Technology
60 headlines · sourced and linked
Martin Shkreli livestreamed himself violating lifetime pharma ban, FTC says
"I can always find a couple of biotech stocks to smoke," Shkreli said in a livestream.
Apple’s HomeView ad is confusing to everyone except parents
Apple's ad introducing its new HomeView smart display is a little unusual. It's fast-paced and unruly, depicting a family of five as they rush through the morning routine. There's yelling and mess, misplaced keys and discarded eggshells. Apple's typical vibe is clean, simple, orderly; this commercial is chaos. But the
ESA targets Anbernic emulation handhelds as "superfake" piracy enablers
But third-party sellers, not Anbernic, are the ones routinely selling ROM-filled SD cards.
Topgolf saved over $11.3 million after leaving VMware
Topgolf and VMware "ran deep" before the migration.
OpenAI employee arrested for allegedly planting a bug in a conference room
An OpenAI engineer was arrested after the company said it discovered a "sophisticated recording device" hidden in one of its offices. The employee, 35-year-old Abdulrahman Alfozan, is charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications, according to a report from The San Francisco Standard
It looks like Apple Music is getting a new icon
Apple Music's iconic red app icon has reportedly been replaced with a black-and-white version in the latest iOS 27.2 beta, 9to5Mac reports. The eighth note on the icon also appears to have a slightly sharper angle than the original. A new Apple Music logo was also spotted last month on the Apple Music Hall website, […]
Trump commercial railing against his enemies kept airing after court blocked it
US attorney apologized to court, said government has stopped running Trump ads.
Shopify opens its catalog up to more AI agents
More AI agents will soon be able to browse and purchase from Shopify listings, marking an expansion of the company's agentic commerce ambitions. Shopify announced Tuesday it will let shoppers configure their AI agents to purchase products on their behalf, giving more agents access to over a billion listings in Shopify'
Xbox is officially embracing the chaos of AI-powered game ports
Retro gaming is going through a wild time at the moment, thanks to decompilations and recompilations that are letting gamers port classic titles to new devices, or merge code from two different games into a single new experience. Microsoft has witnessed skateboarding being modded into Call of Duty and Halo being played
The Nothing Headphone A are half off for the first time
One of the best deals we’ve seen today bundles together a great pair of headphones with a solid album. When you add the Nothing Headphone A in black or white and the CD version of the Charli XCX album Music, Fashion, Film to your Amazon cart, you’ll save 33 percent on your order, bringing the […]
Russian bot farms are still trolling, even after Ukraine’s drone strikes on Yandex
Days after Ukrainian military drones took down several Russian data centers, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that the campaign had hurt Russia's disinformation efforts. "It suddenly became a little easier to breathe on many social platforms," Zelenskyy said Monday. "There was less hate, less division, and fewer p
Rivian spinoff Mind Robotics hires Doug Field as president
Rivian spinoff Mind Robotics announced the appointment of Doug Field as president in a major coup for the EV company's secretive robotics startup. Field was a VP of special projects at Apple, where he was the de facto head of the company's ultimately unsuccessful Project Titan effort to make an autonomous electric car.
Disney offers $20M for Character.AI’s scandal-plagued chatbot tech
Disney may acquire tech from one of the first chatbot makers linked to child suicide.
Skydance’s Discovery+ prices increase by up to 20 percent
The higher prices are said to be unrelated to the Skydance merger.
I don’t miss the camera on the Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses
The other day I whizzed past several people while running in the park, my playlist blasting at full volume. The next morning, I smiled at a barista while ordering a caramel apple-flavored matcha latte. Afterward, I sat on a park bench reading a book, called up a pal to chat about her recent trip to […]
The feds are looking into reports of Tesla’s robotaxis speeding through school zones
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it's evaluating allegations that Tesla's 1,000 or so robotaxis using its automated driving system are exceeding "posted speed limits in active school zones." Waymo's robotaxis have also faced similar inquiries, including for illegally passing school buses and hitt
The Paris Auto Show is full of interesting cars Americans can’t have
Small EVs and efficient people carriers update familiar names for the modern age.
The Xteink X4 Pro is a great, tiny e-reader, and it’s cheaper than ever
If you’re looking for an e-reader that can easily fit in your pocket (or snap onto your magnet-equipped phone), the tiny Xteink X4 Pro might be worth a look. It features a 4.26-inch, 800 x 480 E Ink display, making it significantly smaller and thinner than Amazon’s smallest six-inch Kindle. It’s also quite a bit […]
Facebook will let you customize your feed algorithm using AI
Facebook's new "Your Algorithm" feature will let you directly add and manage topics you want to see in your feed and Facebook Reels. Meta says your recommendations "respond right away" after you make updates using the new feature by hitting "interested" or "not interested" for different topics. Your Algorithm previousl
Google wants to host your personal vibe-coded apps in the Play Store
Google plans to help turn those personal AI-generated apps into wide releases.
A redesigned Play Store is coming to cars with Google built-in
The Google Play Store is getting a big update for cars with Google built-in. On Tuesday, the company announced that the Play Store's layout will now automatically adapt to the size and layout of your car's screen while making it easier to find and download new apps. The update, which is rolling out in the […]
Google makes it easier to launch your vibe-coded apps
The next time you vibe-code a custom app with Google's AI Studio, you won't have to connect your phone to a computer to install it. On Tuesday, Google announced a new feature in the US that will allow you to launch personal apps directly through the Play Store. Google first launched the ability to vibe-code […]
I tried out Apple’s HomeView smart display
Apple has just announced the HomeView, its first smart home display - and I just got hands-on with the device, which features a gorgeous 7-inch square touchscreen and built-in Siri AI. It's designed as a smart home controller, personal assistant, and home hub for your household, so there was a lot to check out. The […]
Actress Mia Goth says it’s ‘incomprehensible’ that Instagram allowed an AI image of her to spread
Earlier this month, news broke that actress Mia Goth had filed for divorce from actor and filmmaker Shia LaBeouf. An Instagram post from the account miagoth_ - marked with a blue verified checkmark - quickly spread. The post shows Goth in a T-shirt that reads "MY EX IS MY BIGGEST FAN" in bold black letters. […]
Hands-on with the Apple Home Collection
We've just gotten a closer look at Apple's new video doorbell, security cameras, a door lock, and thermostats following the company's "Welcome Home" event on Tuesday. The six new devices are part of a new Apple Home Collection, which the company co-developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. The LG smart lock
Gemini 4 Argon begins rolling out in Gemini app and Antigravity, but only if you pay
Developers will get 50 percent discounted API rates through November.
Google finally releases Gemini 4 Argon
After months sitting on the sidelines of the frontier AI race, Google has finally launched its long-awaited Gemini 4 Argon model, claiming it can compete with the best the industry has to offer. Google says Argon delivers "frontier reasoning and improved performance across complex workflows," while cutting down on hedg
Buying Apple’s wall-mounted HomeView? The mount costs extra
The HomeView smart home display announced by Apple today comes in two models that both cost $299: one with a speaker base, and the other being a self explanatory "Wall Mounted" version. If you want the latter, however, you'll actually have to pay at least $59 more - the mounts required to actually affix the […]
Apple’s HomeView display is now available to preorder
Apple is getting into smart displays with its new HomeView. It has a seven-inch squircle design, looking similar to a gargantuan Apple Watch mounted to a speaker base. The $299 HomeView is meant to be the centerpiece for Apple's big push into the home, as it's capable of controlling a host of smart home tech. […]
Apple’s first smart display is the 7-inch HomeView for $299
It can recognize up to six users with its camera.
Here are all the new HomePod Mini 2 colors
Apple's HomePod Mini 2 is here, and we've gotten a close-up look at the second-gen smart speaker. The HomePod Mini 2 comes with an upgraded S10 chip capable of powering Siri AI, though Apple says support for new AI features will roll out as part of a future update. It also offers a sound glow […]
They war-gamed dimming the Sun. It went even worse than you think.
Solar geoengineering simulation shows what happens when geopolitics takes over.
Epic shifts to ‘AI-accelerated development’ for upcoming Disney game
Epic Games plans to use AI to generate code and art for an unannounced Disney game, which is now delayed from its original March release window, according to a report from Bloomberg. The project's developers have been given an "AI-first" mandate directing them to use tools like Anthropic's Claude more to finish the gam
Apple’s HomePod Mini 2 is available to preorder
After nearly six years, Apple debuted a new, improved HomePod Mini. The $149 HomePod Mini 2 will launch on Friday, October 30th, and you can place a preorder now through Apple. The speaker includes the S10 chip, which debuted in the Apple Watch Series 10, and it can power a host of features. It will […]
DLSS 5 gets toned down for its Hogwarts Legacy debut next month
When Nvidia originally showed off DLSS 5 earlier this year, the technology immediately got branded as gen AI for video games. To gamers, Nvidia had lost the plot. I personally couldn't get over how faces were transformed using DLSS 5. The 15-year-old student from Hogwarts Legacy suddenly looked much older, and Grace fr
Discovery Plus is getting more expensive
Discovery Plus is raising prices across its ad-free and ad-supported plans. Starting Tuesday, the ad-supported plan will go from $5.99 to $6.99 / month, while the ad-free tier will jump from $9.99 to $11.99 / month. The price hike comes just one week after Paramount closed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, whi
Where to preorder the new Apple TV 4K
Apple debuted its latest Apple TV 4K - its first in four years - and it'll be available starting Friday, November 13th. It's powerful, with the A19 chip (the now-discontinued 2022 model has the A15 Bionic), and it features better wireless connectivity than its predecessor, too. Siri AI is a big part of this rollout, […
Watch Apple’s reveal video for the HomeView
Apple just announced its long-rumored smart home hub, the HomeView, during its "Welcome home" event taking place today. As part of the event, it showed a video featuring the new device, and if you want to see it for yourself, you can watch it right here. The HomeView is a 7-inch square display. It costs […]
Watch Apple’s reveal video for the HomeView
Apple just announced its long-rumored smart home hub, the HomeView, during its "Welcome Home" event taking place today. As part of the event, it showed a video featuring the new device, and if you want to see it for yourself, you can watch it right here. The HomeView is a 7-inch square display. It costs […]
Getty Images is going private after failed Shutterstock merger
Getty Images intends to file for bankruptcy and go private as part of a restructuring agreement after its plans to merge with rival stock platform Shutterstock fell through earlier this year. On Monday, Getty announced it had secured $533 million from the Getty family and Charles Koch's investment firm to cut its debt
High-speed video reveals how honey bee stingers pump venom
Co-author: “The unique geometry of the valves is the key; they act as collapsible pistons" to deliver venom.
The new Apple TV 4K has built-in microphones so you can talk to Siri AI
Apple is introducing a refreshed Apple TV 4K today with a pair of interesting new hardware features: far-field microphones to talk to Siri hands-free and Find My built into the remote. The fourth-gen Apple TV 4K, announced at Apple's Welcome Home event in New York City, is the first model to support the Siri AI […]
Everything Apple launched at its ‘Welcome Home’ event
Apple unveiled a slate of new smart home gadgets at its aptly named "Welcome Home" event today, including its first (and highly anticipated) smart home hub. That flagship announcement came alongside much-needed refreshes for Apple's HomePod Mini and TV 4K devices, and a selection of new smart home and security accessor
Elgato takes on DJI with a tiny wireless mic for creators on the go
Elgato already dominates the market for hardware built for creators that use powerful desktop PCs, and it's now turning its attention to creators on the go with its first wireless microphone. The $99.99 Wave Go clips onto your clothes just like DJI's Mic Mini, with hands-free recording for vlogging and content creation
The new Apple Home Collection includes a video doorbell, smart lock, and more
Apple has partnered with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric to launch the Apple Home Collection, an assortment of smart home devices meant to be easy to set up and use. The collection is something of a smart home starter pack, including security cameras, a video doorbell, a door lock, and two thermostats. Apple is a
Apple launches HomeView, its first smart display for the home
It's finally here: Apple's long-rumored smart display, the Apple HomeView, has arrived. I got a first look at the device in New York City this week, and it's gorgeous. The HomeView puts a small, vibrant screen atop a speaker base for taking video calls, beautifully displaying photos, and providing information at a glan
Apple announces the HomePod Mini 2, but it isn’t ready for Siri AI at launch
Apple is announcing the long-awaited HomePod Mini 2 with a new chip that can power Siri AI - but support for those new AI features won't be available at launch. The speaker is also getting a new sound glow feature that syncs its LED lights with a song's album art, and it can now be […]
All the news from Apple’s ‘Welcome home’ event
Apple is hosting an event on October 13th that seems like it will be all about its efforts for the smart home. The event’s tagline is certainly a big hint — “Welcome home” — but the company is also heavily rumored to be launching a series of new smart home products soon. One of the […]
Character.AI files for bankruptcy
Character.AI, one of the first breakout startups of the generative AI boom, has filed for bankruptcy and is selling some of its assets to Disney. The company, which builds various online bots for users to chat or roleplay with, has faced mounting scrutiny and lawsuits over the safety of its chatbots, but has continued
39-year-old unvaccinated woman becomes 6th measles death in Pennsylvania
As of Friday, state health officials reported 1,136 cases across 41 counties.
The Social Reckoning is flopping at the box office
As important as some of the messages in The Social Reckoning are, the movie has been drastically underperforming at the box office. Per Variety, Aaron's Sorkin's follow up to The Social Network only grossed a measly $5.5 million this past weekend against a budget that's somewhere within the $30-42 million range. That w
Epic Games reportedly pivoting to "AI first" game development model
"No more hand-written code" or AI-free art for delayed Marvel/Star Wars shooter.
After a 10-year redemption arc, No Man's Sky is coming to the iPhone and iPad
You can get a universe in your pocket if you have an iPhone 11 or later.
WHO report on Russian lab worker death highlights "key uncertainty"
Without a cause of death, it's unclear if Russia's precautions were the right ones.
Anthropic's Claude AI submitted false murder tip to Philadelphia police
“I may have information regarding this case," Claude AI told Philly police.
Russia was not ready for the data center war it started with Ukraine
Russian bloggers warn Russia’s hyper-centralized digital economy is vulnerable.
Meta has some Wonder Full new AI models
Meta is making up for lost time in the AI race. After launching Muse Spark, the first model from its revamped Superintelligence Labs division, and buzzy AI agent Muse, it's now launching two new models it claims can go toe-to-toe with the industry's best. The new models, Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full, are available
Elon Musk has donated over $276 million to Republican midterm efforts
Elon Musk has handed out at least $276 million to Republican groups since July, The New York Times reports, making him both the party's top known donor and the biggest established midterm donor. $158 million of that money - one of the largest political donations in American history - has been funneled into the Senate [
Long-lost horror gaming cult classic P.T. gets a much-needed PC port
Kojima's discontinued "playable trailer" is no longer stuck on a few aging PS4 hard drives.
The Yandex outage probably didn’t blitz Russian bots
Multiple Ukrainian drone strikes over the last week have taken Russian data centers offline and reportedly caused online bot traffic to plummet - but in reality it's probably not the kind of bot activity most people associate with Russia. A chart citing Cloudflare data has been circulating around social media platforms