Minimalist News

Simply the latest news, updated on the hour.

Tech

AI Summary

  • AI is dominating headlines, with xAI revealing audacious space ambitions and attracting top talent, while enterprise applications and new AI-native startups like Modal Labs attract significant investment and industry collaboration.
  • Apple continues to face delays with its anticipated Siri overhaul, alongside ongoing core operating system updates and various product discounts, while Samsung readies its next flagship phone series.
  • Cybersecurity remains a critical concern across the industry, with active zero-day exploits targeting major platforms, increased discussion around mass surveillance technologies, and companies implementing new user privacy tools and age verification measures.
  • The startup scene is bustling, particularly in AI, as new ventures raise substantial capital and accelerators actively seek the next wave of innovation, including in areas like fusion power.
  • Big tech firms are navigating growing regulatory pressures and public demands for accountability, including new online safety standards, child protection lawsuits, and varying governmental approaches to market oversight.

TechCrunch

  • xAI lays out interplanetary ambitions in public all-hands an hour ago by Russell Brandom
    AI, Elon Musk, xAI

    On Wednesday, xAI took the rare step of publishing its full 45-minute all-hands presentation to the X platform, making it widely available.

  • AI inference startup Modal Labs in talks to raise at $2.5B valuation, sources say 2 hours ago by Marina Temkin
    AI, Enterprise, Startups, Exclusive, General Catalyst, inference, Modal Labs

    General Catalyst is in talks to lead the round for the four-year-old startup, according to our sources.

  • Apple’s Siri revamp reportedly delayed… again 3 hours ago by Amanda Silberling
    AI, Apple, In Brief, siri

    While the new Siri was expected to launch with the upcoming iOS 26.4 update in March, now, the changes are expected to roll out more slowly over time, reportedly postponing some features until the May iOS update, or even until the release of iOS 27 in September.

  • Uber Eats launches AI assistant to help with grocery cart creation 3 hours ago by Lauren Forristal
    AI, Apps, AI chatbot, food delivery, Uber Eats

    Uber Eats launched a new AI feature, “Cart Assistant,” that can automatically add items to your cart based on text or image prompts.

  • Who will own your company’s AI layer? Glean’s CEO explains 4 hours ago by Theresa Loconsolo
    AI, Startups, AI agents, AI consolidation, Arvind Jain, Equity Video, Glean, Web Summit Qatar

    Enterprise AI is shifting fast from chatbots that answer questions to systems that actually do the work across an organization. But who will own the AI layer that powers all of it?  Glean, which started as an enterprise search product, has evolved into what it calls an “AI work assistant,” aiming to sit underneath other AI […]


Hacker News


Engadget

  • Diablo II: Resurrected is adding warlock as a brand new player class 35 minutes 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 great RAMaggedon of 2026 might have just claimed the Steam Deck 3 hours ago by Ian Carlos Campbell
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell

    Less than a week after Valve admitted that the current shortage (and growing prices) of RAM were affecting its hardware plans, the Steam Deck is completely sold out. The Steam Deck has gone in and out of stock in the past, but as Kotaku notes, the timing does raise the question whether Valve's RAM issues could also be impacting its Linux handheld. The 256GB Steam Deck LCD, and both the 512GB and 1TB models of the Steam Deck OLED, are completely sold out on Steam. Valve announced that it was discontinuing the LCD versions of its handheld and selling through its

  • Get up to 81 percent off ExpressVPN two-year plans 4 hours ago by Andre Revilla
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Andre Revilla

    ExpressVPN is back on sale again, and its two-year plans are up to 81 percent off right now. You can get the Advanced tier for $88 for 28 months. This is marked down from the $392 that this time frame normally costs. On a per-month basis, it works out to roughly $3.14 for the promo period. We’ve consistently liked ExpressVPN because it’s fast, easy to use and widely available across a large global server network. In fact, it's our current pick for best premium VPN. One of the biggest drawbacks has always been its high cost, and this deal temporarily solves

  • How to cancel Mullvad VPN 5 hours ago by Sam Chapman
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Sam Chapman

    This is going to be one of the shortest articles in my series on how to cancel your subscriptions to the best VPNs. Unlike most providers, Mullvad VPN does not automatically renew an expired subscription unless you tell it to. Thanks to its unique pricing approach, cancelling Mullvad is the default option. When you sign up for Mullvad, you pay for as many months upfront as you want at the constant rate of 5 Euro per month (varying with exchange rates). Each month, Mullvad takes 5 Euro out of your account until there's nothing left. If you're no longer satisfied with

  • Anthropic beefs up Claude's free tier as OpenAI prepares to stuff ads into ChatGPT's 5 hours ago by Will Shanklin
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin

    Anthropic is upgrading Claude's free tier, apparently to capitalize on OpenAI's planned integration of ads into ChatGPT. On Wednesday, Anthropic said free Claude users can now create files, connect to external services, use skills and more. Anthropic added the ability for paid users to create files in September. Starting today, free users of the chatbot can also create and edit Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Word docs and PDFs. Claude's file creation abilities are powered by Sonnet 4.5. Free users can now create and edit Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Word docs, and PDFs. Anthropic Meanwhile, Connectors allow free users to link Claude to third-party services.


The Verge

  • Two more xAI co-founders are among those leaving after the SpaceX merger an hour 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

  • iOS 26.3 makes it easier to switch to Android an hour ago by Stevie Bonifield
    Apple, iOS, News, Tech

    iPhone users have a new option for switching to Android on iOS 26.3. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge On Wednesday, Apple released its latest iOS 26 update, which includes a new process for switching from an iPhone to an Android phone, as previously reported by 9to5Mac. The updated transferring tool can move over data like apps, photos, messages, and even a user's phone number by sitting the two phones side by side. Previously, users typically needed to either download Apple and Google's data transfer apps on each device or manually copy all their apps and data over. iPhone

  • The Verge’s 2026 Valentine’s Day gift guide (for him) 2 hours ago
    Gadgets, Gift Guides, Tech, Verge Shopping

    Valentine's Day is often thought of as the quintessential Hallmark holiday - and why wouldn't it be? Most of the time, it's marketed to us with massive floral arrangements and heart-shaped chocolates, both of which can come off as borderline twee. But no one says you have to play by the rulebook when it comes to holidays, especially if your husband or boyfriend couldn't care less about the classics. If you're hoping to express your affection for the man in your life with something a little different this year, we have some thoughts. Quince's cashmere crewneck is quickly becoming a staple

  • Anthropic says it’ll try to keep its data centers from raising electricity costs 2 hours ago by Justine Calma
    AI, Anthropic, Energy, News, Science

    Anthropic is the latest AI company promising to limit the impact its data centers have on nearby residents' electricity bills. The company said it would pay higher monthly electricity charges in order to cover 100 percent of the upgrades needed to connect its data centers to power grids. "This includes the shares of these costs that would otherwise be passed onto consumers," the announcement says. Anthropic didn't provide details today about any agreements it has inked with energy companies in order to accomplish these goals. In November, it shared a $50 billion plan to build data centers in New York and Texas

  • Why I wish I hadn’t bought my Samsung OLED TV 3 hours ago by Sean Hollister
    Column, Gadgets, Tech, TVs

    A Samsung OLED TV of the same vintage as my S90C. | Photo: Chris Welch / The Verge In June 2024, in a dusty TV shop empty of customers save myself, my wife, and my kids, I stared deep into the LG C3 and Samsung S90C. I went back and forth between the two OLED screens for easily 20 minutes, happily paralyzed by the choice in front of me. The Video Only salesperson attempted to explain that there was no wrong decision. A year and a half later, I disagree: I regret picking the Samsung over the LG. I regret it every


Wired


Looking for more? Search Google News