- Despite the darkness, I still see signs of hope in America
ars-technica· 03-jul
It's difficult to pinpoint the moment in my life where America started to lose the plot.
- Inside the Luddite festival harnessing Gen Z’s rage against Big Tech
ars-technica· 03-jul
New York City’s Summer of Ludd festival is teaching people how to live offline.
- Visiting the stars (and planets, and telescopes) in VR
ars-technica· 03-jul
Walkthrough experience includes visits to stars, exoplanets, and observatories.
- FAA proposal: Supersonic airliners can fly over US cities if they’re quiet
ars-technica· 02-jul
New US rules would legalize quiet supersonic flights without the sonic boom.
- Wing Commander IV and the FMV future that never quite was
ars-technica· 03-jul
C:\ArsGames takes a look at the time Chris Roberts more or less made a whole movie.
- A martian rock has lots of carbon on it, and it's not clear why
ars-technica· 04-jul
Biology could explain the find, but there are other potential explanations.
- When the ability to smell goes away
ars-technica· 04-jul
Disturbances in this critical sense are often linked to problems with brain health.
- Newly discovered PamStealer isn't your typical macOS malware
ars-technica· 02-jul
The discovery underscores the increased effort being poured into Mac infostealers.
- Ars Live recap: When are the big rockets NASA desperately needs going to be ready?
ars-technica· 02-jul
I have not seen anyone put out a date for a new rocket, and actually hit it.
- Rocket Report: Indian startup nears first launch; SpaceX's millenary milestone
ars-technica· 03-jul
NASA awarded Rocket Lab deals for three dedicated launches using the company's Electron rocket.
- Claude Science is Anthropic’s newest flagship product
mit-tech-review· 30-jun
At an event for pharmaceutical executives, biotech founders, and researchers on Tuesday, Anthropic announced Claude Science, a major new product intended to support scientific research in the same way that Claude Code supports software engineering. Like Claude Code, Claude Science can autonomously carry out meaningful work when given concise, high-level instructions, and it has access…
- The Download: Anthropic launches Claude Science, and California’s carbon manure math
mit-tech-review· 01-jul
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. Claude Science is Anthropic’s newest flagship product At an event for pharmaceutical executives, biotech founders, and researchers yesterday, Anthropic announced Claude Science, a major new product intended to support scientific research…
- LLMs are stuck in a groupthink groove. This startup is trying to get them out.
mit-tech-review· 01-jul
Let’s start with a game. Open up your chatbot of choice—Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini—and type “Give me a random number between 1 and 10.” You’re going to get 7. Almost always. Now type “Another” and you’ll get 3 or 4. Type “Another” again and you’ll get 8 or 9. That won’t work every time—but if it…
- Teaching AI to run with the turbines
mit-tech-review· 02-jul
Artificial intelligence may have captured the public imagination through chatbots and image generators, but some of its most consequential use cases are unfolding far from consumer-facing tools. In industries where physical infrastructure, operational continuity, and safety are paramount, AI is becoming a core operating layer. With its sprawling industrial systems and constant stream of operational…
- Why California’s carbon manure math doesn’t add up
mit-tech-review· 02-jul
Something stinks in California’s climate policies. Years ago, the state set up a system that pays cattle farmers across the country to turn the methane emitted from cattle manure into natural gas, encouraging the dairy sector to produce a gas we burn instead of one that just pollutes the air. It’s become wildly popular because…
- The Download: a startup has a solution for AI’s groupthink problem
mit-tech-review· 02-jul
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. LLMs are stuck in a groupthink groove. This startup is trying to get them out. Open up your chatbot of choice—Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini—and type “Give me a random number between 1…
- Achieving operational excellence with AI
mit-tech-review· 02-jul
Frameworks like Lean Six Sigma and business process management (BPM) first gained traction because they promised clarity in the chaos—a structured way to bring order to messy, sprawling operations. Lean Six Sigma emphasized statistical rigor and quality control; BPM created end-to-end maps of how work should flow across departments. Both offered a repeatable way to…
- The UK’s generational tobacco ban might not work. I’m supporting it anyway.
mit-tech-review· 03-jul
As the parent of two little girls, I often think about how their childhood is different from mine. The seven-year-old is learning about AI at school. The five-year-old is given internet-based homework every week. And they are both absolutely repulsed by the idea of smoking. That was not the prevailing sentiment when I was young.…
- The Download: a smoking “endgame” and a new Elizabeth Bear story
mit-tech-review· 03-jul
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 UK’s generational tobacco ban might not work. I’m supporting it anyway. —Jessica Hamzelou As the parent of two little girls, I often think about how their childhood is different from…
- A device that revives eyeballs from dead donors could make eye transplants possible
mit-tech-review· 03-jul
It’s not easy to transplant a whole human eye. The surgery is difficult. And the eyes themselves start to degenerate as soon as they’ve left the body. When surgeons attempted it a few years ago, the newly-transplanted eye wasn’t able to see. But researchers believe they might have a solution: a device that maintains and…
- IQM, Europe’s first public quantum company, admits the future of the tech is uncertain
techcrunch· 02-jul
IQM, a full-stack quantum company out of Finland, went public on the Nasdaq today at a valuation of about $1.9 billion.
- Last chance to apply — Startup Battlefield Australia applications close July 6
techcrunch· 03-jul
If you're going to apply for Startup Battlefield Australia, now is the time. Applications close July 6, and once the deadline passes, the opportunity is gone.
- Mark Zuckerberg tells staff that AI agents haven’t progressed as quickly as he’d hoped
techcrunch· 02-jul
At an internal meeting, the Meta CEO reportedly said that AI development efforts were not moving as quickly as anticipated.
- Politician who investigated spyware abuses had his phone hacked with Pegasus spyware
techcrunch· 03-jul
A government customer of NSO Group used the company's Pegasus spyware to hack into the phone of a European politician, who at the time was serving on an EU committee tasked with investigating the spyware industry.
- Private space pilots are flying orbital missions for the US Space Force
techcrunch· 02-jul
True Anomaly and Rocket Lab are performing Top Gun-style satellite fly-bys for the U.S. military.
- Thiel Capital’s Jack Selby nabs stakes in hot startups like Etched through Arizona connections
techcrunch· 02-jul
Selby's VC firm, Copper Sky Capital, is currently raising a $300 million second fund, according to a regulatory filing.
- The only AI glossary you’ll need this year
techcrunch· 03-jul
The rise of AI has brought an avalanche of new terms and slang. Here is a glossary with definitions of some of the most important words and phrases you might encounter.
- The browser wars aren’t about search anymore — here are the best alternatives to Chrome and Safari
techcrunch· 03-jul
We’ve compiled an overview of some of the top alternative browsers available today aiming to challenge Chrome and Safari.
- Chevy built an all-American EV truck — why is nobody buying it?
techcrunch· 03-jul
The Chevy Silverado EV is a solid first draft of an EV pickup truck. Here's what could make it better.
- The Dune keypad device can be your meeting controller and more
techcrunch· 03-jul
The gadget has three buttons, and it changes context based on what app you are looking at. For instance, in meeting apps and sites, it could be toggle mic, toggle video, and bring window to the front.
- Anthropic wants to develop its own drugs
the-verge· 03-jul
At the event "The Briefing: AI for Science" earlier this week, Anthropic announced Claude Science, a new "AI workbench for scientists" that pulls fragmented tools and datasets into one environment, and generates figures and visuals. Anthropic, already dominating the industry with its popular coding tools and powerful AI models, framed the launch around what it says is AI's potential to "dramatically accelerate the pace of scientific discovery and the development of healthcare interventions," and touted a long list of biotech and pharma customers already using Claude. Anthropic also went a step further, saying it would develop drugs of its … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Hydration isn’t complicated: Just drink water
the-verge· 03-jul
Powerade is appropriate for World Cup athletes, but unless you’re also sweating buckets, water is usually enough. | Photo: Megan Briggs / Getty Images This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. Opt in for Optimizer here. Europe is melting, the eastern US is currently trapped in a "heat dome," the Midwest has the corn sweats to look forward to, and if you've never felt the oppressive, sticky misery of monsoon season in Asia - consider yourself blessed. But as folks duke it out on social media about who has it hotter (and whether air conditioning is ethical), it's time to address a nonnegotiable truth of surviving summer: hydration. Surely, stayi …
- While you’re watching the World Cup, the feds may be watching you
the-verge· 03-jul
It's a big year for America. It's the semiquincentennial, otherwise known as America250, and the United States is cohosting the World Cup. But spectators at these events - and the millions of people who live in the cities hosting them - may not realize that they, too, are being watched. From Kansas City to New York, the US cities hosting the World Cup have been ramping up their surveillance capabilities in the months leading up to the tournament. Security measures are at an all-time high in Washington, DC, which isn't hosting the World Cup, but is home to a series of spectacles this summer. The Fourth of July festivities in the nation's cap … Read the full story at The Verge.
- The square-ish phone that I wanted to love
the-verge· 04-jul
A great concept that falls flat. The Ikko MindOne Pro is delightfully small. I keep calling it a square phone, which isn't quite right; the screen is square, but the phone itself is slightly rectangular. The camera flips up so you can use it for selfies - you can even open it partway to use as a stand or a kind of PopSocket. There's a Clicks-style keyboard accessory that also adds a magnetic ring and a headphone jack. I tried so hard to like it, but this phone is a miss no matter how you look at it. I used it like a normal phone. I downloaded a minimalist launcher and tried using it as kind of a dumb phone. I put the keyboard case on. I took the keyboard case off. Nothing … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Hey number pad lovers, this is a keyboard we can finally agree on
the-verge· 04-jul
I’m right-hand dominant but a lefty at heart. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge I know a vocal group of people who swear by the number pad on their keyboard. And yet, for years I haven't cared about using one - until I put my hands on the Epomaker RT98. It's a mechanical keyboard with a charming retro aesthetic, a fun CRT-like screen, VIA compatibility, a nice typing feel, and most importantly, a modular number pad that can be moved to either side. It's a clever compromise in a budget friendly-ish board, allowing you to further customize your setup without losing the functionality of the coveted "tenkey." But like many mechanical keyboards out there, it's got some unique quirks and tradeoffs. Epomaker RT98 Score: 7 Pr … Read the full story at The Verge.
- The fanfiction community is at war with AI — and itself
the-verge· 04-jul
Fanfiction communities are trying to hunt down writers who haven’t written works with their own hands. | Image: Álvaro Bernis / The Verge Over the past week, a new fanworks movement has kicked off, with the aim to root out authors using generative AI. But the detection methods being implemented are questionable, and any fanfic writer could be caught in the crossfire. Broad distaste around the use of Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI tools has long been a thing in creative communities, including the world of fanfiction. Readers and writers have passed around tips for spotting supposedly AI-generated works, citing anything from em dashes to the broad concept of purple prose. But on June 29th, an anonymous X account called @heatedrivalryai promised a seemingly more reliable solution … Read the f…
- I finally got my Trump phone
the-verge· 03-jul
Unlike most phones, the T1 still ships with a charger. Trump Mobile seemingly isn’t too worried about e-waste. Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. One year on, our phones have finally arrived. 12 months, 16 days, 21 hours, and 54 minutes after I first heard about Trump Mobile's T1 Phone 8002 (gold version), I'm finally holding one in my own hands. That's right, The Verge's Trump phones have arrived. And yes, I do mean phones - we have three of them: We ordered two, paid for two, and received three, all of which were sent to the wrong address. You can't beat service like that. My phone came with a free Trump Mobile SIM card, even though I've not signed up to the company's mobile plan, plus an A4 quick start gui … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Qi fan fan
the-verge· 04-jul
The Kuxiu D5 keeps Qi-compatible phones cool while also charging a watch and earbuds. Despite my initial skepticism, I'm now sold on wireless Qi chargers that add integrated fans to keep your phone cool while charging. I figured they'd be too loud, or too weak, or too gimmicky, but I'm a convert after spending a week with the new $59.99 Kuxiu D5 Qi2.2 charging dock. Its active cooling system has kept my phone from heating up, unlike every other Qi charger I've tried. Good thing, given my own history with an overheating phone. Last year I fried the logic board on my titanium iPhone 15 Pro. I was on a sweltering train and trying to edit a 4K video on my phone, which was charging from a magnetically attached Qi power bank. Oof, … Read the full story at The Verge.
- This slim camera has a transparent LCD screen for a viewfinder
the-verge· 03-jul
Despite the fact that smartphones have become impressively capable shooters, standalone point-and-shoot cameras are enjoying a renaissance. The tiny Kodak Charmera is still wildly popular, while influencers are scrambling to find aging Canon cameras on eBay. Godox, a company best known for its photography lighting products, is the latest to join the simple camera craze, but its new C100 stands out from the crowd by skipping a color preview screen for a transparent LCD that doubles as an optical viewfinder. Although the C100 product page on Godox's website is thin on technical details, including its sensor resolution and video capabilities, … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Amazon updated 2023’s Fire HD 10 tablet with 4GB of RAM
the-verge· 03-jul
The Fire HD 8 that launched in 2024 was the last new addition to Amazon's budget-minded tablet lineup, but the company has quietly updated the Fire HD 10 that debuted the year before. In 2023 it was offered with multiple storage configurations that each came with 3GB of RAM, but the 32GB version now ships with 4GB of RAM, and a small price bump from $139.99 to $154.99. The Fire HD 10 with 64GB of storage still only comes with 3GB of RAM and the other specs for both tablets remain the same, including a 10.1-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display, a 2GHz eight-core processor, a 13-hour battery, and expandable storage through a microSD card. The refreshe … Read the full story at The Verge.