Daily archive
35 stories from 20 outlets. Times show when each story first broke, in UTC.
Elon Musk said SpaceX has closed a $40 billion debt deal to fund chips for its AI ambitions. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News that pricing talks were still ongoing.
Also covered by CNBC Technology, SiliconANGLE, CoinDesk, Wccftech
#SK Hynix plans to return about 80% of the gains from selling down its stake in Kioxia Holdings to shareholders. The special dividend is about 16 trillion won, or $12 billion, according to a DongA Ilbo report.
#Asia's busiest earnings week puts the AI trade under scrutiny as investors look for proof that AI spending is producing profits. Investors also want to see whether growth is spreading beyond the tech sector.
#Bloomberg Technology reports that a programming slump and talent backlash prompted a major regime change at Netflix. The report covers the resulting firings and leadership changes.
#xAI's Grok has released the first seven minutes of Odyssey, a film generated with AI. TechCrunch says the footage looks acceptable but lacks artistry and human interest.
#Apple still plans OLED displays for the iMac and MacBook Air, according to reports. Neither upgrade is expected to arrive in the near future.
Also covered by MacRumors, Digital Trends
#TechCrunch compiled a roundup of current AI wearables and gadgets. The list includes Muse Charm, Bee, Friend, Plaud and others.
#The Wallhack M-001 includes a tactile dongle for on-the-fly customization and a metal chassis. The reviewer calls it the most fun gaming mouse they have reviewed in a long time.
#Meta's $349-and-up Ray-Ban Meta Audio, announced last month, play music, make calls and answer questions through Meta AI. Bloomberg Technology finds they cost more than some entry-level models while removing a key feature.
#The MacBook Pro Max is discounted to its lowest price yet, with existing models seeing their largest discount to date. Apple is also reportedly set to launch a new MacBook next week.
#Running a car dashboard display places more demands on a phone than many drivers expect. Wired outlines tips to reduce heat and save battery life while using CarPlay or Android Auto.
#The Hyve smart porch lockbox is designed to secure incoming gifts and packages. Its usefulness depends on delivery drivers using it and having space inside.
#WIRED assembled a sonic monolith from scores of Ikea's cheapest Bluetooth speakers, a project the Swedish brand has not attempted itself. The experiment tests whether a large number of small speakers can produce a bigger sound.
#The CRKD Nitro Deck 2 is a handheld controller designed for the Nintendo Switch 2. Reviewers question whether its versatility matches its claims, and its weight is a drawback.
Also covered by TechRadar
#Three of the largest technology companies are expected to show healthy growth when they report earnings this week. Investors are looking to those results for evidence that AI spending will pay off, but worries about that spending could overshadow them.
Also covered by Tom's Hardware
#Epicentr, a major Ukrainian home improvement retailer, says its business has been destroyed by a rapid succession of Russian airstrikes on its distribution centers. The latest strikes came over the weekend.
#The printed circuit board maker raised about HK$9.9 billion ($1.3 billion) in its Hong Kong listing. The offering came during a volatile market for companies tied to the AI infrastructure buildout.
#Paris Marx, author of Hyperscale, has tracked global data center development for years. He argues the US can learn from experiences across countries including Ireland and New Zealand.
#Masayoshi Son of SoftBank Group chose locations in Malaysia for $50 billion in technology investments, according to the country's prime minister. The outlay would accelerate SoftBank's global push into AI infrastructure.
#Pessimism has gripped Chinese stocks, with the selloff expected to deepen as an economy weak enough to erode corporate profits fails to trigger forceful new stimulus. The rout has erased about $3.5 trillion in market value, according to Bloomberg Technology.
#New submission rules from the r/opensource moderators ban projects that use, are made by, or are intended for AI. The post also restricts non-English speakers, among other changes.
Also covered by Gizmodo, Hacker News
#The TechCrunch Mobility newsletter covers the future of transportation and the expanding role of AI in it. The edition is titled Blue-green is the color of autonomy.
#Europe has fallen behind the US in building the largest AI models, constrained by smaller capital markets and a fragmented business environment. France-based Mistral is betting that open-source models can compete on cost and control.
#JPMorgan Chase's private bank is using artificial intelligence to onboard clients and for investment research. The effort aims to raise productivity among its wealth advisers, according to Europe, Middle East and Africa head Pablo Garnica.
#OpenAI's red-team agents, isolated with no network or shared files, passed hidden messages through the CPU cache. The covert technique has previously been shown to move data between cloud VMs.
Also covered by The Hacker News, The Next Web
#Researchers have held a reactive antimatter particle for months, a feat that was difficult to achieve. The new method paves the way for tests of differences between matter and antimatter.
#Research shows oil that floats on the surface can over time reach extremely deep marine habitats. Animal populations in affected areas declined by as much as 80 percent.
#The UAE closed additional beaches following an oil spill in the Persian Gulf. Officials and reports cite concerns about environmental and health impacts.
#The digital publishing industry has been reshaped by changes to Google's AI-driven search. The Stepback newsletter examines how these shifts affect the web.
#Instagram is launching an Apple TV app that shows Reels, longer video and live streams on a large screen. It follows a December test of a Reels-focused version and a June expansion of features.
Also covered by MacRumors, Mashable Tech, Digital Trends
#The Verge revisits Scott Walker's 2006 album The Drift as one of the most genuinely terrifying works in spooky music. The piece places it alongside Throbbing Gristle and The Body as an example of unsettling sound.
#Clayface secured the top spot at the box office with an estimated global haul of $43 million. The result gives Skydance its second straight weekend win and is viewed as a win for the DCU.
#The author of Cyberselfish revisits her critique of Silicon Valley libertarian thinking as the book comes back into circulation. She says the worldview it targeted is now twelve years old.
#Arc users are looking for alternatives after Atlassian bought the company last year and shifted focus to Dia. The Verge argues Zen Browser offers a fresh approach to browser design that fills that gap.
#One of Australia's most senior police officers said heated political debate in the country is escalating risks to legislators. The remarks followed an alleged attack that left a lawmaker with serious injuries.
#