All You Need Is Gas

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Happy Friday, Future Party. Believe it or not, 3D printing has advanced so much that you can now print a whole book — pages and all. Yes, really. But it’s so incredibly complex that the company behind the breakthrough, Hyperpress, published a 26-page book made entirely of code explaining how they did it. And yes, that book is 3D-printed too.

StreetEasy, a real-estate service in NYC, has partnered with several iconic restaurants to offer reservations… for 2046.

Why It Hits: There’s nothing quite as valuable as a hot restaurant reservation, especially in a foodie destination like New York. Booking one this far in advance is not only a show of commitment to the city, but could also become one of the coolest forms of social currency.

Between The Tables: For its 20th anniversary, StreetEasy partnered with Mother New York to launch one of the most forward-thinking campaigns in recent memory: Reserve Your Future.

Final Reservation: When confirming a reservation, users are “asked to agree to remain ‘Forever New Yorkers’ and complete a New York-themed CAPTCHA designed to test their local knowledge.” It’s an ingenious way to deepen people’s connection to the city.

These reservations were so coveted that they’ve already all been booked — but people can still join the waitlist in the hopes that someone cancels over the next 20 years. Now, the waitlist hinges on one thing: someone remembering they even have the reservation.

The Future: It wouldn’t be surprising if New York rolled out a government-sanctioned equivalent of Reserve Your Future as a way to build community.

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The hottest brand-activation trend of 2026 may be providing people with basic necessities so they can allocate more of their budget to other products and services.

The Big Picture: The economic vibes aren’t great for a lot of people right now, with savings at record lows and the cost of basic goods at record highs. That’s prompting many to scale back on activities like dating, shopping, and entertainment. It’s hard to feel comfortable taking someone out to dinner when your gas tank is empty.

Behind The Giveaway: There’s no swag bag quite like a bag full of groceries.

Top Off: Looking at BLK’s giveaway alone, the data suggests that $500 in gas can make a real difference in whether people decide to date at all. Wired notes several studies showing that the cost of the average date is up 12.5% this year. Coupled with broader cost-of-living increases, it’s no wonder that 78% of people report feeling “financial anxiety” when it comes to dating.

No one wants a declined card to kill the vibe.

Prediction: Given Gen Z’s evolving nightlife culture, some businesses may find success by hosting unique, discounted events centered on low-pressure dating.

The DTC beauty category is crowded. To break through, Jennifer Aniston’s brand LolaVie, worked with Roku Ads Manager to easily set up, test, and optimize CTV ad creatives. The campaign helped drive a big lift in sales and customer growth, helping LolaVie break through in the crowded beauty category.

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55.4% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Do you ever watch arthouse or indie movies?

“Ever watch? It’s almost all I watch! Indies are interesting and thought-provoking compared to the many unoriginal big-studio productions that are reboots or extended stories meant to milk the public.”

“I prefer indie films over big-studio projects. Typically, indies are more creative, with more developed characters and fewer special effects. They’re more story-driven overall and, as a result, more interesting to me.”

“They are often more interesting and original than what the majors put out.”

“Used to when we lived in a bigger city and enjoyed them immensely. We don’t have any local theaters that show them now.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

📺 Disney is reportedly preparing to delete the Hulu app.

⚽ Gersh is launching a soccer division following its acquisition of PLG, which it plans to merge with You First Football.

🎧 YouTube is testing an audio-only option as it expands its podcast offerings.

🦾 Anthropic is now valued higher than OpenAI following a $65 billion funding round.

🚐 Waymo is rolling out a minivan-style vehicle called “Ojai.”

🤖 The new AI mission is developing models that can update themselves — a concept known as “recursion.”

👃 The new fragrance trend is layering multiple scents to create a signature blend. Sounds musky.

🛒 Amazon is allowing other retailers to build their own shopping assistants using the technology behind Alexa for Shopping.

📦 The EU slapped Temu with a $232 million fine for failing to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform.