Minimalist News

Simply the latest news, updated on the hour.

Thu, Jul 2, 2026, 1:16 PM EDT

Tech

TechCrunch

  • Melinda Gates’ venture firm backs Magnify Ventures’ $46.6M Fund II 3 hours ago by Dominic-Madori Davis
    Venture, Care Economy, In Brief, Magnify Ventures, Melinda French Gates, Pivotal Ventures

    Early-stage firm Magnify Ventures has raised a $46.6 million Fund II from LPs, including Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures.

  • OpenAI proposed donating 5% of its equity to a US sovereign wealth fund 3 hours ago by Russell Brandom
    AI, Government & Policy, government, OpenAI, sam altman

    OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly proposed giving 5% of the company’s equity to a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, reviving discussions about letting the public share in the financial gains from the AI boom.

  • Popular TV-tracking app TV Time is shutting down as company focuses on AI 3 hours ago by Sarah Perez
    Apps, Media & Entertainment, Social, TC, TV Time, whip media

    TV Time, the popular TV-tracking app, is shutting down on July 15 as parent company Whip Media pivots toward enterprise AI products.

  • Lucid Motors’ CFO is out as its new CEO continues leadership shakeup 3 hours ago by Sean O'Kane
    Transportation, electric vehicles, EVs, Lucid Motors, people moves

    The company announced a new slate of executive hires meant to help turn things around, as Gravity SUV sales are not taking off as expected.

  • US government says it got hacked — again 4 hours ago by Zack Whittaker
    Government & Policy, Security, cyberattack, cybersecurity, data breach, Homeland Security, intelligence, Trump Administration, us government

    A top Democrat on the Senate's Intelligence Committee warned that the information accessed on a Homeland Security intelligence-sharing network may risk national security.


Hacker News


Engadget


The Verge

  • The video game disc is dead an hour ago by David Pierce
    Apple, Gadgets, Gaming, Podcasts, Tech, Vergecast

    For decades, to be a gamer was to accumulate a lot of stuff. Consoles, controllers, accessories, weird VR gloves that never worked properly, but mostly the games themselves. Over the years, games have come in every shape and size you can imagine. And now that era appears to be ending. On this episode of The Vergecast , David and Nilay talk about Sony's plan to end production of PlayStation discs , Microsoft's ongoing strategy for digitizing games , and in general the end of physical game media. It all makes a certain kind of business sense - and these companies

  • Influencer screenings aren’t going away 2 hours ago by Charles Pulliam-Moore
    Analysis, Creators, Entertainment, Film, Report, Tech

    For a few days, it seemed like Universal decided that there would be no advanced screenings of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey for influencers. But on Monday, influencers sat alongside traditional critics and journalists at special showings of The Odyssey specifically for the associated press junket. Despite what it may have looked like, Universal was not going back on its word. The studio was simply embracing an undeniable reality of the modern entertainment press. Much as it may pain some to admit, influencers and content creators have become a significant part of our media ecosystem - one that offers film studios

  • Godox’s feature-packed key light is down to its best price yet 3 hours ago by Sheena Vasani
    Deals, Gadgets, Verge Shopping

    If you don’t want to spend $180 on the Elgato Key Light , the Godox ES45 Desktop LED Key Light is a more affordable option that offers nearly as much brightness and plenty of features, including adjustable brightness and color temperature. Right now, it’s cheaper than usual for the first time this year, selling for $119 ($20 off) at Amazon and B&H Photo . Godox ES45 key light Where to Buy: $139 $119 at Amazon $139 $119 at B&H Photo $139 $119 at Dodd Camera The ES45 is a worthwhile purchase for streamers, or really anyone who wants to look

  • Tesla’s Q2 sales jump 25 percent 4 hours ago by Andrew J. Hawkins
    Business, Electric Cars, News, Tesla, Transportation

    Tesla just released its second-quarter delivery and production report, showing that the automaker is starting to recover after a particularly brutal sales year in 2025 . The company said that it produced a total of 451,758 vehicles between April and June of this year, including 442,936 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, as well as 8,822 "other vehicles" like the Cybertruck and the Tesla Semi. (The company discontinued the Model S and X earlier this year.) That represents about a 10 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2025, when the company produced 410,244 vehicles. Tesla also said that

  • AI won’t save advertising, says Digitas’ Amy Lanzi 4 hours ago by Nilay Patel
    Business, Creators, Decoder, Podcasts, Tech, Web

    We’ve got a special Decoder today — I had the chance to talk with Amy Lanzi, the CEO of Digitas North America, in front of a live audience at the Uber Villa at the Cannes Lions advertising festival in the South of France. I know, it’s a hard gig, but I do it for you. Amy has been on Decoder three times now , and she’s one of my favorite people to chat with — she is clear-eyed about what the advertising industry really is and does for brands and what all the money sloshing around the ad-supported internet really


Wired

  • The DEA Plans to Ban Opioid-Like Kratom Compound 7-OH 2 hours ago by Manisha Krishnan
    Culture, Culture / Digital Culture, Drug, War

    The federal agency says it will temporarily schedule the drug, which has been called "gas station heroin," as a controlled substance—a boon for MAHA and the mainstream kratom industry.

  • 7 Lesser-Known Google Account Settings You Should Change 4 hours ago by David Nield
    Gear, Gear / How To and Advice, About, Me

    Adjust your options for things like account recovery, ad personalization, and which parts of your Google profile are shared publicly.

  • 8 Best Travel Adapters (2026): My Top Recommendations 6 hours ago by Simon Hill
    Gear, Gear / Buying Guides, Gear / Products / Accessories, Buying, Guide

    When going abroad, the right plugs are essential to keep your gadgets charged. These are my favorite travel adapters and chargers.

  • Bublue BuVortex V5 Pool Skimmer Review: An Impractical Cleaner 7 hours ago by Christopher Null
    Gear, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Home, Product, Review

    The Bublue BuVortex V5 ditches conventional skimming for a vortex-powered design that’s fascinating to watch, even if it’s severely impractical.

  • How Trump Helped China Make America’s Cheapest EV 7 hours ago by Aarian Marshall
    Science, Science / Environment, Gear, New, Roadmap

    Slate is the latest automaker to transition to lower-cost batteries perfected in China, driven in part by the repeal of EV tax credits that required materials to be sourced domestically.


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