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Tech

AI Summary

  • The artificial intelligence sector is experiencing a boom with significant investments and new product integrations, yet faces challenges including internal corporate stability, ethical considerations, and the substantial infrastructure costs of advanced AI systems.
  • Major technology companies are actively pushing AI deeper into consumer services and enterprise tools, evolving beyond basic chatbots to more sophisticated assistants and personalized experiences.
  • Cybersecurity remains a critical concern, with reports of zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used software being exploited by hackers and an increasing focus on the illicit use of technology for surveillance and criminal activities.
  • Tech companies are navigating intensified scrutiny over their societal impact, addressing issues ranging from content moderation and user privacy on social platforms to the ethical implications of their partnerships and energy consumption.
  • The consumer electronics market continues to see regular hardware and software updates, major product launches from key players, and various deals, alongside some notable delays in anticipated feature rollouts.

TechCrunch


Hacker News


Engadget

  • WhatsApp is now fully blocked in Russia 2 hours ago by Steve Dent
    Software, Politics & Government, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent

    After warnings from lawmakers last year, WhatsApp has been blocked in Russia for as many as 100 million users, the Financial Times reported. Russian authorities removed the app from an online directory, effectively wiping it from Russia's internet. The government has previously said that it wants users to switch to an app called Max, an unencrypted WeChat clone.  "Today the Russian government has attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive users to a state-owned surveillance app," Meta told the FT in a statement. "Trying to isolate over 100 million people from private and secure communication is a backwards

  • The best record players for 2026 4 hours ago by Billy Steele
    Audio Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele

    Vinyl records are firmly back in rotation, but getting started does not have to mean spending a fortune or building a complicated hi-fi stack from day one. Whether you want a simple, all-in-one setup with built-in speakers or you are piecing together a more traditional system with a separate amplifier, the best record player is the one that fits how you listen at home. For this guide, we focused on high-quality turntables under $600 that deliver a satisfying listening experience without unnecessary complexity. These picks cover everything from beginner-friendly automatic models to more audiophile-leaning decks that prioritize sound quality and upgrade

  • Apple acquires Severance and will produce future seasons in-house 4 hours ago by Mariella Moon
    Media, Celebrities, Television, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon

    Apple’s in-house studio will be producing the future seasons of Severance, according to Deadline. The company has reportedly acquired the show’s IP and all rights from its original studio, Fifth Season, back in December in a deal that was worth approximately $70 million. Fifth Season will remain as an executive producer, but Apple Studios will now be in charge of the show. Severance will be one of Apple’s marquee titles, alongside other shows like Owen Wilson’s Stick and Kristen Wiig’s Palm Royale. Apple also previously acquired sci-fi dystopian series Silo after its first season. Deadline reports that the show’s production costs

  • The best budgeting apps for 2026 6 hours ago by Dana Wollman,Valentina Palladino
    Software, Mobile Apps, Personal Budgeting, Technology & Electronics, Banking & Budgeting, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Dana Wollman

    As a former Mint user, I had to find a new budgeting app not too long ago. Intuit, parent company of Mint, shut down the service in March 2024, and prompted users to transition to its other financial app, Credit Karma. However, after testing Credit Karma myself, I found it to be a poor Mint replacement — that meant I needed to branch out and look elsewhere for a trusted app to track all of my financial accounts, monitor my credit score, follow a monthly spending plan and set goals like building a rainy-day fund and paying down my mortgage

  • Diablo II: Resurrected is adding warlock as a brand new player class 14 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    Blizzard announced today that it is introducing the Warlock as a playable character to Diablo II: Resurrected. It brings the first new class in 25 years to this remaster of the original RPG. It’s part of the Reign of the Warlock DLC, which is available today and will run you $25. It also includes some other updates to the base game, including new items and a new pinnacle boss encounter against the Colossal Ancients. For those players who don’t already own the base game, you can also pick up the Infernal Edition of D2R for $40, which includes the new


The Verge

  • This $7,999 robot will fold (some of) your laundry 38 minutes ago by Robert Hart
    AI, News, Robot, Tech

    Isaac 0 is a stationary robot with one job: folding laundry. | Image: Weave Robotics If you have a spare $7,999 (plus a $250 deposit), hate folding laundry, and happen to live in the Bay Area, one-and-a-half-year-old startup Weave has the robot for you: Isaac 0. It takes Isaac 0 around 30-90 minutes to fold a load of laundry, Weave says. That's all it does - it's stationary and needs a regular wall outlet - and it can't tackle large blankets, bed sheets, or inside-out garments. It's not fully autonomous either, with teleoperators on-hand to assist with trickier folds, though Weave says

  • HP ZBook Ultra G1a review: a business-class workstation that’s got game 2 hours ago by Antonio G. Di Benedetto
    AMD, Gadgets, HP, Laptop Reviews, Laptops, Reviews, Tech

    Sleeper laptop. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Business laptops are typically dull computers foisted on employees en masse. But higher-end enterprise workstation notebooks sometimes get an interesting enough blend of power and features to appeal to enthusiasts. HP's ZBook Ultra G1a is a nice example. It's easy to see it as another gray boring-book for spendy business types, until you notice a few key specs: an AMD Strix Halo APU, lots of RAM, an OLED display, and an adequate amount of speedy ports (Thunderbolt 4, even - a rarity on AMD laptops). I know from my time with

  • ICE is pushing Minneapolis underground 3 hours ago by Gaby Del Valle
    Policy

    Minneapolis was not the war zone I expected to find. Depending on who you are and where you live, things can seem, for a few fleeting moments, almost normal, like a few blocks or neighborhoods over people aren't being tear gassed or rounded up by ICE or, in two tragic cases, being gunned down by federal agents. Even now some people walk their dogs, run errands and buy groceries, meet friends for dinner and drinks. Daily life has become sinister in its banality, because Minneapolis remains a city under siege. ICE and CBP agents roam the streets, though their tactics

  • Highguard’s developer reportedly lays off ‘most’ of its staff just over two weeks after launch 13 hours ago by Jay Peters
    Entertainment, Gaming, News

    Highguard, a new multiplayer shooter from developers who worked on games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty, launched just over two weeks ago, but developer Wildlight Entertainment is already cutting jobs at the company, according to posts from affected staffers on LinkedIn. Former Wildlight level designer Alex Graner says that "most of the team at Wildlight" was laid off today, which was backed up by former lead tech artist Josh Sobel. "Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and

  • Two more xAI co-founders are among those leaving after the SpaceX merger 14 hours ago by Hayden Field
    AI, News, xAI

    Since the xAI-SpaceX merger announced last week, which combined the two companies (as well as social media platform X) for a reported $1.25 trillion valuation - the biggest merger of all time - a handful of xAI employees and two of its co-founders have abruptly exited the company, penning long departure announcements online. Some also announced that they were starting their own AI companies. Co-founder Yuhai (Tony) Wu announced his departure on X, writing that it was "time for [his] next chapter." Jimmy Ba, another co-founder, posted something similar later that day, saying it was "time to recalibrate [his] gradient on


Wired

  • Crypto-Funded Human Trafficking Is Exploding 37 minutes ago by Andy Greenberg
    Security, Security / Security News, International, Trade

    The use of cryptocurrency in sales of human beings for prostitution and scam compounds nearly doubled in 2025, according to a conservative estimate. Many of the deals are happening in plain sight.

  • 13 Best MagSafe Power Banks for iPhones (2026), Tested and Reviewed an hour ago by Simon Hill
    Gear, Gear / Buying Guides, Gear / Products / Accessories, Gear / Products / Phones, Buying, Guide

    Keep your iPhone or Qi2 Android phone topped up with one of these WIRED-tested Qi2 or MagSafe portable chargers.

  • Therabody JetBoots Pro Plus Review: 3-in-1 Recovery Tech 2 hours ago by Boutayna Chokrane
    Gear, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Health and Fitness, Pressure, Points

    The JetBoots Pro Plus promise faster, more effective recovery by combining multiple therapies in one device. I tested whether it’s worth the $1,150 splurge.

  • KYY X90G Quad Portable Monitor Extender Review: 3 More Screens 2 hours ago by Christopher Null
    Gear, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Computers, Gear / Products / Home Office, Product, Review

    This accessory gives your laptop three extra displays—as long as you’re prepared to lug them around.

  • Alexa+ and Kindle Scribe Now Work Together With ‘Send to Alexa’ 3 hours ago by Nena Farrell
    Gear, Gear / Gear News and Events, Gear / How To and Advice, Gear / Products / Smart Home, Gear / Products / Speakers, Gear / Products / Home Office, Written, Word

    The new “Send to Alexa” feature lets you send Kindle Scribe notebooks to your Echo device with just a couple of taps.


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