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The National
13-06-2025
- General
- The National
Some of my best friends are people I've never met
Social media has provided me with many important things in my life. I met my wife through social media. I found my job on social media. It has also given me the chance to create friendships with people around the world. In June 2018, while I was unemployed and spending a lot of time on Instagram sharing pictures of my ever-growing Blu-ray film collection, a person I followed asked if anyone was interested in joining a group chat to discuss the movies we watched. Having the free time, I opted in. Everyone else in the chat was from the US and Canada. What started with at least 15 people reduced over the next two years to a core group of eight. Over the years, the group chat has become more than just a film discussion after we began to share our grievances, hardships and celebrations. I revealed in a previous column that I was diagnosed with high-functioning autism two years ago. This diagnosis has made me realise why I've always found it difficult to make new friends and retain them. During my life, I've had friends come and go. Outside the group chat and work, and my wife who is my absolute best friend, I probably only have two people I can truly call friends. Friendship is a funny thing. You can't force it, and the chemistry needs to be just right to work. Shared interests help, but there's a more complex reason behind them lasting. As someone on the spectrum, it's hard to maintain friendships that endure. In the group chat, I found a place where I could be myself, share my thoughts and not worry about being judged. We were there for each other during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are there for each other when someone loses a family member or suddenly needs financial support. We've even sent each other Secret Santa presents and postcards. We've celebrated each other's marriages, the births of children and graduation ceremonies. They are in the US, so I haven't met any of them in person, though some have had that opportunity when they are in the same city. I sometimes feel jealous that they have that option much more readily. Day to day, we update each other on new passions that we can discuss. We make it a point to be present for whoever needs listening to. We've also taught each other many things – cultural nuances and political awareness are just some of the topics discussed. I sometimes take a step back and wonder: 'How did I form such strong relationships with people I have never even met?' But frankly, I just feel lucky. We celebrate our seventh anniversary this year, and I don't know how long we'll be friends. But for now, I thank everyone in the group chat who is reading this column. I thank you for being understanding, compassionate and caring. I thank you for the laughs and cries. I thank you for being there. Will I ever get to meet them in person? Who knows? But I do hope so. For now, I'm grateful to have such a space.
Independent Singapore
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
HK actress and beauty queen Crystal Fung denies disagreement with fellow celebrity Louisa Mak
Photo: Instagram/Crystal Fung HONG KONG: At a recent event in Hong Kong, actress Crystal Fung addressed all those rumours floating around about a disagreement with her good friend, fellow beauty queen Louisa Mak, according to The Star. Photo: Instagram/Louisa Mak Fung, who's 31 and actually won the Miss Hong Kong crown back in 2016, flat-out denied those rumours. Mak, 33, won Miss Hong Kong a year earlier in 2015. Rumours of falling out According to the beauty queen, the misunderstanding came about when a journalist asked if she had visited Mak and her baby. She explained that she simply said she hadn't had the chance yet, but that response sparked rumours of a falling out between them. 'We're all still in touch — we've got a group chat going, and we're actually planning a birthday dinner for next month! We're just trying to figure out a date that works for everyone right now,' she shared, as translated by Jaynestars . Fung admitted they haven't seen each other in over six months, but she quickly explained it by saying that Louisa Mak has been incredibly busy since getting married and having a baby. See also BTS is the most popular group based on Idol Chart's 'Acha Ranking' No tension between them 'She's just been swamped, really. We're actually trying to plan a get-together so she can catch up with all of us at once, instead of having to meet everyone one by one,' Fung explained, making it clear there's no tension at all between them. And although both women have moved into the education field, Fung brushed off any talk of competition, saying there's really none of that between them. 'We're just heading in slightly different directions these days,' she said. 'Louisa's really diving deep into early childhood education, and I've been putting my energy into supporting primary and secondary school students — and their parents — on the emotional side of things.' She added that she'd just come from giving a talk at a local secondary school. When asked if their friendship had shifted, Fung simply replied, 'Nope, our friendship hasn't changed a bit!' Winning Miss Hong Kong Crystal Fung is a Hong Kong actress, and she actually won the Miss Hong Kong title back in 2016. She was born on June 10, 1994, making her 31 years old. See also Actress Kim Sae Ron found dead at the age of 24 While she has a career in acting, appearing in various TV shows and dramas, she has also been pursuing academic interests. She's actually putting a lot of her energy into offering emotional support to primary and secondary students, and even their parents. In fact, she recently gave a talk at a secondary school, sharing insights from this very work. This is a different area of focus compared to her friend Louisa Mak, who specialises in early childhood education. Incredibly bright Louisa Mak Ming-sze, born on December 11, 1991, is a prominent figure in Hong Kong, known for her diverse career as an actress, television host, lawyer, and entrepreneur. Winning the Miss Hong Kong Pageant in 2015 was truly the moment she first stepped into the spotlight and gained widespread recognition. Louisa Mak is also incredibly bright; she actually earned a law degree from the prestigious University of Cambridge and even got admitted to the New York Bar in 2018 . See also Selena Gomez might retire from music After her time in entertainment, she pivoted to the corporate world, working at the consulting giant McKinsey & Company as a junior associate and then an engagement manager from 2019 to 2022.
TechCrunch
09-06-2025
- TechCrunch
Apple is bringing polls to Messages in iOS 26
Apple announced at WWDC 2025 on Monday that it's bringing polls to Messages in its upcoming iOS 26 update. The feature has been highly requested by users, and is one that has been long adopted by services like WhatsApp and Telegram. The feature will allow users to vote on different things directly within group chats. For example, you could create a poll to decide where your next girls' brunch will be located, or which novel you and your book club are going to read next. Apple shared that Apple Intelligence will be able to suggest polls based on the context of your conversations. For example, if someone messages: 'What should we eat?' Apple Intelligence will suggest starting a poll. While this new feature is in no way groundbreaking, it's nice to see Apple catch up to other chat services and give users a better way to plan and decide things right within their group chats.
CNET
09-06-2025
- CNET
Apple's Messages Backgrounds May Finally Save Me From Awkward Reveals in Group Chats
It's not exactly groundbreaking (or even original), but Apple's announcement during its WWDC keynote that you'll be able to add a background image in Messages could save me and my friend groups. Apple announced that as part of its new iOS 26 -- yes, the name is confirmed -- Messages will get a few upgrades, specifically in group chats. Similar to what you can do in Meta's WhatsApp, you'll now be able to change the background color or image for group chats. This can come in particularly handy when you have multiple chats with overlapping members. I have one friend group with dozens of members, but just a handful go on trips together. That's led to some awkward moments when some members of the bigger group get included in messages that are just for our travel group. The only way to distinguish them is in the name of the group, but a customized background could help me quickly identify my travel buddies (beach scene) from the larger group. Plus, the upgrade will toggle the message so I can see who's in the process of writing a text. Again, it's a small thing, but it lets the speaker indicate they have a followup. So we can all pause before we jump in with our opinions. And speaking of opinions, you'll also be able to add polls -- no more 40 messages from everyone debating where to eat. The Message update isn't exactly earth-shattering, but will make my life a little easier (and less embarassing).
TechCrunch
09-06-2025
- TechCrunch
Apple is bringing polls to iMessage
Apple announced at WWDC on Monday that it's bringing polls to iMessage. The feature has been highly requested by users, and is one that has been long adopted by services like WhatsApp and Telegram. The feature will allow users to vote on different things directly within group chats. For example, you could create a poll to decide where your next girls' brunch will be located, or what novel you and your book club are going to read next. Apple shared that Apple Intelligence will be able to suggest polls based on the context of your conversations. For example, if someone messages: 'What should we eat?' Apple Intelligence will suggest starting a poll. While this new feature is in no way groundbreaking, it's nice to see Apple catch up to other chat services and give users a better way to plan and decide things right within their group chats.
