The Future of Tech, News and making sense of it all!

Friday, June 19, 2026

Technology News and More-Friday Edition...

 Technology News and More...




AI inference startup Baseten reportedly raising $1.5B months after its last mega-round
TechCrunch / 10h
Startup Baseten is reportedly close to finalizing a $1.5 billion round at a $13 billion as the “inference gold rush" marches on.




The US says ASML’s top chip tool may be in China. ASML says it isn’t
TechCrunch / 5min
There's a commercial logic that cuts against the idea that ASML would risk its export license to arm a Chinese customer.





Pseudoscientific Cancer ‘Treatment’ Involves Gassing Naked People in Plastic Bags With Bleach
Wired / 56min
A London clinic owner has claimed he is treating people with stage 4 cancer by sealing them into a plastic bag while they're naked from the waist down and gassing them with chlorine dioxide.





2028 Mercedes-Benz VLE first drive: Your 8K living room on wheels has arrived


Engadget / 1h
With 416 horsepower, a 31-inch 8K screen and Dolby Atmos, Benz's electric "Grand Limousine" might just make minivans cool.






Qantas Backtracks On London Heathrow First Lounge: It Was All Fake Hype
One Mile at a Time / 1h
In early 2023, Qantas announced plans to expand its network of first class lounges, by opening a new location in London. Qantas’ first class lounges are exceptional, so this is something that many of us were very excited about. There’s now an update, as this lounge is no longer in the cards. Not only that, but I think it has to be mentioned how there wasn’t actually any plan all along, and this w





Kensington SD5010T5 EQ review: This Mac mini-sized dock isn't cheap, but it’s a fully featured Thunderbolt 5 docking station that doesn’t take up much desk space
Latest from TechRadar / 1h
The Kensington SD5010T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Dock is an elegant option for those with TB5 ports.





Hurdle hints and answers for June 19, 2026
Mashable / 3h
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle , then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine. There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give





Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on June 19
Mashable / 3h
The lunar cycle is well underway, and the Moon is becoming more and more noticeable each night. Its bright crescent shape continues to grow as we head towards the First Quarter phase. What is today’s Moon phase? As of Friday, June 19, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 33% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide . With just your naked eye, tonight you'll be ab





Have You Bought a Tesla Recently? We Want to Hear From You.
NYT > Technology / 3h
Tesla sales are rebounding in Europe even though many people have negative feelings about Elon Musk, the company’s chief executive. We want to know why.





NYT Pips hints, answers for June 19, 2026
Mashable / 5h
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit. Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you co





NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 19, 2026
Mashable / 5h
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a musician. Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips





NYT Strands hints, answers for June 19, 2026
Mashable / 5h
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love cowboys. Strands , the New York Times ' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There





Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 19, 2026
Mashable / 5h
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to express yourself. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Con





Disney+ is down
Mashable / 5h
UPDATE: Jun. 19, 2026, 12:13 p.m. Disney+ has posted an update on X at 10:06 p.m. ET / 7:06 p.m. stating that the issue has now been fixed. The cause of the outage has not yet been revealed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Original story follows. Disney 's streaming service Disney+ is currently suffering a global outage, with users reporting that they





I tested the Circular Ring 2 and wanted to love it, but the software got in the way
Latest from TechRadar / 6h
The Circular Ring 2 looks good and packs in great features, but a messy app and inconsistent performance stop it from being an Oura challenger.





A bold satellite rescue mission came together in record time, but will it work?
Ars Technica - All content / 6h
WALLOPS ISLAND, Virginia—Just 10 months ago, NASA asked three companies if they could do something nobody had done before. Could they build and launch a satellite to save a $500 million astronomy mission at risk of crashing back to Earth? What's more, could they do it in less than a year on a tight budget? Katalyst Space Technologies, a startup founded in 2020, presented the most compelling solut





Microsoft discovers new lightweight backdoor that steals cryptocurrency
5 TTPs•
Ars Technica - All content / 6h
Microsoft says it has detected new self-propagating malware that spreads through USB drives in search of cryptocurrency credentials, which it then sends to attacker-controlled servers. The company named the worm Crypto Clipper because it monitors the contents of device clipboards for patterns consistent with wallet addresses or seed phrases. When found, the malware also takes five screenshots ove





'We've seen an increase in Blu-ray orders of 10,000%': I spoke to a Blu-ray and vinyl manufacturer about their Blu-ray sales and it's given me even more hope for physical media's survival
Latest from TechRadar / 6h
While home physical media was on the decline, a talk with a vinyl and Blu-ray manufacturer gave me hope for the future.





I found a hidden ChatGPT setting that changes how hard the AI thinks — and the difference surprised me
Latest from TechRadar / 6h
The iOS app version of ChatGPT has a great hidden feature for choosing how intelligent you want your answer to be.





Telegram ban in India sparks a rush to VPNs, rival apps
TechCrunch / 7h
Telegram argues India should block specific content, not an entire platform used by millions.





Source: Elastic agrees to buy CRV-backed DeductiveAI for up to $85M
TechCrunch / 7h
DeductiveAI, a startup that uses AI to catch and resolve bugs in software, was founded just three years ago.





This tiny AMD PC just ran a massive 397B AI Model that required a server room full of GPUs a year ago
Latest from TechRadar / 7h
Longsys shows how far edge AI computing has come by running a mammoth 397-billion-parameter model on a customized AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395-based PC with 128GB of RAM.





100 days after the Iran war started — Tehran-backed group breaches California Water Service but claims they 'chose not to disrupt water access'
Latest from TechRadar / 7h
Iranian-linked group Handala breached California Water Service, leaking 5GB of customer data and exposing critical GPS infrastructure across seven districts.





The US almost blacklisted DeepSeek for contributing to China’s military and intelligence — but the White House held back to avoid escalating tensions
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Chinese firms were not added to the Entity List ahead of Trump's meeting with Chinese premier Xi Jinping.





FDA advisors unanimously vote to approve Moderna's mRNA after agency drama
Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Independent advisors for the Food and Drug Administration on Friday voted 9–0 in support of approving Moderna's seasonal mRNA flu vaccine, which a Trump appointee at the agency initially tried to block from even being reviewed. In an all-day meeting, members of the FDA's advisory committee—known as VRBPAC for Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee—pored over data and presenta





As China looms, Taiwan makes more drones for defense and the US military
Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Taiwan’s existence as a self-governing democracy may depend heavily on having enough military drones to discourage any attempted invasion by China’s military. As the Taiwanese government aims to boost domestic production of military drones and Taiwanese citizens sign up for drone flight training, Taiwanese companies are forming international partnerships to sell more drones to the US military and





Does Toy Story 5 have a credits scene?
Mashable / 8h
Thirty years after the original made us try to catch our toys in action, Toy Story 5 is here. And as a Pixar film, there's always one question on audience minds at the end of the film: Is there a secret scene during or after the credits? Hidden credits scenes have become synonymous with the Disney studio, from the staged blooper reels of Monsters Inc. to the not-so-perfect dentist escape at the e





Toy Story 5 has a perfect blink-and-youll-miss-it Easter egg
Mashable / 8h
Toy Story 5 is careening into cinemas with its foot to the floor, like a Pizza Planet employee behind on their deliveries. And if you're concentrating, you'll spy a very fast Easter egg that's become a staple in Pixar movies. With Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the gang back for the fifth adventure in the franchise, I had my eyes peeled for any throwback moments. And while there aren't many, one is cle





The artificial ice pyramids saving India's mountain villages
BBC News / 8h
Himalayan villages are creating artificial glaciers to guarantee water for their crops in the spring.





NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, June 19 (game #1104)
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.





Quordle hints and answers for Friday, June 19 (game #1607)
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Looking for Quordle clues? We can help. Plus get the answers to Quordle today and past solutions.





NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, June 19 (game #838)
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.





Tesla sucks! Handy vacuum cleaners have been spotted at some European Tesla Supercharger stalls
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Tesla helps kill EV charging time by providing handy on-site vacuum cleaners.





Prime Day Early Deals 2026: Breville and Ninja Espresso Maker Deals
Wired / 8h
The Breville Barista Express and Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro are two of the best early Prime Day deals I’ve seen in 2026.





The best coastal hotels to visit during your next seaside getaway
The Points Guy Articles / 9h
The moment the audience saw Diane Keaton's dreamy house in the iconic film "Something's Gotta Give," a timeless aesthetic was born. The neutral tones, that light-and-airy kitchen and, of course, the enviable beachfront location made this space practically the third star of the film after Keaton and Jack Nicholson. Flash-forward 20-plus years, and the coastal design dream — led by the film's direc





5 deals under $25 worth shopping before Prime Day
Mashable / 9h
Best early Prime Day deals under $25 at a glance Best earbuds deal Soundcore P30i $24.99 at Amazon (save $25) Best Lego deal Lego Botanicals Mini Orchid $23.95 at Amazon (save $6.04) Best streaming stick deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus $24.99 at Amazon (save $25) Best smart home deal Govee LED Smart Light Bulbs (2 pack) $19.99 at Amazon (save $6) Best water bottle deal Owala FreeSip (24 ounces,





'Holy crap, this is not how you cool facilities' — Nuclear engineer wants to use special bubbles to save AI data centers from a massive energy crisis
Latest from TechRadar / 9h
MIT researchers adapted nuclear reactor cooling principles to reduce energy consumption and water use in rapidly expanding AI data centers.





How the Peter Thiel-Linked Dialog Club Secretly Ranks Its Members
Wired / 9h
Leaked files show the invite-only network grades members by their money and fame, shaping who’s in, who’s out, and who pays.





Quote of the day by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: "One of the biggest mistakes we made was trying to automate things that are super easy for a person to do" — remarks on where automation got it wrong
Latest from TechRadar / 9h
Elon Musk has been a central figure in the AI and robotics build-out, with his company Tesla being one of the key players in the modern landscape





Netflix has canceled The Boroughs after one season despite rave reviews — but there's a major reason why it's not coming back
Latest from TechRadar / 9h
The Boroughs will not be returning to Netflix which may seem like a shocking decision.





This SIM-card-sized 8TB PCIe 5.0 SSD hits 11GB/s, but AI firms will likely hoard them all — and Longsys's jaw-dropping mSSD also sports VC phase-change liquid cooling
Latest from TechRadar / 9h
Longsys's latest mSSD builds on Gen 4 by delivering double the maximum capacity and a massive upgrade in read/write speeds, thanks to a new controller under the hood.





The cult-favorite Shashibo fidget toy is 20% off for Prime Day
Mashable / 9h
SAVE $5 : The Shashibo sensory fidget toy is down to $19.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount off its $24.99 typical price. Opens in a new window Credit: Shashibo Shashibo Sensory Fidget Toy $19.99 at Amazon $24.99 Save $5 The Shashibo sensory fidget toy is down to $19.99 at Amazon, which is its lowest price this year . That’s a small drop from its usual $24.99 price, but it’s still nice to see it





The EF EcoFlow Delta 2 power station is down to $429 at Amazon — save over $200
Mashable / 9h
SAVE $270 : As of June 18, the EF EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station is on sale for $429 at Amazon. That’s 39% off its $699 list price. Opens in a new window Credit: EcoFlow EF EcoFlow Delta 2 Portable Power Station $429 at Amazon $699 Save $270 The EF EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station is on sale for $429 at Amazon just ahead of Prime Day , a 39% discount off its $699 list price. It’s a





This 5-year piano-learning app offer is down to just $68 — and it’s never been cheaper
Mashable / 9h
TL;DR: Get 5 years of flowkey Piano Learning for just $67.97 — the lowest price ever — and learn piano with interactive lessons, real-time feedback, and over 1,000 songs, with code SAVE15. Opens in a new window Credit: Flowkey flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan (5-Year Subscription) $67.99 $899 Save $831.01 Five years of piano lessons for $67.97 sounds like a typo. It isn’t. The f lowkey Pi





Early Prime Day laptop deals dont impress me much. Heres how to get a good price on a PC.
Mashable / 9h
When it comes to Amazon Prime Day , many gadgets go on sale well ahead of time. Select smart home devices , big-screen TVs , and even flagship headphones get deep price cuts in the days or weeks leading up to the event. (This year, it runs from June 23 to 26.) Shoppers can scoop up early-bird discounts on these products to avoid day-of chaos, including potential inventory issues. Not laptops , th





5 ways to use Chase Points on vacation (beyond flights and hotels)
The Points Guy Articles / 10h
For many travelers, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are synonymous with flights and hotel stays . And while those can certainly be some of the most valuable ways to redeem points, they're far from the only options available. If you've built up a stash of Chase points, you may be surprised by how many vacation expenses you can cover beyond airfare and lodging. Through the Chase Travel℠ portal , elig





Spotify Will Now Reserve Tickets for Superfans Before General Sales Can Skyrocket in Price
Gizmodo / 10h
The new feature will be a joint partnership with Live Nation, the company largely blamed for high ticket prices.





The SUV that blends Toyota reliability with Range Rover comfort
How-To Geek / 10h
Luxury SUVs have always been the go-to status play, mixing road presence with comfort and the latest tech. For years, buyers flocked to European nameplates like the Range Rover for that plush ride and premium feel.





Scientists Spent 13 Years Bouncing Radar Off Europa. Here’s What They Found
Gizmodo / 10h
In the most comprehensive radio study of Europa thus far, astronomers bolster what's already known about the icy moon, and then some





A Federal Regulator Wants to Fast-Track AI Data Centers Onto the Power Grid
Gizmodo / 10h
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is pushing grid operators to update rules for connecting massive power users.





NASA asks Northrop Grumman to stop working on lunar HALO module
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Three months ago, during a flashy event at its Washington, DC, headquarters, NASA announced that it was shifting the focus of its lunar plans from an orbital space station to a Moon base on the surface. As part of this, officials said work would be paused on the Lunar Gateway planned to orbit the Moon. Of the two elements that were furthest along, NASA also revealed that one of them—the Power and





Android verification is coming: Google confirms timeline and supported app stores
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Almost 20 years ago, Google pitched Android as the more open alternative to Apple's walled garden. Last year, Google announced it would begin erecting its own walls through developer verification. The company has issued an update on its plans, affirming that the verification system will begin rolling out in select countries later this year. We're also learning which app stores are participating i





Apple patches high-severity eavesdropping vulnerability in Beats Studio Buds
5 TTPs•
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Apple has updated its Beats Studio Buds wireless earbuds to patch a high-severity vulnerability that could be exploited by nearby hackers to eavesdrop on users. The vulnerability, CVE-2025-20701 , allowed improper authentication in the firmware running on the Bluetooth-related chips, enabling people within signal range to impersonate devices that had previously been paired with the earbuds. The r





The White House Is Making Up Its Rules for AI in Real Time
Wired / 10h
Anthropic still can’t distribute Claude Mythos or Fable 5 after running afoul of the Trump administration. But no one can say exactly what the company did wrong.





Downgraded Air Canada Passenger Asked A Stranger About Elite Status. He Was The COO And Gave Her His Business Class Seat
View from the Wing / 10h
A downgraded Air Canada passenger struck up a gate conversation with a stranger about her new elite status, only to learn later he was the airline’s COO. He gave her his business class seat, offering a small but powerful reminder that airline leaders learn the business best when they stay close to customers.





Experts warns AI toy apps for kids are tracking users and collecting personal data
Latest from TechRadar / 10h
In a recent study by Cybernews, applications tied to 10 different toys each requested permissions and privileges categorized as 'dangerous'.





No Anime Embodies Fun for Fun’s Sake Quite Like ‘Project A-Ko’
Gizmodo / 10h
'Project A‑Ko' is a time capsule of anime’s anything‑goes OVA‑era brilliance wrapped in a delightfully unserious package.





Trump Admin Declares Total Victory Over Algae Thanks to ‘Advanced Nanobubbler Technology’
Gizmodo / 11h
"The Reflecting Pool water is crystal clear," the Department of the Interior insists.





A Monolith Designed to Record Civilization’s Downfall Is Finally Taking Shape
Gizmodo / 11h
The creators of this monolithic doomsday tracker say it is on track for installation in remote Tasmania by December.





How to use Google Flights Explore to find cheap flights and hotel deals
The Points Guy Articles / 11h
Google Flights Explore is one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to finding cheap flights. You may have a basic familiarity with Google Flights in general — but once you know how to use Explore to find deals, it's a whole other game. It can unlock hundreds of dollars in savings for your next dream vacation. Let's dig deeper into the tool and how you can use it to plan your trips. What is Goog





Chase Ink Business Unlimited Review: 100K Bonus, 1.5x Points, & No Annual Fee
One Mile at a Time / 11h
There are lots of great business credit cards , and many businesses leave a lot of rewards on the table by not using the right credit card. In this post, I’d like to take an in-depth look at the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card , which is potentially the most compelling Chase business credit card for everyday spending, and part of the Chase Ink Business card portfolio. The card has no annual f





Adventures of Elliot : A fun and frustrating Zelda tribute
Mashable / 11h
It's frustrating when you can see a better game inside of a game you enjoy. Case in point: The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales . Square Enix's latest in a series of smaller, throwback-oriented "HD-2D" games (using the same tech and art style as games like Octopath Traveler 0 ) is clearly intended to appeal to people who like the old-school Legend of Zelda games. It's also got a big inf





Google has discontinued the Nest Home Mini and Nest Audio
Engadget / 11h
On to the next one.





Celebrate 40 Years of ‘Aliens’ With These Incredible Collectibles
Gizmodo / 11h
Hot Toys has made beautiful versions of Ellen Ripley and the Xenomorph for the anniversary.





Stop overpaying for a crossover when this Honda sedan delivers a premium ride for less
How-To Geek / 11h
Family sedans may not dominate sales charts the way they once did, but they still make a compelling case for buyers who value comfort, efficiency, and driving enjoyment. While many shoppers automatically gravitate toward compact and midsize crossovers, a well-engineered sedan often delivers a smoother ride, sharper handling, and better fuel economy for less money. That's a combination that's beco





Snap spins off AI video team into new company, Dotmo, due to costs
TechCrunch / 11h
The Snapchat maker is spinning off yet another internal unit. Dotmo will be composed of current Snap staff who are leaving the social media company to focus on AI video development.





Scientists Link 8 Common Food Additives to Heart Disease Risk
Gizmodo / 11h
Certain food preservatives might silently be raising our blood pressure and heart disease risk, recent research has found.





'Better tighten your World Cup security' — Iran-linked hackers claim massive FBI drone breach, threaten FPV attacks
Latest from TechRadar / 11h
Iran-linked hackers claimed access to FBI drone surveillance systems and warned about World Cup security, though evidence remains disputed.





Google confirms death of its Nest speaker lineup
Mashable / 11h
Get ready to say goodbye to some of Google's older smart home products. The Nest MIni and Nest Audio smart speakers have been discontinued by the search engine giant, TechAdvisor reports. The former was a $35 entry-level smart speaker released in 2019, with the latter launching in 2019 as a $100 version that offered a larger form factor and better audio quality. SEE ALSO: The new Google Home Spea





How to watch USA vs. Australia online for free
Mashable / 11h
TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Australia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN , an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The second round of 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage games includes some really interesting matchups, including USA vs. Australia. Both teams are tied on three points after impres





World Cup fans furious as hydration breaks fill up with ads
Mashable / 11h
One of the biggest arguments at the 2026 World Cup isn't about football — it's about water. Since the tournament began on June 11, every match has included mandatory 3-minute hydration breaks midway through each half. Referees stop play at a point of their choosing, players head to the sidelines, and in the U.S. some broadcasters cut to — you guessed it — commercials. Those 3 minutes are worth re





Mexico vs. South Korea: The World Cups friendliest rivalry
Mashable / 11h
If the FIFA World Cup were a romantic comedy, Mexico and South Korea would be in the strangers-to-lovers arc. Before their teams even met on the pitch, fans from both countries had already hit it off. In the streets of Guadalajara, supporters have broken into impromptu performances of "Gangnam Style," greeted one another with chants of "BTS," posed for photos together, and shared not only bottles





Illinois smart glasses driving ban continues ongoing efforts to restrict the tech’s usage — but I kinda agree with this one
Latest from TechRadar / 11h
Illinois smart glasses driving ban ‘gives cops license to pull over anyone’ fear some.





I’m Digging ‘Issak’ Because It Reads Like ‘Vinland Saga’ and ‘Vagabond’ Had a Baby And Gave It a Gun
Gizmodo / 12h
Kodansha's stunning historical fiction manga tells an epic that historical weapons aficionados will love to death.





The First Reactions to ‘Supergirl’ Are Here
Gizmodo / 12h
Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa star in the latest DC Studios film that opens June 29.





The Best Early Prime Deals on Fitness Equipment
Lifehacker / 12h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Prime day is coming up on June 23-26, but there are already deals to be had on fitness equipment. Below are the deals I'm seeing already, and I'll keep updating this article as more become available. Early Prime Day deals on treadmills Echelon Stride Sport 40 treadmill $589





5 new shows to watch this weekend across Netflix, HBO Max, and more (June 19-21)
How-To Geek / 12h
It's a fantastic week for returning shows on streaming services. Four of the five shows spotlighted on this list are back for either their second or third season. The No. 1 show this weekend revolves around a civil war, where dragons play a giant part in determining the outcome. You can probably guess what Game of Thrones spin-off I'm talking about.





OpenAI is bringing on some big guns in the lead-up to its IPO
TechCrunch / 12h
OpenAI is bulking up before its IPO, landing Transformer co-inventor Noam Shazeer from Google DeepMind and former Trump AI policy official Dean Ball in the same week.





Humans Were Using Fire Long Before Scientists Thought Possible, Study Says
Gizmodo / 12h
An international team in South Africa has pinned the earliest known use of fire by Homo erectus back to between 1.07 and 1.79 million years ago.





The 11 standout startups from YC’s Demo Day, according to VCs
TechCrunch / 12h
TechCrunch spoke to investors to find the hottest startups in the Spring 2026 YC batch. Some of them commanded valuations of over $175 million, VCs said.





Rivian faces a class action lawsuit over self-driving in its early vehicles
Engadget / 12h
Rivian is being sued over the self-driving capabilities of its early vehicles, or lack thereof.





Bernie Sanders’ New AI Bill Would Pay Americans $1,000 a Year
Gizmodo / 12h
The senator is making the case that AI is a public resource that was built using the collective genius of humanity.





Xbox studio apocalypse: Every studio closure rumored and confirmed
Mashable / 12h
Xbox's studio portfolio may look very different, very soon. Earlier this week, reports suggested Microsoft's games division was in the process of closing or spinning off several of its subsidiary studios. Though no studio closures have been officially confirmed yet, some employees have posted on social media that they are looking for work. Here is everything we know right now. SEE ALSO: Xbox exec





Tension Flared on Space Station as Russia Threatened to Drill and Saw Into Wall, Prompting NASA Astronauts to Take Shelter
Futurism / 12h
For many years, both NASA and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos have struggled to contain persistent leaks plaguing the International Space Station. The aging orbital output has been through two decades of continuous habitation, and it’s really starting to show its age. In particular, a short tunnel section dubbed PrK, which connects the Russian Zvezda module to the station’s aft docking port, ha





Meta’s AI Workers Are Revolting, Peter Thiel’s Secret Society, and SBF’s Plea to Trump
Wired / 12h
On today’s Uncanny Valley, we dive into the dysfunction in Meta’s newly formed AI unit and why it’s been driving already-low employee morale even further into the ground.





‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Is Already Setting Box Office Records
Gizmodo / 12h
And it didn't take crashing any websites to do it. Sorry, 'The Odyssey.'





This Kindle Colorsoft Is $90 Off Ahead of Prime Day
Lifehacker / 12h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. You don't need to wait until next week to start finding great Prime Day deals—there are already plenty of early tech deals to consider. One of the best—particularly if you have younger readers at home—is the Kindle Colorsoft Kids Edition , currently priced at $179.99, $90 o





House of the Dragon: Everything you need to know in 2 minutes
Mashable / 12h
The Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is finally flying back for a third season and you need to get caught up on all things Targaryen . Mashable's Belen Edwards is here to catch us all up to speed, and in just under 2 minutes! We'll re-introduce you to Rhaenyra Targaryen's Team Black and Alicent Hightower's Team Green and take you all the way up to the moments before Season 3's much ant





How to watch Canada vs Qatar: Free Streams, TV Channels & Kick-Off time as FIFA World Cup 2026 co-hosts seek first win, team news
Latest from TechRadar / 12h
Alphonso Davies misses out again for Canada as the co-hosts face Qatar at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Here's how to watch the Group B fixture for free online and from anywhere.





Valve releases SteamOS 3.8 — and it comes with the biggest hint yet that the Steam Machine is about to arrive
Latest from TechRadar / 12h
The evidence that the Steam Machine is imminent is piling up, as a new version of SteamOS officially prepares the ground for Valve's gaming PC.