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Tech

AI Summary

  • The landscape of the tech industry is rapidly evolving with shifting priorities, significant funding, and emerging trends in various sectors.
  • In consumer AI, many startups are struggling to establish lasting impact as the market anticipates new personal devices to drive the next tech revolution.
  • OpenAI-backed Chai Discovery has successfully raised $130 million in a Series B funding round, highlighting a growing interest in AI applications within the biotech sector, particularly for drug discovery.
  • Ford is pivoting away from its all-electric F-150 Lightning to focus more on hybrid models and battery storage, signaling a major shift in its electric vehicle strategy in response to market conditions.
  • Nvidia is making strides in open-source AI by acquiring SchedMD and launching the Nemotron 3 AI models, reflecting its commitment to leading the field while navigating competition from other tech giants.
  • Disney's exclusive deal with OpenAI for AI character content is set to expire after one year, opening the door for more collaborations with other AI companies in the future.

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Engadget

  • Google is retiring its free dark web monitoring tool next year 6 hours ago by Mariella Moon
    Internet & Networking Technology, Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon

    Google will stop sending out dark web reports starting early next year, as it shuts down the free tool that can tell you if your personal information has appeared on the seedy underbelly of the internet. The tool used to be exclusively available to Google One subscribers until the company opened it up to everyone in mid-2024. If you switch it on, you’ll receive a notification whenever your name, email address and phone number leak on the internet, typically due to data breaches. In Google’s email announcement, however, it said it was discontinuing dark web reports because “feedback showed that it

  • LG will debut its first Micro RGB television at CES 8 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    LG is getting in on one of the newest trends for televisions with the introduction of Micro RGB. The company will unveil the LG Micro RGB evo at CES 2026, but it shared some preliminary information about the screen today. Micro RGB is a newer screen technology where rather than white lights, the backlight can be any hue thanks to individually controlled red, green and blue Micro LEDs, offering a wider color array. This approach is a mid-way point between the precision of OLED with its individual pixel lighting, but it offers an upgrade over screens only using mini LEDs. The television

  • Judge blocks Louisiana's social media age verification law 8 hours ago by Karissa Bell
    Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Karissa Bell

    A Louisiana law that would have required social media platforms to verify the ages of their users has been blocked by a judge. The law, known as the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation, was passed in 2023 and required Meta, Reddit, Snap, YouTube Discord and others to implement age verification and parental control features. The ruling came just days before the law, which technically took effect over the summer, would have started to be enforced. In his ruling, Judge John W. deGravelles wrote that the law's "age-verification and parental-consent requirements are both over- and under-inclusive," and that its definition

  • LG quietly added an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app to TVs 9 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    Microsoft made a big punt this year with Copilot. The company put its AI chatbot into a special line of laptops and has also tried to integrate it into other tech products. The latest place you may find Copilot is on your LG smart television, whether you want it or not. Several LG smart TV owners have taken to Reddit over the past few days to complain that they suddenly have a Copilot app on the device and cannot uninstall it. Two Engadget staffers discovered the app on a 2022 LG OLED and a 2023 UA8000. They confirmed that the app

  • Ford is rebooting the F-150 Lightning as an EREV with a gas generator 10 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Autos, Transportation, Nature & Environment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    Just last month, Ford seemed to be on the brink of sunsetting the F-150 Lightning. Today, the vehicle manufacturer announced plans to reboot the truck as a hybrid. This next generation of the F-150 Lightning will contain Extended Range Electric Vehicle. An EREV is similar in concept to a plug-in hybrid but with a larger battery that's topped up by a gas generator — the powertrain itself is all electric. This next generation of the F-150 Lightning will offer an estimated range of more than 700 miles. Production will end this year on the current F-150 Lightning models. This revamp of


The Verge

  • Silksong is getting a free expansion next year 7 hours ago by Jay Peters
    Entertainment, Gaming, News

    It's still hard to believe that Hollow Knight: Silksong actually came out this year, but now, we all have a new thing to wait for: the game is getting a free expansion in 2026, titled Sea of Sorrow. Team Cherry calls it the game's "first big expansion." "New areas, bosses, tools, and more!" Team Cherry says in a blog post. "Hornet's adventures continue in our nautically themed expansion, coming free for all players next year. We'll keep further details a secret for now, but expect additional info shortly before Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow releases." More than 7 million people

  • LG enters the RGB LED fray in 2026 with the Micro RGB evo TV 8 hours ago by John.Higgins
    Gadgets, News, Tech, TVs

    In what is sure to be the beginning of a slew of announcements, LG has confirmed it is releasing its first flagship RGB TV in 2026. It wasn't a huge secret, considering "a premium LCD TV with Micro RGB technology" won a CES 2026 Innovation Award in November. But it's now certain that the LG Micro RGB evo TV will be released in 2026 in 100-, 86-, and 75-inch sizes, with US pricing to be announced at a later date. The Micro RGB evo TV will use an upgraded version of LG's Alpha 11 processor, usually reserved for the company's high-end

  • The best Apple Watch to buy 9 hours ago by Victoria Song
    Apple, Buying Guides, Fitness, Gadgets, Smartwatch, Tech, Verge Shopping, Wearable

    If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch for you. But there was only one Apple Watch when the smartwatch launched in 2015. A decade later, you’ve got three flavors to choose from: the entry-level Watch SE, the standard Series, and the rugged Ultra. Each appeals to a different demographic and set of needs, but good news: I’ve tested every Apple Watch dating back to the Series 2 and can point you in the right direction. 1. The best Apple Watch for most people 2. The best Apple Watch for health monitoring 3. The best Apple

  • The best AirPods to buy 9 hours ago
    Apple, Buying Guides, Gadgets, Headphones, Tech, Verge Shopping

    Whether you’re buying your first pair of AirPods or replacing a well-used older pair, it’s easy to understand why so many iPhone owners prefer Apple’s earbuds and headphones over other options. Apple has spent years gradually adding new features that work best — and sometimes only work at all — with the company’s own devices. These convenient tricks include audio sharing, automatic switching between Apple’s various devices, live translation, Apple TV integration, and more. There are currently four AirPods models to choose from, each with its own distinct appeal and upside. You likely already know whether you’re more interested in earbuds

  • 21 states and DC join the FTC’s lawsuit against Uber 9 hours ago by Stevie Bonifield
    News, Policy, Ride-sharing, Transportation, Uber

    On Monday, nearly two dozen states, plus the District of Columbia, filed an amended complaint in the FTC's lawsuit against Uber. According to the lawsuit, Uber charged consumers for the Uber One subscription without their consent, billed them before the end of a free trial, and shared misleading claims about how much consumers can save with the subscription. Uber One subscribers were allegedly forced to go through a lengthy and difficult process to cancel the subscription, which could mean tapping through up to 23 screens and taking 32 actions. The states joining the lawsuit today are Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois,


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