The Verge
United Flight Turned Around Because of a Bluetooth Speaker’s Edgy Name Choice
A United flight was forced to turn back after a passenger’s Bluetooth speaker was named something that made security very unhappy.
The Verge
The Guardian Europe
McAfee Warns That Criminals Are Using McAfee’s Own Scare Tactics to Scam People
Criminals are using fake McAfee renewal emails to harvest financial data - deploying the same fear-based tactics the company has used for years, but with less legitimate branding.
TechCrunch
SoftBank to Spend €75 Billion Making France the Data Center Capital of the World, Probably
SoftBank commits €75 billion to build French data centers, because where else would you store all those AI-generated sonnets about baguettes?
BBC Business
Ferrari Unveils Its First EV, Promptly Gets Told It Looks Like a 'Loser' by Its Own Fans
Ferrari's first EV, the Luce, gets roasted by fans, politicians, and investors who think it looks like a high-priced Nissan Leaf with an identity crisis.
TechCrunch
Snap Alumni Launch Ghost Angels Fund, Because Apparently 20 Ex-Colleagues Wasn't Enough for a Group Chat
20 former Snap employees launch a VC fund called Ghost Angels to invest in AI social media startups, because apparently the group chat wasn't cutting it.
The Atlantic
Pangram: The AI Detective That's Too Good - and Too Bad - at Its Job
The AI-detection tool Pangram has become the go-to arbiter of bot-written text - even though it's about as reliable as a coin flip that occasionally lands on its edge.
The Guardian Europe
India's New Digital Exam Marking System Mysteriously Makes Everything Worse for 400,000+ Students
India's new digital exam grading system, designed to eliminate human error, instead gave 400,000+ students missing pages, wrong answer sheets, and a collective anxiety attack.
The Atlantic
Ferrari Unveils First EV, and the Smartphone Finally Eats the Supercar
Ferrari's first EV, the Luce, is a $640,000 hatchback designed by ex-Apple guru Jony Ive - and traditionalists are not amused by the aerodynamic suppository aesthetic.
TechCrunch
Microsoft Threatens Security Researcher With Cops for Finding Bugs in Its Own Products
Microsoft threatens to sic its Digital Crimes Unit on a security researcher who found bugs in its products - because nothing says 'responsible disclosure' like legal intimidation.
The Verge
Trump Mobile’s Website Still Claims the T1 Phone Is ‘American-Made,’ Which the FTC Might Find Interesting
Trump Mobile’s website still claims its T1 phone is ‘American-made,’ despite walking that back - which may violate FTC rules, while data leaks and elusive shipments keep the saga rolling.
TechCrunch
Waymo Has Nearly 600 Autonomous Cars in Texas; Tesla Has 42 and a Dream
Waymo registers 577 autonomous vehicles in Texas, trouncing Tesla's 42, proving that having a robotaxi service and actually having robotaxis are two very different things.
ZDNet
Sony Marks a Decade of Headphones by Making a Pair That Costs More and Looks Fancier
Sony's $650 special-edition headphones are basically the WH-1000XM6 with a metal makeover, better drivers, and a case that doubles as a handle - because nothing says 'luxury' like fewer battery hours.
TechCrunch
AWS Redesigns Cloud Infrastructure Because Humans Are No Longer the Internet’s Main Characters
AWS realizes the internet was built for humans but AI agents are the new power users, so it’s redesigning cloud infrastructure to handle their erratic, bursty behavior without charging for idle compute.
TechCrunch
Waymo's New Robotaxi Is a Chinese-Made Minivan That Dreams of Making Money
Waymo launches a Chinese-made, Swedish-designed minivan robotaxi with cup holders and a dream of profitability, because what could go wrong?
ZDNet
Android Auto Apps That Aren't Maps or Spotify, Because You Knew There Had to Be More
Because Google Maps and Spotify can only do so much, here are four Android Auto apps that will save you money, time, and sanity on your next road trip.
The Verge
The Golden Age of Handheld Gaming Lasted About as Long as a Single Elden Ring Playthrough
The golden age of handheld gaming, when $400 bought portable Elden Ring, is dead; now you'll need at least $789 and a willingness to choose between gaming and paying rent.
TechCrunch
Google Engineer Cashes In on 'Year in Search' Data, Allegedly Finds $1.2M in Insider Trading
A Google engineer allegedly used confidential search data to make $1.2M on Polymarket, proving that some employees really do know how to find the answers.
ZDNet
Wireless Security Cameras: Finally Good Enough to Ditch the Drill? One Reviewer Says Yes
After years of testing 10 cameras, a reviewer argues wireless security cams have finally earned their spot - just don't forget the solar panel and a plan for where to put the damn thing.
The Atlantic
New $300 Stuffed Dinosaur Will Entertain Your Child With AI, No Screen Required (Just a Suspension of Disbelief)
A $300 AI-powered stuffed dinosaur promises screen-free entertainment for kids - because nothing says 'analog' like a chatbot, a Wi-Fi connection, and all the parental guilt money can buy.
TechCrunch
Government to Nuclear Startups: 'Please Take Our Leftover Bomb Plutonium'
The U.S. government, sitting on 100 tons of Cold War-era plutonium, asks five startups to turn weapon-grade leftovers into reactor fuel, because waiting 24,000 years is not an option.
The Good Times
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