic season, though the road to the finale…

Doing press for a major TV show comes with the territory—but for Bella Ramsey, there’s one question that’s getting old fast. Promoting the second season of The Last of Us, Ramsey, who plays Ellie, says they keep hearing the same thing from interviewers—and they’re clearly done with it. “The most common question I get asked is: ‘So, Bella, Ellie was 14 in season 1, she’s now 19 in season two—how did you prepare to play an older version of her?’” Ramsey told The Independent. Their answer? Pretty straightforward. “I’ve grown up! Ellie’s grown up! There’s nothing to tell! I’ve got…