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Tech

AI Summary

  • Last year saw unprecedented growth as 55 U.S. AI startups raised over $100 million each, prompting speculation about the industry’s trajectory for 2025.
  • Meta's ambitions in the virtual reality sector are waning, with the metaverse being overshadowed by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence technology.
  • Investors are increasingly backing AI security startups, like Witness AI, which focus on managing unsanctioned tool use in the workplace to prevent cyber threats.
  • Sequoia Capital has made headlines by breaking a long-standing venture capital convention and investing in AI firm Anthropic, which suggests a shift in competitive dynamics within the industry.
  • Threads has overtaken X in daily mobile user counts, leveraging its cross-promotion strategy and rapidly deployed creator tools to capitalize on X's troubles.

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Engadget

  • Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 4 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Education, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    Pioneering mathematician Dr. Gladys West has passed away at the age of 95. Her name may not be familiar to you, but her contributions certainly are; West's work laid the foundation for the global positioning system. As you likely know from experience, GPS is now an essential component of industries ranging from aviation and emergency response, as well as ensuring that you get to that dinner date or job interview on time.  > This morning the world lost a pioneer in Dr Gladys West, she passed peacefully alongside her family and friends and is now in heaven with her loved ones.

  • ASUS will not release any new smartphones this year 7 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    ASUS appears to be shifting its business operations away from smartphones. According to translations of recent quotes from Chairman Jonney Shih, the company does not plan to release new phone models in the future. The chairman did not confirm whether smartphones would be completely phased out, but he did acknowledge that possibility. Whatever direction ASUS takes, its existing phones will continue to receive software updates and warranty assistance. Shih suggested that its future plans may include a shift into AI-related projects such as robotics or smartglasses. Previous reports hinted that ASUS would not introduce any smartphones in 2026, but Shih's recent

  • UK agency questions Meta's policies for illegal gambling site ads 7 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Gaming & Lottery, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    The UK Gambling Commission has raised concerns that Meta is ignoring advertisements by illegal gambling websites on its platforms. At a conference in Barcelona, the commission's Executive Director Tim Miller criticized Meta's behavior towards advertisements for online gambling on its Facebook and Instagram social networks. "Companies like Meta will tell you that they don’t tolerate the advertising of illegal sites and will remove them if they are notified about them," Miller's speech transcript reads. "But that approach suggests that they don’t know about those ads unless alerted. That is simply false." Meta's internal policy is that gambling sites must be licensed in

  • TurboTax Deluxe is on sale for $45 ahead of tax season 7 hours ago by Igor Bonifacic
    Software, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic

    With the spring approaching, it's time to start thinking about how you'll file your taxes. Unfortunately, with the recent demise of Direct File, there isn't a free, government-provided alternative to TurboTax in 2026, and you'll need to look to other federal programs, including IRS Free File, to file your paperwork. If you don't qualify for Free File, chances are you'll need to dish out cash for Intuit's software. And while we hate to suggest you give money to a company that has spent decades lobbying to ensure America's tax system remains a nightmare, we can at least save you some

  • Bungie's Marathon arrives on March 5 9 hours ago by Igor Bonifacic
    Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic

    Marathon, Bungie's long-awaited extraction shooter, will arrive on March 5, the studio announced today. Alongside a definitive release date, Bungie shared a new gameplay trailer, in addition to details about the game's forthcoming deluxe edition, which fans can pre-order today on Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. All versions of the game will support crossplay, meaning you'll be able to play with your friends, no matter where they decide to buy Marathon.   Sony, Bungie's parent company, had previously committed to a March release for Marathon, but stopped short of sharing an exact date. News of that date leaked early Monday


The Verge

  • OpenAI’s 2026 ‘focus’ is ‘practical adoption’ 7 hours ago by Jay Peters
    AI, News, OpenAI

    OpenAI plans to focus on "practical adoption" of AI in 2026, according to a blog post from CFO Sarah Friar. As the company spends a huge amount of money on infrastructure, OpenAI is working on "closing the gap" on what AI can do and how people actually use it. "The opportunity is large and immediate, especially in health, science, and enterprise, where better intelligence translates directly into better outcomes." Much of the blog post, titled "A business that scales with the value of intelligence," is about how OpenAI has evolved since it launched ChatGPT and how it has scaled up its

  • How much can a city take? 7 hours ago by Scott Meslow
    Civil rights, Policy

    I live in Minneapolis. I grew up not far from here, in a suburb of St. Paul; after stints on both coasts, my wife and I settled here to raise our daughters in a freezing state that had always welcomed us warmly. As the ongoing occupation by over 3,000 ICE agents stretches into its third week - with no clear end in sight - I've received a steady string of messages from increasingly concerned friends across the country. They all start the same way: Uh… is this really as bad as it looks from the outside? My answer to that question

  • A second US Sphere could come to Maryland 9 hours ago by Andrew Liszewski
    News, Tech

    Sphere Entertainment, the company behind the eye-catching interactive venue in Las Vegas, has announced its "intent to develop" another Sphere in Maryland that will be located 15 minutes south of Washington, DC. A timeline and exact location haven't been finalized, but the Maryland Sphere would be the company's second venue in the US, following plans to build a Sphere in Abu Dhabi announced in October 2024. The second US sphere would be built in an area known as National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland. Located along the Potomac River, National Harbor currently features a convention center, multiple hotels, restaurants, and

  • Bungie’s Marathon shooter launches on March 5th 11 hours ago by Tom Warren
    Gaming, News, PC Gaming, PlayStation, Xbox

    Bungie is putting an official date on Marathon today, its delayed extraction shooter. The slick-looking shooter from the makers of Halo and Destiny was originally set to release in September, but will now launch on March 5th. Bungie will launch Marathon on Xbox Series S / X, PS5, and PC, priced at $39.99. Bungie initially delayed Marathon in June last year following plenty of alpha test feedback. The studio recently held playtests that included new features like proximity chat and an option to solo queue into games. Marathon is set in a sci-fi universe in 2850, where players take on the role

  • Gamers love AI in game dev — they just don’t know it yet, says Razer’s CEO 13 hours ago by Nilay Patel
    AI, Business, CES, Decoder, Gaming, PC Gaming, Podcasts, Razer, Tech

    We’re back to start the year off with a very special live interview with Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan, which we taped in front of a terrific audience at Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas during CES.  Razer is obviously best known for making mice, keyboards, and gaming PCs in its signature black and bright green, with a smattering of RGB LEDs to set everything off. But the company always makes splashy announcements at CES, and this year was no different — and along with the hype, there was plenty of controversy. This year, Razer earned those splashy headlines and more than a little


Wired

  • Are DJI Drones Still Banned? (2026) 15 hours ago by Scott Gilbertson
    Gear, Gear / Products / Cameras, Gear / How To and Advice, Gear / Products, Gear / Reviews, Drone, Disorder

    Can you still buy a DJI drone in the US? (Yes.) Will you be able to buy future drones? (Maybe.) Here are the current DJI dos and don’ts.

  • How to Clean Your Keurig (and When) 17 hours ago by Louryn Strampe
    Gear, Gear / How To and Advice, You, Need, to, Scrub, It

    Your pod coffee maker can get gross over time. Here’s how to clean it up.

  • Dumbphone Owners Have Lost Their Minds 17 hours ago by Elana Klein
    Culture, Culture / Digital Culture, Separation, Anxiety

    All my Gen Z friends want to ditch their smartphones. It’s cool. They’re cool. But there’s more at stake than they think.

  • The Search for Alien Artifacts Is Coming Into Focus 17 hours ago by Becky Ferreira
    Science, Science / Space, SETA

    From surveys of the pre-Sputnik skies to analysis of interstellar visitors, scientists are rethinking how and where to look for physical traces of alien technology.

  • The Best Streaming Bundles and Streaming Deals of January 2026 18 hours ago by Matthew Korfhage
    Gear, Gear / Deals, Gear / Products / Online Services, Deals

    Here are the current best bundles from the most popular services.


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