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Tech

AI Summary

  • Givefront, a fintech startup supported by Y Combinator, has raised $2 million to create a financial platform tailored for nonprofits, enhancing their ability to manage funds effectively.
  • Trump Media is merging with fusion power company TAE Technologies in a $6 billion deal, marking an unusual foray into the energy sector amidst a growing demand for power due to AI developments.
  • EtherealX, backed by TDK Ventures and Accel, aims to challenge SpaceX by developing a fully reusable launch vehicle in the competitive space technology market.
  • DXS International, a tech provider for NHS England, has confirmed a data breach attributed to a ransomware group, raising concerns about cybersecurity in the healthcare sector.
  • Amazon is investing heavily in AI, preparing a $10 billion deal with OpenAI that includes supplying AI chips while adopting recent advancements like introducing conversational AI capabilities to Ring doorbells.

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Engadget

  • Trump Media is merging with a Google-backed fusion energy company in a deal worth $6 billion an hour ago by Lawrence Bonk
    Investment & Company Information, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk

    Trump media, the company behind the president's personal social media platform Truth Social, is inexplicably merging with a Google-backed fusion energy company called TAE Technologies. The deal is worth $6 billion, according to reporting by Financial Times. Why is an entity known for publishing frenzied hot takes by the president at 3AM combining with a fusion energy company? Who the heck really knows, but a statement says the two organizations will join together to build the "world's first utility-scale fusion power plant." This would be huge, if true, as there are currently no operational commercial nuclear fusion power plants. > 📣TAE Technologies,

  • The 11 best gifts under $25 for 2025 an hour ago by Valentina Palladino
    Shopping, Hobbies & Personal Activities, Personal Finance - Lifestyle, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Valentina Palladino

    The most hyped tech is often also the most expensive: flagship smartphones, ultra-powerful gaming laptops, immersive VR headsets and the like. But it would be wrong to assume that those are the only pieces of technology worth gifting. You don’t have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. There are more solid, affordable gadgets out there now more than ever, but that also means you’ll discover some junk along the way. We’ve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you

  • Apple opens up iOS in Japan in response to new regulations an hour ago by Will Shanklin
    Software, Mobile Apps, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin

    You can add Japan to the list of regions where Apple has been forced to do something it would rather not: open up the App Store. On Thursday, the company announced changes to iOS in Japan to comply with the nation's Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA). The tighter regulations for Apple and Google, which overlap with Europe's, took effect today. Users in the US and elsewhere won't see any of these changes. Apple's changes in iOS 26.2 in Japan revolve around alternative app stores, payments outside the App Store and browser choice. The company worked with Japanese regulators on new protections

  • Save on Crunchyroll annual subscriptions this holiday season 2 hours ago by Ian Carlos Campbell
    Smart Phones, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell

    If you're struggling to find your next binge-watch, you can't go wrong with anime. For the holidays, you can save on a Crunchyroll subscription, giving you access to its vast library of anime series to watch. Through December 29, you can sign up for an annual Fan subscription for $67, down from the usual $80, or a Mega Fan subscription for $100, down from $120. While both the Fan and Mega Fan plans are ad-free, you do get some different benefits depending on which you decide to pay for. Fan subscribers get full access to Crunchyroll's library, new episodes "shortly after

  • Alexa+ can now answer your Ring doorbell and talk to people 3 hours ago by Lawrence Bonk
    Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk

    Amazon just introduced a new feature for Alexa+ called Greetings. This lets Alexa+ answer the doorbell and converse with visitors, which certainly sounds futuristic in a "gated community as dystopia" kind of way. There are several caveats here. First of all, it only works with certain newer Ring video doorbell models. Customers also have to pony up for a Ring Premium Plan and have access to the Alexa+ early access build. It's available in the US and Canada and only in English. If you meet those criteria, this could be a fairly useful little feature. Amazon says it "transforms your Ring doorbell


The Verge

  • Riot Games found a motherboard security flaw that helps PC cheaters an hour ago by Jay Peters
    Entertainment, Gaming, News, PC Gaming

    Riot Games says a security flaw in many recent motherboards could be exploited by cheaters undetected, and now companies including Asrock, Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI have released BIOS updates to address the issue. According to Riot, "had this issue gone unnoticed, it would have completely nullified all existing DMA detection and prevention tech currently on the market - including that of other gaming companies - due to the nature of this class of cheats running in a privileged area that anti-cheats typically do not run." As a result, Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat software may prompt you to update your system to a

  • 26 practical smart home gifts that make everyday life a little easier 2 hours ago by Sheena Vasani
    Gadgets, Gift Guides, Smart Home, Tech, Verge Shopping

    Smart home products are all about making everyday life a little easier, which is why they're some of the best and most thoughtful gifts you can give. Some people go all out building a multi-gadget IoT kingdom (like our resident smart home expert, Jen Pattison Tuohy), but a smart home is whatever your recipient wants it to be. It can be as simple as wanting a cheap switch-flipping bot to brew you a pot of coffee before you exit the shower in the morning. Having tested many smart home gadgets over the years, we pooled our knowledge to assemble our favorite

  • Netflix snags Elle Duncan from ESPN to host live events 2 hours ago by Emma Roth
    Entertainment, Netflix, News, Streaming

    Netflix is bringing ESPN host Elle Duncan onboard to become the voice of its growing roster of live events. Duncan, who has appeared on SportsCenter, College GameDay, and WNBA Countdown, will make her debut on Netflix with next year's Skyscraper Live broadcast. During the livestream, free solo climber Alex Honnold will attempt to ascend the 11th-tallest building in the world, Taiwan's Taipei 101. Netflix doesn't mention any other live events that Duncan might host as part of its "multiyear" deal with the anchor, but by hiring Duncan, Netflix makes it clear that the company has big plans for the future of

  • Kia and Hyundai will spend millions fixing old cars to stop ‘Kia Boyz’ thefts 2 hours ago by Elissa Welle
    News, Tech, Transportation

    Kia and Hyundai will offer free repairs for millions of cars that lack anti-theft technology as part of a settlement with dozens of US states. The automakers agreed to outfit the roughly nine million eligible cars sold between 2011 and 2022 with a zinc sleeve installed around the ignition cylinder to prevent the viral "Kia Boyz" thefts that required only a USB cable. The repairs could cost up to $500 million, in addition to several million in restitution to Hyundai and Kia owners whose cars were damaged by thieves, the Associated Press reports. The automakers have also promised that all of

  • iRobot’s bankruptcy isn’t the end — it’s a reboot, says CEO 3 hours ago by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
    Report, Robot, Smart Home, Tech

    The Roomba maker will continue to operate but will be owned by Picea Robotics.  The news that the maker of the Roomba robot vacuum, iRobot, filed for bankruptcy this week came as no surprise. Its CEO, Gary Cohen, had been warning investors all year that the company could run out of cash unless a buyer was found. When its last potential deal fell through, bankruptcy became inevitable. But Cohen says this is not the end for iRobot; instead, he sees it as the beginning of a new chapter for the company, one he hopes will turn it back into a competitive


Wired

  • The Ultra-Realistic AI Face Swapping Platform Driving Romance Scams an hour ago by Matt Burgess, Lily Hay Newman, Zeyi Yang
    Security, Security / Security News, Trick, of, the, Eye

    Capable of creating “nearly perfect” face swaps during live video chats, Hoatian has made millions, mainly via Telegram. But its main channel vanished after WIRED's inquiry into scammers using the app.

  • 7 Best Cheap Phones (2025), Tested and Reviewed 2 hours ago by Julian Chokkattu
    Gear, Gear / Buying Guides, Gear / Products / Phones, Buying, Guide

    There’s little reason to pay top dollar for a smartphone. These iPhones and Android devices—ranging from $100 to $600—stood up to WIRED’s testing.

  • Thuma Classic Bed Frame Review: Functional Meets Fabulous 3 hours ago by Julia Forbes
    Gear, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Sleep, Product, Review

    This fashionable favorite bed frame eliminates the need for tools during setup, instead using a Tetris-like stacking process

  • The Best Linen Sheets for Cool and Comfy Sleeping (2025) 4 hours ago by Nena Farrell
    Gear, Gear / Buying Guides, Gear / Products / Sleep, Sheet, Show

    Linen might not be your first choice for bedsheets, but it’s got enough benefits that it's worth a try. Here’s the linen we love sleeping on.

  • T-Mobile Says You Can Switch in Just 15 Minutes. I Tested That Claim 5 hours ago by Martin Cizmar
    Gear, Gear / Products / Phones, Switcheroo

    T-Mobile recently announced a new way to switch to the carrier in 15 minutes, and even get a new phone delivered on the same day. Here's what it's like.


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