Minimalist News

Simply the latest news, updated on the hour.

Tech

AI Summary

  • The Chicago Tribune has initiated a lawsuit against Perplexity AI, claiming copyright infringement due to their Retrieval Augmented Generation technology.
  • Amazon Web Services is showcasing advancements and new offerings in AI services and chips at their major tech conference, re:Invent 2025, highlighting the growing significance of AI in enterprise solutions.
  • Waymo faces scrutiny from federal regulators after reports of its robotaxis consistently passing school buses, prompting the company to implement software fixes to address safety concerns.
  • Micro1, a competitor in AI data training, has made headlines by rapidly scaling its annual recurring revenue from $7 million to over $100 million, signaling a strong demand for AI capabilities in the marketplace.
  • In a notable shift, Apple continues to experience executive turnover as key leaders in design and policy depart, indicating ongoing challenges for the tech giant amidst evolving market dynamics.

Powered by OpenAI

TechCrunch


Hacker News


Engadget

  • iam8bit is suing Skybound Game Studios alleging fraud and theft of designs 5 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Business, Video Games, Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    Skybound Game Studios is being sued by indie outfit iam8bit over fraud and breach of contract, including the theft of original designs. Skybound Entertainment, the parent company of Skybound Game Studios, is chaired by Robert Kirkman, who may be best known for creating the original comic book of The Walking Dead. We've reached out to Skybound for comment on the lawsuit but have not received a response as of publication. iam8bit is a video game producer as well as a merchandise operation selling vinyl soundtracks and other geek gear. The company entered into a partnership with Skybound Game Studios in April

  • Liquid Swords' debut title is a $25 'noir action game' coming next year 7 hours ago by Matt Tate
    Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate

    The debut game from Liquid Swords will arrive in early 2026, it was announced at today's PC Gaming Show. Samson: A Tyndalston Story is billed as "a consequence-heavy noir action game" by its developer, and focuses on the eponymous Samson McCray, a man who's got himself into serious debt in a city that doesn’t seem particularly forgiving.  The debut trailer doesn’t give too much away in terms of story, but I’m getting gritty Max Payne-y vibes. Combat looks crunchy and visceral, and it sounds like Liquid Swords is going for an oppressive atmosphere. "Samson is built on a simple, brutal truth:

  • Cairn's new release date is January 29, 2026 7 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Media, Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    We've been monitoring the upcoming rock climbing game Cairn for several months, as have the many folks who've already enjoyed the demo — which has an impressive 99 percent rating on Steam. In September, developer The Game Bakers pushed back the game's planned 2025 debut to give some extra time for polish. Today, the team dropped a fresh trailer announcing the revised launch date for the project. Cairn will be available on January 29, 2026 for Steam and PlayStation 5 for $30. The Game Bakers have a solid track record of indie gems, often with a strong, unique sense of place

  • Russia reportedly bans Snapchat and FaceTime 9 hours ago by Ian Carlos Campbell
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell

    Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal agency for monitoring and censoring mass media, has blocked access to Snapchat and FaceTime in the country, Bloomberg reports, citing Russian news service Interfax. The bans were reportedly put in place because the platforms were used "to organize and carry out terrorist acts,” and commit fraud. It's not clear if either service is still accessible by using a VPN, but banning Snapchat and FaceTime fits with Russia’s crackdown on communication and social platforms that started after the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Facebook and X were blocked in March of that year, and Instagram was added to

  • Amazon reportedly considering ending ties with the US Postal Service 9 hours ago by Andre Revilla
    Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Andre Revilla

    Amazon is reportedly considering discontinuing use of the US Postal Service and building out its own shipping network to rival it, according to The Washington Post. The e-commerce behemoth spends more than $6 billion a year on the public mail carrier, representing just shy of 8 percent of the service's total revenues. That's up from just shy of $4 billion in 2019, and Amazon continues to grow. However, it sounds like that split might be due to a breakdown in negotiations between Amazon and the USPS rather than Amazon proactively pullings its business. Amazon provided Engadget with the following statement regarding


The Verge

  • The best noise-canceling headphones to buy right now 4 hours ago
    Buying Guides, Gadgets, Headphone Reviews, Headphones, Reviews, Tech, Verge Shopping

    Whether you’re wearing them for the morning commute, while traveling, or if you’re simply trying to find some peace and quiet while working at home, noise-canceling headphones are a more essential piece of kit nowadays than ever before. And you’ve got a slew of great options to pick from; it’s hard to make a bad choice. There are longtime heavyweights like Bose and Sony to pick from. Apple has quickly carved into the market with the luxurious AirPods Max. And if you’ve got an ear that demands the best audio quality, headphones from Bowers & Wilkins and Sennheiser might appeal to

  • Apple announces even more major executive turnover 6 hours ago by Jay Peters
    Apple, Environment, News, Policy, Science, Tech

    Following the recent retirement of former COO Jeff Williams, AI chief John Giannandrea stepping down, and the departure of head of design Alan Dye for Meta, Apple announced Thursday that environmental and policy lead Lisa Jackson is retiring and that Jennifer Newstead will replace Kate Adams as the company’s general counsel after Adams retires “late next year.” Jackson, technically “vice president for Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives,” will retire in “late January 2026,” Apple says. Newstead, who is currently Meta’s chief legal officer, will take over Apple’s general counsel role on March 1st, 2026, from Adams, who has been Apple’s general

  • Nintendo’s Switch 2 Mario Kart bundle is on sale at Amazon again for $50 off 6 hours ago by Brandon Russell
    Deals, Gadgets, Gaming, Nintendo, Verge Shopping

    One of the biggest surprises of Cyber Monday was the terrific discount we saw on the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle, which dropped in price by $50. We expected the price to return to normal once the shopping holiday ended, but to our surprise, it’s still going strong two days later. Several major retailers are offering the console bundle for $449.99 ($50 off) — including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Since it’s a high-demand item, Walmart and Best Buy require that you add the bundle to your cart before seeing the discounted price. NINTENDO SWITCH 2 WHERE TO BUY: *

  • Pentagon’s Signalgate report finds Pete Hegseth violated military policies 7 hours ago by Richard Lawler
    Apps, News, Policy, Politics, Security, Tech

    It has been months since a group of Trump administration officials put together a Signal group chat to discuss classified military intelligence ahead of a military strike in Yemen while inadvertently adding a journalist, and now the Pentagon’s inspector general has released its report on the mess. The results of Steven Stebbins’ eight-month-long investigation found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not comply with DoD policies by “using a nonapproved commercially available messaging application to send nonpublic DoD information.” It also said that he risked potential compromise of “sensitive DoD information” as a result, but only recommended a review of classification

  • Trump invites ‘cute’ Japanese kei trucks to come to America 8 hours ago by Andrew J. Hawkins
    Cars, News, Policy, Transportation

    This picture taken on August 31, 2017 shows Honda Motor's new N-BOX mini-vehicles at its headquaters in Tokyo. Tiny kei trucks from Japan have a new fan: President Donald Trump. Trump expressed admiration for the pint-sized autos during a briefing with reporters to announce his plan to gut fuel economy standards. “They’re very small. They’re really cute,” Trump said. “And I said, how would that do in this country? And everyone seems to think, good, but you’re not allowed to build them.” Kei vehicles, which are built to satisfy Japan’s light vehicle regulations, are enjoying surging popularity in the automarket — including here in the


Wired

  • Check Out Highlights From WIRED’s 2025 Big Interview Event 3 hours ago by WIRED Staff
    Business, Culture, Politics, Science, The, Big, Interview

    On December 4, WIRED sat down with some of the biggest names in tech, culture, business, and science for a day full of in-depth interviews.

  • Former USIP Lawyer on DOGE: ‘Brass Knuckles on an Authoritarian Fist’ 3 hours ago by Angela Watercutter
    Politics, Politics / Policy, Politics / Politics News, The, Big, Interview

    George Foote, who served as the outside general counsel to the US Institute of Peace, said at WIRED’s Big Interview event that DOGE operatives arrived like a “strike team.”

  • David Hogg to Democratic Establishment: Get the Message or Get Voted Out 3 hours ago by Marah Eakin
    Politics, Politics / Disinformation, Politics / Policy, The, Big, Interview

    At WIRED’s Big Interview event, the activist and organizer said he doesn’t “think the Chuck Schumers of the world understand” what’s coming for the party.

  • It's Time to Save Silicon Valley From Itself 4 hours ago by Steven Levy
    Business, Business / Big Tech, The, Big, Interview

    Big Tech has lost its way. At WIRED’s Big Interview event, Techdirt editor Mike Masnick and Common Tools CEO Alex Komoroske announced a manifesto designed to help the industry get back on track.

  • Meta Poached Apple’s Top Design Guys to Fix Its Software UI 4 hours ago by Boone Ashworth
    Gear, Gear / Gear News and Events, Reboot

    Meta wants to make its AI hardware slicker and more fashion-forward. It also needs to make its software more usable. The way to do all that appears to be hiring design maestros away from Apple.


Looking for more? Search Google News