Tech
AI Summary
- The FTC is suing Amazon over an alleged "secret ad surcharge scheme," while the Pentagon is developing its own AI tools akin to ChatGPT.
- Major venture capital firms like a16z are raising substantial growth funds, with some investors reportedly backing political data center initiatives.
- Apple is experiencing significant leadership changes, including the departure of Phil Schiller and Tim Cook, as the company faces high demand for its AI-capable Mac hardware.
- Concerns about AI's impact are growing, from its potential to hinder government hacking tools to its use in profiling and the ethical implications for jobs.
- Despite industry consolidation and controversies like George Santos's lifetime ban from Kalshi, innovation continues with tools like VLC surpassing 7 billion downloads and new AI-powered applications emerging.
Sources
TechCrunch
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Polymarket reportedly raises $300 million from Donald Trump Jr.’s investment fund
an hour ago
by Lucas Ropek
Fundraising, Polymarket, prediction marketsThe firm, 1789 Capital, led the funding round that reportedly will total around $1 billion.
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a16z brings growth fund to $8.5B days after launching new $1.1B fund
an hour ago
by Julie Bort
VentureAndreessen Horowitz held out its hand and returned with billions more in new funds to invest in startups.
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A group funded by Andreessen, Horowitz, and Brockman plans data center ads to sway midterms
2 hours ago
by Julie Bort
Government & Policy, Venture, Andreessen Horowitz, greg brockmanBuild American AI plans to lobby voters in select states about the virtues of data centers by spending millions of dollars on ads.
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FTC accuses Amazon of running a ‘secret ad surcharge scheme’ in new lawsuit
4 hours ago
by Lauren Forristal
Commerce, Government & Policy, Amazon, Federal Trade CommissionAmazon is facing a new lawsuit from the FTC and 22 states for allegedly secretly charging businesses more for advertising.
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The Pentagon now has its own version of ChatGPT and Grok
4 hours ago
by Kirsten Korosec
AI, ChatGPT, GrokVersions of OpenAI's ChatGPT and SpaceXAI's Grok will join Google's Gemini on the Pentagon's central portal for AI tools.
Hacker News
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The Verge
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The Google TV Streamer now costs $50 more
2 hours ago
by Stevie Bonifield
Google, News, Smart Home, Streaming, TechGoogle raised the price of its 4K streaming box to $149, up $50 from its original $99 price. The new price is currently live at the Google Store and Best Buy , but Amazon appears to still be offering the original price. The price hike comes just a couple of weeks after Google launched its new lineup of Pixel 11 phones with a $100 price hike over their Pixel 10 counterparts. The Google TV Streamer originally launched in 2024 and doubles as a smart home hub. It isn't the only streaming device getting more expensive - component shortages have been
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JMGO’s very bright all-in-one projector looks ideal for gamers and sports
3 hours ago
by Thomas Ricker
Gadgets, IFA 2026, News, Tech, TVsJMGO’s Iris Ultra Max 4K 120Hz Google TV projector. | Image: JMGO JMGO's 4K 120Hz Iris Ultra Max all-in-one Google TV projector is now available outside China. It gets its name from a new dual-iris system that lets it produce an impressive 10,000:1 native contrast, according to JMGO. It boosts the contrast - always an issue with projectors - by placing two separate physical apertures (irises) along different points of the internal optical path to control light scatter and brightness far more aggressively than a single iris can. It also promises to produce a very bright 6,500 ISO lumen image
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FTC lawsuit alleges Amazon has been ‘secretly and systematically’ overcharging for ads
3 hours ago
by Stevie Bonifield
Amazon, Business, News, Policy, TechThe FTC and 22 state attorneys general are suing Amazon for allegedly using a "secret ad surcharge" to drive up prices for ads on its website and app. FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson claims in a blog post on the lawsuit that the higher advertising prices "were largely passed on to American consumers." According to the complaint , Amazon violated the FTC Act and over a dozen state laws. This lawsuit comes almost a year after Amazon agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle an earlier FTC lawsuit over Prime subscription practices. In Amazon's "second price" auctions for ads on its
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I went to the loneliest baseball game on Apple Vision Pro
3 hours ago
by Mia Sato
Apple, Entertainment, Sports, Tech, Virtual RealityCeddanne Rafaela is tagged out at home plate at Yankee Stadium on August 28th. | Getty Images This weekend, I strapped on an Apple Vision Pro to watch a baseball game in immersive virtual reality for the first time. It was technically impressive, visually pretty remarkable, and also didn't make that much sense. Apple and Major League Baseball chose a classic match-up of the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees for the first of its series of four games streamed on the device . I do not review tech for The Verge , but I do watch a
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Alienware’s budget-friendly QD-OLED is discounted for the first time
5 hours ago
by Brad Bourque
Deals, Gadgets, Gaming, PC Gaming, Verge ShoppingThe Alienware AW2726DM is a wallet-friendly screen with premium features for gaming. While memory and storage prices are still high, there are still good discounts on other gaming-related hardware. Take Alienware’s AW2726DM , for example. Dell is selling it for $319.99, a $30 break from the usual price of $349.99. The 27-inch gaming monitor features an QD-OLED panel for deep, immersive black levels, and quantum dots for full and vivid colors. With a 240Hz refresh rate for super smooth gaming, and AMD FreeSync Premium Plus to keep your frames per second and refresh rate locked together, this monitor is a
Wired
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The Best Labor Day Mattress Deals on Beds We’ve Tried in Our Homes
3 hours ago
by Louryn Strampe
Gear, Gear / Deals, Rest, DayIt’s one of the best times of the year to buy a mattress, and our top tested picks are on sale.
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Best Early Tech Labor Day Sales I’d Shop Myself (2026): AirTags, Dyson, and More
4 hours ago
by Nena Farrell
Gear, Gear / Deals, Early, BirdFrom the best Dyson vacuum to the best wireless earbuds we’ve tested, you can get some great gadgets on sale already ahead of Labor Day.
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Asus ProArt 27 QD-OLED (PA279cdv) Review: HDR for All
5 hours ago
by Luke Larsen
Gear, Gear / Products, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Computers, Gear / Products / Home Office, Product, ReviewI wouldn’t call it cheap, but this monitor from Asus brings proper HDR-capable video editing to creators who couldn’t previously afford an OLED display.
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Tempo Promo Codes: Get up to 60% Off Healthy Meals
7 hours ago
by Matthew Korfhage
Gear, Gear / Deals, CouponsUpgrade your meal prep with these Tempo discount codes and offers. Save on high-protein, ready-to-heat meals delivered to your door.
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George Santos Just Got Hit With Kalshi’s First-Ever Lifetime Ban
9 hours ago
by Kate Knibbs
Business, Business / Regulation, Blocked, and, ReportedThe former US representative was also fined more than $71,000 for allegedly attempting to manipulate the prediction market.