- Review: Good Omens finale (mostly) sticks the landing
ars-technica· 15-may
Truncated third season feels rushed, but also gives us a fitting end to a love story for the ages.
- Russia pressures university students to become wartime drone pilots
ars-technica· 15-may
Universities promise no frontline duty and perks if students enlist in military.
- Weather-monitoring firm hangs dark cloud over customers’ heads by forcing new app
ars-technica· 15-may
Newer AcuRite Now app lacks some features but has a subscription option.
- Ebola outbreak with uncommon strain erupts in Congo and Uganda; 65 deaths
ars-technica· 15-may
WHO learned of potential cases May 5; US CDC said it just heard about it yesterday.
- US hantavirus case was false positive; outbreak cases drop from 11 to 10
ars-technica· 15-may
WHO announced today that the operation to safely transfer passengers is complete.
- Send the arXiv AI-generated slop, get a yearlong vacation from submissions
ars-technica· 15-may
One of the site's moderators described the new policy on social media.
- Solar power production undercut by coal pollution
ars-technica· 15-may
Each year, some of the power solar could have produced is blocked by aerosols.
- Three's a party: US, China, and now Russia are on the prowl in GEO
ars-technica· 15-may
Instead of running silent and deep, most satellites easily stand out against the blackness of space.
- Anthropic’s $1.5B copyright settlement is getting messy as judge delays approval
ars-technica· 15-may
Lawyers accused of rushing historic settlement to seize $320 million in fees.
- The US is betting on AI to catch insider trading in prediction markets
ars-technica· 16-may
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission wants us to know it's taking this very seriously.
- AI chatbots are giving out people’s real phone numbers
mit-tech-review· 13-may
A Redditor recently wrote that he was “desperate for help”: for about a month, he said, his phone had been inundated by calls from “strangers” who were “looking for a lawyer, a product designer, a locksmith.” Callers were apparently misdirected by Google’s generative AI. In March, a software developer in Israel was contacted on WhatsApp…
- Data readiness for agentic AI in financial services
mit-tech-review· 14-may
Financial services companies have unique needs when it comes to business AI. They operate in one of the most highly regulated sectors while responding to external events that are updated by the second. As a result, the success of agentic AI in financial services depends less on the sophistication of the system and more on…
- The shock of seeing your body used in deepfake porn
mit-tech-review· 14-may
When Jennifer got a job doing research for a nonprofit in 2023, she ran her new professional headshot through a facial recognition program. She wanted to see if the tech would pull up the porn videos she’d made more than 10 years before, when she was in her early 20s. It did in fact return…
- Establishing AI and data sovereignty in the age of autonomous systems
mit-tech-review· 14-may
When generative AI first moved from research labs into real-world business applications, enterprises made a tacit bargain: “Capability now, control later.” Feed your proprietary data into third-party AI models, and you will get powerful results. But your data passes through systems you do not own, under governance you do not set. The protections you rely…
- The Tesla Semi could be a big deal for electric trucking
mit-tech-review· 14-may
The Tesla Semi has officially arrived. The company recently released a photo of the first vehicle rolling off its new full-scale production line. This moment has been nearly a decade in the making: The company first announced the truck in late 2017. And now we’ve got final battery specs, official prices, and big news about…
- The Download: deepfake porn’s stolen bodies and AI sharing private numbers
mit-tech-review· 14-may
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. The shock of seeing your body used in deepfake porn When Jennifer got a research job in 2023, she ran her new professional headshot through a facial recognition program. She wanted…
- The world is on track to miss its health targets
mit-tech-review· 15-may
Every year the World Health Organization publishes a global health statistics report. It features the numbers behind world health trends and, importantly, assesses whether we’re on track to reach ambitious goals set in 2015. It’s a bit like a health grade. The 2026 report was published on Wednesday. And the results aren’t looking brilliant. While…
- How Chinese short dramas became AI content machines
mit-tech-review· 15-may
In a dimly lit bedroom, a frightened young woman is thrown onto a bed by a tall, muscular man. He grabs her hand, and flame-like vines crawl across her body, fusing with her flesh. She levitates, then drops. A dragon-shaped tattoo appears across her chest. “Two months,” the man says. “Give me an heir, or…
- The Download: China’s AI drama factory and the WHO’s missing health targets
mit-tech-review· 15-may
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. How Chinese short dramas became AI content machines China’s short drama industry is fueled by bite-sized, melodramatic, and smutty shows built for smartphone scrolling. Now, many are being made entirely with…
- Musk v. Altman week 3: Musk and Altman traded blows over each other’s credibility. Now the jury will pick a side.
mit-tech-review· 15-may
In the final week of the Musk v. Altman trial, lawyers traded blows over Elon Musk’s and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s credibility. Altman was grilled on his alleged history of lying and self-dealing involving companies that do business with OpenAI. But he fired back, painting Musk as a power-seeker who wanted to control the development…
- A hotel check-in system left a million passports and driver’s licenses open for anyone to see
techcrunch· 15-may
The tech company that maintains the hotel check-in system set its cloud storage to public, allowing anyone to access customers' data without a password.
- General Catalyst posted VC rage bait and it worked, especially on a16z
techcrunch· 15-may
Compulsive X user Marc Andreessen himself couldn't resist responding, many, many times.
- OpenAI launches ChatGPT for personal finance, will let you connect bank accounts
techcrunch· 15-may
Once users connect their accounts, they will see a dashboard of their portfolio performance, spending, subscriptions, and upcoming payments.
- Power prices are up 76% on America’s biggest grid, and a watchdog is pointing fingers
techcrunch· 15-may
The price spike is a reminder of a deeper problem: The U.S. power grid was not designed for the electricity demands of an AI-driven economy, and the gap between what the grid can deliver and what the industry needs is widening.
- RJ Scaringe has raised more than $12B across three startups and investors still want more
techcrunch· 15-may
Investors can't seem to get enough of RJ Scaringe or his ideas. Storytelling and communication are one of his superpowers, according to Jiten Behl, who joined Rivian when the company had just a handful of employees.
- Runway started by helping filmmakers — now it wants to beat Google at AI
techcrunch· 15-may
AI video-generation startup Runway is betting that video generation is the path to world models. And that being an AI outsider is an advantage, not a liability.
- Silicon Valley’s vacationland needs a new energy provider just as AI is driving prices up
techcrunch· 15-may
Lake Tahoe, Silicon Valley's favorite vacation spot, is about to get hit with higher energy prices as AI drives demand for electricity.
- Tesla reveals two Robotaxi crashes involving teleoperators
techcrunch· 15-may
Newly unredacted crash reports reveal some of the troubles Tesla has had as it tries to scale its robotaxis.
- US orders travelers on Air Force One to throw away gifts, pins, and burner phones after China trip
techcrunch· 15-may
While the summit appeared cordial, China remains a key adversary of the United States, given its advanced intelligence and espionage capabilities.
- Users turn to jailbreaking their older Kindles as Amazon ends support
techcrunch· 16-may
It may be possible to jailbreak an older, end-of-support Kindle and continue adding books to it. But doing so carries risks.
- Turtle Beach made a good SteelSeries headset clone that’s $50 less
the-verge· 16-may
Both of these headsets are stellar in different ways. I really liked the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, so the company didn't have to say much to get me excited about its successor. The $399 Nova Pro Omni that came out on May 5th has a similar design to the 2022 model, but with some new and improved features - support for wireless hi-res audio (24-bit / 96kHz audio over 2.4GHz), better mic quality, and compatibility with all consoles in every model, to name the big ones. All the $599 Nova Elite has on the Omni is better build materials and bigger drivers. But things got interesting when, just a few weeks before the Omni was announced, Turtle Beach showed off its Stealth Pro 2. To say th … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Here are 40 of our favorite deals from REI’s massive Anniversary Sale
the-verge· 16-may
The last-gen InReach Mini 2 might require a subscription to use, but we guarantee it’s far more durable than your phone. | Image: Garmin REI’s annual Anniversary Sale — the retailer’s biggest of the year — has arrived, bringing with it discounts on all kinds of outdoor essentials. If you’ve got a camping trip coming up, now is a good time to stock up on the basics, whether it be a tent, sleeping pad, or stove. If your summer plans involve hiking or heading into the backcountry, there are also savings to be had on everything from Garmin watches to water filters, some of which are also on discount at retailers like Amazon. The sale runs through May 25th, and to save you time scrolling, we’ve rounded up the best deals below. Additionally, as in previous years, REI members get 20 percent off …
- These are the laptops I recommend for pretty much anyone
the-verge· 16-may
Need a new laptop? It’s a tough decision. If you’re like most people, a laptop is one of the most expensive tech purchases you’ll make, and it’s something you’ll use and live with nearly every day for years to come. So there’s a lot riding on this pricey expense. I’ve tested all kinds of laptops, from cheap Windows computers and Chromebooks to bread-and-butter MacBooks and over-the-top gaming machines. These are the ones I recommend the most and why I think they might be a good fit for you. Though the MacBook Air is still the easy recommendation for most people, that doesn’t make it the go-to answer for everyone. What if you need more power for video or photo editing, or for crunching large datasets? What if you prefer to run Windows? What if you play lots of games and want to take them w…
- Mixtape is a musical portrait of teenage life
the-verge· 16-may
Playing Mixtape is like playing a video game version of a high school movie. Kids banter about the meaning of life and the theme songs that would play when they walk in a room. They're worried about looking cool at a big party. They're obsessed with finding booze. But under all of those tropes is a meaningful story about nostalgia, friendship, and teenage angst - and it's all backed by a great soundtrack packed with classic hits. Mixtape takes place over the course of a summer day. You play as Stacey Rockford, a music obsessive and recent high school graduate. Rockford is leaving her sleepy California suburb for New York City the next morn … Read the full story at The Verge.
- YouTube is expanding its AI deepfake detection tool to all adult users
the-verge· 15-may
YouTube is expanding its AI likeness detection program to all users over the age of 18 - meaning just about anyone can have the platform hunt for potential deepfakes of themselves. The likeness detection feature uses a selfie-style scan of a person's face to monitor YouTube for lookalikes. If there is a match, YouTube alerts the user; the person then has the option to request that YouTube remove the content. YouTube has said in the past that it has found the number of removal requests to be "very small." YouTube began testing the feature with content creators, and then expanded it to government officials, politicians, journalists, and fina … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Xbox is now XBOX
the-verge· 15-may
Xbox just allcapsmaxxed: Meet XBOX. This isn't a joke; Microsoft appears to be actually rebranding Xbox to XBOX. Asha Sharma, Xbox CEO, ran a poll on X earlier this week, asking fans whether Microsoft should use Xbox or XBOX. The results were in favor of XBOX, and the company has now renamed its X account. Curiously, the Threads and Bluesky accounts for Xbox haven't been renamed yet, but if Microsoft is going ahead with a rebranding then I expect those will change soon. I asked Microsoft to comment on this potential Xbox rebranding and the company simply referred me to Sharma's post. The use of all caps for Xbox is a return to original for … Read the full story at The Verge.
- ArXiv will ban researchers who upload papers full of AI slop
the-verge· 15-may
ArXiv, a popular platform for preprint academic research, is taking a new step to attempt to reduce the volume of papers that include AI slop. If a paper has "incontrovertible evidence that the authors did not check the results of LLM generation," such as hallucinated references or "meta-comments" left by an LLM, authors will be banned from ArXiv for a year, according to Thomas Dietterich, ArXiv's section chair of its computer science section. Future ArXiv submissions will also have to be accepted at "a reputable peer-reviewed venue." Here's what he said on X: Attention @arxiv authors: Our Code of Conduct states that by signing your name … Read the full story at The Verge.
- The app you need to clean up your computer
the-verge· 16-may
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 128, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, sorry this one's so Mac-heavy, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been reading about David Attenborough and screenwriters-turned-AI-trainers and the Subway Takes guy, listening to a lot of Productivity FM's mixes while I work, finally writing my vibe-coding opus, testing the Poppy AI assistant (and giving it more of my data than I frankly should have), tracking my pathetic step counts with the new Fitbit Air, buying more of The Atlantic's summer reading list t … Read the full story at The Verge.
- The Analogue 3D is finally getting save states
the-verge· 15-may
If you’re not staying on top of Analogue 3D updates, now’s the time to start. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Analogue has released a new firmware update for its Analogue 3D console that adds the Memories save state feature. Memories, which was first introduced with its handheld Analogue Pocket, allows you to save at any moment and resume from that exact spot later on, rather than having to reach a specific point in a game to save your progress. The feature should also help reduce some headaches with saving game progress on the Analogue 3D as its Virtual Controller Pak option still isn't available when using original or wired N64 controllers. Although the feature was announced when the company first shared all the details about its 4K Nintendo 64 i … Read the full story at T…
- Windows 11 tests an adjustable taskbar and resizable Start menu
the-verge· 15-may
Microsoft's latest Windows 11 test will allow you to reposition the taskbar and change the size of the Start menu. The update, which is rolling out to Windows 11 Insiders in the Experimental channel, lets you place the taskbar on the bottom, top, left, or right side of the screen. Microsoft first teased its movable taskbar in March as part of efforts to rebuild trust among users. You can adjust the alignment of the icons inside the taskbar, as well as open the Start menu drawer from wherever you placed it. Windows 11 Insiders can access a shorter taskbar, too, which could come in handy for devices with smaller displays. There's also an opti … Read the full story at The Verge.