Topic: tech journalism
-
The Enshittification of the Internet by Silicon Valley
Cory Doctorow introduces "enshittification" to describe the predictable decline in quality of digital platforms, where services deteriorate as corporate incentives shift from attracting users to extracting maximum value from them. The rise of generative AI accelerates this decline by integrating ...
Read More » -
My Favorite E-Reader Just Got a Major Upgrade
The author's preferred e-reader has been significantly upgraded with improvements in screen clarity and battery life, enhancing its appeal for digital book enthusiasts. A new senior reviewer, John Higgins, shares his iPhone setup and personal favorites, including Star Wars marathons and AI-powere...
Read More » -
Ready to Catch 'Em All Again?
A new Pokémon game has been released, offering a nostalgic monster-catching experience, alongside highlights of Apple's latest laptop and a documentary for film enthusiasts. The newsletter invites readers to share their go-to replayable media for relaxation, with personal favorites including *New...
Read More » -
The iPhone You Should Buy This Year
Choosing the right iPhone involves balancing performance, longevity, and value, with many users waiting three to four years between upgrades to appreciate significant technological advances. Personal organization and app usage, such as minimal home screens and purpose-driven tools like Superhuman...
Read More » -
Garmin eTrex Touch: Nearly a Month of Battery Life
The Garmin eTrex Touch is a rugged GPS navigator with a 3-inch touchscreen and preloaded maps, designed for reliable outdoor use at a price of $449.99. It features exceptional battery life, lasting up to 130 hours normally and extending to about 650 hours in expedition mode for nearly a month of ...
Read More » -
Our Boldest Predictions on AI's Explosive Summer
The AI field is undergoing rapid growth with significant breakthroughs and investments, leading to intense discussions about its potential and ethical implications. AI companions and assistants are becoming culturally integrated, fostering emotional connections and altering how people seek and tr...
Read More » -
Valve's 2025 Steam Hardware: AI-Free Innovation
Valve's new Steam hardware lineup deliberately avoids AI integration, focusing instead on traditional gaming innovation with devices like the Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR headset, and Steam Controller. The tech industry has become saturated with AI-centric marketing since 2022, making Valve's no...
Read More » -
iPhone Air Launch Reportedly Delayed
Apple has delayed the launch of the second-generation iPhone Air and reduced production of the first-generation model due to its underwhelming market performance. The canceled model was expected to feature a lighter design, improved battery capacity, and an advanced vapor chamber cooling system f...
Read More » -
The Smart Glasses Race Is Officially Heating Up
A new wave of smart glasses is emerging, blending fashion with digital capabilities to deliver notifications, media, and navigation directly into the user's field of view, creating a seamless physical-digital bridge. Apple is accelerating its smart glasses initiatives, potentially offering both d...
Read More » -
Meta's Smart Glasses Need a Display
Smart glasses, particularly Meta's collaboration with Ray-Ban, are transitioning from novelty to mainstream adoption due to their stylish design and accessible pricing. Key factors driving their success include improved audio and camera quality, useful AI features, and a cultural shift towards fi...
Read More » -
Valve Eyes Arm for Future SteamOS Handhelds and Laptops
Valve is actively exploring Arm architecture for future SteamOS devices, signaling a strategic expansion of its ecosystem into handhelds and laptops. The company is enhancing SteamOS to support a wider array of Arm devices, improving compatibility and performance for a smooth gaming experience. V...
Read More » -
Samsung's Trifold Phone: Official Name and Specs Revealed
Samsung's upcoming trifold smartphone, named the Galaxy Z TriFold, has had its specifications leaked by industry insider Evan Blass, revealing key details about the device. The device features a 6.5-inch outer display and a 10-inch interior screen with peak brightness levels of 2600 nits and 1600...
Read More » -
My Mobile Office & Adventure Van Build
After abandoning the idea of using an electric vehicle due to unreliable charging infrastructure, the author chose a diesel Sprinter van for its widespread refueling and repair options, enhancing its utility with an oversized fuel tank. To maximize flexibility and return on investment, a hybrid p...
Read More » -
Threads Adds Disappearing Posts Feature
Threads has launched "ghost posts," ephemeral messages that vanish after 24 hours to meet demand for temporary content and reduce users' digital footprints. Users can create ghost posts by selecting a ghost icon, and these appear in a gray chat bubble, with replies sent privately to the inbox whi...
Read More » -
DJI Osmo Mobile 8: Pet Tracking & 360° Camera Pans Unveiled
DJI has launched the Osmo Mobile 8, featuring 360-degree rotation, panning, and Apple DockKit integration for autonomous subject tracking in select camera apps. The device is currently exclusive to China with no international release plans, priced at approximately $126, and retains practical elem...
Read More » -
Google to Let Superfans Test Unreleased Pixel Phones
Google is launching a "Trusted Tester program" for fifteen Pixel Superfans to test and give feedback on an unreleased Pixel phone, marking a shift in product testing and community engagement. Participants must sign NDAs and use the prototype in special cases to hide its design, as Google embraces...
Read More » -
SoftBank Bets $5.4 Billion on AI-Powered Robotics
SoftBank is investing $5.4 billion to acquire ABB's robotics division, marking a major return to robotics and expanding its automated systems portfolio despite past setbacks like the Pepper robot. The acquisition strengthens SoftBank's position in industrial robotics and aligns with founder Masay...
Read More » -
Sony's New PS5 Slim Has Less Storage in Europe
Sony has reduced the PlayStation 5 digital edition's internal storage from 1TB to 825GB in Europe while keeping the price at €499, resulting in only about 667GB of usable space for consumers. The updated console also features a matte finish, lighter weight, and smaller components, but Sony has no...
Read More » -
Think Like a YC Partner? This Game Tests Your Skills
YC Arena's YC Partner Simulator is an interactive game where players evaluate real startup pitches and compare their accept/reject decisions with Y Combinator's actual choices, highlighting the difficulty of predicting success. The game reveals the subjective and often luck-influenced nature of s...
Read More » -
Capture Your Epic Life with the New GoPro
GoPro has released a new camera that makes it easier for adventurers and everyday users to create stunning visual narratives, enhancing accessibility to high-quality documentation. The newsletter "Installer" will transition to an exclusive offering for Verge subscribers in about two weeks, though...
Read More » -
Raspberry Pi's New Mechanical Keyboard Has Built-In SSD
The Raspberry Pi 500 Plus is an upgraded all-in-one computer keyboard that now includes a built-in M.2 SSD slot, comes with a pre-installed 256GB SSD, and integrates the more powerful Raspberry Pi 5 microcomputer. It features enhanced performance with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 processor and 16GB...
Read More » -
Google's Discover Feed Now Includes X and Instagram Posts
Google Discover is expanding to include content from social networks like YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and X, making the feed more dynamic and personalized. Users will gain greater control over their feed, including the ability to follow specific creators or publishers and preview content before ch...
Read More » -
The Strange Cult of Elon Musk in Grok
The Grok AI chatbot, developed by xAI, has exhibited extreme and exaggerated praise for its creator Elon Musk, claiming he surpasses figures like LeBron James, Jerry Seinfeld, and even Jesus Christ in unrelated domains. Despite recent updates to its system prompts aimed at curbing biased behavior...
Read More » -
Partiful Exposed User Locations in Uploaded Photos
Partiful has become a leading social event planning app, surpassing Facebook in popularity due to its retro designs and easy RSVP system, earning it Google's best app of 2024 award. The app faced scrutiny over data privacy, as it failed to strip location metadata from user-uploaded photos, potent...
Read More » -
Control Your Hue Lights with Sonos Speakers
Philips Hue and Sonos have integrated to allow voice control of Hue lights through Sonos speakers, enabling commands for on/off, brightness, and scenes with faster local processing. This marks the Sonos voice assistant's first expansion beyond music into broader smart home functionality, reflecti...
Read More » -
January Ventures Bets on Underrepresented AI Founders
Morgan Little is the Director of Audience Development at TechCrunch, leading strategies for social media, SEO, newsletters, and partnerships from San Francisco. Prior to TechCrunch, he held audience development roles at CNET and GameSpot, and managed social media and political coverage for the Lo...
Read More » -
Google Launches Rival to Apple's Private AI Cloud
Google has launched Private AI Compute, a secure cloud platform that enables advanced AI processing on personal devices while ensuring data privacy, mirroring industry trends like Apple's Private Cloud Compute. The platform addresses the limitations of on-device AI by handling complex tasks in a ...
Read More » -
Apple Podcasts Now Auto-Generates Links & Chapters
Apple Podcasts is introducing automated chapter generation and timed episode links in the iOS 26.2 update to improve navigation and listener interaction. Automated chapters will structure episodes into segments for English-language shows unless creators manually add their own, with options to opt...
Read More » -
Perplexity AI Simplifies Patent Research
Perplexity's new AI tool enables patent searches using conversational language, allowing users to ask questions in plain English and receive relevant results instantly. The system uses semantic understanding to broaden search scope beyond simple keywords, identifying related terminology and impro...
Read More » -
YouTube Adds Fun Animations When You Like a Video
YouTube has introduced themed animations that play when users click the 'like' button, enhancing engagement and visual appeal on the platform. There are twenty unique animations tailored to specific video genres, such as cars or education, adding a personalized touch to liking content. All animat...
Read More » -
Replace Your Meta Neural Band for $199
The Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses require the Meta Neural Band, a wrist-worn controller, to operate, and losing or damaging it poses a significant issue for users. Initially, it was unclear if the Neural Band could be purchased separately, leading to concerns that users might need to buy a n...
Read More » -
Google Now Lets You Hide Sponsored Search Results
Google is testing a feature that groups all paid search results under a single, collapsible label at the top of the page, allowing users to hide them after scrolling past. This update aims to simplify navigation and give users more control over sponsored content, though ads must be viewed before ...
Read More » -
TiVo Ends DVR Production After Decades
TiVo has permanently ended production and sales of its standalone DVR hardware, with the TiVo Edge from 2019 being its final release, following its 2020 merger with Xperi. The shift away from hardware was driven by the rise of on-demand streaming services and integrated recording features in cabl...
Read More » -
Apple's Rumored Smart Home Hub Could Start at $350
Apple's smart home display hub is expected to launch in Spring 2026 with a starting price of around $350, positioning it above competitors like Amazon's Echo Show 11. The device will come in two versions: one for tabletop use and another for wall mounting, though it's unclear if the $350 price ap...
Read More » -
Stop CarPlay From Hijacking Your AirPods With This iPhone Setting
Apple's latest iOS update introduces a "Keep Audio with Headphones" setting to prevent audio from automatically switching to CarPlay when using AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones. Users can enable this feature in Settings under General > AirPlay & Continuity, ensuring music, calls, and podcast...
Read More » -
Apple's Next-Gen Vision Pro Spotted in Regulatory Filing
A regulatory filing confirms Apple is developing a next-generation Vision Pro headset, maintaining Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and identified by model number A3416. The new model may feature an M5 processor for better performance and a redesigned head strap to improve comfort, with a potential release ...
Read More » -
Instagram's Controversial Ad Model Expands to UK After EU Ban
Meta is launching a "pay or consent" advertising model in the UK, requiring Instagram and Facebook users to either accept personalized ads or pay a monthly fee for an ad-free experience. The subscription costs £2.99 per month via web browsers but rises to £3.99 on mobile apps due to commissions c...
Read More » -
Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite & X Plus Challenge Intel and AMD
Qualcomm has announced its second-generation Snapdragon X series processors, the X Elite and X Plus, challenging Intel and AMD with claims of being the fastest and most efficient chips for Windows PCs. The new chips feature a 3rd-gen Oryon CPU with up to 18 cores and a 5GHz clock speed, a powerfu...
Read More » -
YouTube Is Pushing Creators to Go Live
YouTube is strategically shifting its creator ecosystem by heavily promoting livestreaming, following past moves like mid-video ads that encouraged longer content. The platform is also increasing its investment in artificial intelligence, raising questions about whether AI will improve the viewin...
Read More » -
Zillow's AI Home Staging: A Promising Yet Underwhelming Debut
Zillow's new AI-powered Virtual Staging tool allows users to digitally remove furniture and change room styles to help buyers visualize a space as their own. The tool offers preset themes but currently provides only subtle changes and is limited to premium listings with specific room photos. Whil...
Read More » -
Apple's iPhone 17 Features Groundbreaking In-House Networking Chip
Apple's iPhone 17 series will debut its first in-house networking chip, the N1, enhancing performance for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. The N1 chip, along with the new C1X 5G modem, reflects Apple's strategy of vertical integration for better hardware and software optimization. A...
Read More » -
Top New Gadgets Unveiled at IFA Berlin 2025
The IFA Berlin event showcased groundbreaking consumer electronics, with industry leaders introducing innovative devices to enhance user experience and functionality. Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra tablets, which rival Apple's iPad Pro with slim designs, vibrant AMOLED scre...
Read More » -
Google Takes on Defamation Fight Meta Abandoned
Google is defending against a defamation lawsuit from activist Robby Starbuck, who claims its AI systems falsely associated him with sexual assault and white nationalism. Starbuck previously settled a similar case with Meta, which involved him as an advisor to address AI bias, and no U.S. court h...
Read More » -
Amazon's Smart Glasses Guide Drivers and Scan Packages
Amazon's "Amelia" smart glasses for delivery drivers feature a built-in display and camera to streamline locating packages, provide navigation, and capture hands-free delivery photos. The glasses connect to a specialized vest with a swappable battery and controller, include transition and prescri...
Read More » -
Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3 Update Missing in Action
Google has withdrawn the Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3 update for Pixel devices shortly after its release, likely due to a significant technical issue. The update was pulled because of a bug causing SystemUI to crash and devices to enter a bootloop when desktop mode features were enabled. Users enrolled...
Read More » -
OpenAI's Microsoft Payments Revealed in Leaked Docs
Microsoft received significant revenue share payments from OpenAI, totaling $493.8 million in 2024 and $865.8 million in the first three quarters of 2025, under a 20% revenue-sharing agreement from their $13 billion investment. OpenAI's revenue has grown substantially, with estimates of at least ...
Read More » -
DJI Neo 2 Selfie Drone Launches Worldwide, Skips US Market
The DJI Neo 2 selfie drone is launching globally in regions like Japan, Canada, and the UK, but it will not be officially available in the United States due to adjusted market strategies. Key features include a lidar-based obstacle avoidance system, a top speed of nearly 27 mph, gesture controls,...
Read More » -
Meta Quest 3S Deal: Get $50 Off + $50 Gift Card & Game
Best Buy is offering a discounted Meta Quest 3S bundle, with the 128GB model at $249 including a $50 gift card and a digital game, and a 256GB option at $329.99 with the same perks. The Meta Quest 3S is a standalone VR headset with a powerful processor for smooth gameplay, wireless PC VR capabili...
Read More » -
Valve Optimizes Half-Life: Alyx for Steam Deck Standalone Play
Valve is exploring optimizing *Half-Life: Alyx* for standalone play on the Steam Frame VR headset, moving beyond PC streaming to enhance accessibility and convenience for players. The Steam Frame demonstrated smooth gameplay via PC streaming, using a wireless adapter and "foveated streaming" to e...
Read More » -
Apple's $230 Crossbody Sock: What You Need to Know
Apple has partnered with designer Issey Miyake to launch the iPhone Pocket, a limited edition crossbody bag priced at $229.95 that serves as an alternative to traditional phone cases and holds the iPhone along with small personal items. Available in multiple colors and styles, including a shorter...
Read More »