Minimalist News

Simply the latest news, updated on the hour.

Tue, May 26, 2026, 9:44 PM EDT

Tech

AI Summary

  • DuckDuckGo sees a significant surge in installations as users seek alternatives to Google's AI-integrated search, indicating a growing demand for privacy-focused options.
  • SpaceX's Starlink is expanding its reach in the aviation sector by securing a contract with American Airlines for in-flight Wi-Fi, marking another step towards its IPO.
  • The tech industry is grappling with the widespread implications of AI, from debates on its ethical use and potential job displacement to the development of specialized AI tools and cybersecurity concerns.
  • Governments worldwide are increasingly intervening in tech acquisitions, with the Netherlands and Spain blocking deals citing national security and regulatory concerns, signaling a more cautious approach to foreign investment in critical digital infrastructure.
  • NASA is accelerating its lunar ambitions with plans for multiple missions before the end of 2026, aiming to establish a more permanent presence on the Moon, while also continuing deep space exploration.

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The Verge

  • Did the Pope use AI to write about the dangers of AI? an hour ago
    AI, News

    It's possible that AI was used to write parts of Pope Leo XIV's latest encyclical about AI's impact on humanity. An analysis by Linch Zhang posted on the forum LessWrong found certain paragraphs of Magnifica Humanitas to be between 40 percent and 100 percent written by AI, according to the popular AI detector Pangram. The document includes known traits that appear in AI-generated writing, such as a higher use of the word "genuinely" - which crops up in writing by Anthropic's Claude - than previous encyclicals, Zhang says. Another person ran the text of the document section by section through

  • NASA’s permanent Moon base plans start with three missions this year 3 hours ago by Stevie Bonifield
    NASA, News, Science, Space

    On Tuesday, NASA announced several upcoming lunar missions to the Moon's South Pole region. These missions will pave the way for the crewed Artemis landing slated for 2028, starting with three Moon Base missions NASA says are "the first of more than a dozen missions that will be announced this year." Moon Base I, launching "no earlier than fall 2026," will use Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander to bring NASA payloads to the Moon, including the Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies instrument and the Laser Retroreflective Array. NASA will use these "to study how thrusters interact

  • Google Health is here, but a lot of people want their Fitbit app back instead 7 hours ago by Stevie Bonifield
    Fitness, Gadgets, Google, Health, News, Science, Tech, Wearable

    The Fitbit app is no more. Along with the launch of the new Fitbit Air (which you can expect a full review of once we've spent more time with it), Google has officially replaced it with Google Health , as previously announced , and many of the responses we've seen so far are full of confusion, frustration, and requests to get the old app back. One post on Reddit calls out a common issue, saying, "I can't even completely fill up my home screen. They only have 2 large tiles available and I can't just scroll down to see everything."

  • GE’s nugget ice maker is nearly half off if you buy it refurbished 7 hours ago by Sheena Vasani
    Deals, Gadgets, Tech, Verge Shopping

    GE’s nugget ice maker is simple to set up. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge If you’re looking for ways to make staying cool and hydrated easier this summer, Woot is currently selling a refurbished GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget Ice Maker for $264.99 through June 3rd. That’s $184 less than buying new at its full price, and comes with a 90-day warranty. If you want a brand new model, it’s also on sale for $359 ($90) at Best Buy , or $449 ($50 off) with a side tank included ( Amazon , Best Buy ,

  • Sony’s sloppy Spider-Man universe gets even messier with Spider-Noir 9 hours ago by Charles Pulliam-Moore
    Amazon, Entertainment, Marvel, Tech, TV Show Reviews, TV Shows

    After years of it seeming like the Spider-Man film rights might be better off in Marvel's hands alone, Into the Spider-Verse came along and proved that Sony was still capable of telling phenomenal stories featuring everyone's favorite webhead. Into the Spider-Verse 's sumptuous visuals and focus on a different web-slinging New Yorker made it unlike any other Spider-Man adaptation. And it was genuinely shocking to see Sony follow the film up with a bigger, bolder, more imaginative sequel just a few years later . Part of what made the first two Spider-Verse features so much fun to watch was the


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