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Simply the latest news, updated on the hour.

Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 10:21 AM EST

Tech

AI Summary

  • OpenAI has secured one of the largest private funding rounds in history, raising $110 billion, signaling massive investor confidence in the AI sector.
  • The tech industry continues to grapple with significant layoffs, with Block (Square/Cash App) announcing over 4,000 job cuts, following similar moves by eBay and others.
  • The smartphone market is bracing for a potential decade-low dip in shipments, largely attributed to a persistent memory shortage.
  • AI is integrating further into everyday services, with Google's Gemini now capable of booking Ubers and ordering food, and new AI-powered tools emerging for scheduling and profile guidance.
  • Major tech players are eyeing the burgeoning AI hardware market, exemplified by the introduction of new AI-integrated smart rings and the potential for AI-powered eyewear.

TechCrunch


Hacker News


Engadget

  • The Morning After: The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display is pretty cool 34 minutes ago by Mat Smith
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mat Smith

    Samsung’s Unpacked event midweek revealed three new phones and two sets of earbuds, but the real standout, as usual, is the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This year, the Ultra actually features a bit of genuine tech innovation — and no, we don’t mean it folds. Let’s talk about its new Privacy Display. This isn't a shimmery, holographic screen protector that’s hard to read and constantly peels off at the corners; this tech is engineered directly into the S26 Ultra’s OLED display. Samsung Display revealed its Flex Magic Pixel technology back in 2024. The S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display is built off the back of

  • Engadget Podcast: Xbox's leadership shakeup and Samsung's Galaxy S26 36 minutes ago by Devindra Hardawar
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar

    This week, we're diving into the big changes at Xbox and what it all means for Microsoft's gaming future. Phil Spencer, the longtime face of Xbox, announced he's retiring last week. He'll be replaced by Microsoft's former CoreAI CEO Asha Sharma, instead of his longtime deputy Sarah Bond, who plans to leave the company. Will this change actually help the beleaguered Xbox division, or is it another example of Microsoft shoving AI into everything?  Also, Samsung held its latest Unpacked event this week to announce its new Galaxy S26 family. They look pretty much the same as last year, but the

  • A cheap MacBook is the perfect way for Apple to win over Windows users 3 hours ago by Devindra Hardawar
    Software, Computing, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar

    The MacBook is coming back — or at least, that's what the rumors claim. Next week, Apple is expected to announce a colorful, low-cost, non-Air, non-Pro MacBook powered by one of its mobile processors. By avoiding its pricier M-series chips, Apple may reportedly be able to reach a low $699 or $799 price for the MacBook. The $999 MacBook Air is the cheapest laptop on the company's website right now, but Apple also sold the older M1 MacBook Air at Walmart for $700 in 2024, which later went down to $650 last year. That Walmart deal was a smart way for

  • Ultrahuman’s new Pro ring comes with 15 days battery life 4 hours ago by Daniel Cooper
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Daniel Cooper

    If there’s one thing that stops people using their smart rings over the long term, it’s the battery life. After all, they’re so unobtrusive, it’s easy to forget to drop it on the charging plate every few days. It doesn’t take long for your pricey gadget to become little more than a very expensive piece of jewelry. It’s one of many maladies Ultrahuman is looking to address with the advent of its new Pro, a smart ring boasting up to 15 days of battery life. It even ships with a fancy battery case, which itself includes enough power to last

  • OpenAI will notify authorities of credible threats after Canada mass shooter's second account was discovered 4 hours ago by Mariella Moon
    Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon

    OpenAI has vowed to strengthen its safety protocols and to notify law enforcement of credible threats sooner in a letter addressed to Canadian authorities, according to Politico and The Washington Post. If you’ll recall, Canadian politicians summoned the company’s leaders after reports came out that it didn’t notify authorities when it banned the account owned by the Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia mass shooting suspect back in 2025. Some of OpenAI’s leaders have already met with Candian officials, and British Columbia Premier David Eby said Sam Altman had also agreed to meet with him. While OpenAI has yet to announce changes to


The Verge

  • Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show 17 minutes ago by Andrew Webster
    Amazon, Entertainment, Gaming, News, Streaming, Tech, TV Shows

    Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It's a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts. There aren't a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon's official description: > The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread

  • The Galaxy S26 is a photography nightmare 20 minutes ago by David Pierce
    AI, Podcasts, Samsung, Tech, Vergecast

    In many ways, Samsung's new phones are fairly normal upgrades. The S26 lines come with some useful new things - particularly the Privacy Display on the S26 Ultra, which looks like an extremely cool bit of tech and a really useful new feature - and a lot of iterative year-over-year changes. The new camera features, on the other hand, are neither of those things. They're something worse. Something scarier. Verge subscribers, don't forget you get exclusive access to ad-free Vergecast wherever you get your podcasts. Head here. Not a subscriber? You can sign up here. On this episode of The Vergecast, Nilay

  • Pokémon Winds and Waves launch on the Switch 2 in 2027 32 minutes ago by Charles Pulliam-Moore
    Entertainment, Gaming, News, Nintendo, Pokemon

    It's time to say goodbye to the Paldea region because a new generation of mainline Pokémon games are on the way. During today's big Pokémon Presents stream, Nintendo announced that Pokémon Wind and Waves are the next installments in the core game series. The games will launch in 2027 and are exclusive for the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo also shared a trailer showcasing a new trio of starter pokémon - Browt, Pombon, and Gecua - and a number of different environments you'll be able to explore as you play through the games. In addition to establishing that Wind and Waves takes place

  • Huel tries to solve the ‘burden’ of eating 36 minutes ago by Victoria Song
    Column, Health, Optimizer, Science

    It’s Slim Fast for chads. This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. Opt in for Optimizer here. In 2017, I was at rock bottom. My dad's health was rapidly failing; my relationship with my mom was on the rocks. I was in a not-so-great place in my career. My undiagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome was wreaking havoc on my health. I was already in a dark place when a situationship broke my heart, my roommate notified me they

  • OpenAI snags $110 billion in investments from Amazon, Nvidia, and Softbank 41 minutes ago by Terrence O’Brien
    AI, Amazon, Amazon Alexa, Business, News, Nvidia, OpenAI, Tech

    OpenAI has closed another round of funding, totalling $110 billion being newly committed to the maker of ChatGPT, which it says has more than 900 million weekly active users and over 50 million consumer subscribers. Amazon is investing $50 billion and striking a deal that includes plans for custom models and more. Nvidia and SoftBank are each contributing $30 billion, as well, even as the Wall Street Journal notes that Nvidia's previous $100 billion investment plan is "on ice." This marks another massive influx of cash for the company that's now valued at $730 billion, and previously closed a $40


Wired


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