Tech
AI Summary
- Amazon is reportedly destroying rare texts to train its AI models, a move that has sparked debate about the ethics of AI development and data sourcing.
- YouTube has updated its view-counting methodology, now registering a view as soon as a video begins playing, a change that could impact creator analytics and platform metrics.
- Reddit is experimenting with new audio and video features, signaling a potential shift towards content formats popularized by platforms like TikTok.
- Higgsfield has secured a substantial $400 million Series B funding round, significantly boosting its valuation and underscoring investor confidence in its growth trajectory.
- Sound-based fire protection technology is gaining traction with a $15 million investment, aiming to revolutionize early fire detection and suppression systems.
Sources
TechCrunch
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Higgsfield raises $400M Series B, quadrupling its valuation in 8 months to $5.4B
30 minutes ago
by Dominic-Madori Davis
Fundraising, Media & Entertainment, Startups, ai video, Higgsfield AIHiggsfield, founded by former Snap exec Alex Mashrabov, lets users create AI images and videos.
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Reddit begins testing a new audio and video experience, similar to popular TikTok videos
an hour ago
by Sarah Perez
Apps, Media & Entertainment, Social, TC, RedditReddit is beginning to test video and audio versions of popular posts, allowing users to watch or listen to Reddit stories instead of just reading them.
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Sound-powered fire protection startup gets $15M to snuff out fires before they turn catastrophic
an hour ago
by Tim De Chant
Climate, Fundraising, Real estate, fire extinguisher, wildfiresSonic Fire Tech raised its new funding to help get its sound-powered fire protection system into everything from commercial kitchens to apartment buildings.
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YouTube will now count a view as soon as a video starts playing
an hour ago
by Aisha Malik
Apps, Media & Entertainment, Creators, Google, videos, YouTubeThe change comes a year after YouTube applied the same approach to counting views on Shorts videos.
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Feedly attributes weeklong slowdown to bug, not its AI pivot
2 hours ago
by Sarah Perez
Apps, TC, Feedly, RSSFeedly says a bug is behind the performance issues that have made its web app nearly "unusable" for some users, while complaints about its mobile apps and customer support are adding to frustrations.
Hacker News
- A Preview of DuckDB v2.0 6 hours ago
- AI-Generated GitHub Copilot “Autofix” Allowed Compromise of Snowflake's Jira 5 hours ago
- Incident with Github.com 6 hours ago
- How to disable or avoid intrusive AI 5 hours ago
- GPU Offload in Rust: Portable, Safe, and Fast 2 hours ago
The Verge
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Wordle meets Clippy in this new word game
31 minutes ago
by Andrew Webster
Entertainment, Gaming, ReportLike many of us, Sam Rosenthal plays games like Wordle every day, chasing after good scores and sharing the results with friends and family. But he's also a game designer, the creative director at Blaseball developer The Game Band, and so this regular habit got him thinking about what else could be done in the space. "When I was a kid and I played word games with my family, they weren't the New York Times puzzle games," Rosenthal explains. "We were sitting in a car on a road trip playing these really loose games that couldn't be made digitally before.
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YouTube is changing how it counts views to give the numbers a boost
2 hours ago
by Emma Roth
Creators, News, Streaming, Tech, YouTubeYouTube will soon count a view as soon as a video starts to play, lining up with the system used by Instagram, TikTok, and its Shorts videos. The update will go into effect on August 24th, "which means creators will likely see their total view counts increase faster moving forward," the platform says . Instagram and TikTok similarly add a view to a video when it starts to play or replay, while X counts a view when a user watches a video for at least two seconds. YouTube applied Instagram and TikTok's view-counting method to Shorts last year. YouTube says
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The Analogue Pocket gets a Supreme makeover in red or gold
3 hours ago
by Jay Peters
Entertainment, Gadgets, Gaming, NewsAnalogue and Supreme are teaming up to release metallic versions of the Analogue Pocket handheld in red and gold as part of Supreme's fall / winter 2026 collection. Here's how they're described on Supreme's website : Metallic portable handheld multi-video-game-system. Unibody aluminum with 24K Gold-plated and custom red glossy finishes. They also have a Supreme logo on the front and the back. I dig the colors, but not the logos. (But I'm not really a Supreme guy.) No price is currently listed on the website for the handhelds. We've asked Analogue and Supreme how much they'll cost. A standard Pocket
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Sonos finally added Live Activities controls for your iPhone lockscreen
3 hours ago
by Andrew Liszewski
Apple, Apps, Audio, Gadgets, iOS, News, Sonos, Speakers, TechSonos released an update to its mobile app that finally introduces support for iOS' Live Activities, giving iPhone users quick access to playback controls on their lockscreen. The added functionality is a "much requested, anticipated, and needed feature," according to a post Sonos shared to Reddit today that was spotted by 9to5Mac . While some features like displaying album art are not available, the Sonos Live Activity provides basic details and controls when listening to music or podcasts through a Sonos system without having to fully unlock your iPhone and open the app. Support for Live Activities and lockscreen controls
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Trump’s dumb border wall
3 hours ago
by Gaby Del Valle
Policy, Politics, Privacy, Report, TechA bulldozer plows through land during construction for a section of border wall near Santa Elena Canyon on August 14, 2026 in Big Bend National Park, Texas. | Photo: Brandon Bell via Getty Images About 22 miles south of the former mining town of Patagonia, Arizona, down a winding, unpaved mountain road that passes cows grazing on open range, stands a cottonwood tree believed to be at least 200 years old. The "grandmother" tree, as some locals call it, is imperiled and already showing signs of stress, almost as if it knows its fate. The leaves are yellowing prematurely, falling
Wired
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7 Best Cheap Laptops to Buy in 2026 (and Some to Avoid)
8 hours ago
by Luke Larsen
Gear, Gear / Buying Guides, Gear / Products / Computers, Buying, GuideFrom surprisingly good $300 Chromebooks to excellent $650 Windows notebooks and more, these are the best budget laptops I’ve tested.
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CookUnity Prepared Meal Delivery Review (2026): Chef-Centric Meals
9 hours ago
by Matthew Korfhage
Gear, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Kitchen, Gear / Products / Online Services, Out, of, the, BoxI’ve tried most of the ready-to-eat meal delivery services in the country. CookUnity is the one that feels like real cooking, from real chefs.
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Skylight Buddy Review (2026): Kid Routines Just Got Easy
9 hours ago
by Nena Farrell
Gear, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Home, Gear / Products / Parenting, Product, ReviewThis kid-friendly version of Skylight’s digital calendar actually gets my son to complete his nighttime routine in a timely fashion.
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El Niño and Saharan Dust Silence Atlantic Hurricane Season
10 hours ago
by Dennis Mersereau
Science, Science / Environment, TKOEl Niño coupled with Saharan dust is making this year’s hurricane season a dud. But there’s still potential for dangerous storms.
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Election Officials Are Preparing for Prediction Markets to Sow Chaos in the Midterms
10 hours ago
by David Gilbert, Kate Knibbs
Politics, Politics / Politics News, Politics / Global Elections, Double, DownFrom threats to the safety of poll workers to voters who can’t distinguish between odds and results, prediction markets are already scrambling the political process.