Technology News 15.12.2025

8 Rare Vintage Tech Products Worth Thousands That Might Be Hiding In Your Attic

December 15, 2025, 9:38 PM EST. Thinking your attic stash could pay for a dream trip? This piece explains why some late-20th/early-21st-century gadgets fetch thousands, and a few command six-figure sums when brand-new and unopened. The key is condition: mint condition items are rare, and even broken or used gadgets can swing big if they're sought-after or have intriguing provenance. A valuable item often blends nostalgia, rarity, and a compelling backstory-think astronauts or pioneering students. If you want the biggest payout, expect the boxed, untested classics to lead the market, while even non-box items can surprise. Case in point: the Apple I wood-cased computer sold for about $475,000 in September 2025, underscoring how rare, well-documented history can dramatically boost value.

Asia-Pacific markets mixed as AI sell-off weighs on Wall Street

December 15, 2025, 9:36 PM EST. Asia-Pacific shares edged lower or mixed as investors rotated out of AI plays after another decline on Wall Street. In Australia, the ASX 200 ticked higher while Japan's Nikkei 225 and Korea's Kospi slipped on softer PMI data and profit-taking. Tech names like Oracle, Broadcom, and Microsoft led losses in the U.S. overnight, weighing sentiment. Across the region, China's CSI 300 was flat and Hong Kong's Hang Seng eased. Australia's PMI showed slower growth, with the composite index at 51.1. Korea Zinc tumbled on reports of a major equity sale to a U.S.-backed venture. It was a mixed session as traders debated higher-rate paths and AI exposure.

Hollow Knight: Silksong – Sea of Sorrow DLC teased for 2026

December 15, 2025, 9:34 PM EST. Hollow Knight: Silksong reveals its Sea of Sorrow DLC, a nautically themed expansion from Team Cherry. The update adds new areas, bosses, and tools as Hornet continues her journey, with the free expansion arriving in 2026 for all players. A trailer accompanies the announcement, and Team Cherry says more details will come shortly before launch. The news follows recent discussion on how the base game's pricing was set. Fans can expect ongoing post-release content without paywalls, ahead of the Sea of Sorrow release window.

Bungie's Marathon Delayed to March 2026 with PvPvE Updates and Free Live-Updates

December 15, 2025, 9:32 PM EST. Marathon's release window has moved to March 2026 after an updated look at the game in a nearly 23-minute documentary. Bungie doubles down on a dark, grounded sci-fi world where players become Runners and shift consciousness into shell bodies. The PvPvE shooter adds proximity chat, solo queue, and a new Runner shell named Rook, plus four maps, loot, factions, and improved visuals and audio. Priced at $39.99, it will receive free updates through its first year, including new maps, shells, and live events starting with the Cryo Archive Season 1. The Reward Pass won't expire and won't be pay-to-win. Competitors like Arc Raiders loom, and Bungie has addressed past asset plagiarism concerns.

Threads expands Communities to 200+, tests flair labels and Champion badges

December 15, 2025, 9:30 PM EST. Meta's Threads is expanding its Communities, growing from 100 to over 200 topics, including team-specific spaces like Lakers Threads, Knicks Threads, and Spurs Threads. The update introduces flair options under usernames and tests a new Champion badge to reward highly engaged members. The move aims to deepen user engagement and nudge activity away from rivals like Reddit and X, as Threads continues to grow past 400 million users and more than 150 million daily visitors. Since launch, Threads has emphasized DMs, group chats, and ephemeral posts to retain users, and these new features further diversify community interaction on the platform.

OpenAI Chief Communications Officer Hannah Wong to Depart in January

December 15, 2025, 9:28 PM EST. OpenAI announced that Hannah Wong, the company's Chief Communications Officer, will depart in January after five years with the firm. In internal notices and to WIRED, Wong said she's grateful for shaping how people understand OpenAI as ChatGPT expanded into a global product. CEO Sam Altman and CEO of applications Fidji Simo called her role defining and her clarity in communicating complex ideas with care. Since becoming CCO in August 2024, she helped steer the company through the PR blip surrounding Altman's brief ouster. Until a successor is named, Lindsey Held will oversee the team, with Kate Rouch leading the search.

Debt worries weigh on AI-related stocks as markets waver

December 15, 2025, 9:26 PM EST. U.S. stocks edged lower as AI-related shares persisted as a drag, with investors worrying about how debt financing is fueling AI infrastructure bets. Oracle signaled an extra $15 billion in capital expenditure and higher data-center leases, sending its stock down about 2.7%, while CoreWeave slid around 8% and Broadcom fell roughly 5-6% on concerns about margins. The broader market tempered losses, with the S&P 500 dipping 0.16% and the Nasdaq down 0.59%, as investors rotated toward consumer discretionary and industrials. Analysts cited ROI as a key factor for continued AI investment. Separately, Tesla began testing driverless Robotaxis in Austin, and tariffs nearing $200 billion in annual receipts framed another policy backdrop. A Ukraine-Russia peace deal was reportedly nearing completion.

Linux 6.19 Features: Live Update Orchestrator, PCIe Link Encryption, and More

December 15, 2025, 9:24 PM EST. With Linux 6.19-rc1, the merge window closed and a slate of new features lands: Live update Orchestrator for seamless updates; PCIe link encryption and device authentication; new drivers like ASUS Armoury and for Uniwill laptops; DRM Color Pipeline API; a new console font; defaults shifting with AMD GCN 1.0/1.1 to AMDGPU; initial support for the Tenstorrent Blackhole SoC and Intel Xe3P enablement for Nova Lake and Crescent Island; ongoing Rust work; broader Apple Silicon support; Microsoft C Extensions in kernel builds by default; and the Intel Xe VFIO driver. Benchmarks show mixed results; Phoronix will publish more.

Apple AirTag 4-Pack Drops to $69.99 on Amazon; Prime Shipping Ahead of Holidays

December 15, 2025, 9:22 PM EST. Apple's AirTag 4-Pack is on sale for $69.99 today on Amazon, down from $99. Prime members can get it with same-day delivery in many areas, and free shipping options ensure delivery before Christmas. Best Buy is offering a matching deal this week as a solid second-best price. For a single unit, the AirTag 1-Pack is $24 (down from $29). MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. For more discounts, check the Apple Deals roundup, and sign up for the Deals Newsletter to stay updated on the season's biggest bargains.

ONZE Portable Display with Transparent OLED Turns Your Smartphone into a Second Screen

December 15, 2025, 9:20 PM EST. The ONZE portable display reimagines on-the-go viewing by offering a portable display with built-in transparent OLED technology that extends your smartphone's real estate without cables. It comes with a base featuring integrated 3D spatial speakers and a trackpad for hands-free control, plus a dual free-stop hinge for optimal viewing. With a 16:9 screen you can use it in portrait mode as a tablet or full second screen for multitasking. A rotating AOD Dial houses an R sensor, ToF sensor, and ambient light sensor to optimize brightness and enable gesture control. Two modes-Object Mode for ambient graphics and page overlays, and Viewing Mode for relaxed consumption-make it versatile for travel, remote work, and media.

Meminductor Replicates Amoeba Behavior, Pushing Neuromorphic Computing Beyond Memristors

December 15, 2025, 9:18 PM EST. Researchers from the University of Kent led by Frank Zhigang Wang demonstrate a meminductor-an inductor whose inductance L(q) changes with the history of charge, providing a memory function unlike traditional components. The team shows that this charge-dependent inductance can reproduce the memorizing, timing, and anticipatory behaviors observed in amoebae, offering a new path beyond the memristor for neural-inspired architectures. By linking memory to the time constant of circuits, meminductors open possibilities for neuromorphic computing and deep learning applications, potentially improving energy efficiency and scalability. This work challenges the dominance of von Neumann architectures, suggesting integrated memory-processing devices can better emulate primitive intelligence and biological dynamics in AI systems.

Is Oracle the Best AI Growth Stock to Buy in 2026? Debt, Multicloud Data Centers, and the AI Push

December 15, 2025, 9:16 PM EST. Oracle has fallen about 42% from its 52-week high after Q2 FY2026 results. The pullback reflects a heavy debt load – more than $80 billion net of cash – versus peers with lighter debt or more liquidity. Oracle is funding an aggressive AI push by building multicloud data centers that host native Exadata Database Service and Autonomous Database across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. This capex-heavy strategy weighs on free cash flow in the near term, but the core software business remains a cash cow. As these multicloud deployments scale, capex should ease and free cash flow could turn positive, accelerating debt paydown. If demand for AI-focused cloud infrastructure grows, Oracle could emerge as a compelling AI growth stock.

Ford to repurpose BlueOval SK Battery Park in Kentucky, 1,500 jobs cut as plant shifts to battery energy storage

December 15, 2025, 9:12 PM EST. Ford is repurposing its BlueOval SK Battery Park in Glendale, Kentucky, converting from EV battery production to a facility that makes battery energy storage systems. The shift follows Ford and SK On's split on their joint venture, with Ford taking ownership as a subsidiary. Ford says the move supports higher-return growth areas and will unlock capital for its broader strategy, including Ford Pro and electrified powertrains. The company estimates about 1,500 Glendale workers will be laid off as production pivots, while more than 2,100 new roles are expected to be created for the battery storage operations within roughly 18 months. The decision arrives as federal subsidies and policy changes reshape incentives for the US EV/battery sector and domestic manufacturing.

Ford retools Kentucky BlueOval SK plant, pivots to energy storage and lays off EV battery workforce

December 15, 2025, 9:10 PM EST. Ford is restructuring its Kentucky operations, ending BlueOval SK's EV battery park in Hardin County and converting the Glendale campus into a battery-energy storage hub. The move, which includes laying off the entire BlueOval SK workforce, follows Ford's view that the EV business case has eroded. The Glendale plant will manufacture 5 MWh+ energy storage systems, LFP prismatic cells, energy storage modules, and 20-foot DC containers, with operations slated to begin in 2027. Ford says it will hire about 2,100 new employees for the Glendale venture, and laid-off workers can apply for these roles, with benefits continuing for 60 days. Gov. Beshear and state lawmakers emphasized Kentucky's manufacturing role and Ford's ongoing footprint.

VCs explain why most consumer AI startups still lack staying power

December 15, 2025, 9:08 PM EST. Venture capitalists say most consumer AI apps haven't found staying power, even as general-purpose LLMs gain traction. Early GenAI tools around video, audio, and photo fizzled once open-source models emerged, echoing a classic platform cycle: true consumer-scale breakthroughs require a period of stabilization before mass adoption. Experts compare it to the mobile era of 2009-2010, when platforms let bedroom experiments become giants like Uber and Airbnb. A new, ambient device could unlock the next wave, as opposed to smartphones that only see a sliver of daily life. Ideas range from a screenless pocket device to wearable AI rings or glasses, and even a personal AI financial adviser, signaling where the market might converge as platforms mature.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold sells out in Korea, but slim margins raise profit concerns

December 15, 2025, 9:04 PM EST. Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Z TriFold sold out on its launch day in Korea, underscoring strong demand for the first tri-fold from a major maker. But a high production cost leaves little room for profit, tempering celebrations despite long lines at Samsung stores and online hiccups. Samsung's aim with the TriFold is to demonstrate technological prowess more than immediate earnings, a theme echoed by co-CEO Roh Tae-moon. Huawei's Mate XT was earlier to the tri-fold arena, but Samsung seeks to push foldables forward after the Galaxy Z Fold series. The company has signaled a 2025 release window during Galaxy Unpacked, while early reviews are largely positive.

Powerful Nvidia AI Chips Are Already in China: How They've Been Circulating and Why It Matters

December 15, 2025, 9:02 PM EST. Nvidia's H200 AI processors have apparently landed in China via gray-market channels before official authorization. Reuters documents show Chinese universities, research labs, and data-center operators purchasing the chips to run large-language models and advanced AI work. A Beijing professor says his lab already owns eight H200s, illustrating how cutting-edge hardware can attract talent and fuel a university arms race. While the Trump administration granted a sales window with a 25% export tax, U.S. authorities are cracking down on transfers to China. Concerns about security and potential military use persist, and Beijing plans to limit imported H200s in favor of domestic tech. Nvidia's China market share has slumped, complicating the path to future exports such as Blackwell chips.

Intel Eyes AI Acquisition: Could SambaNova Break the Mold This Time?

December 15, 2025, 9:00 PM EST. Intel is reportedly considering buying SambaNova Systems for about $1.6 billion, far below SambaNova's earlier valuations. SambaNova focuses on AI inference with custom Reconfigurable Dataflow Units (RDUs) and the SambaRack rack-scale platform, plus a cloud AI offering. Intel's prior AI bet with Habana Labs-$2 billion for Gaudi training chips-struggled to gain traction against Nvidia's CUDA ecosystem. Architecture and software maturity, plus Nvidia's ecosystem, helped Nvidia win in training, while Intel pursued mixed GPU/accelerator strategies. If the deal closes, the tie to Intel Capital (SambaNova is a portfolio company) and Lip-Bu Tan as chairman could matter. SambaNova's strength in inference and rack-scale AI, aligned with Intel's data-center footprint, might shift dynamics, but the AI inference market remains highly competitive.

Who's Making the Most Money in AI? The 22-Year-Old Founders Behind Mercor and the AI Training Data Boom

December 15, 2025, 8:56 PM EST. Mercor, founded by Brendan Foody and two high-school friends, started as an automated staffing agency for AI projects and quickly reached $1M in annualized revenue. When Scale AI asked for 1,200 engineers, Foody cut out the middleman and Mercor surged to $500M in annualized revenue, valuing the company at $10 billion. The founders, all 22, became the youngest self-made billionaires. The story signals a broader shift: as labs push training data quality, there's a premium market for specialized data work-and for firms that can orchestrate globally distributed workers. With OpenAI, xAI and others chasing data, industry insiders estimate over $10B in annual training-data spend this year, a frontier rivaling AI infrastructure growth.

Microsoft Deprecates RC4 After Decades of Vulnerabilities, Accelerating AES Adoption

December 15, 2025, 8:54 PM EST. Microsoft says it has steadily deprecating RC4 for a decade due to vulnerabilities, but removing an algorithm shipped with Windows for 25 years wasn't easy. The challenge was not just the cipher but how the algorithm is chosen across decades of code changes. Over time, developers favored AES and stronger hashing, driving RC4 usage down to near nil and easing the final kill-off. The story contrasts Kerberoasting that exploits a lack of salt and the MD4 hash with the slower, salted AES-SHA1 approach that raises the cost to crack passwords by about 1,000x. Administrators should audit for RC4 usage in Active Directory and other services, even if rare, to avoid surprises from legacy deployments.

DeSantis: Florida can regulate AI despite Trump executive order

December 15, 2025, 8:52 PM EST. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis argued that states retain the right to regulate artificial intelligence even as President Trump signs a national AI standard. Speaking at Florida Atlantic University, DeSantis contended that an executive order cannot block states and that preemption would require congressional action, not an executive move. He said Florida's proposed rules align with White House goals and highlighted a Citizen Bill of Rights for AI to limit risks such as misuse of a person's name, image or likeness, deepfakes, and protections for children. He acknowledged possible challenges under the Dormant Commerce Clause but said Florida is positioned to defend its approach. The debate centers on state sovereignty, consumer protections, and a coherent federal AI policy.

Pennsylvania House weighs AI standards for healthcare with HB 1925

December 15, 2025, 8:50 PM EST. Pennsylvania's House Committee on Communications and Technology is considering House Bill 1925 to set standards for the use of AI in healthcare and require safeguards for clinical decision-making. The measure, nicknamed 'The AI and Healthcare Act,' would prevent diagnoses from relying solely on technology and address potential racial inequities and biases. Sponsor Rep. Arvind Venkat (D)-a practicing emergency physician-argues patient safety and oversight are essential, noting AI can err and amplify existing disparities without safeguards. The bill has bipartisan support but remains in committee as lawmakers weigh benefits and risks, including concerns about a pending federal executive order. Advocates warn of misuse by bad actors, while others emphasize AI's potential to support clinicians when properly overseen and regulated at the state level.

Mous Pixel Watch Charger: First Official 3rd-Party Dock for Pixel Watch 4

December 15, 2025, 8:48 PM EST. Mous has released the first official, third-party dock for the Pixel Watch 4, arriving two months after the wearable's new charging system. The Mous Pixel Watch Charger is a matte-black pad with a central mount, built from recycled materials and featuring a detachable USB-C cable. It's marketed as using official Google Pixel Watch charging hardware, unlike earlier third-party options that were just rubber bases. It delivers 5.6W contact charging with 7.5W+ input for full performance, and includes a dual-part authentication IC for safe charging. Pogo connectors on the edge enable modular upgrades with other Mous charging accessories. Priced at $49.99 and shipping from the Google Store, it's a travel-friendly option compared with Google's $29.99 charger. The box includes a 1.5m USB-C cable.

Smartwatch alert could cue parents to tantrums, Mayo Clinic study finds

December 15, 2025, 8:46 PM EST. Researchers at Mayo Clinic tested a smartwatch-based alert system that detects physiological stress signals – heart rate, movement, and sleep changes – and sends alerts to an AI-enabled app on the parent's phone to prompt earlier intervention. In a randomized trial with 50 children aged 3-7 over 16 weeks, those using the system showed the earliest mood signals within about four seconds and experienced severe tantrums shortened by an average of 11 minutes. About 75% of wear-time occurred during the study. Experts say even small, well-timed interventions can alter the trajectory of emotional dysregulation, helping parents respond with closeness, reassurance, labeling emotions, and redirection. Future work will refine predictive accuracy and assess long-term benefits in outpatient care.

VR Giants Lands on Quest with Cross-Play and Free Friend Pass

December 15, 2025, 8:44 PM EST. VR Giants is an asymmetric VR game that finally arrives on Quest with PC cross-play and a free Friend Pass. In this asymmetric co-op setup, you team up as Goliath (VR) and David (non-VR) to tackle platforming challenges from two distinct perspectives. The Quest release adds cross-play with the Steam version, so you can play with friends on PC or Quest, and your non-VR partner can join for free via Friend Pass. With 23 levels and roughly eight hours of gameplay, VR Giants encourages cooperative strategy and shared exploration across platforms.

Insider Sell: D-Wave Quantum CFO Sells 200,000 Shares for $4.59M Amid 373% One-Year Jump

December 15, 2025, 8:42 PM EST. D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) disclosed a chunky insider sale by CFO John M. Markovich: he exercised 200,000 stock options and immediately sold the resulting shares for about $4.59 million, per an SEC Form 4. The move leaves Markovich with roughly 937,559 shares and about $21.5 million in direct ownership post-transaction. This represents the largest admin disposition (option exercise and immediate sale) by the CFO to date, compared with a prior median sell-only stake of around 7,994 shares. The stock has surged, with a 1-year return near 373% as of mid-December 2025, contributing to a lofty valuation in a $7.83B market cap. D-Wave sells hardware, cloud access, and software for enterprise quantum computing-including the Advantage system and Leap services.

EssilorLuxottica Eyes AI Glasses as Next Growth Driver, Citi Says

December 15, 2025, 8:40 PM EST. Citi analysts reiterate a buy rating for EssilorLuxottica, arguing that AI glasses and the Luxottica-Meta partnership could be the next big growth pillar. Luxottica is developing smart glasses with Meta capable of playing music, taking photos, translating, and displaying live captions via a neural wristband for gesture control. In Q3, the group posted roughly 12% YoY growth, with wearables contributing more than four percentage points. Analysts project the AI glasses market to grow over 100% annually to 2030, potentially surpassing 110 million units and about $40 billion in retail revenue, with Luxottica aiming for around 30% market share by the decade's start. Further plans include AI offerings under Oakley and Prada in collaboration with Meta.

ADAM: Nvidia-Powered Bartender Robot Debuts at NHL Arena

December 15, 2025, 8:38 PM EST. ADAM is a Nvidia-powered bartender robot built to address hospitality labor challenges and enhance fan experiences at the NHL arena. Developed by Richtech Robotics, it was trained in a virtual bar using Nvidia's Isaac platform and Isaac Sim (built on Nvidia Omniverse) to create a digital replica of the workstation. The simulated environment included cups, utensils, and lighting, letting ADAM learn to handle real-world challenges before deployment. This synthetic-data approach trains AI to recognize items under glare or reflections that can confuse cameras, boosting reliability. The result is a scalable, consistent solution that creates memorable moments for fans as ADAM pours its first drinks on site.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Gets Surprise Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – Out Now

December 15, 2025, 8:36 PM EST. Larian Studios has released a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Divinity: Original Sin 2, out now with a free upgrade from the Switch 1 version. The Switch 2 Edition costs $49.99 / £44.99 (regional prices apply), while buying the Switch 1 version plus the upgrade pack nets you $24.99 / £22.49 until 7 January 2026. Larian teased the new edition after its Game Awards showcase, though details on enhancements beyond higher resolutions and smoother frame rates remain unconfirmed, raising questions about features like Mouse Mode. Divinity: Original Sin 2: Definitive Edition is the acclaimed RPG from the creators of Baldur's Gate 3, offering a BAFTA-winning story, party-based play, and reactivity to player choices.

Stalker 2 Free Update Stories Untold Adds Hours of New Quests on December 16

December 15, 2025, 8:34 PM EST. Stalker 2 fans get a holiday treat as Stalker 2 launches a completely free update titled Stories Untold. Arriving on December 16 across all platforms, the patch promises hours of new gameplay spread across eight quests and seven locations, including the Car Dump, Army Warehouses, City Boiler Room, Rail Depot, and Volkhov SAM. The update introduces six new characters with their own backstories, a unique weapon-the GP37V2-and a new hub in the Burnt Forest where players can access a technician, trader, medic, guide, and more. After PS5 release and fixes to A-Life, this patch wraps up 2025 with a fresh mystery in the Zone that challenges choices and intuition.

New Jolla Phone with Sailfish 5 aims to break iOS-Android monopoly

December 15, 2025, 8:32 PM EST. Hands-on: after a successful crowdfunding push, the new Jolla Phone will run Sailfish OS and ship mid-2026. Pre-orders have already exceeded the initial goal, with batches priced from €499 to €699 and an early reserve price of €579 for up to 10,000 units. Specs include a 6.36-inch AMOLED display, 5G, 12 GB RAM, 256 GB storage (expandable via microSD), and a user-replaceable 5,500 mAh battery. A software-based privacy switch can disable the microphone, Bluetooth, or Android apps. A missing feature worth noting is the headphone socket. If sales hit 10,000 units, retro The Other Half back covers with a keyboard may return. Sailfish OS traces back to Maemo on Nokia devices; despite past hardware hiccups, the platform positions itself as a local-control alternative to the iOS-Android duopoly.

Disney+ lands on Meta Quest headsets with Horizon TV hub, Dolby Vision/Atmos support

December 15, 2025, 8:28 PM EST. Meta rolls out Disney+ on Quest headsets in the US, expanding VR entertainment. The new Horizon TV hub consolidates streaming in one place and adds Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support to Disney+ titles. A select number stream in Dolby Vision 4K HDR, and Disney+ Premium subscribers can enjoy Dolby Atmos sound. Meta notes there are over 100 titles in the catalog that support 4K UHD and HDR, including some Marvel and Pixar films with IMAX expanded aspect ratios. The app runs on the latest Horizon OS, with international availability coming soon.

Tesla stock closes at 2025 high after Musk confirms driverless Robotaxi tests underway in Austin

December 15, 2025, 8:26 PM EST. Tesla announced over the weekend that it is testing driverless cars on Austin public roads with no occupants, after months of operating a Robotaxi service with safety supervisors. Texas permits autonomous-vehicle testing on public streets under traffic-law compliance. Since June, Tesla has run a Robotaxi-branded ridehail in Austin with on-board safety drivers, and has since begun testing without anyone in the car. Elon Musk posted on X that 'Testing is underway with no occupants in the car.' The update helped push Tesla stock higher, closing up about 3.6% and near its 2024 record. Tesla has long promised OTA upgrades to enable self-driving robotaxis, with launches in Austin and the SF Bay Area. As of mid-October, seven collisions were reported in the Austin fleet, not deemed severe.

Google Play Services Update Adds Nearby Device Prompts and Personalization Controls

December 15, 2025, 8:24 PM EST. Google is shipping a new System Services update that touches Android features powered by Google Play Services and the Google Play app. In this release, the changelog covers v25.49 with Developer Services improvements for Account Management workflows in apps, and a Device Connectivity feature that prompts users to allow access for nearby devices. The accompanying Google Play Store v49.3 introduces the Ask Play experience, a more conversational interface, and builds in controls for personalization and data collection directly in Play – including what data backs your Play History and how it's used. The update also surfaces personalized content from installed Travel apps within Play.

Oregon-based Hunter Communications Sold to Oak Hill Private Equity Firm

December 15, 2025, 8:22 PM EST. Hunter Communications, the Medford-based fiber-optic internet service provider and Oregon's largest privately held ISP, has been acquired by Oak Hill, a private equity firm with a history of buying fiber and telecom companies. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. The deal positions Hunter for expansion into Eugene, Springfield, Oakridge, Coburg, La Pine and Salem, while promising to retain local staff and continue philanthropic programs for educators, current and former military members, and groups like the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA and Kidsports. CEO Michael Wynschenk said investors understand the industry and that public benefit will align with growth. Oak Hill has previously acquired more than 20 broadband providers; its portfolio also includes a non-telecom asset: Dave & Busters. Oak Hill declined to comment.

SPIE inks European framework agreement with Tesla to deploy Battery Energy Storage Systems

December 15, 2025, 8:20 PM EST. SPIE has signed a European framework agreement with Tesla to deploy Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) across Europe. The multi-year collaboration covers engineering, procurement, construction, and ongoing maintenance of storage installations aimed at boosting grid flexibility, enabling renewable energy integration, and accelerating the continent's transition to clean energy. By combining SPIE's end-to-end services with Tesla's battery technology, the pact positions both companies to scale energy storage capacity and meet evolving regulatory standards. The deal underscores rising demand for reliable, scalable storage as utilities advance decarbonization and resilience goals.

Analyst Sees Nvidia at an $8.5T Valuation Next Year: Is It Possible?

December 15, 2025, 8:18 PM EST. An Evercore ISI analyst, Mark Lipacis, raised NVDA's price target from $261 to $352, suggesting a potential 101% jump. Lipacis cites Nvidia's inventory buildup to meet unprecedented AI compute demand and points to a $500 billion backlog for 2025-2026, acknowledging it could be conservative. He projects revenue growth accelerating to about 79% by mid-2026, with the stock trading at a forward P/E of 23x-cheaper than peers AMD (33x) and Intel (63x). The piece notes Nvidia's CUDA ecosystem and CUDA tiles as a moat, compares to challengers like Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, and argues the lead could persist. Still, the rally's pace and lofty targets invite careful consideration of risk and timing.

HarmonyOS 6 hides status bar icons on Mate 80 series in silent UI tweak

December 15, 2025, 8:16 PM EST. Huawei's HarmonyOS 6 update for the Mate 80 series quietly changes the status bar: most icons are hidden while the notification center is pulled, leaving only the carrier information visible. Users spotted this silent upgrade after installation, noting it isn't listed in the changelog. Proponents call it a creative idea that creates a more harmonious UI during the open animation, though the control panel remains unchanged. Huawei's broader HarmonyOS 6 feature set still dominates the changelog, with numerous upgrades to the camera and system features. The tweak appears to be a targeted UI polish rather than a functional change, aiming for a cleaner look when certain operations are triggered. We'll monitor user feedback and any official clarification on this cosmetic change.

ExxonMobil Unveils Graphite Invention to Extend EV Battery Life by 30%

December 15, 2025, 8:14 PM EST. ExxonMobil says it has developed a new graphite carbon molecule designed for the anode of EV batteries that could extend battery life by up to 30%. The company claims faster charging and longer range while reducing reliance on mined graphite, notably from China, by using byproducts from oil refining such as petroleum coke. The invention forms part of Exxon's push into the battery materials ecosystem, alongside the acquisition of assets from Superior Graphite and plans to begin commercial production by 2029. Exxon's broader strategy, including Low Carbon Solutions, high-value chemicals (Proxxima™), and advanced materials, aims to grow earnings and cash flow while expanding its role in the global battery supply chain without significant new capital expenditure.

The $600B Man: Musk's Net Worth Soars as SpaceX Valuation Looms

December 15, 2025, 8:12 PM EST. Elon Musk has become the first person to reach a $600 billion net worth, according to Forbes, aided by reports that SpaceX could go public at about an $800 billion valuation. Musk owns roughly 42% of SpaceX, and about 12% of Tesla, whose stock has climbed this year and rose again after his comments on robotaxis without safety monitors. Investors also backed a $1 trillion pay plan for Musk at Tesla. Meanwhile, his AI startup xAI is in advanced talks to raise $15 billion at a $230 billion valuation, underscoring plans to expand Musk's empire into AI and robotics. Neither SpaceX, Tesla, nor xAI commented on the reports.

Early iOS 26 Leak Uncovers Dozens of Upcoming Apple Features

December 15, 2025, 8:10 PM EST. An early build of iOS 26 leaked from an iPhone prototype, revealing dozens of future features and device plans. The code references an unknown home accessory (codenamed J229) and hints at a forthcoming AirTag 2 with improved Bluetooth, low-battery state, and crowdsourced location features slated for 2025 or 2026. AirPods listings point to a spring 2026 launch with ContextualReminders, ConversationBreakthroughVQA, VisualLookup, and enhanced outdoor location understanding, plus Room Aware Connect Controls. Vision Pro flags include Enable AUSM Enhanced Room Spatializer for a possible spring 2026 release. Software features mention Health+ on a spring 2026 timeline, Live Captions expanding to more languages, and AutoFillUI for third-party apps in fall 2026. Siri improvements cover IntelligenceFlow and PlanOverrides.

Apple Leak Confirms Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, and Dozens More Devices

December 15, 2025, 8:08 PM EST. MacRumors details a new Apple leak sourced from an iOS 26 beta prototype and a seller who shared software labeled iOS 19 internally. The leak lists unreleased devices and codenames across AirTags, iPads, iPhones, Macs, wearables, and chips, reinforcing that several products are in active development. Highlights include Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, Apple Studio Display 2, Home hub variants, a Tabletop robot, and a Vision Pro successor family (Vision Air, cheaper Vision Pro, and AR glasses). iPhone line includes iPhone 17e, iPhone 18 Pro/Max, and an iPhone Air 2. Mac lineup shows M5/M6-series laptops, Mac Studio, Mac mini variants. The report also mentions chip codenames like A20/A20 Pro, M5 Pro/Max/Ultra, and M6. Overall, the leak confirms multiple devices are in development and heading to future launches.

Ford pivots Kentucky EV battery plant to storage, lays off 1,600 workers

December 15, 2025, 8:06 PM EST. Ford will lay off all 1,600 workers at the Kentucky EV battery plant as it converts the Glendale facility to manufacture battery energy storage systems for utilities, wind and solar developers, and data centers. The move aims at higher-return opportunities, with shipments planned for late 2027 from Kentucky and Michigan plants. The shift will cost Ford about $19.5 billion in profit, and thousands of BlueOval SK positions in Kentucky will end. Ford plans to hire about 2,100 for the new storage operation, and laid-off workers can apply for those roles while receiving benefits for 60 days. Gov. Beshear said Kentucky remains the EV battery capital and will support affected employees with job fairs and resources. The deal renegotiates incentives as Ford redeploys capital toward energy storage and other growth areas.

Meta Platforms: AI Infrastructure Push Supports Growth as DCF Indicates Undervaluation

December 15, 2025, 8:04 PM EST. Meta Platforms has powered a dramatic stock run-up 466% over 3 years-while simultaneously doubling down on AI infrastructure, expanding Reels/advertising tools, and investing in Reality Labs/metaverse. Despite a recent pullback, the stock trades with a strong growth profile, though regulators are weighing privacy and competition risks. Our valuation checks rate Meta 5/6, and a Discounted Cash Flow model, using a trailing FCF of about $58.8B and an expected rise to $162B by 2035, yields an intrinsic value near $841 per share. That implies the shares are trading at roughly a 23% discount to fair value, i.e., undervalued rather than fully priced. The market also supports an elevated P/E around 27.7x, reflecting expectations for continued expansion.

Pixel 9 Deal: Get Free Pixel Watch 2 and Case with 128GB Pixel 9 for $499

December 15, 2025, 8:02 PM EST. Google's Pixel 9 (128GB) is on sale for $499 with an instant 38% discount from Google, and it ships with a free Pixel Watch 2 and a Pixel 9 case. That means about $334 in freebies on top of the price cut, delivering roughly 56% total value off. The phone remains an attractive option with six years of major Android and security updates, a solid dual-camera system, and AI features like Add Me and Pixel Studio for creative edits. The Pixel Watch 2 can track heart rate, steps, and sleep, and even run apps like YouTube Music. Best of all, the Pixel 9 is unlocked from purchase, offering carrier flexibility. Limited-time deal from Google.

Merriam-Webster Declares 'Slop' as 2025 Word of the Year Amid AI-Generated Content Surge

December 15, 2025, 8:00 PM EST. Merriam-Webster has crowned slop as the 2025 Word of the Year, highlighting the flood of low-quality AI-generated content across social media, search results, and the wider web. The dictionary defines slop as digital content of low quality produced by artificial intelligence, a term that captures users' growing awareness of fake or shoddy material online. Merriam-Webster president Greg Barlow says it's illustrative of a transformative technology that people find fascinating, annoying, and ridiculous. The selection analyzes spikes in searches and usage to pick a term that embodies the year. The move mirrors a broader trend: lexicographers have highlighted hallucinate (Cambridge) and rage bait (Oxford) while parasocial terms proliferate.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Restock in Korea This Week: 3,000 Units at KRW 3,594,000

December 15, 2025, 7:56 PM EST. Samsung plans a restock of the Galaxy Z TriFold in South Korea within days after a quick sellout. The official online store Samsung.com is expected to have new units available at 10am on Wednesday, with about 3,000 units reserved for the domestic market. Some offline stores will also receive shipments, though which locations are unclear. At launch the price was KRW 3,594,000, and after selling out, scalpers quoted higher prices on secondhand platforms. The new stock should help stabilize prices, at least temporarily, as Samsung counters premium listings in Korea. If you missed the initial release, act fast to grab a unit before it sells out again.

5 Futuristic Smartphone Features That Would Be Game-Changers

December 15, 2025, 7:54 PM EST. Imagine a smartphone that doubles as a proactive digital assistant, learning your routines with machine learning and context. This goes beyond voice commands: your phone could anticipate needs, opening apps before you tap, or syncing with your home's IoT setup to preheat a bath, adjust lighting, or cue your favorite show. From automatically reclining theater seats to having dinner-time apps ready, context-sensitive prompts would reduce manual inputs and streamline daily tasks. The goal is a device that stores preferences securely and acts on them when you expect, not just when you instruct. As developers push toward deeper AI integration and seamless automation, such features could redefine how we interact with phones, apps, and connected living.

Top Free Apple CarPlay Apps That Users Swear By

December 15, 2025, 7:52 PM EST. This piece spotlights free Apple CarPlay apps that enhance your drive, from navigation and hands-free texting to audiobooks, podcasts, and weather. Each app is free to download, with optional premium features. It highlights customizing your CarPlay dashboard for easier access, and features Waze Navigation & Live Traffic as a standout choice for its real-time updates, voice controls, and community reporting. Waze has an Editor's Choice honor and a 4.8-star rating from millions of users, underscoring its reliability alongside Apple Maps as a flexible alternative. The guide helps users pick practical, free tools to improve routing, safety, and entertainment on the road.

Google Discover adds 'Tailor your feed' in Search Labs to customize content with natural-language requests

December 15, 2025, 7:50 PM EST. Google is testing a new Search Labs feature called Tailor your feed that lets you tell Discover what you want to see using plain-language requests. The experiment lets you add or remove topics, exclude sources, or narrow the focus of a content type-asking for a certain vibe or dietary-appropriate recipes, for example. You access it by joining Search Labs, tapping a laboratory-flask icon in the Google app, then enabling Tailor your feed. The goal is more relevant recommendations and less irrelevant content, building on existing controls that let you mute topics or sources.

Ford pivots Glendale battery plants to grid-scale storage and data centers

December 15, 2025, 7:44 PM EST. Ford plans to repurpose its Glendale, Kentucky EV battery plant into a hub for manufacturing battery energy storage systems (BESS), aiming to serve the electric grid and data centers. The company will invest about $2 billion over two years to scale this line, building LFP prismatic cells, BESS modules, and 20-foot DC container systems for storage projects larger than 5 MWh. Initial production could begin in about 18 months, with a goal to deploy at least 20 GWh/year by 2027. The move follows a joint venture: Ford will own the Kentucky plants, while SK On will operate the Tennessee plant. Ford also plans a Michigan facility for residential storage and cells for its next midsize EV on the Universal EV Platform.

Facebook Messenger desktop app discontinued as Meta redirects users to web version

December 15, 2025, 7:36 PM EST. Meta has retired the native Facebook Messenger desktop apps for Mac and Windows, directing users to the Messenger web experience. The move follows a broader push to fold Messenger back into the main Facebook app, with desktop support migrated from Catalyst to a web-based solution and from Electron to a React Native Desktop approach previously. On Windows, the client evolved into a progressive web app last year. Meta warned of a year-end deprecation and advised saving chat history with a PIN before switching to the web. Users without a Facebook account can log into Messenger.com after the shutdown; help articles remain in the Facebook help center.

Kim Yo-jong seen with suspected Chinese foldable smartphone amid sanctions scrutiny

December 15, 2025, 7:34 PM EST. Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was photographed holding what appears to be a foldable smartphone in a KCNA image. The device is described as a possible Chinese-made model, possibly from Honor's Magic series, though manufacturers weren't confirmed. North Korea's ruling class is often seen with the latest tech, and a pro-North outlet says the country makes smartphones under an indigenous brand. If the device was imported from China, it could violate UN Security Council Resolution 2397, which bans electrical equipment shipments to North Korea. Similar foldable sightings occurred in 2023, though details remain unclear.

Divinity: Original Sin II Debuts on Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S with Free Upgrade Pack; New Divinity Game Teased at The Game Awards

December 15, 2025, 7:32 PM EST. Larian Studios brings Divinity: Original Sin II to Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S today, with a free Upgrade Pack for owners of the game on Switch, PS4, or Xbox One (Japan adds a nominal ¥100 fee). The re-release is described as not a remake or remaster, but a way to experience the classic DOS:2 on current hardware. Prices for new purchases run around $50, with deals of about $17.50 on Xbox, $25 on Switch, and $15 on PlayStation. Meanwhile, Larian also teased a new Divinity game at The Game Awards, promising a completely new story with some continuity and characters from past titles, though no release date was announced.

Apple blocks long-time developer after failed $500 gift card redemption

December 15, 2025, 7:30 PM EST. An Australian developer says Apple blocked his Apple ID after he tried to redeem a possibly compromised $500 gift card, leaving him unable to access iCloud, iMessage, and thousands of family photos. Dr. Paris Buttfield-Addison, a Tasmania-based computer scientist and co-founder of a game studio, describes his account as closed under the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions. He says the issue began with the failed card activation and that a retailer reissued the code after suspecting compromise. Support allegedly offered little help and even suggested creating a new account, an option he fears could jeopardize his Developer Program membership. Apple has not publicly explained the ban nor provided a clear path to resolution as of now.

Apple TV Adds Google Cast Support on Android Only

December 15, 2025, 7:10 PM EST. Google Cast support lands in the Android version of the Apple TV app, letting users stream Apple TV content directly to their TVs. The iOS version still lacks Cast, and Android's Apple TV app also does not support AirPlay. The update, version 2.2, adds a cast button in the top-right corner of the play screen and in the pause overlay, making it easy to switch screens. This comes just weeks after Netflix dropped casting from phones to most smart TVs, highlighting the shifting dynamics of streaming hardware and apps. If you don't see Cast, update the Apple TV app to version 2.2 to enable the feature on Android devices.

Ford pivots Kentucky EV battery plant to data-center storage, laying off 1,600 workers

December 15, 2025, 6:50 PM EST. Ford will lay off all 1,600 employees at its Kentucky EV battery plant as it converts Glendale to produce battery-energy storage systems for utilities, wind- and solar-power developers, and data centers that train AI. The move, reported by the Wall Street Journal, shifts Ford toward higher-return opportunities, with shipments of battery energy storage systems from Kentucky and Michigan planned by late 2027. Ford estimates a $19.5 billion hit to profits as it exits large-scale EV manufacturing; CEO Jim Farley says it is redeploying capital toward Ford Pro, trucks, hybrids, and energy storage. BlueOval SK's Michael Adams notes the end of all Kentucky BlueOval SK positions, though some laid-off workers may apply for about 2,100 new storage-focused roles. Governor Beshear pledges support, job fairs, and resources for affected workers.

AI-Powered Stop-Arm Cameras Debut in Dearborn for School Bus Safety

December 15, 2025, 6:48 PM EST. Dearborn, Michigan is rolling out an AI-powered school bus safety initiative using five exterior cameras on every bus, branded as Ava by BusPatrol. The system detects when the stop arm extends, differentiates moving traffic from halted vehicles, and flags violations for the Dearborn Police Department. Funded by fines rather than taxpayers, the program follows a new state law allowing stop-arm cameras on school buses. A 30-day warning starts soon, with full enforcement beginning Jan. 19, 2026. Driver Hazimeh and Mayor Hammoud stress protecting children, citing videos showing close calls. Dearborn is the first Michigan city to deploy this program. Proponents say most drivers cited for violations do not repeat, while authorities say the data helps deter risky behavior and improve school- related safety.

Quantum Computing Enablers to Win in 2026: AMD, ORCL & More

December 15, 2025, 6:46 PM EST. An outlook on the next wave of quantum computing leadership through 2026, highlighting how AMD and ORCL (Oracle) and other players are shaping the ecosystem with optimized hardware, software stacks, and cloud services. The piece explores strategic bets, partnerships, and policy considerations that will determine who wins as qubit reliability, error correction, and scalable architectures drive practical quantum advantage. Readers will learn which enablers-from processor design to software toolchains and ecosystem collaborations-could accelerate adoption in business and research.

Nvidia H200 Exports Boost Odds of a World That Runs on Chinese AI

December 15, 2025, 6:42 PM EST. Nvidia's H200 AI chips are moving toward Chinese buyers like ByteDance and Alibaba after the White House eased export rules in exchange for a 25% cut, despite domestic cautions. Chinese regulators reportedly gauged demand while warning against rapid adoption that could blunt national chip development. Proponents say the decision could narrow the AI gap by giving Chinese firms access to compute power, helping Huawei-like stacks compete with US cloud services. Critics warn a broader Chinese AI stack-Nvidia hardware paired with Tencent/Alibaba clouds and domestic models-could accelerate a shift where Compute power drives global AI leadership. The debate also touches on reports of phantom data centers and Nvidia's denial of knowledge, underscoring geopolitics at the chip level.

iOS 26.3 beta lands as revamped Siri launch nears

December 15, 2025, 6:40 PM EST. Apple has released the iOS 26.3 beta to developers, following iOS 16.2. A public beta should arrive soon, with a final public release expected in late January or early February. This is likely the last minor refresh before iOS 26.4 delivers the long-anticipated Siri overhaul. Early notes point to two EU-driven changes: easier switching between iPhone and Android devices with Google, and a new Notification Forwarding option for third-party devices. Apple outlines how to install the betas: public beta enroll via the Apple Beta Software Program, or developer beta by signing in with a free Apple Developer account in the Apple Developer app. Stay tuned for updates as more features are confirmed.

Private satellites map methane emissions from oil, gas and coal facilities worldwide

December 15, 2025, 6:36 PM EST. New satellite data from the GHGSat constellation provides a global, facility-level view of methane leaks from the energy sector. Analyzing 2023 observations, researchers identified about 3,114 oil, gas and coal sites emitting methane, totaling roughly 9 million tons per year. Unlike traditional bottom-up inventories and top-down measurements, GHGSat offers meter-scale resolution with global coverage, bridging the gap in measurement-based accounting. The study found the largest oil and gas emissions in Turkmenistan, the U.S., Russia, Mexico and Kazakhstan, while coal emissions were highest in China and Russia. The work aims to improve understanding and mitigate methane release by pinpointing major culprits and enabling targeted reductions. This represents a significant step toward more precise, source-level methane monitoring.

How Edge Computing Is Positioned to Transform Modern IT Infrastructure

December 15, 2025, 6:28 PM EST. Edge computing extends centralized models by moving computation and storage closer to data sources, reducing latency and bandwidth costs. This distributed approach enables real-time decision-making for AI, IoT, and 5G workloads. By prioritizing data proximity, edge systems support real-time analytics, crypto price tracking, and near-instant responses across industries. Use cases span manufacturing with predictive maintenance and automation, healthcare with instant device diagnostics, and retail for live customer behavior analysis and inventory tracking. While traditional clouds remain important, edge and high-performance computing can meet evolving security and latency needs in complex environments. As organizations deploy AI-enabled hardware at the edge, interoperable networks will extend processing from data center to device, unlocking new efficiencies.

Space Force AI Challenge crowns Polaris Onboarding Agent to streamline onboarding

December 15, 2025, 6:26 PM EST. Space Force's annual AI Challenge crowned the Polaris Onboarding Agent, a conversational AI guide that helps new guardians navigate onboarding tasks, policies, benefits, and terminology. Built by Order66 within Space Systems Command, the tool uses an adaptive model to tailor answers by role and stage, replacing static checklists with proactive guidance. Senior leaders describe it as a low-risk way to boost efficiency and reduce confusion in administration. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink urged increasing AI literacy across the force, advocating hands-on GenAI work rather than sole reliance on contractors. The competition drew 29 teams in 2025, as the DoD broadens its push to operationalize AI in non-classified internal processes, part of the larger GenAI.mil initiative.

AI-Powered Nex Playground Outsells Xbox on Black Friday, Redefining Family Gaming

December 15, 2025, 6:24 PM EST. AI-powered Nex Playground is redefining family gaming, turning your living room into a motion-tracked arcade with a cube-shaped camera. The Nex Playground streams no-controller play, shows players as favorite characters, and emphasizes safety with kidSAFE+ COPPA compliance and no motion data stored in the Cloud. Launched at $199 in 2023, it now lists around $250 and bundles five games plus a Play Pass for monthly updates. Sales data from Circana claim the Nex surpassed Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S during Black Friday week, signaling a shift toward interactive, screen-time activities that blend fitness and play. Retailers include Amazon and Walmart.

Amazon Gives $100 Credit with Meta Quest 3 Purchase Ahead of Christmas

December 15, 2025, 6:22 PM EST. Amazon kicks off a holiday VR deal: buy a Meta Quest 3 for $499.99 and apply coupon code QUEST30 to receive a $100 Amazon credit before Christmas. The offer ships with free delivery for non-Prime members. The Quest 3 is the premier standalone VR headset, offering a sharper display and a larger sweet spot thanks to its pancake lens design, higher resolution (2064×2208), and a wider FOV than the Quest 3S. It also starts with more storage up to 512GB. Compared with the Quest 3S, it shares the XR2 Gen 2 processor, Touch Plus controllers, and 120Hz refresh but upgrades optics and storage. A solid seasonal deal for VR gamers.

Amazon Offers $100 Bonus Credit With Meta Quest 3 Purchase, Delivered by Christmas

December 15, 2025, 6:20 PM EST. Amazon kicks off a holiday promo: buy the Meta Quest 3 for $499.99 and apply coupon code QUEST30 to receive $100 in Amazon digital credit. Orders ship free and can arrive before Christmas, even for non-Prime members. The Quest 3 is described as the best standalone VR headset and a meaningful upgrade over the cheaper Quest 3S, thanks to a new pancake lens design, higher resolution (2064×2208 vs 1832×1920), wider FOV, and larger storage (512GB vs 128GB). The two share the same XR2 Gen 2 processor, Touch Plus controllers, and passthrough features. IGN Deals notes how to follow updates on discounts and promotions.

Apple iOS 26.3 Introduces Notification Forwarding to Third-Party Wearables

December 15, 2025, 6:18 PM EST. Apple's iOS 26.3 adds a new Notification Forwarding setting that can push incoming alerts from a iPhone to a third-party wearable. Users can select which apps are forwarded, and forwarding works for a single device at a time, meaning the Apple Watch won't display notifications when a third-party wearable is active. Apple frames the feature as a response to global regulators, citing the EU Digital Markets Act requirements for third-party access to notifications. The move also touches a broader antitrust debate in the US DoJ case, which has criticized Apple's restrictions on non-watch devices. The feature appears to be rolling out alongside other iOS 26.2/26.4 rumors and ongoing updates to wearables and notifications.

SpaceX Poised for Potential Largest IPO Ever, Targeting a $1.5T Valuation

December 15, 2025, 6:16 PM EST. SpaceX is reportedly hearing pitches from investment banks for a potential IPO that could be the largest in history. Targeting mid-to-late 2026, the offering could raise about $30 billion and value SpaceX around $1.5 trillion, potentially surpassing Saudi Aramco's debut. Some reports say SpaceX is even buying insider shares at a valuation near $800 billion. If successful, the IPO would push Elon Musk's fortune higher and mark a milestone for tech and aerospace markets. Musk has long resisted going public, but proponents argue a stock market float could fund orbital data-center initiatives and other space-scale ambitions. Wall Street is eyeing a wave of major IPOs next year, with AI startups and others in the mix; SpaceX could lead the charge.

Elon Musk's SpaceX Could Hit Historic IPO with $30B Raise and $1.5T Valuation

December 15, 2025, 6:14 PM EST. SpaceX is reportedly hearing pitches from investment banks as it contemplates the largest IPO in history, potentially raising about $30 billion and valuing the company near $1.5 trillion, per The Wall Street Journal. If successful, SpaceX could surpass Saudi Aramco as the biggest debut. The plan would shape a 2026 IPO landscape that already includes rumors around private AI players like OpenAI and Anthropic pursuing public listings. While founder Elon Musk has long resisted taking SpaceX public, proponents say a listing could fund orbital data centers and solar-powered operations. A debut of this scale would also dramatically boost Musk's wealth and place SpaceX among the world's most valuable companies.

Sapphire calls for freer AIB design from AMD/NVIDIA, hints at Toxic line revival

December 15, 2025, 6:12 PM EST. Sapphire Technology PR chief Edward Crisler argues AIB partners should have more design freedom from chipmakers like AMD and NVIDIA, criticizing current restrictions on overclocking, power limits, and memory. He says these controls push creativity toward cooler designs and ongoing support, limiting performance tuning and the ability to relaunch the iconic Toxic line more often. The discussion covers practical notes, including the RX 9070 XT Nitro+ 12VHPWR experience where failures were tied to adapters rather than the card or PSU, and skepticism about Steam's market-share data. Overall, the interview highlights tensions between GPU makers' mandates and partner innovation in today's GPU market.

Creative Commons Tentatively Backs Pay-to-Crawl for AI Training

December 15, 2025, 6:10 PM EST. Creative Commons is tentatively backing pay-to-crawl systems, a move to compensate websites when AI crawlers train on their content. CC previously outlined a legal/technical framework for dataset sharing between data owners and AI providers. The pay-to-crawl idea, championed by Cloudflare and others, would charge bots for scraping and could help publishers recover traffic lost to AI, especially smaller outlets. CC emphasizes responsible design: avoid default adoption, allow throttling, preserve public-interest access, keep content open and interoperable, and build on standardized components. Critics warn such systems could concentrate power, potentially block researchers and public-interest users, and require careful governance. The article notes existing deals between publishers and tech providers (OpenAI with Condé Nast, Gannett with Perplexity, NYT with Amazon, etc.).

Sapphire wants freedom for AIB designs, hints at reviving Toxic line amid restrictions from AMD/NVIDIA

December 15, 2025, 6:08 PM EST. Edward Crisler, Sapphire's PR chief, says AIB partners should be allowed to design graphics cards freely, without the chip makers' constraints on overclocking, power limits, and memory. In a Hardware Unboxed podcast, he argues most GPUs perform similarly across cards and that restrictions steer customers toward focusing on cooler designs and support rather than core specs. He points to the potential return of the Toxic line, Sapphire's flagship, noting current overclocking headroom is too limited for regular Toxic releases. The interview touches on the 12VHPWR connector on the RX 9070 XT Nitro+, clarifying issues were tied to a 16-pin adapter, not the card or PSU. Crisler also questions Steam Hardware Survey's accuracy for AMD share and suggests AMD's gaming GPU market share could be higher than some metrics indicate.

iOS 26.3 Adds Notification Forwarding for Third-Party Wearables Amid Regulatory Pressure

December 15, 2025, 6:04 PM EST. Apple's iOS 26.3 introduces a new Notification Forwarding setting in Settings > Notifications that lets incoming alerts be sent to a single third-party wearable. When enabled, a connected device can receive notifications, and the Apple Watch cannot display them simultaneously. Users can limit forwarding to selected apps, and forwarded alerts show the app name and notification content. Apple frames the feature as addressing regulatory pressure, citing the EU Digital Markets Act requiring access for third-party devices to notifications. The move also intersects with the DoJ antitrust scrutiny over Apple's restrictions on third-party wearables. The update continues Apple's push to redesign notification handling across devices.

iOS 26.3 Beta Shows Notification Forwarding to Third-Party Devices Under EU DMA

December 15, 2025, 6:02 PM EST. Apple's iOS 26.3 beta introduces a dedicated Notification Forwarding interface under Settings > Notifications, signaling how the company plans to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) by letting third-party devices display iPhone alerts. The feature relies on a new AccessoryNotifications framework (not yet documented or released with an iOS 26.3 SDK). Users will be able to select one accessory at a time to receive forwarded notifications, with Apple noting that forwarded alerts include the app name and all notification content. Apple frames this as user control while acknowledging potential privacy concerns. Notably, there is a one accessory at a time limit, and forwarding to Apple Watch is disabled during use. More developer details will follow with the official SDK.

Apple's iOS 26.3 beta reveals Notification Forwarding for third-party devices under EU rules

December 15, 2025, 6:00 PM EST. Apple's iOS 26.3 beta unveils a new Notification Forwarding interface under Settings > Notifications, signaling how the company plans to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act by letting third-party devices access iPhone alerts. The feature relies on a yet-undocumented AccessoryNotifications framework and will eventually let users select which apps can forward notifications to a single third-party device. A notable limitation: forwarding works with only one accessory at a time, and notifications will not appear on Apple Watch while enabled. Apple emphasizes that forwarded content includes the app name and full notification text, while keeping the configuration user-driven. The update continues Apple's gradual groundwork since iOS 26.1 to meet the EU mandate. Your thoughts?

Creative Commons Tentatively Backs Pay-to-Crawl for AI Data Access

December 15, 2025, 5:56 PM EST. Creative Commons has tentatively endorsed pay-to-crawl systems, building on its plan for a legal/technical framework for data sharing between data owners and AI providers. The idea would charge AI bots each time they scrape a site, aiming to compensate creators, sustain content sharing, and help smaller publishers recover traffic lost to AI-generated answers. CC cautions against universal defaults and urges responsible design: throttling, not just blocking; preserve public-interest access; and keep systems open, interoperable, and built with standardized components. The approach already underpins major deals, including OpenAI with Condé Nast and Axel Springer; Perplexity with Gannett; Amazon and The New York Times; and Meta with various publishers. CC notes potential risks of centralization and barriers for researchers and public-interest institutions.

Google Discontinues Dark Web Report Tool in February 2026

December 15, 2025, 5:52 PM EST. Google will discontinue the dark web report feature on February 16, 2026 after about a year and a half of use. The service, which scanned data breaches for your personal information, will stop scanning for new dark web breaches on January 16 and will have all related data deleted from Google's servers on the shutdown date. Google says feedback showed it didn't provide clear, actionable steps for users facing identity risks, so it is shifting focus to tools that offer concrete protection. In its place, Google highlights existing safeguards like Security Checkup, built-in Password Manager, and Password Checkup that alerts when saved passwords are compromised. If you used the feature, you can also delete your monitoring profile by navigating to Results with your info, selecting Edit monitoring profile, and choosing Delete monitoring profile.

Microsoft DMCA Takedown Ends Halo 3-Inspired Mod in Counter-Strike 2

December 15, 2025, 5:50 PM EST. Last month, modder Froddoyo released Project Misriah to recreate the Halo 3 multiplayer feel inside Valve's Counter-Strike 2. The collection reportedly copied multiple sound effects, character models, maps, and movement mechanics from Bungie and Microsoft's Halo. In the weeks since, it drew praise from Halo fans and modders impressed by what the Source 2 engine could enable. On Wednesday, Microsoft filed a DMCA complaint, leading Steam Workshop to remove the collection. Froddoyo announced the takedown and said the project won't be uploaded again, but will channel the experience into something new. The episode underscores ongoing tensions between fan-made cross-franchise mods and copyright holders in the gaming space.

Baron Capital launches five active ETFs as SpaceX becomes firm's biggest investment

December 15, 2025, 5:46 PM EST. Baron Capital unveiled five actively managed ETFs: RONB, BCGD, BCSM, BCFN and BCTK, designed to mirror the firm's time-tested mutual-fund and private-accounts strategies. Founder Ron Baron says the group's long-term track record-dating to early bets on SpaceX and Tesla-supports the move into an ETF format. SpaceX has grown to roughly $10 billion of the firm's investments and is seen as a pillar of Baron's thesis, alongside bets in orbiting infrastructure like Starlink and potential space-based data centers that could reduce energy and cooling costs. Baron also cited investments in xAI and highlighted the firm's historical outperformance: roughly 98% of assets beating benchmarks, with about 60% in the top-5%. The firm aims to turn its $57B profits into five times that over the next decade.

One-Day Deal: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Drops $275 to $1,025 at Best Buy

December 15, 2025, 5:44 PM EST. Today only, Best Buy cuts $275 off the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, bringing the 256GB model to $1,025. Amazon has matched the discount for the titanium gray variant, turning this one-day flash deal into a rare opportunity. The S25 Ultra packs a 6.9-inch Dynamic OLED 2x display with up to 2,600 nits, the S Pen for notes and doodling, and a reworked Snapdragon 8 Elite chip with leading AI features like Google Gemini and Samsung Galaxy AI. Camera prowess includes a 200MP main sensor with OIS, 100x space zoom, plus 50MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto. Act fast-when today ends, this deal vanishes.

Tesla Slashes Model Y Prices in Last-Ditch 2025 Sales Push

December 15, 2025, 5:42 PM EST. Tesla is slashing prices on the Model Y Standard to a starting $39,990 (plus $1,390 destination) and touting 0% APR for up to 72 months as part of a late-year sales push. The offer adds potential free upgrades-premium paint, a tow hitch, and upgraded wheels-and a lease option with no down payment. The promo runs until December 26, 2025, with delivery by December 31, 2025 and note that pricing can change. Trade-ins also earn 2,000 miles of free Supercharging. Tesla's move follows a weaker 2025 performance: shipments fell to ~40k in November, and US EV market share slid to roughly 38% by August, prompting rivals to roll out bigger incentives while Tesla pressed on with robotaxis ambitions.

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 with Urgent Security Updates and Liquid Glass Refinements

December 15, 2025, 5:40 PM EST. Apple has released iOS 26.2 for devices from 2019 onward, including the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 17 series, as well as the second- and third-generation iPhone SE. The update adds new features and, more importantly, security fixes-with more than two dozen fixes and seven WebKit flaws. Apple warns two of the WebKit flaws may have been exploited in targeted attacks on older iOS versions. The Friday release-uncommon for a major upgrade-signals urgency. The update weighs about 1.64GB on a iPhone 17 Pro Max and is installed via Settings > General > Software Update. Visual tweaks include refinements to Liquid Glass and a configurable lock-screen clock transparency.

Nvidia Acquires SchedMD to Expand Open-Source Slurm for AI and HPC

December 15, 2025, 5:36 PM EST. Nvidia has acquired SchedMD to bolster open-source workload management for AI and HPC. Nvidia will continue distributing Slurm, the open-source scheduler used on more than half of the top systems in the TOP500 list, and will invest in Slurm's development to keep it leading in HPC and AI. The deal includes open-source software support, training, and development for SchedMD's customers, and distributes Slurm as vendor-neutral software to the broader HPC and AI community. Nvidia says it will speed access to new systems, enabling users to optimize workloads across their entire compute infrastructure and run heterogeneous clusters with the latest Slurm innovations. Slurm's CEO emphasizes that Nvidia's investment will advance Slurm while remaining open source, addressing next-gen AI and supercomputing demands.

Why Enterprise AI Stalls: The Data Bottleneck Halting Agentic AI Progress

December 15, 2025, 5:34 PM EST. Executive AI programs often stall in pilot purgatory: massive investments yield only modest pilots, with angry customers and PR risks. MIT studies show 95% of organizations see zero measurable ROI on AI due to poor implementation and data strategies. The root problem isn't the tech promise but brittle data foundations that bottleneck progress toward real value. Surveys show strong appetite for Agentic AI, 91% expect transformative impact, 83% say readiness is essential, with only 38% feeling prepared. Manish Sood warns that AI's power hinges on data quality, and McKinsey ties successful use cases back to better data management. Data remains a paradox: enterprise value and liability. Locked-in data silos and flawed processes amplify LLMs' misstatements unless data is cleaned, connected, and governed.

4 Cheap Gadgets That Can Actually Help You Sleep

December 15, 2025, 5:32 PM EST. Discover affordable sleep tech that doesn't break the bank. This roundup highlights under $50 sleep gadgets backed by 4+ star reviews, including the WiZ LED Smart Light Bulbs that cue your circadian rhythm and the Livikey Fitness Tracker Watch for tracking sleep. Other easy options mentioned are sleep mask headphones and white noise machines, which adjust lighting, provide soothing sounds, or monitor sleep health. By using simple devices-smart bulbs, trackers, or ambient-noise tools-you can shift lighting, reduce wakeups, and build a more regular sleep routine without expensive gear.

NVIDIA Unveils Nemotron 3 Open Models in Nano, Super and Ultra

December 15, 2025, 5:28 PM EST. NVIDIA introduces the Nemotron 3 family of open models – available in Nano, Super, and Ultra sizes – designed to power transparent, efficient, and specialized agentic AI. The lineup features a breakthrough hybrid latent mixture-of-experts (MoE) architecture that boosts throughput and enables multi-agent systems at scale, with Nemotron 3 Nano delivering far higher throughput and the most tokens per second for multi-agent workloads. Built on open datasets, libraries, and reinforcement learning environments, the Nemotron platform emphasizes transparency and reproducibility, addressing context drift and inference costs in collaborative AI. NVIDIA positions Nemotron 3 as an open platform for sovereign AI, with early adopters across manufacturing, cybersecurity, software, and more. The company cites customers like Accenture, ServiceNow, and Palantir leveraging the models to power AI workflows.

2025: Tech Giants Bet on Smart Glasses as the Next Big Thing

December 15, 2025, 5:26 PM EST. Gadgets have felt dull, but the industry is betting the next disruption is smart glasses. After mixed results from VR headsets, 3D TVs, tablets, and an early wave of AI devices, the only major new gadget to go mainstream has been the smartwatch. Now Google, Microsoft, Meta and others are doubling down on a new class: smart glasses. The piece contrasts VR headsets-bulkier, more isolated, often tethered to a PC-with glasses that aim for mixed reality overlays you can wear while staying aware of the real world. Google plans to support both forms with Android XR, while devices like the Galaxy XR illustrate trade-offs in weight and practicality. As eyewear platforms mature, they could weave information directly into daily life without fully closing you off from reality.

Tesla's Unmanned Robotaxis Roam Austin Amid Seven Crashes and Secrecy

December 15, 2025, 5:20 PM EST. Tesla's Austin test zone now features unmanned robotaxi cruising with no safety driver and no human backup, a milestone shadowed by seven crashes since June. Yet NHTSA documents are heavily redacted, obscuring causes and severity and fueling concern about safety oversight before any commercial deployment. The saga contrasts with rivals like Waymo that publish clearer safety data, highlighting the tension between Tesla's aggressive scaling and regulatory scrutiny. The plan has shifted from coast-to-coast ambitions to a scaled Austin-focused rollout, with a tiny fleet of roughly 60 vehicles by late 2025 rumored. California testing still requires human supervision, underscoring a regulatory patchwork that shapes where autonomy truly operates. Tesla's history of hardware promises and revisions-dating back to 2016-continues to color today's expectations.

Dense 3D AI Processor Promises 4x Speedup by Narrowing Memory Gap, Built in Domestic Foundry

December 15, 2025, 5:18 PM EST. Researchers from Stanford, MIT and collaborators unveiled a monolithic 3D processor aimed at solving the processor-memory performance gap in AI workloads. The chip stacks layers to enable both vertical and horizontal integration, reporting roughly a fourfold gain over traditional 2D designs. Unlike just stacking chips, the team builds layers atop one another and partnered with SkyWater Technology to fabricate in a commercial fab, demonstrating domestic production at scale. By bringing memory closer to the compute fabric, the design targets the bottleneck that hinders AI training and inference, with potential impacts on cloud providers and memory markets as demand for RAM and SSDs remains high. The work underscores that advanced AI hardware architectures can move from the lab to the domestic semiconductor supply chain.

Klarna Unveils Agentic Product Protocol for AI-Driven Product Discovery

December 15, 2025, 5:16 PM EST. Klarna unveiled the open Agentic Product Protocol, an API plus live product feed designed to let AI agents discover, compare and recommend products across merchants and markets. The protocol streams about 100 million products and 400 million prices, standardized across 12 markets, and supports Google Merchant, Shopify, Facebook Catalog, and CSV/JSON formats. The Agentic Product Protocol API enables merchants to expose products to any AI platform that adopts the protocol, enabling contextual, conversational discovery rather than keyword-led scrolling. Klarna says the protocol creates a common language for exchanging product data among AI systems, merchants and platforms, forming a foundation for next-gen agentic commerce and aligning with its collaboration with Google on AP2 for open, secure payments.

SpaceX to Launch Falcon 9 from Vandenberg on Dec. 16 – Time, Window and How to Watch

December 15, 2025, 5:12 PM EST. SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County on Dec. 16 with a four-hour launch window from 7:24 a.m. to 11:24 a.m. PT. The mission will deploy 27 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. Californians can watch liftoff in person or by using SpaceX's livestream on its website and the X TV app about five minutes before liftoff; updates may appear on X. If postponed, a backup window could be available the next day. The Falcon 9 is a two-stage, roughly 230-foot booster, a workhorse for expanding SpaceX's Starlink constellation.

Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 for Developers

December 15, 2025, 5:10 PM EST. Apple today seeded the first betas of iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 to developers for testing, arriving days after the release of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. The update is available to registered developers by opening Settings > General > Software Update. Apple did not reveal new features for the 26.3 beta, and early word suggests the focus will be on bug fixes and performance improvements rather than major changes. Details will be shared when they're learned. The 26.2 releases are currently limited to developers, with a public beta expected soon in the coming days or weeks.

Apple TV for Android gains Google Cast support in latest update

December 15, 2025, 5:08 PM EST. Apple TV for Android just added Google Cast support in version 2.2 rolling out now on the Play Store. After update, the Cast icon sits beside your profile, opening a Cast To bottom sheet that fits the app's design. In the fullscreen player, you'll see a miniplayer with playback info, device, and timeline, plus 10-second rewind and play/pause. Tapping expands to a fullscreen portrait player with large rewind/forward, scrubber, and options for Audio and Subtitles; swipe down to return home. The missing cast support had been a notable gap since launch. Apple also tweaked the homescreen icon to be slightly smaller, marking a tidy update.

AI infrastructure selloff deepens as Broadcom, Oracle shares slide

December 15, 2025, 5:04 PM EST. AI infrastructure stocks extended last week's slide as Broadcom, CoreWeave and Oracle tumbled again on Monday. Investors remain bullish on the AI boom but uneasy about how the enormous buildout will be financed, with ROI increasingly cited as a prerequisite for ongoing funding. Oracle warned it would raise capital expenditures to about $50 billion this year to support data-center and cloud capacity, while boasting $248 billion in long leases tied to 15-19 year commitments-up 148% since August. Broadcom warned that gross margins on AI-chip systems would be pressured as it aims for roughly $8.2 billion in AI-chip revenue this quarter. CoreWeave's market debut earlier this year adds to the mixed sentiment as valuations adjust.

AI Funding Spans the Stack: From One-Person Ventures to Autonomous Generative Media

December 15, 2025, 5:02 PM EST. Since generative AI entered the mainstream, investors are backing a vision of solo founders running billion-dollar firms. The General Intelligence Company of New York unveiled an $8.7 million seed round to build agent-based systems that let individuals operate companies by delegating execution to AI agents across engineering, marketing, operations and support. Founder Andrew Pignanelli says the goal is a one-person billion-dollar business powered by coordinated agents, with Cofounder as the flagship product. He notes the remaining gaps are coordination and memory systems that sustain a company over time. The push toward the 'first fully autonomous company' could arrive in 2026 as AI lowers barriers to entrepreneurship. In other funding activity, Crisp raised $26 million in a Series B1 to broaden retail-focused AI data solutions for retailers and brands.

Jefferies Reveals 6 Internet Stock Picks for 2026: AppLovin, Reddit, Roku, Spotify, Uber, Zillow

December 15, 2025, 4:58 PM EST. Despite worries about an AI bubble, Jefferies analysts say select internet names still offer compelling upside. Their top internet stock picks heading into 2026 are AppLovin, Reddit, Roku, Spotify, Uber, and Zillow. The firm flags peer-leading growth and strong fundamentals as the key drivers, noting that most picks have already posted sizable gains in 2025. Highlights include AppLovin's expected first-half-2026 expansion of its referral-based advertising platform, with a Street-high target of $860 implying ~30% upside. The analysts also favor Reddit, Roku, and Spotify for user-experience improvements and engagement catalysts, with targets above consensus. Uber and Zillow complete the list, tied to ongoing growth initiatives and new market opportunities that could sustain momentum.

AI Transforming Payments Landscape in Latin America: Fintech Hubs Lead the Way

December 15, 2025, 4:56 PM EST. AI adoption in Latin America's payments and e-commerce sectors is expanding, driven by fintech hubs in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. These markets are leveraging strong ecosystems and supportive regulation to advance digital payment solutions and AI-powered analytics. Yet talent shortages, high implementation costs, and uneven regulatory enforcement challenge broader adoption, particularly in smaller economies. As regional governance evolves, there is a push for greater oversight to ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with global standards in AI use.

Apple releases first iOS 26.3 beta for iPhone

December 15, 2025, 4:52 PM EST. Apple has rolled out the first iOS 26.3 developer beta for iPhone, signaling a potential joint effort with Google to simplify switching between iOS and Android. The beta arrives after the official iOS 26.2 release last week, which added tweaks to Liquid Glass design elements and more CarPlay customization. iOS 26.3 is expected to land toward the end of January, with early notes pointing to future improvements in iOS 26.4, including an upgraded Siri. Stay tuned for hands-on impressions and any new features discovered in the beta.

Investors Hedge Against an AI Bubble with Credit Default Swaps on Tech Stocks

December 15, 2025, 4:50 PM EST. Investors are increasingly buying credit default swaps as a hedge against an AI bubble, boosting monthly volumes from about $2B to an anticipated exceedance of $8B. The bets target hyperscalers like Meta, Oracle, and the upstart CoreWeave, according to the Financial Times and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation. CDS function as insurance: buyers pay premiums to protection sellers and collect if a borrower defaults. The move follows warnings from Bridgewater Associates about a possible AI-led bubble. Oracle stands out as a popular target due to large revenue obligations tied to data-center deals with OpenAI. A market for mispricing risks in AI investments is taking shape.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: The Best Underwater BTS Camera of 2025

December 15, 2025, 4:48 PM EST. An underwater BTS setup needs color accuracy, quick mounting, and hands-off operation. The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro delivers clean color straight out of the camera, with balanced blues and preserved highlights, reducing or eliminating post-processing. It offers 10-bit color options (Log or HLG) and DJI's underwater color science, making reds visible and hues stable. Magnetic mounting enables flexible vertical shooting and easier repositioning on an underwater housing, a big win over traditional bottom-mounted rigs. The camera remains unobtrusive to the dive goal and provides reliable performance across multiple dives. In short, for underwater BTS work, the Osmo Action 5 Pro combines color rendering you can trust, easy mounting, and dependable video with minimal fuss.

DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo: which budget selfie drone should you buy?

December 15, 2025, 4:46 PM EST. Tom's Guide pits the DJI Neo 2 against the original DJI Neo to crown the better budget-friendly selfie drone. Both use a 12MP, 1/2-inch sensor and similar flight basics, but the Neo 2 offers 4K/60fps (with 4K/100fps for some modes) and omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, while the Neo caps at 4K/30fps with a single-axis gimbal. The newer model also adds Gesture Control and bigger internal storage. Max altitude and range stay at about 2,000 m and 7 km. Pricing favors the Neo: $199/£169 at launch, with the Neo 2 at $319/£209. If you want the safest flight and sharper footage, pick the Neo 2; if you're watching the wallet, the Neo remains a strong, affordable choice.

Training Rhino Camp Residents to Build and Use the Internet in Uganda's Refugee Settlement

December 15, 2025, 4:40 PM EST. Across Rhino Camp in northwestern Uganda, refugees-mostly women and children-face an internet desert: no electricity grid, energy from solar, and patchy, slow connections. With 192,000 residents and a broader refugee population of 42.6 million globally, access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods hinges on connectivity. In partnership with the Internet Society and the Community Empowerment & Transformation Agency (CETA), locals are being trained to build and use the Internet themselves, reducing reliance on aid. Early challenges included long travel times, scarce hardware, and teaching with a blackboard and pen. Ruth Njeri led a program to train five Rhino Camp residents as trainers, expanding local capacity to design and deploy computer networks. The goal: empower residents to sustain connectivity and opportunities for the community.

Tesla Model Y Standard Tops Edmunds Range Test; Launch Series Reaches 327 Miles

December 15, 2025, 4:38 PM EST. Edmunds' EV range test shows the Tesla Model Y Standard beating its higher-priced siblings, with the Standard exceeding its EPA-estimated 321 miles and earning the label of the "longest-range Model Y" Edmunds has tested. The Launch Series Model Y, the first configuration in the "Juniper" program, lands at 327 miles on the EPA test. The test also highlights efficiency, using 22.8 kWh per 100 miles versus 26.8 kWh for the Premium in the same route (60% city, 40% highway, 40 MPH avg). Edmunds emphasizes real-world driving conditions, though factors vary. Tesla's newer models tend to meet or exceed EPA estimates, a shift from 2018-2023 vehicles that often underperformed. The piece contrasts the Standard vs Premium interiors, noting features like Vegan Leather Interior, Acoustic glass, and a superior sound system in the Premium.

Bungie's Marathon launches March 2026 for $39.99 with ongoing free updates

December 15, 2025, 4:36 PM EST. After delaying from a planned September release, Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon now targets a March 2026 launch. The price is set at $39.99, with purchasers receiving full access and a roadmap of free gameplay updates over the year. Since the alpha testing, Bungie has added features like proximity chat and a solo queue and said each closed test fed candid feedback to help Marathon shine. To curb FOMO, Rewards Passes won't expire, and Bungie promises competitive integrity in survival modes, with spending not dictating outcomes. The move comes as the studio emphasizes ongoing community feedback and long-term support for the title.

Enterprise AI Time Savings: Most Users Save About One Hour a Day, OpenAI Report

December 15, 2025, 4:34 PM EST. OpenAI's first state of enterprise AI report shows 800 million weekly users of ChatGPT, based on usage and a survey of 9,000 workers across nearly 100 companies. Despite rapid AI adoption, the typical time savings is modest: about 40-60 minutes/day, with heavy users averaging over 10 hours/week. ChatGPT Enterprise use has surged, with messages up roughly 8x and users sending 30% more messages. Reported benefits include IT solving problems 87% faster, HR engagement up 75%, engineers delivering code 73% faster, and 75% of users completing tasks they couldn't before. Growth is strongest in Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, and France; Japan leads corporate API usage outside the U.S. The main constraint is organizational readiness, not model performance.

Meta CTO: VR Isn't Dead; Meta Rebalances Budget From Metaverse to AI Glasses and Wearables

December 15, 2025, 4:32 PM EST. Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth publicly pushed back on the idea that VR is dead, saying VR remains an active priority alongside AI and glasses initiatives. After reports that Meta was considering a budget cut of up to 30% for its Reality Labs/Metaverse teams, the company confirmed it is 'shifting some of our investment from Metaverse toward AI glasses and Wearables' but not planning broader changes. In an AMA, Bosworth argued the company can invest in VR, glasses, and AI simultaneously, emphasizing budget discipline and market growth. A leaked memo warned 2025 could determine if Reality Labs is a 'visionary' effort or a legendary misadventure, underscoring the high-stakes timing for Meta's hardware and metaverse bets.

Apple wins small victory in Epic Games appeal on App Store fees

December 15, 2025, 4:28 PM EST. Apple has a small victory in its appeal against Epic Games in the long-running App Store case. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Apple may charge a reasonable fee on external payments from developers outside the App Store, provided the fee reflects the actual costs to ensure user security and privacy. The precise definition of reasonable will be decided by Apple and the district court. But other elements were rejected: Apple's proposed 27% external-payment fee violated an injunction, and its advertising restrictions on such methods were deemed too broad. The court did not vacate the injunction. Tim Sweeney celebrated. The injunction, issued in 2021 and reinforced in 2024, found Apple in wilful violation in 2025. Fortnite has returned to Google Play US, with iOS launches planned for US/Europe in May 2025 and Australia in August.

Figgers Foundation Launches Florida Connect: Free Internet, Devices in 18 Counties

December 15, 2025, 4:22 PM EST. The Figgers Foundation has launched Florida Connect, a program delivering free devices, three years of internet service, and 4G LTE cell service to eligible residents in 18 Florida counties. Targeted counties include Bradford, DeSoto, Dixie, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Okeechobee, Putnam, Taylor, and Union. Eligible participants must be enrolled in an approved public assistance program and meet income and residency criteria. The initiative supports students, job seekers, seniors, and low-income households, offering a modern 5G device with cameras, no activation fees or credit checks, and free tech support. After 36 months, devices are returned to allow others to benefit. The program aims to help kids stay in school, aid adults in job searching, and provide telehealth access, with devices distributed by pickup or delivery.

Google ends its dark web monitoring reports, steering users toward actionable security tools

December 15, 2025, 4:18 PM EST. Google has informed users that it will discontinue the dark web reports feature, effective early next year. Beginning January 15, 2026, Google will stop scanning for new data, and by February 16, 2026, existing data will be removed. The company says the reports offered general information but lacked helpful next steps, and it will instead focus on clearer guidance and tools such as the Results about you page and Security Checkup. Users are urged to rely on Google's other protections-2-Step Verification, Passkey, Password Manager, and Password Checkup-and to explore third-party options like Have I Been Pwned. The change marks a shift from dark web monitoring toward more actionable privacy and security protections.

Tesla's Robotaxi Push Could Hit $2T-$3T Valuation, Wedbush Says

December 15, 2025, 4:16 PM EST. Wedbush's Dan Ives argues Tesla (TSLA) is set for a monster year as the debate over robotaxi adoption heats up. A successful Austin rollout and accelerating AI/autonomy roadmap could push production into a full self-driving era, with a bull case targeting roughly $3T and a base around $2T in market value by 2026. Ives sees Tesla controlling a large share of the global autonomous market, and Cybercab volume production potentially starting in spring. The piece also notes sector moves in NOW, ADBE, and MU, plus macro signals like the Empire State index contracting, and Netflix's commitment to theatrical releases amid industry bid activity.

SpaceX criticizes China's satellite launches over lack of orbital coordination

December 15, 2025, 4:14 PM EST. SpaceX VP Michael Nicolls warned that the greatest risk in space stems from a lack of coordination among operators, citing a dangerous 200-meter close approach between a newly launched Chinese craft and Starlink-6079 at about 560 km altitude. Nicolls criticized Beijing's latest Jiuquan launch for offering "no coordination or deconfliction" with existing satellites and urged the industry to share ephemeris data to prevent collisions. The remarks come as CAS Space reported its own nine-satellite mission, prompting CAS's representatives to stress mandatory ground-based space awareness checks. The incident highlights growing calls for formalized space traffic management and better data sharing across operators to reduce collision risks as more players enter LEO. SpaceX's stance underscores the broader push for safer, coordinated orbital operations.

iOS 26.2 Expands Liquid Glass: Lock Screen Clock Slider, New Animations, and Measure App Refresh

December 15, 2025, 4:12 PM EST. Apple's iOS 26.2 expands Liquid Glass across the iPhone, adding a deeper Lock Screen clock transparency slider and brighter visuals. The Lock Screen customization now lets you adjust opacity for the clock with the Liquid Glass material via the Customize mode (long-press the Lock Screen, select the clock, then the Glass option). In addition, iOS 26.2 brings refined animations for popup menus and controls, reviving the original WWDC vision. The update is system-wide, affecting third-party apps using Apple's native APIs. The Measure app also gets a refreshed Liquid Glass look, with the Level tool displaying glassy interactions with numbers and the grid as you move the device. Apple invites feedback on these new effects.

Tesla's Robotaxi Runs Unsupervised in Austin: A New Milestone

December 15, 2025, 4:04 PM EST. Tesla's robotaxi push has reached a new milestone in Austin, as onlookers captured a Model Y operating on city streets with no safety driver or front-seat occupant. Elon Musk later said testing is underway with no occupant, signaling confidence in the latest Full Self-Driving (FSD) build. Previously, unsupervised operation existed only in limited pilots with onboard monitors. Analysts warn the move is a bold but risky step toward a broader deployment, amid tightening scrutiny of autonomous systems after incidents with rival firms. Tesla aims to scale the Austin robotaxi fleet by year's end and extend unsupervised service to more parts of the city, though regulators and safety concerns remain in focus.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt urges AI firms to follow laws, warns about synthetic intimacy

December 15, 2025, 4:00 PM EST. Actor-turned-activist Joseph Gordon-Levitt used the Fortune Brainstorm AI session to argue that AI developers must face external regulation rather than relying on internal policies. He posed stark questions, including 'Are you in favor of erotic content for eight-year-olds?' and warned that without government guardrails, companies prioritizing the public good may still lose to rivals taking the low road. He cited examples of incomplete self-regulation on major platforms and raised concerns about synthetic intimacy and addictive AI toys that affect children, drawing on insights from NYU psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The point: only a balance between the private sector and public law can prevent dark outcomes in AI development.

Rocket cargo: how the US military plans to resupply troops from space in 90 minutes

December 15, 2025, 3:58 PM EST. The Air Force and Space Force are exploring rocket cargo-capsules that would loft troops or supplies into orbit and land anywhere on Earth in about 90 minutes. This could sidestep the limits of traditional airlift, which suffers long transit times, diplomatic clearances, and refueling needs, especially to remote theaters. Since 2020, the services have awarded more than $100 million in contracts to SpaceX, Blue Origin, Sierra Space, Rocket Lab and others to adapt rockets for urgent tactical missions. Advocates say delivering roughly 80 short tons (a C-17 payload) anywhere on the globe fast could reshape how the U.S. projects force, especially under contested airspace. But experts question cost, safety, and scalability at combat scale, as feasibility hinges on cheaper launches and robust, survivable systems.

Edmunds range test: Tesla Model Y Standard tops EPA range; Launch Series hits estimates, Premium vs Standard explained

December 15, 2025, 3:56 PM EST. Tesla Model Y Standard topped Edmunds' EV range loop, exceeding its EPA-estimated range of 321 miles. The Launch Series Model Y landed at 327 miles, exactly on EPA estimates. The test showed efficiency at 22.8 kWh/100 miles for the Standard versus 26.8 kWh/100 miles for the Launch Series. Edmunds follows a strict route (60% city, 40% highway) at 40 mph, with climate at 72°F and the most efficient drive setting. The article notes newer Teslas now meet or exceed EPA estimates, a shift from 2018-2023 models. Premium models offer more luxury vs the Standard, which lacks vegan leather interior, acoustic-lined glass, and a premium sound system. Read the full Model Y Standard review to see if the lower price is worth it.

Nvidia Aims to Lead Open-Source AI with Nemotron 3 Models

December 15, 2025, 3:54 PM EST. Nvidia is expanding beyond chips into the AI development stack with the Nemotron 3 family of open-source models. Unveiled after an initial reveal at GTC, Nvidia claims these models offer leading accuracy for building agentic AI applications and can run on internal servers, a key draw of open-source AI for firms and governments. As Western firms pull back from open models, China-led open-source efforts from players like DeepSeek and Alibaba gain momentum, prompting Nvidia to argue for a domestic, customizable AI supply chain. By offering Nemotron openly, Nvidia hopes to reinforce its hardware ecosystem while guiding future models to align with its silicon and platform, and to stay ahead of a shifting AI landscape where openness and policy converge.

Tesla Stock Hits All-Time High on Robotaxi Optimism and Autonomy Progress

December 15, 2025, 3:52 PM EST. Tesla stock climbed to an all-time closing high amid optimism about its driverless robotaxi program, even as November U.S. sales declined. Shares rose as much as 5% early trading, with the day's gains narrowing to about 4% by late morning. Investors have focused on autonomous driving potential and robotaxi plans more than current EV sales, which fell 23% in November and are part of a broader EV slowdown tied to tax-credit changes. Analysts note the stock trades at a multiple not justified by EVs alone, making progress in driverless taxi development critical. Elon Musk's weekend update that testing is underway with no occupants in the car added fuel to the rally, signaling tangible steps toward a driverless fleet.

How Context-Aware Computing Makes Technology Feel Natural

December 15, 2025, 3:50 PM EST. Context-aware computing lets devices adapt in real time by sensing location, time, activity, and emotion. As AI grew from skepticism to widespread deployment, systems increasingly anticipate user needs, reducing manual input. This approach underpins smart assistants, IoT environments, and autonomous systems, enabling a more seamless offline and online experience. By interpreting contextual signals from sensors and behavior, technology can tailor settings, responses, and workflows to each individual. In consumer and enterprise settings, everyday devices-from smartphones to wearables-silence interruptions, streamline tasks, and elevate efficiency. The result is a more natural interaction with technology: AI-powered adaptation, real-time context, and sensor-driven personalization that feels effortless rather than engineered.

GM rolls out native Apple Music with Spatial Audio across Cadillac and Chevrolet

December 15, 2025, 3:48 PM EST. GM is finally bringing a native Apple Music app to select 2025 and newer Cadillacs and Chevrolets, signaling a pivot away from CarPlay while boosting in-car audio options. The app will roll out via over-the-air update to supported models, with Cadillac models (2025-26 CT5, 2025 Escalade IQ, 2026 VISTIQ) gaining Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos for a more immersive cabin sound. Chevrolet expands support to 2025-26 Blazer EV, Equinox EV, Silverado EV, and 2026 Corvette/Suburban/Tahoe, with more models planned. GM makes audio streaming standard through OnStar Basics for 2025+ vehicles in the US and Canada, offering eight years of access to Apple Music, Spotify, and other apps at no extra connectivity cost. This follows GM's CarPlay transition and mirrors native music apps seen in rivals like Tesla and Rivian.

Tesla Directors Amassed Billions From Stock Options, Even After Pay Freeze

December 15, 2025, 3:46 PM EST. A Reuters/Equilar analysis found Tesla directors averaged about $1.7 million per year in director compensation from 2018-2024, and logged more than $3 billion in stock-award gains from 2004-2024, dwarfing peers in Big Tech. Tesla relied heavily on stock options years before a 2021 pay freeze, allowing options to balloon as the share price surged. By then, much wealth was baked in, with a small group of longtime directors benefiting most. Board chair Robyn Denholm has earned about $650 million since 2014 and has cashed in roughly $532 million in Tesla shares. Other top earners include Kimbal Musk, Ira Ehrenpreis, and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson. A 2023 settlement over excess director pay and a January 2025 Delaware ruling led to $919 million in recoveries and governance changes, including shareholder approval for future compensation.

DJI pushes enterprise firmware update: smarter AI, automated routes, and dock integration across Matrice 4 Series, Dock 3, and Matrice 4D

December 15, 2025, 3:44 PM EST. DJI's latest enterprise firmware rollout brings multimodal AI detection, customizable alert conditions, and infrared algorithm boosts across Matrice 4 Series, Dock 3, and Matrice 4D. Operators can define what the drone should look for via text, reference images, or real-time box selection, reducing false alarms on long patrols. Enhanced patrol routes add speaker alerts, spotlight actions, and zoom-based recognition, while smarter routing includes single-waypoint tasks and Smart Oblique support. The Dock 3 with Matrice 4D enables fully remote, unattended missions. Together, the updates streamline utilities, emergency response, construction, and industrial inspections with faster, safer, more autonomous operations and deeper cloud/software integration.

NASA to Pilot SpaceX Starshield for Deep Space Network Communications

December 15, 2025, 3:38 PM EST. NASA is moving to evaluate SpaceX's Starshield satellite network, intended for national security use, as part of a six-month pilot to support the agency's Deep Space Network (DSN). A Dec. 11 procurement filing shows NASA will issue a sole-source contract for Starshield terminals and data services, deploying seven terminals across DSN sites in Australia, California and Spain and eight data subscriptions at five terabytes per month each. The effort, led by SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation program), seeks to provide a redundant, secure path by augmenting existing fiber with satellite links. The statement of work requires AES-128 or better encryption and compliance with government data handling rules.

Google Weather for Wear OS breaks on Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch, now fixed server-side

December 15, 2025, 3:36 PM EST. Google Weather for Wear OS stopped functioning on Pixel Watch, Galaxy Watch and other devices due to a bug. Update 12/15 says Google has rolled out a server-side fix and forecasts appear again; a restart may be needed if not yet showing. The original 12/12 issue produced a perpetual 'Loading…' or 'Can't download weather data' in the Forecast, Sun, and UV Index Tiles. Google had previously said Weather would continue to work for devices that had the app before upgrading to Wear OS 6, but new installs are not supported; Pixel Weather remains available on Pixel Watch 2/3/4. This is likely a bug rather than deprecation. Until a full app update lands, users can consider a third-party app like AccuWeather or asking Gemini for weather data as a workaround.

SpaceX Could Deliver History's Largest IPO Next Year: How Investors Can Play It Now

December 15, 2025, 3:34 PM EST. SpaceX is gearing up for what could be the largest IPO in history, aiming for a next-year debut with a target valuation around $1.5 trillion, potentially eclipsing Aramco's 2019 record. If and when SpaceX goes public, early private backers stand to unlock liquidity, with investors like Ron Baron and Cathie Wood signaling multi-billion exposures. Public-market effects could ripple through space peers and related sectors: Rocket Lab as a likely beneficiary, EchoStar for indirect SpaceX exposure, and space-data players such as Planet Labs and Intuitive Machines that Deutsche Bank flags as poised to gain. The IPO could anchor aerospace valuations and reshape investor access to launch services, Starlink expansion, and the broader space economy.

BYD Expands European EV Battery Warranty to 8 Years / 250,000 km, Surpassing Tesla

December 15, 2025, 3:32 PM EST. BYD raises its NEV battery warranty in Europe to 8 years or 250,000 km, outpacing rivals like Tesla, VW and Hyundai/Kia. The policy targets high-mileage users and fleets, signaling greater confidence in BYD's Blade Battery technology and its LFP chemistry. Compared with Tesla's 8-year warranties of 160,000-192,000 km and VW's 160,000 km, BYD's extended term highlights a durability advantage for long-range use and fleets. BYD says the revision applies to its European New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), reinforcing its expansion with the Sealion 7 and updated Atto 3. Industry watchers call this a competitive disruption that could push rivals to match or exceed coverage.

Mastercard Sees AI as a Meaningful Tailwind for APAC in 2026

December 15, 2025, 3:28 PM EST. Mastercard's 2026 Economic Outlook sees APAC staying resilient amid tariff shifts and AI-driven change in global trade. Global real GDP growth is projected at about 3.1% in 2026, down from roughly 3.2% in 2025. The region's consumers are a bright spot as AI adoption and targeted fiscal support deliver meaningful tailwinds for corporate and household activity, led by Hong Kong, India, Japan and South Korea. Tariff-driven diversification and supply-chain realignments add uncertainty, but travel remains a durable engine, with Singapore's outbound spend and gains in travel by Indonesia and the Philippines illustrating momentum. The uneven spread of AI gains and ongoing geopolitical tensions could pose policy and growth hurdles, Mastercard cautions, underscoring the need to monitor underlying demand trends in APAC.

iWeb '09 and Aperture 3 Live on Apple.com, Nostalgia for Discontinued Apple Apps

December 15, 2025, 3:24 PM EST. Apple still hosts old product pages for iWeb '09 and Aperture 3 on Apple.com, a surprising nod to discontinued apps. The sites load only faint remnants: a Click to Play button that opens QuickTime, a Video Tutorials link to the Mac site, and a Hands-on Help link to the Store locator. The pages are largely non-functional, but they remain live on Apple's servers, inviting nostalgia for longtime Mac users. How this happened is unclear-perhaps stale backups or overlooked files on the web host. In any case, these relics show how a tech giant's past can linger online, even as Apple moves forward and rarely dwells on yesterday's software.

Stanford AI Experts Preview 2026: Realism, Medical AI Breakthroughs, and Self-Supervised Learning

December 15, 2025, 3:22 PM EST. Stanford researchers warn against an AI bubble bursting with hype while acknowledging real progress. The outlook for AI in 2026 is more realistic: modest gains in many tasks, with both efficiencies and new frictions as the ecosystem matures. In medicine, a self-supervised revolution could slash labeling costs, enabling high-quality training on large, private datasets while preserving patient privacy. This may trigger a new ChatGPT moment for biomedical AI, with foundation models that improve diagnosis and broaden access to rare diseases. Yet risks persist: environmental costs from compute, and the need to prevent misdirection and deskilling. The overarching message: progress will be data-driven, incremental, and deeply dependent on empirical studies that reveal what AI can and cannot do.

Verizon loses in Kansas court over iPhone unlocking; potential for class actions grows

December 15, 2025, 3:20 PM EST. Verizon was found to violate Kansas consumer protection law after a small-claims case over unlocking an iPhone. The plaintiff argued that Verizon's changing terms, and the lack of clear federal guidance, rendered the current unlocking policy unlawful. The judge indicated FCC regulations couldn't decide the case at the state level, then issued a ruling several weeks later upholding the state-law violation. With the FCC position unchanged, the decision hints that other harmed consumers could pursue remedies in state courts or even pursue class actions against carriers. The plaintiff noted the path is straightforward for similar claims, though damages in this case have been resolved, and warned outcomes may hinge on state-law interpretations of consumer protection.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch May Be Visible Over Arizona – What Phoenix Viewers Need to Know

December 15, 2025, 3:18 PM EST. Morning launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base could light up the Arizona sky as a Falcon 9 rocket lifts off to deploy Starlink satellites. The window runs from 7:24 a.m. to 11:24 a.m. PT, with a backup the next day if weather delays. Because the rocket follows a southeast trajectory, observers in Arizona-including Phoenix-may catch a streak low in the eastern sky before sunrise. Viewers should check azcentral or SpaceX updates for mission status. Potential viewing spots around Phoenix include Dobbins Lookout, South Mountain, Papago Park, Fountain Hills, the Superstition Mountains, and Cave Creek. Note that sunrise could wash out the view in some areas, so visibility could vary. Postponements are possible due to weather or technical issues.

Waze tests showing traffic lights along your route

December 15, 2025, 3:12 PM EST. Waze is reportedly testing a feature to show traffic lights along your route in navigation, similar to Google Maps. The capability was spotted by GeekTime and appears in early testing for a subset of users, with no widespread rollout yet. Previously, Waze has displayed some traffic lights mainly related to speed cameras, but this time the lights appear during navigation and in cruise mode as you approach intersections. The feature aims to reduce clutter by only showing lights on the upcoming path. It's too soon to know how broadly it will be rolled out, but this marks a notable step in integrating signal data into Waze's guidance.

ULA to Launch 30 Amazon Leo Satellites from Cape Canaveral

December 15, 2025, 3:10 PM EST. ULA is preparing to launch 30 Amazon Leo internet satellites-formerly known as Kuiper-from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral. The Atlas V 551 rocket will lift off in a tight 3:28-3:57 a.m. ET window, with the first stage separating and plunging into the Atlantic Ocean rather than landing on a droneship. The Leo constellation will enter a low-Earth orbit network to provide global internet service. Before this launch, there were 153 Kuiper satellites in orbit, with Amazon aiming for more than 3,200 overall. The forecast shows a 95% chance of good liftoff weather per the 45th Weather Squadron, and a weather-related delay had pushed the launch to Tuesday.

No-Brainer AI Index Fund Under $1,000: Invest in the QQQ for AI Growth

December 15, 2025, 3:08 PM EST. Investors are bullish on AI and are turning to simple, cost-effective bets like the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) to gain exposure. The ETF tracks the 100 largest non-financial Nasdaq-listed companies, offering broad AI-related growth without picking individual stocks. However, there is notable concentration at the top: Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft together account for about a quarter of the fund. Still, the vehicle captures AI, cloud computing, digital payments, streaming, digital advertising, and autonomous driving themes. Over the past decade, QQQ has delivered roughly 497% total return, and its expense ratio sits at about 0.2%-making it a low-cost way to pursue long-term capital appreciation. At around $612, the fund is easily accessible for investors aiming for AI exposure under $1,000.

Sony's AWS-Powered AI Platform Processes 150,000 Inference Requests Per Day

December 15, 2025, 3:06 PM EST. Sony's internal enterprise AI platform, powered by AWS services, handles about 150,000 inference requests daily and is projected to scale 300-fold in coming years. Across the Sony group, employees use it for draft support, inquiries, forecasting, fraud detection, brainstorming, and ideation. The system runs on Amazon Bedrock AgentCore to build, deploy, and manage AI agents, and Sony is developing a model to power an agent that could make review and assessment processes 100× more efficient, aided by the Nova Forge program. An engagement platform on AWS will deepen connections between fans and creators, integrating Sony Data Ocean (built on SageMaker) with the Engagement Platform. Executives cited enterprise AI transformation and evolving agentic capabilities.

Tesla Tests Robotaxis in Austin Without Safety Drivers Amid Autonomy Push

December 15, 2025, 3:04 PM EST. Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla is testing its robotaxis in Austin with no safety drivers on board, and reportedly with no passengers in some tests. The attention contrasts with competitors like Waymo which operates thousands of robotaxis across several cities. Tesla's Austin program started as an invite-only service with a safety monitor; Tesla now shows a fleet and videos that fuel speculation about full autonomy. Tesla has reported seven crashes involving its small test fleet since June, though details are often redacted by the NHTSA. Investors heard Musk say he expects no safety drivers in at least large parts of Austin by the end of this year, leaving a question whether the deadline can be met given the pace of progress and regulatory scrutiny.

Elon Musk Becomes the First Person Worth $600 Billion

December 15, 2025, 3:02 PM EST. Elon Musk becomes the first person worth $600 billion, powered by soaring valuations of Tesla and SpaceX. The milestone highlights Musk's outsized influence on the tech and space industries as his personal fortune eclipses previous records. Analysts point to market volatility, diversification of his holdings, and ongoing disruption in automotive, aerospace, and AI as drivers, while Musk's leadership and bets on mega projects keep him at the top of global wealth rankings.

Tesla Model Y Standard tops Premium siblings in Edmunds range test

December 15, 2025, 2:52 PM EST. Edmunds' EV range test crowns the Tesla Model Y Standard as the longest-range Model Y in their loop, beating pricier Premium models. The Standard exceeded its EPA estimate of 321 miles, with Edmunds noting it as the "longest-range Model Y we've ever put on our loop." The Launch Series version hit 327 miles, aligning with EPA estimates. The Efficiency also favored the Standard at 22.8 kWh per 100 miles versus 26.8 kWh/100 miles for the Premium. The test uses Edmunds' typical 60/40 city/highway route, about 40 mph average, and auto climate at 72 degrees. The piece points to a broader trend of newer Tesla models meeting or exceeding EPA ranges, unlike some 2018-2023 variants. A full review covers the nuances between the Standard and Premium interiors.

GM adds native Apple Music to Cadillac and Chevy infotainment

December 15, 2025, 2:44 PM EST. General Motors is adding native Apple Music to the infotainment systems of select 2025 Cadillac and Chevrolet models via an over-the-air update, available through the OnStar Basics package at no extra cost for eight years. Eligible models include the 2025-2026 Cadillac CT5, Escalade IQ, Vistiq, the 2025-2026 Chevy Equinox EV, Blazer EV, and Silverado EV, plus 2026 Corvette, Suburban, and Tahoe; Buick and GMC will follow. GM frames this as expanding built-in entertainment and a move away from phone mirroring services like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Apple Music will support Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and users can start streaming as soon as they enter the vehicle, with hands-free control via the car's voice assistant. Apple Wallet and Digital Keys are also coming later.

Leak Hints at Apple's First Foldable iPhone: Wide Foldable and Under-Panel Camera

December 15, 2025, 2:38 PM EST. According to Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple is developing a wide foldable iPhone focused on thinness and a book-style form factor. The device reportedly uses a side-mounted Touch ID instead of 3D Face ID or an under-display fingerprint to save space. Hinge durability is said to be a priority as Apple targets reduced creasing. Current prototypes reportedly feature a 7.58-inch internal display with an under-panel camera (UPC) and a 5.25-inch external display with a HIAA punch-hole design. A dual 48-MP rear camera with a large base sensor is also mentioned. The leaker predicts a foldable segment rebound next year, with Samsung exploring a wide-format foldable as well.

Elon Musk: AI Nightmares and His Push to Slow Down AI and Robotics

December 15, 2025, 2:36 PM EST. Elon Musk says he's been having AI nightmares and would 'certainly slow down AI and robotics' if he could-but he can't. On The Katie Miller Podcast in December, he discussed a future where AI and machines could do anything humans want, making 'work optional.' He stresses he's predicting, not endorsing, the outcome. Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015, later launched xAI in 2023 with Grok as a cornerstone, positioning it as a restraint against mainstream models. At Tesla, AI powers Full Self-Driving and the Optimus humanoid robot; he even floated robots reducing crime by intervening before it occurs. The rapid pace of progress, he says, makes slowing it down difficult even if he would.

Satellites Pinpoint Methane Leaks at Landfills, Boosting Emissions Cuts

December 15, 2025, 2:28 PM EST. Satellites are increasingly used to curb methane emissions from landfills. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 28× CO2 over 100 years and far more impactful over two decades, making rapid reductions critical. In a Madrid-area case study, ESA and researchers, with the Las Dehesas landfill managers, combined Sentinel-5P data and high-resolution GHGSat imagery with ground surveys and aircraft measurements to map leaks. Since spring 2025, measurements have tracked emissions across the site 18 km southeast of Madrid, enabling repair checks after summer maintenance of gas wells and pipelines and updated surface management. The project, part of ESA's MEDUSA Climate Change Initiative, demonstrates how space-based detection can locate leaks down to ~100 kg/h with satellites capable of 25×25 m resolution and aircraft mapping at 1 m resolution, guiding continuous improvements.

UK Pushes Nudity-Blocking Software on iPhones and Android to Shield Minors

December 15, 2025, 2:20 PM EST. UK government is pressuring Apple and Google to build a nudity-detecting algorithm on iPhones and Android devices to prevent minors from capturing or sharing explicit images, and to block explicit content by default. Under the plan, adults would verify identity to access such content. The move expands beyond porn-site age checks to wider controls across devices. Some manufacturers, like HMD Global with HarmBlock, already embed such filtering. The policy signals a broader global push for platform guardrails addressing youth safety, but raises concerns about privacy, implementation, and overreach. In parallel, Australia has restricted under-16s on social media, and US policymakers are considering measures including universal age verification, platform restrictions on under-16 accounts, enhanced parental controls, and potential mandates for Apple and Google to implement age checks.

Google to shut down Dark Web Report in early 2026; data deleted by Feb 16, 2026

December 15, 2025, 2:18 PM EST. Google is shutting down its Dark Web Report tool, which scanned for your email on the dark web. Monitoring will stop on January 15, 2026 and all data will be deleted by February 16, 2026. The feature, rolled out in July 2024, provided general information but did not offer helpful next steps, Google says. The company will instead focus on tools that give clearer, actionable guidance to protect your information online. Users are encouraged to use existing protections, including Security Checkup, Passkeys, Authentication Tools through the Google Safety Center, Password Manager, and Password Checkup. Google emphasizes ongoing protection against online threats and the development of better tools to defend personal data.

Meta Quest 3S on sale with $50 gift card bundles at Best Buy and Target

December 15, 2025, 2:16 PM EST. Verge ShoppingPlus highlights new deals on the Meta Quest 3S VR headset, with both Best Buy and Target offering the 128GB model for around $249 and a $50 gift card. Best Buy bundles in The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, while Target adds a 3-month trial of Meta Horizon Plus. A 256GB version is available for $349.99 with the same gift card and extra titles like Batman: Arkham Shadow and Horizon Plus. The Quest 3S uses the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 as the Quest 3, can play PC VR via AirLink/Steam Link, and remains a top standalone option in sale season.

SpaceX v. China: Starlink Near-Miss Prompts Global Space Traffic Coordination

December 15, 2025, 2:12 PM EST. SpaceX alleges a Chinese Kinetica 1 rocket passed within 200 meters of Starlink-6079, raising alarms about collisions and debris in low Earth orbit. SpaceX argues there was no deconfliction with existing satellites, underscoring a broader need for international cooperation among operators and space agencies to prevent future close approaches. CAS counters that launches use ground-based awareness systems to avoid known satellites and debris, and says it will investigate. Analysts say the risk of orbital debris and chain reactions would be catastrophic for the growing Starlink constellation. The episode spotlights urgency for greater transparency, debris removal, and coordination across nations, with calls for a joint astronaut recovery program benefiting all spacefaring actors.

Masayoshi Son Addresses Nvidia Stake Sale: SoftBank's AI Playbook and Nvidia Outlook

December 15, 2025, 2:10 PM EST. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son explained why the group sold its stake in Nvidia, saying he respects CEO Jensen Huang and hadn't wanted to exit even as SoftBank liquidated roughly $6 billion of the position. The move fits a broader AI playbook that spans OpenAI, Project Stargate, chips, data centers, and robotics, rather than a single theme. SoftBank is diversifying across AI niches-from Intel bets to Ampere Computing and ABB's robotics unit-while remaining deeply involved in funding AI infrastructure. Son's remarks are aimed at calming investors, indicating the sale was a recalibration, not a retreat, from SoftBank's long-term commitment to the AI revolution.

NXP, Marelli push EIS-enabled BMS to advance EV battery management

December 15, 2025, 2:08 PM EST. Emerging electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technology is moving from labs into vehicle battery-management systems (BMS). NXP Semiconductors announced EIS-enabled BMS chipsets that can be embedded in high-voltage packs, following Marelli's earlier reveal at the CTI Symposium. By measuring a cell's impedance, EIS provides a clearer view of state and can predict failures before they occur, enabling safer operation, optimized charging, and potentially higher range. It could reduce the need for state-of-charge buffers and enhance output during rapid acceleration. Automakers show strong interest as Marelli and NXP pursue partnerships with Tier 1s and OEMs while proofs of concept advance toward market deployment. Beyond immediate benefits, EIS data could accelerate future battery design and development.

Ditch Your Smartwatch for This £16.99 Casio – A Simple, Reliable Beater Watch

December 15, 2025, 2:06 PM EST. After testing countless smartwatches, I've learned that sometimes less is more. The Casio Chronograph A163WA-1QES offers a distraction-free way to tell time: no heart-rate sensors, no notifications, just the essentials. For just £16.99 at Argos, it's a durable, versatile beater that works in the office, on the beach, or at a wedding. Its analogue/digital feel, silver bracelet, and tiny backlight give it charm without the data dump. Battery life has surprised me, and the simplicity helps with morning calm and sleep routine. If you're fatigued by constant tracking and charging, this classic Casio is a refreshing alternative that keeps you connected to time, not your notifications.

Budget 5K monitor H27P3 by KTC vs Apple Studio Display: solid value at $355

December 15, 2025, 2:04 PM EST. Testing the H27P3 reveals a solid, budget-friendly 27-inch 5K option that isn't trying to be a premium Apple Studio Display. At around $355, it offers 217 PPI on a 5K IPS panel, nearly matching the sharpness you expect while slashing price. The trade-offs are real: a utilitarian design, a limited port selection, slower response, and onscreen menus that feel clunky. The built-in KVM is really just a USB hub. For macOS, the system scales UI cleanly, with macOS rendering at a higher internal resolution while still delivering crisp text. In Windows, 5K text is sharper but the experience varies with scaling. If you only need a good screen without premium features, the H27P3 is worth considering; if you demand perfect color, speed, and ports, you'll want something pricier.

Today only: Black Apple Watch Ultra 2 drops to $549

December 15, 2025, 1:58 PM EST. Tech writer Gabriela notes a limited-time deal on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in black, now $549 for today only. The promo brings a significant discount to the latest rugged smartwatch, known for its durability, health sensors, and GPS. Stock is limited as retailers run the one-day sale, so buyers should act quickly. If you're in the market for a premium wearable, this is a rare chance to upgrade without paying full price. Check participating retailers and be ready to act before the window closes.

Trump unveils U.S. Tech Force: 1,000 specialists to build AI infrastructure for federal projects

December 15, 2025, 1:56 PM EST. The administration announced the U.S. Tech Force, a corps of about 1,000 engineers and specialists who will work on AI infrastructure and other technology projects across the federal government. Members commit to two-year terms reporting to agency leaders and collaborating with private-sector partners such as AWS, Apple, Google Public Sector, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle and Palantir. The program aims to accelerate the U.S. push on AI infrastructure as it competes with China, following an executive order establishing a national AI policy framework. After completing their terms, participants can pursue full-time roles with partner firms, which may nominate employees for government stints. The initiative signals a broader policy effort to meld government tech work with industry.

Old AI Chips Remain Useful as Depreciation Fears Fade, Analysts Say

December 15, 2025, 1:54 PM EST. Analysts argue that fears about AI chip depreciation are overstated. While new AI chips flood the market, older-generation GPUs and accelerators still deliver value via software advances that boost performance, and remain in demand for inference workloads that don't require the latest hardware. Alpine Macro notes that software advances can lift five-year-old GPUs and even Nvidia's A100 beyond original expectations. China's insatiable demand and ongoing usage of older TPUs by Google show the durability of AI hardware. Not all chips belong to hyperscalers; distributed AI networks-linking homes, offices, and data centers-could leverage unused GPUs at scale. The debate centers on depreciation schedules versus real-world use, with potential risks to overstated write-downs if demand for older gear persists.

Kongsberg and Helsing to Build Large European Defence Satellite Constellation

December 15, 2025, 1:52 PM EST. European defence firms Helsing and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace unveiled a German-Norwegian partnership to deploy a substantial LEO satellite constellation for space-based ISR and targeting. The initiative aligns with EU pushes for sovereign space capabilities and a proposed fivefold increase in defence and space budgets. The press release notes Germany's plan to invest up to €35 billion by 2030, underscoring a strong commercial motive. Kongsberg will supply the satellites, while Helsing will fuse data across SAR, EO, and RF using its AI software. Kongsberg's KSAT will run the ground segment, with Hensoldt providing sensors and Isar Aerospace as preferred launch provider from Andøya Space. Deployment is projected to begin 2028-2029, delivering an initial capability by 2029, with broader interoperability goals across European programmes.

Ford and SK On to split BlueOval SK JV as US EV demand cools

December 15, 2025, 1:48 PM EST. Ford and SK On will split their BlueOval SK joint venture next year, with a full separation by Q1 2026. SK On will take full ownership of the under-construction Tennessee plant, while a Ford subsidiary will operate the two Kentucky facilities. The move follows weaker-than-expected EV demand that paused Kentucky 2 and BlueOval City, after an $11.4 billion investment and a $9.2 billion DOE loan. SK On will continue supplying batteries to Ford under existing agreements and may expand into energy storage and other customers, signaling a broader batteries strategy beyond pure vehicle production. When complete, Tennessee will be SK On's second US plant alongside SK Battery America in Georgia, with growth into BESS opportunities.

DOE trims $9.6B loan as Ford and SK On end EV battery JV

December 15, 2025, 1:46 PM EST. The U.S. Department of Energy is trimming up to a $9.6 billion loan to Ford and SK Innovation after they dissolved their BlueOval SK EV battery JV. SK On will take full control of the Tennessee plant, while Ford assumes the two Kentucky plants, with operations running independently. The restructure reduces taxpayer exposure and accelerates repayment, as the deal comes amid slower EV adoption and ongoing losses in the sector. Ford reported a multi-billion-dollar pre-tax loss in its EV business and warned results could worsen in 2025, reflecting broader challenges in scaling domestic EV production under shifting policy and incentives. The move preserves a continued strategic partnership around the Tennessee facility but highlights risks in building a domestic battery supply chain.

Microsoft Ditches Lists Mobile App as Part of Broader Office 365 Consolidation

December 15, 2025, 1:44 PM EST. Microsoft has announced it will stop supporting the Microsoft Lists mobile app, following the earlier discontinuation of Publisher. Since its 2020 debut, Lists targeted enterprise users as a one-stop tool to create, share, and track workflows across the Microsoft 365 suite. The mobile app offered on-the-go access but lacked some desktop features. Microsoft says Lists will remain accessible via the desktop app and mobile web browsers, with data migration handled through the web experience. The move fits a broader consolidation trend across Microsoft, including the removal of Windows 10 and the shrinking footprint of the Microsoft Store for Office apps. Alternatives include using the web browser version of Lists or pivoting to Teams/SharePoint workflows.

Arc Raiders brings festive updates with Flickering Flames and Cold Snap

December 15, 2025, 1:40 PM EST. Arc Raiders kicks off the Flickering Flames event tomorrow, sprinkling snow across outdoor maps and introducing the Cold Snap environmental condition. Cold Snap freezes water, makes terrain unstable, narrows vision, and damages raiders who stay outside too long, pushing players back indoors. The event tasks you with gathering Candleberries and other light- and heat-sources to keep below-ground areas cozy, with rewards for depositing resources: cosmetics, weapons, raider tokens, and more. The update also adds the free Goalie Raider Deck, starting December 26, bringing a hockey-stick raider tool and new rewards. And this December marks the first departure window, letting you send leveled-up characters on permanent expeditions for XP boosts and unique rewards. The Flickering Flames event runs until January 13.

Alphabet's SpaceX Valuation Windfall Could Boost Earnings

December 15, 2025, 1:36 PM EST. Alphabet Inc. could see an accounting uplift as SpaceX's latest insider tender implies a roughly $800 billion valuation. Bloomberg reported shares priced at $421 and the deal could reset Alphabet's carrying value of its historic stake in Elon Musk's SpaceX. Since 2015, Alphabet has invested alongside Fidelity for about 10% ownership, and past revaluations have swung earnings via unrealized gains on non-marketable securities. In April, Alphabet disclosed an $8 billion unrealized gain tied to SpaceX after a tender valued SpaceX at ~$350 billion, lifting Q1 net income above estimates. The new tender could echo that effect on upcoming results. Alphabet doesn't disclose private holdings, but shifts in SpaceX's valuation have normally flowed through to reported results, quietly boosting the earnings narrative while SpaceX remains private.

Deals: Apple Watch Ultra 2, iPhone 16 Pro Max, Mac mini, and more from 9to5Mac

December 15, 2025, 1:34 PM EST. Holiday shipping is tightening, and 9to5Toys highlights the best live bids on Apple gear. Expect Apple Watch Ultra 2 at $250 off at Best Buy in the 24-hour Tech the Halls sale, plus a return to Black Friday pricing on the M4 Mac mini from $479. The lineup also includes iPhone 16 Pro Max models with $600+ off list prices and last-minute AirPods deals (earbuds as low as $10). Whether you're chasing Christmas delivery or trying to snag the best price, these offers span colorways, configurations, and retailers, with a reminder that some deals are flash-only. Read on for specifics, availability windows, and whether stock remains for your preferred model.

Amazon Faces Shareholder Push Over AI Ethics in Israel and DHS Cloud Contracts

December 15, 2025, 1:32 PM EST. Investors filed a nonbinding shareholder proposal demanding Amazon review whether its AI and cloud contracts with Israel's military and the US DHS align with responsible AI standards. The effort, led by American Baptist Home Mission Societies and coordinated with Investor Advocates for Social Justice, seeks the board to identify potential misalignments between internal policies and the sale of AI and cloud services. While nonbinding and unlikely to win majority support, the resolution signals investor sentiment and could influence future governance. The proposal highlights AWS's biometric/demographic database used by the DHS, and notes past internal pushback over the Israel engagement. About $59 million in Amazon shares backed the measure from roughly thirty investors, underscoring scrutiny of government and military ties in tech platforms, alongside other cloud providers and policy debates.

PolyAI Raises $86 Million in Series D to Expand Agent Studio for Enterprise AI

December 15, 2025, 1:30 PM EST. PolyAI raised $86 million in a Series D funding round to boost its Agent Studio platform for enterprise-scale conversational AI. The round was co-led by Georgian, Hedosophia and Khosla Ventures, with Citi Ventures and NVentures among other investors. The funding pushes PolyAI past $200 million in total and supports more than 100 enterprise customers, including Marriott, Caesars Entertainment, PG&E, UniCredit and Foot Locker. CEO Nikola Mrkšić described the system as a "living, breathing" solution that helps customers, employees and AI agents collaborate in real time. Lead investor Emily Walsh highlighted PolyAI's ability to deploy lifelike voice agents at scale, unlocking savings and revenue for enterprises. The piece also notes retailers treating AI as a "new commerce surface," with OpenAI, ChatGPT integrations rising, and cautions on empathy and security considerations.

Zoom brings AI Companion 3.0 to the web with free-tier access and integrations

December 15, 2025, 1:28 PM EST. Zoom today expanded its AI Companion 3.0 to the web, letting users on the free tier access core features with limits: up to three meetings per month with a meeting summary, in-meeting questions, and AI note-taking; up to 20 questions via the side panel and new web surface. A $10 add-on unlocks more. The web surface adds conversation starters and can pull data from Google Drive and OneDrive, with Gmail and Outlook coming soon. The AI generates a daily reflection report, drafts emails, creates and edits documents from meeting details, and exports to MD, PDF, Word, or Zoom Docs. Zoom blends its own models with OpenAI and Anthropic tech.

Amazfit Active Max leaks reveal 1.5-inch AMOLED and 25-day battery ahead of CES 2026

December 15, 2025, 1:26 PM EST. New leaks confirm Zepp Health's next smartwatch will be the Amazfit Active Max (model A2557), with a larger 1.5-inch 480×480 AMOLED display and slim bezels. Price rumors place it around €169.90 (~$169.99). Specs reportedly include a 576 mAh battery offering up to 25 days of endurance, 50m water resistance, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, NFC, and 4GB storage. A draft Amazfit US listing hints at Zepp Pay, BioCharge energy monitoring, Hyrox training options, and over 170 sports modes. Color options appear as Lava Black and Midnight Pulse. With certifications and leaks mounting, an official reveal around CES 2026 seems likely.

GomSpace to Build RF Subsystem for Apolink LEO Relay Demonstrator

December 15, 2025, 1:24 PM EST. Denmark-based GomSpace will design and build the RF subsystem for Apolink's first relay cubesat, a 3U satellite supporting IPoS-TDsM (Interoperability Protocol over Satellite – Technology Demonstration Mission). The craft is planned for launch in Q2 2026 on SpaceX's Transporter-17 rideshare, as Apolink tests a receive-only S-band relay from existing LEO spacecraft and forwards telemetry in real time to ground stations. The effort is a stepping stone toward a larger 32-satellite constellation intended to provide persistent, space-based data relay with potential optical links to boost performance. Apolink founder Onkar Batra says the goal is a backward-compatible relay layer that reduces ground infrastructure latency by moving data through space until it can reach a ground station. The project follows a $4.3 million seed round.

Starlink Near-Collision: SpaceX Says Chinese Satellites Came Within 200 Meters, Urges Coordination

December 15, 2025, 1:22 PM EST. SpaceX's Starlink constellation narrowly avoided a collision with a Chinese competitor's satellites, coming within about 200 meters at a 560 km altitude, SpaceX has said. The near miss underscores rising space traffic and the risks when operators do not share ephemeris data or coordinate maneuvers. Michael Nicholls, Starlink's VP of engineering, warned that lack of coordination can lead to dangerous close approaches. CAS Space, which launched the other satellites, said it would coordinate with operators and emphasized the need to re-establish data sharing between all satellite operators. The incident has intensified calls for greater collaboration across the nascent New Space ecosystem to prevent future near-collisions.

Nvidia buys AI software provider SchedMD to expand open-source AI push

December 15, 2025, 1:20 PM EST. Nvidia said it has acquired AI software firm SchedMD to deepen its open-source technology strategy and accelerate its AI ecosystem. SchedMD develops Slurm, an open-source scheduler that helps run large computing jobs in data centers; Nvidia will continue distributing Slurm on an open-source basis. The deal underscores Nvidia's push beyond hardware and its growing array of open-source AI models, as it competes with rising rival open-source offerings. Slurm's integration with Nvidia hardware positions it as part of the critical infrastructure for generative AI training and inference. Financial terms were not disclosed. Nvidia previously announced a new family of open-source AI models and counts customers like CoreWeave and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center among supporters of Slurm.

8GB RAM Laptops Could Be Everywhere as DRAM Shortages Drive Price Hikes

December 15, 2025, 1:16 PM EST. Memory shortages are driving notebook makers to rely on more compact RAM configurations, with 8GB becoming common in mid-range laptops. TrendForce warns of supply constraints that could push prices higher, including hundreds of dollars for RAM-configured systems. Dell and Lenovo have already signaled price hikes, and manufacturers are planning long-term adjustments into Q2 2026 as DRAM shortages tighten the supply chain. The shift may also affect software developers who must optimize for memory usage as higher RAM onboard becomes harder to come by. Microsoft previously set a 16GB baseline for Copilot-certified PCs, but reports suggest a path to 32GB configurations could come with steep costs (e.g., Dell reportedly charging around $550 for upgrading from 16GB to 32GB of LPDDR5X). The PC market may need radical changes to adapt to supply constraints.

Live coverage: ULA Atlas 5 launches Amazon Leo 4 to deploy 180th satellite

December 15, 2025, 1:14 PM EST. Live coverage from Spaceflight Now as the ULA Atlas 5 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 41, ready to launch Amazon Leo 4 (LA-04) and continue the rebrand from Project Kuiper. Liftoff is scheduled for 3:28 a.m. EST (0828 UTC) within a 29-minute window on a north-easterly trajectory. In the 551 configuration, the main RD-180 engine is joined by five solid boosters; after ascent, the Centaur upper stage will burn for about 13 minutes before a roughly T+20 minutes deployment sequence for the 180th Amazon Leo satellite begins. This flight marks the fourth Atlas 5/Leo launch and supports Amazon's plan to deploy about 3,200 satellites by 2026, with 2025's final Leo flight closing the year.

Nvidia debuts open-source Nemotron models as Chinese AI offerings surge

December 15, 2025, 1:12 PM EST. Nvidia unveiled the third-generation Nemotron family of open-source AI models, including the Nemotron 3 Nano, touted as faster, cheaper to run, and better at multi-step tasks than prior versions. The company plans two larger Nemotron 3 variants in H1 2026. Framed as an open library, Nvidia released training data and tools to enable scrutiny by government and business users, while the models are also offered through Chinese firms like DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, and Alibaba's Qwen. The move comes as open-source offerings from Chinese labs surge and as Meta weighs closed-source options. Nvidia emphasizes dependability and security testing, positioning Nemotron as a scalable, open alternative in a market expanding beyond proprietary models.

Quantum Computing Inc. to Acquire Luminar Semiconductor in $110M All-Cash Deal to Accelerate Photonics Roadmap

December 15, 2025, 1:06 PM EST. Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) has agreed to acquire Luminar Semiconductor (LSI) in an all-cash transaction valued at $110 million, subject to customary adjustments. The deal will add LSI's portfolio of photonic components, patents, and a seasoned engineering team to QCi, boosting its supply chain and accelerating the development of compact, fully-integrated quantum systems for commercial deployment. CEO Yuping Huang says the post-closing revenue opportunity includes serving LSI's existing non-quantum customers and accelerating commercialization of quantum appliances. Luminar's CEO Paul Ricci notes the strategic fit and faster time-to-market for innovations. LSI is a subsidiary of Luminar, which has initiated voluntary Chapter 11 cases; LSI is not a debtor and will operate in the ordinary course, with court approvals required for the transaction.

Tesla stock climbs as Robotaxi testing with no safety driver advances; Musk signals autonomous chapter

December 15, 2025, 1:04 PM EST. Tesla's stock rose after fresh signs its Robotaxi initiative is advancing, with a video showing a Robotaxi in Austin operating without a safety driver and Elon Musk confirming 'Testing is underway with no occupants in the car.' Wall Street expects a faster rollout, and Wedbush's Dan Ives calls 2026 a turning point for the AI/robotics push. Analysts note improvements in the latest FSD software, though questions remain about full unsupervised service. The episode follows Musk's earlier predictions of upcoming unsupervised testing and a potential fleet expansion to Phoenix and Nevada. If the Austin service can remove the safety driver, Tesla could accelerate a nationwide robotaxi rollout, potentially boosting production cycles for the company's AI-driven Cybercab plans and broader autonomous strategy.

Samsung rolls December 2025 updates to Galaxy Tab S9 FE, Galaxy Ring, Calendar and Reminder apps

December 15, 2025, 12:58 PM EST. Samsung is rolling out December 2025 updates across its ecosystem, bringing the Galaxy Tab S9 FE security patch, a new firmware for the Galaxy Ring, and refreshed Calendar and Reminder apps. The Tab S9 FE gets the December 2025 security patch (South Korea) with PDA ending DYK1. The Galaxy Ring OTA is expanding from India to additional markets and promises improved reliability and battery life. The Calendar app gains a larger-screen viewing mode for tablets and DeX, built-in reminders, drag-and-drop date changes, input suggestions (South Korea), lunar date option, and silenced notifications on specific days. The Reminder app adopts a redesigned layout focused on the to-do list and search, adds templates under "Try these out," and includes a new voice input feature for quick reminders.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Receives Current-Gen Upgrades for Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S

December 15, 2025, 12:56 PM EST. Divinity: Original Sin 2 now has current-gen versions for Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with higher resolution and framerates. The RPG originally released in 2017 on PC, then on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and iPad; players who own the game can upgrade for free. The release follows a late leak tied to a PS5 Definitive Edition, and coincides with The Game Awards reveal that Larian is also developing a new Divinity title. The shadow drop adds momentum as Larian teases an even larger Divinity game after the Mojave Desert statue teaser. Fans can revisit a refreshed Original Sin 2 ahead of Baldur's Gate 3's continued momentum.

Michaela Benthaus Could Become First Wheelchair User in Space on Blue Origin NS-37

December 15, 2025, 12:54 PM EST. Michaela Benthaus, an ESA aerospace engineer who has used a wheelchair since a 2018 spinal injury, could become the first wheelchair user to reach space. She's part of Blue Origin's six-passenger NS-37 crew, set to launch on New Shepard from Launch Site One in West Texas. The mission marks the 16th human flight for the vehicle and the 37th overall for the program. Benthaus previously flew a zero-G mission in 2022 and remains active in advocacy for space access. Blue Origin has targeted a Dec. 18, 2025 liftoff at 8:30 a.m. CT, offering guests a few minutes of weightlessness and views beyond Earth's atmosphere on the suborbital ride.

Apple M4 iMac price drops to all-time low at Amazon to compete with Windows desktops

December 15, 2025, 12:52 PM EST. Apple's 2024 iMac with the M4 chip just got a 12% price cut at Amazon, dropping to $1,149 with free shipping. The sale covers Silver, Green, and Blue models (Pink is $1,249). The all-in-one features a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, 500 nits brightness, a 12MP Center Stage camera, three-mic array, and a six-speaker with Spatial Audio system. Powered by the M4, it's up to six times faster than Intel iMacs and more efficient versus M1, paired with 16GB unified memory and 256GB SSD. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports. Package includes keyboard, mouse, power cord and USB-C cable. Orders ship in a week, just in time for Christmas.

Tesla Model Y Depreciation Hits $750/Month, Owner Regrets Treating EV as Investment

December 15, 2025, 12:50 PM EST. A 2022 Model Y Long Range owner says he treated his Tesla as an investment, paying $62,990 at peak EV prices. Now, about two-and-a-half years in, resale estimates from Carvana ($36,800), CarMax ($37,200), and Tesla trade-in ($35,500) imply a depreciation of roughly $22,000-$27,000 – about $750 per month, excluding insurance, charging, or maintenance. He's up against brand-new 2025 Model Ys priced only a few thousand more. Critics say the hype around EV value has faded and price cuts have dampened used-model appeal. Data from iSeeCars shows EV prices fell 31.8% year over year, far worse than typical cars. Some note the potential federal tax credit ($7,500 if eligible) or business deductions, though eligibility is nuanced. Others advise holding on or driving it until the market recovers.

Blue Origin NS-37 Launch Set for Dec. 18, 2025 from Texas with Florida Resident Passenger

December 15, 2025, 12:48 PM EST. Blue Origin is targeting liftoff for NS-37, its next crewed New Shepard mission, from Launch Site One in Texas on Thu, Dec 18, 2025. The launch window opens at 8:30 AM CST / 14:30 UTC. The mission will carry six passengers, including Florida resident Joey Hyde, a physicist and investor, on this suborbital flight that reaches the edge of space for a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth. NS-37 marks Blue Origin's 16th crewed mission and the 37th flight overall.

US Launches Tech Force to Hire AI Talent for Federal Agencies

December 15, 2025, 12:46 PM EST. The U.S. government is launching the US Tech Force, an early-career program to recruit and develop AI and tech talent for federal agencies. Led by the Office of Personnel Management, the initiative aims to close a technical talent gap with an initial cohort of about 1,000 software engineers, data scientists, project managers and AI specialists for a two-year tour across agencies. The plan includes partnering with private tech firms to place managers on leave to join the program. This effort aligns with a broader push to modernize government systems and boost competitiveness. Placements are expected in early 2026, with projects ranging from DoD drones to IRS platforms and State Department intelligence.

Top 5 Ways People Use AI in the Workplace

December 15, 2025, 12:44 PM EST. AI is reshaping work across functions. Here are the five most common uses: task automation that handles repetitive chores and frees time; data-driven decision support that turns analytics into actionable insights; AI chatbots and virtual assistants for faster customer and internal support; personalized learning and upskilling through adaptive training; and collaborative tools that tailor workflows to individuals, boosting productivity. Practical guidance includes starting with high-impact processes, defining clear ROI metrics, and establishing governance around ethics and privacy. For organizations, success comes from measured pilots, ongoing training, and transparent communication about how AI is used to augment human work, not replace it.

8 Best and Weirdest Phone Features of 2025

December 15, 2025, 12:42 PM EST. From the iPhone 17 Pro Max to the Pixel 10 Pro, 2025 phones learned new tricks to stand out. The standout trend is silicon-carbon batteries, delivering longer life in models like the Oppo Find X9 Pro and OnePlus 15, even as overall capacity climbs to 7,000 mAh. Yet efficiency still matters: the iPhone 17 Pro Max packs great endurance thanks to Apple's integrated design. Another bold move is detachable telephoto lenses, turning phones into high-powered zoom cameras with up to 40x magnification-about a 920mm focal length-for wildlife and street photography without conspicuous gear. Together with strong cores, water resistance, and fast chips, these features show how brands tried to redefine what a phone can be in 2025 and beyond.

Nvidia Rollouts Nemotron 3 Open Models for Agentic AI Applications

December 15, 2025, 12:38 PM EST. Nvidia has begun rolling out its Nemotron 3 line of open models, claiming they are among the most efficient offerings for building agentic AI applications. The debut Nemotron 3 Nano is available today, with the larger Super and Ultra variants expected to follow. Nvidia positions the trio as a modular stack for developers pursuing autonomous, goal-directed AI systems, emphasizing openness and scalability. The rollout underscores Nvidia's push to provide readily usable foundations for enterprise and research teams exploring agentic AI capabilities.

visionOS 26.2 expands Travel Mode to cars and buses, letting Vision Pro be used on the go

December 15, 2025, 12:36 PM EST. Apple's visionOS 26.2 adds a big on-the-go upgrade for Vision Pro by expanding Travel Mode to cars and buses, in addition to airplanes and trains. The update makes Vision Pro usable as a passenger in more mobile scenarios, opening up road trips and commutes. While visionOS has a small user base, Apple continues to refine it with iPhone compatibility improvements and a richer Spatial Personas experience. This expansion doesn't require Vision Pro to be stationary, and signals a step toward more flexible, everyday usage. It could become handy when Apple Glasses (or future hardware) can run visionOS, but for now the change broadens where you can enjoy Vision Pro while commuting or traveling.

Cloudflare 2025 Radar: DDoS Surges, Mobile Traffic Dominance, and Bot-Driven Trends

December 15, 2025, 12:34 PM EST. Cloudflare's Radar Year in Review shows 2025 as a year of growth, but with volatility and new threat dynamics. Traffic grew but unevenly, spiking around major events, releases, and outages. Mobile traffic accounted for more than half of global web usage for much of the year, while Desktop stayed flat. Encrypted traffic (HTTPS) dominated, crossing 95% of observed requests, signaling the continuing decline of unencrypted web traffic. DDoS remained the top threat, with record volumes in 2025 and bursts under a minute, indicating attackers pursuing speed and scale. Both network layer attacks and application layer attacks rose, with HTTP floods targeting APIs and login endpoints. Bots-both benign and malicious-shaped much of the traffic mix, from search crawlers to uptime checks.

Baldur's Gate 3 Dev's Divinity: Original Sin 2 Arrives on PS5 With Free Upgrade

December 15, 2025, 12:32 PM EST. Baldur's Gate 3's developer, Larian Studios, brings Divinity: Original Sin 2 to PS5 with a free upgrade for players upgrading from earlier versions. The PS5 release aims to deliver enhanced performance, faster load times, and improved visuals, widening its reach beyond PC. This move highlights Larian's cross-gen strategy and commitment to giving fans more access to its acclaimed RPG universe, alongside ongoing updates for Baldur's Gate 3 itself.

Best Apple Deals for Guaranteed Christmas Delivery (AirPods, Watch, HomePod, and More)

December 15, 2025, 12:28 PM EST. With Christmas delivery in sight, last-minute Apple deals remain, including AirPods 4 and AirPods Max at Best Buy, and Anker accessories like a 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock for $339.99. Expect guaranteed delivery before December 25th on many items. Savings include Apple Watch Series 11 discounts of up to $100 across models, and Apple Watch SE 3 deals starting at $199. The HomePod 2nd Gen drops to $269.99 at Best Buy. The Apple Pencil Pro is $94.99 on Amazon. Plus discounts on iPhone 17 cases and the iPhone 17/Pro/Pro Max lineup. Check the Apple Deals roundup for the latest bargains and delivery windows.

Anyon Systems Secures CAD 23M to Accelerate Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing

December 15, 2025, 12:26 PM EST. Anyon Systems has been awarded CAD 23 million from Canada's Quantum Champions Program to advance a commercially useful, fault-tolerant quantum computer based on superconducting processors. The funding underpins an integrated roadmap spanning in-house qubit processors, cryogenics, and control electronics, reinforcing Canada's domestic hardware capability and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers. Anyon's vertically integrated model aims to accelerate practical quantum machines while safeguarding intellectual property and supporting national security and industrial use. The company has a track record including Yukon (Canada's first gate-based quantum computer) and MonarQ (24-qubit) for public research access at Calcul Québec. CEO Dr. Alireza Yazdi emphasizes cross-discipline integration across hardware and system engineering as essential to move beyond demonstrations toward scalable, fault-tolerant quantum technology.

Groundbreaking smartwatch system shortens children's temper tantrums, study finds

December 15, 2025, 12:24 PM EST. A new study suggests a wearable watch-based system can shorten children's temper tantrums. The system relies on real-time monitoring and guided prompts to help kids regulate emotions, with caregivers receiving alerts and insights. Researchers report fewer outbursts and smoother parent-child interactions, underscoring potential benefits for pediatric behavioral management and school routines. The findings point to promising applications for wearables in pediatrics, while noting the need for larger trials, long-term follow-up, and privacy safeguards.

ABA Task Force Evaluates AI Opportunities and Challenges in New Report

December 15, 2025, 12:22 PM EST. An ABA Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence releases its Year 2 Report, examining how AI affects the legal profession-from the rule of law, to the courts, and legal education-and outlining risks and ethics guidance. The report notes the ABA's role in ensuring ethical, responsible AI integration that serves the public good. Since its 2023 inception, the task force has produced resources for members, with programs and events highlighted across the ABA, including the ambar.org/ailaw hub and webinars. It provides practical tips for lawyers and judges to navigate rapid technology changes.

Tomb Raider: Catalyst timeline revealed – standalone chapter after Underworld

December 15, 2025, 12:12 PM EST. The official word is that Tomb Raider: Catalyst sits years after Tomb Raider: Underworld, with Lara Croft now more experienced. The game is pitched as a new standalone chapter that doesn't require deep knowledge of the series to enjoy. Catalyst follows Lara's globe-trotting journey to Northern India and is framed within the ongoing Survivor trilogy as Lara's origin, not a retread. The timeline map also places the upcoming Legacy of Atlantis remake in the unified timeline. Catalyst is due on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam in 2027, with Luddington handing off voice duties to Alix Wilton Regan after a decade in the role.

Tesla US Market Share Surges to 56% in November as EV Demand Slows

December 15, 2025, 12:10 PM EST. Tesla's US market share rose to 56% in November even as overall EV sales declined 41%. Tesla's own November unit sales fell 23% YoY to 39,800, marking the weakest quarter for unit volume since 2022. The share gain followed the expiration of the $7,500 EV tax credit on September 30, signaling shaky core demand. Tesla has been losing share since 2019 as Ford, GM and others gain ground, with Ford warning of billions in EV losses this year. iSeeCars projects EVs may be about 4% of new car sales next year. CEO Elon Musk continues to push Tesla as an AI and robotics company, even as investors weigh the strength of its traditional car business.

Samsung Good Lock One Hand Operation+ Adds One UI 8.5 Beta Support with Bug Fixes

December 15, 2025, 12:08 PM EST. Samsung's Good Lock module One Hand Operation+ now supports One UI 8.5 Beta with version 7.4.19.0, delivering bug fixes and stability improvements. The update enables Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra users to run the plugin on the new firmware. Samsung is also optimizing Home Up and QuickStar for One UI 8.5, though some users may still encounter issues with LockStar and NotiStar. The rollout broadens integration across the ecosystem, and updates can be installed via the Galaxy Store (Menu > Updates). The first Beta landed December 8, with a likely second update by month's end, reflecting Samsung's ongoing testing to ensure core Good Lock plugins function smoothly on One UI 8.5.

NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Open AI Models Debut: Nano, Super, Ultra Sizes, 4x Faster Than Nemotron 2

December 15, 2025, 12:06 PM EST. NVIDIA today unveiled the Nemotron 3 family of open AI models in Nano, Super, and Ultra sizes-30B, 100B, and 500B parameters, respectively. Built on a novel hybrid latent mixture-of-experts (MoE) architecture, these models power scalable, multi-agent AI workflows with improved efficiency and accuracy. The release claims up to 4x higher token throughput versus Nemotron 2 Nano and up to 60% reduction in reasoning-token generation, aided by a 1-million-token context window. Nemotron 3 Nano targets cost-effective, prototyping-friendly tasks like software debugging and information retrieval, while Nano, Super, and Ultra support broader AI deployments and sovereign AI aims. Early adopters across finance, cybersecurity, cloud, and manufacturing-Accenture, ServiceNow, Siemens, Palantir, Zoom, and others-are integrating Nemotron 3 for faster iteration and enterprise-grade agents.

Nvidia Seizes Open-Source AI Lead with Nemotron 3 as Meta's Llama Faces Headwinds

December 15, 2025, 12:04 PM EST. Chip giant Nvidia unveils the third generation of its open-source large language models, Nemotron 3: Nano (30B), Super (100B), and Ultra (500B). Nano boosts tokens-per-second throughput fourfold and expands the memory window to one million tokens. Nvidia says the lineup tackles enterprise concerns over accuracy, cost efficiency, and data transparency-positions it as more open than Meta's offerings. Brisk contributions on HuggingFace underscore Nvidia's growing role in open-source AI, while Meta's Llama series shows waning influence as competition intensifies. The company expects Super in January and Ultra in March/April, with the broader goal of boosting enterprise adoption and leading open-source AI development.

Nu Quantum raises $60M Series A to build distributed quantum computing fabric

December 15, 2025, 12:02 PM EST. Cambridge, UK-based Nu Quantum, described as a leader in distributed quantum computing, has raised $60 million in a Series A-the largest pure-play quantum networking round to date. Spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2018, Nu Quantum aims to interconnect quantum processors to build a fault-tolerant, modular quantum computer capable of unlocking a potential $1tn market. Its quantum networking stack-the Entanglement Fabric-is designed for modular scaling by weaving high-fidelity entanglement between distant quantum processing units. Emphasising photonic networking and an abstraction layer for cross-chip integration, Nu Quantum contends that quantum datacentres powered by this backbone could drive the commercialisation of distributed quantum computing.

Tesla tests Robotaxis in Austin with no safety driver, edging toward commercial service

December 15, 2025, 11:56 AM EST. Tesla is moving closer to a fully driverless Robotaxi service after removing human safety monitors from its Austin fleet. The company has begun operating cars with no occupants in some cases, a milestone that could speed up a commercial launch and heighten scrutiny from regulators and rivals like Waymo. CEO Elon Musk has long promised software updates would unlock full autonomy, though progress has been slow and crashes have been reported as the fleet has grown to roughly 25-30 vehicles. Regulators track incidents via the NHTSA; Tesla has kept many details private. The company has shifted from waitlists to broad service in parts of Austin, while California remains more regulated on driverless rides.

AI Agents Are Redefining Online Shopping: The Rise of Agentic Commerce

December 15, 2025, 11:54 AM EST. Imagine telling your AI agent you need a new jacket. It scans retailers, weighs reviews, spots sales, and returns a ranked list, then can wait for a price drop, complete the purchase, apply loyalty points, and pick the fastest free-shipping option. This is the promise of agentic commerce, a vision shaping retailers and tech giants. Analysts estimate a potential U.S. market near $1 trillion by 2030. Today, the reality is evolving: AI-assisted search with new infrastructure lets agents talk to sites, payments, and logins. Major players-OpenAI with Walmart, Google with agentic checkout, Perplexity with PayPal-are testing, while security and fraud concerns rise as agents roam the web. Brands are adapting search, homepages, and checkout flows as Amazon remains central.

The great AI hype correction of 2025: from boundless promises to cautious adoption

December 15, 2025, 11:46 AM EST. A year of reckoning for generative AI unfolds in 2025. After ChatGPT's breakthrough, leaders touted universal productivity gains and even disease cures, spurring a global FOMO and rapid product churn. Yet surveys from the US Census Bureau to Stanford show weak business uptake, with many AI projects stuck in pilots and uncertain ROI. Core technology progress now feels incremental, highlighted by the bungled GPT-5 launch that signaled the end of an era of constant breakthroughs. As MIT Technology Review's Hype Correction package argues, we need tempered expectations about what AI can realistically deliver, where adoption will actually materialize, and how the broader economy shapes the next phase of the AI wave.

SoundHound AI Could Deliver Life-Changing Returns Over the Next Decade

December 15, 2025, 11:44 AM EST. SoundHound AI (SOUN) stock has drawn attention as a possible source of life-changing returns, with a market cap around $5B and exposure to the expansive potential of AI applications. As a relatively small-cap, it sits in the growth zone where upside can outpace giants, but with higher risk. The bet is that SoundHound AI blends audio recognition with generative AI to power AI agents that can replace routine human interactions-starting in drive-thru settings and expanding into customer service across finance, insurance, and healthcare. The questions: can the software stay flexible, sound human, and reliable at scale? Execution risk and adoption tempo will shape whether the ROI justifies the exposure, in what could be years of upside.

Deloitte CTO warns 93% AI budget goes to tech, 7% to people-time to rethink culture and workflows

December 15, 2025, 11:42 AM EST. From Deloitte's CTO Bill Briggs: as companies move from AI experimentation to real value, they allocate about 93% of the budget to tech and just 7% to the people who will use it. He calls this a dangerous imbalance that traps firms in incrementalism-focusing on models, chips, and software while ignoring the culture, workflows, and training that let the technology work. He contrasts the 'ingredients' with the 'recipe' and cites Grace Hopper's warning that 'We've always done it this way.' Briggs urges leaders to push through comfort and reimagine processes, not bolt AI onto existing systems. His remarks echo Protiviti's global HR survey released the same week as Deloitte's Tech Trends.

Google AI Recipe Summaries Could Endanger Recipe Writers' Livelihoods

December 15, 2025, 11:40 AM EST. Google's AI Mode search began offering AI-generated recipes that remix elements from multiple creators, often without attribution. In some cases, the AI misidentified sources, recommending non-toxic glue instead of legitimate ingredients. Bloggers without paywalls have seen their recipes echoed in ChatGPT replies, AI cookbooks, Etsy downloads, and AI-built sites, with photos and videos repurposed across Facebook and Pinterest. Since recipes are not generally copyrightable, many writers have little legal recourse, leaving them to rely on ads revenue for income-now at risk as users confuse AI-generated content with real work. Industry voices warn of a extinction event for sites dependent on advertising. Some bloggers report big traffic losses (one as high as 80%), while others adapt by prioritizing audience-building and expert technique, like Tedesco's meatball method, over SEO gaming.

Apple Stock Focus: iPhone 17 Demand, App Store Ruling, and 2026 Forecasts

December 15, 2025, 11:38 AM EST. Apple Inc. trades around $274.77 as investors weigh two tales: strong iPhone 17 demand fueling growth and questions about App Store economics after a federal appeals court ruling in the Epic Games case. IDC forecasts about 247 million iPhones in 2025, supporting the cycle thesis, with China data stabilizing demand. On the downside, 2026 could see a dip in smartphone shipments as memory costs rise, and a delayed entry-level iPhone model could weigh on iOS unit volumes. Wall Street pricing reflects a potential AI reset and ongoing Services expansion, while regulators and App Store margins remain key near-term catalysts into early 2026.

China's AI Toy Boom: Safety, Policy, and the Rise of AI-Powered Plushes

December 15, 2025, 11:36 AM EST. China's AI toy industry has grown to about $4 billion, buoyed by a government push to turn the country into a AI powerhouse. Traditional toy makers are rapidly embedding AI into plushes, pets, and robots, with companies like Haivivi, Chongker, and Keyi Tech unveiling products that respond to owners, learn preferences, or map homes. Haivivi's CocoMate plush and Chongker's cloud-backed AI cat illustrate how the tech targets comfort and companionship, while Loona the AI puppy uses cameras and lasers to navigate homes and recognize up to five family members. Yet safety and privacy concerns loom: PIRG warns about inappropriate information and data practices in AI toys, highlighting risks to children amid ongoing policy and market debates about an AI bubble.

Stack Overflow: AI usage climbs, trust lags; pivot to enterprise SaaS and data licensing

December 15, 2025, 11:32 AM EST. Interview with Prashanth Chandrasekar, CEO of Stack Overflow, on how the AI era created an existential moment for the site. He details an emergency response-reallocating staff and reshaping structure-to confront AI-generated answers flooding the forums. The company has since shifted toward the enterprise SaaS model and a sizable data licensing business that monetizes the community's content for AI training. Despite broad appeal, more than 80% of users want to use AI or already do for code topics, yet only about 29% trust AI to do useful work. The thread: for tough problems, developers still prefer a real person, and Stack Overflow aims to balance AI assistance with trusted human expertise.

Philips to acquire SpectraWAVE to expand AI-powered coronary imaging and image-guided therapy

December 15, 2025, 11:30 AM EST. Philips is expanding its image-guided therapy portfolio by acquiring SpectraWAVE, the AI-powered coronary imaging developer behind X1-FFR and HyperVue. The deal aims to combine SpectraWAVE's AI-driven intravascular imaging and physiological assessment with Philips' Eagle Eye Platinum, IntraSight, and Azurion systems for real-time, one-setting decision-making in the cath lab. SpectraWAVE's X1-FFR provides real-time readouts of blood flow and vessel targeting without a pressure wire, while HyperVue fuses OCT and near-infrared spectroscopy to visualize plaque and calcium. The collaboration, highlighted by Philips CEO Roy Jakobs and SpectraWAVE CEO Eman Namati, seeks to improve guidance, treatment selection, and outcomes for coronary patients. X1-FFR recently received FDA clearance; SpectraWAVE has raised $50M in 2024. Terms were not disclosed.

Arizona AZSCI Leads Space-Based Data Centers With $250K Big Idea Challenge Award

December 15, 2025, 11:28 AM EST. The University of Arizona's AZSCI project, short for 'A-Z Sky,' has won $250,000 in the inaugural Big Idea Challenge to advance orbital data centers. The multi-disciplinary effort aims to shift computing to space-based computing, reducing environmental impact while addressing safety, policy, and business-model questions. Leaders Krishna Muralidharan and Karthik Kannan describe the program as a stepping stone to a thriving space computing industry, complementing early pilots like Starcloud and Google's Suncatcher, and partners such as Axiom Space. By uniting strengths in semiconductor manufacturing, optics, and space sciences, the team seeks to move theory toward practice, positioning the University of Arizona to help shape a transformative frontier.

China's EV battery giants expand into shipbuilding to cement Beijing's maritime dominance

December 15, 2025, 11:26 AM EST. CATL and Gotion High-tech are expanding into shipbuilding to boost Beijing's dominance in the global maritime sector. CATL says its self-developed pure-electric vessel will sail the oceans in three years, cementing its status as a new-energy powerhouse. Gotion, backed by Volkswagen, reports batteries powering a 132-container ship, the Puffer Fish Blue 01, certified by the China Classification Society. CATL also notes its Yujian 77 cruise ship offers zero-emission travel. The company accounts for about 40% of current electric vessel deliveries and has supplied batteries to around 900 ships on rivers. Analysts say state-backed innovation is reshaping shipbuilding, though wide adoption by global liners remains to be seen. Autoflight's waterborne vertiport signals expansion of eVTOL infrastructure alongside marine markets.

Gemini refreshes Google Maps search with map-first visuals and emoji pins

December 15, 2025, 11:22 AM EST. Gemini now puts Google Maps first in local searches, replacing long text with an instant visual overview. Emoji-style pins replace plain dots, and each result appears as a card with a photo, star ratings, and review highlights. The update, rolling out in English to mobile and desktop Gemini, aims to turn Maps into a true discovery tool rather than a text-heavy list. If you asked Gemini for a nearby café before, you'll now see a map first, followed by contextual cards that summarize what reviewers mention most. This upgrade tightens Maps integration and enhances convenience for finding spots that matter.

Why universal basic income can't fix an AI-driven economy

December 15, 2025, 11:20 AM EST. Universal basic income (UBI) rekindles policy interest as AI and automation threaten jobs, but the author argues it won't fix an AI-driven economy. Reconsidering Andrew Yang's "Freedom Dividend," a universal $53k/year would cost over $14 trillion-about 45% of US GDP-and is politically untenable. The piece notes public social spending has never surpassed 25% of GDP since 1980, and total tax revenue rarely exceeds 30% of GDP, complicating redistribution. Funding via a value-added tax could fund welfare but risks work incentives and ignores productivity shifts caused by AI. The author contends that UBI addresses symptoms, not the structural challenges of tax revenue, labor displacement, and political economy. A bigger, structural response-rather than UBI-is required for an economy where machines substitute for human labor.

UK weighs system-wide nudity blocks on devices unless users prove age

December 15, 2025, 11:18 AM EST. The UK is weighing a policy to require device operating systems to block nudity unless users can prove they are adults, a move aimed at tackling violence against women and girls. Reported by the Financial Times, officials would push for system-wide nudity controls on smartphones, initially, with possible desktop extensions. While not yet mandatory for UK-sold devices, the idea signals tighter age checks alongside the Online Safety Act. Apple and Google already offer some adult-verification tools, but there is no system-wide nudity block across third-party apps like WhatsApp. The plan faces privacy and civil liberties objections, questions about effectiveness, and scrutiny over how such checks would work. Official details are expected to be unveiled soon.

Nvidia and AMD Brace for Surging AI Demand in 2026, BNP Paribas Notes

December 15, 2025, 11:16 AM EST. A BNP Paribas Research note based on meetings with Nvidia and AMD and other chipmakers suggests that in 2026, AI compute demand is likely to stay ahead of supply, supporting ongoing capacity ramps. Executives cited power constraints-notably tight electricity availability in parts of the U.S.-as a near-term challenge, though not a long-term blocker. They also noted rising interest in custom chips, such as Alphabet's TPUs, which appear suited to narrow workloads and unlikely to broadly displace GPUs across cloud platforms. The note indicates management expects government efforts to ease power issues over time and that investor questions centered on power availability, custom silicon competition, and vendor financing.

First Voyage raises $2.5M seed for Momo, an AI habit-building self-care companion

December 15, 2025, 11:14 AM EST. First Voyage has raised $2.5 million in a seed round led by a16z speedrun, with participation from SignalFire and True Global, to grow Momo Self Care-an AI companion app that doubles as a digital pet. Momo helps users build habits by letting them set reminders, earn coins for completing tasks, and chat about self-care, with personalized suggestions for productivity, mindfulness, and spirituality. Since launch, users created more than 2 million tasks. The team emphasizes safety guardrails to keep conversations within boundaries as AI becomes more integrated in wellness. Funds will power a broader Android launch (iOS is live) and ongoing improvements to AI interactions and gamification. The goal: turn Momo into a defining consumer brand around AI-powered wellness.

Wedbush's Dan Ives foresees a monster year for Tesla as AI push coincides with February 2026 deliveries in China

December 15, 2025, 11:10 AM EST. Tesla's China orders show a February 2026 delivery for the Model 3 LR RWD and all Model Y variants, while the base Model 3 RWD and LR AWD stay at 4-6 weeks. The Model 3 Performance also targets February 2026. The company is urging buyers to pick inventory cars to lift year-end deliveries. China will scale back the new energy vehicle tax exemption in 2026, potentially increasing taxes for next-year deliveries. CPCA data show Tesla sold 73,145 vehicles in November (-0.47% YoY) and 531,855 year-to-date through November (-7.37% YoY). Amid an AI push, Wedbush's Dan Ives calls it a monster year for Tesla.

Galaxy S25 Ultra hits record-low price ahead of Christmas

December 15, 2025, 11:08 AM EST. Amazon has slashed the Galaxy S25 Ultra to a record-low £986 this week, stacking a 5% upfront discount with a £200 coupon. The deal beats Black Friday's low by £13 and tops this year's previous record for the flagship. It's a strong last-minute gift option if you missed November sales. The same £200 coupon is also available at the official Samsung Store, which adds a trade-in rebate up to £600 and exclusive colour options. For those considering contracts, Mobiles.co.uk and Carphone Warehouse are throwing in a free Chromebook Go with select tariffs. If you're waiting for the Galaxy launch early next year, this deal could be among the best prices on the S25 Ultra before then.

Waze tests traffic-light indicators in Israel, signaling parity with Google Maps

December 15, 2025, 11:06 AM EST. Waze appears to be testing traffic-light indicators in its navigation app, currently limited to Israel. The early rollout aims to show up to three signals while actively navigating, with a fuller view of nearby lights when the map is open but not routing. The move comes years after user requests and mirrors a long-standing feature in Google Maps, which has had traffic-light data since 2022. Waze's small-scale test suggests a cautious approach to avoid clutter, and there's no word yet on wider availability. Since Google owns Waze, future data leverage could speed up global rollout if testing proves successful.

Everything New In Arc Raiders Cold Snap Update: Flickering Flames Event & More

December 15, 2025, 11:04 AM EST. Arc Raiders' Cold Snap update introduces the Flickering Flames event, automatically enrolling you for up to 25 rewards earned by playing. You gain Merits as you earn XP, and these are cashed in back at Speranza for gear, cosmetic customizations, and Raider Tokens (the premium currency). Because Merits come from XP, regular players should largely complete the track, but you can speed things up by chasing high-XP moments-like taking down larger ARC foes such as Bastions, Bombardiers, Leapers, or Rocketeers. Note you must have played at least five rounds of Arc Raiders to be eligible for Flickering Flames.

TVInternetUSA Details 5G Frameworks for Time-Sensitive Industrial Operations

December 15, 2025, 11:02 AM EST. TVInternetUSA released an overview of developments in 5G networks aimed at supporting time-sensitive industrial operations. The update highlights efforts to reduce latency and expand capacity through architectural adjustments, including URLLC targets nearing one millisecond under controlled conditions, MIMO configurations, and millimeter-wave spectrum use in localized zones. The discussion references the IDC White Paper on growing 5G-enabled device shipments and examines how increased device access affects real-time industrial functions. Additional emphasis is placed on traffic network slicing, refined routing, and prioritized signaling to stabilize critical workflows. The report notes investigation into machine learning-driven congestion management to optimize performance in automated production and remote coordination systems.

Why we waited until 16 to give our kid a smartphone (and how we manage it)

December 15, 2025, 11:00 AM EST. Delaying a smartphone until age 16 changed our family dynamics. My son earned his G1 driver's licence and then received his first phone under a strict contract: we own the phone, know the password, conduct random checks, and can confiscate it. It stays away from school and his bedroom, and there's no social media; using it is a privilege, not a right. I researched screen-time strategies and spoke with parents who regretted premature adoption. A pivotal moment was Dr. Jean Twenge's view that smartphones require driver's-licence-level maturity-16 is sensible in many places, since two years bring big gains in decision-making and risk assessment. We delayed anyway, balancing peer pressure with evidence and a framework that guards safety while honoring trust.

Nvidia weighs ramping up H200 production for China after export license approval

December 15, 2025, 10:54 AM EST. Nvidia is weighing expanding production of its H200 GPUs to meet surging demand in China after the Department of Commerce approved sales under a licensing deal that includes a 25% cut of chip revenues. Reuters, citing anonymous sources, reported that the company lobbied both administrations to win the license. The H200, part of the Hopper line and far more powerful than Nvidia's custom H20 GPUs for China, would help tap latent Chinese demand as officials decide on imports. Chinese players like Alibaba and ByteDance are developing their own AI models and have already approached Nvidia about large orders. Nvidia emphasizes that licensed China sales won't affect supply to customers in the U.S.

Exclusive: Washington Post charges ahead with AI-generated podcast despite internal tests flagging errors

December 15, 2025, 10:52 AM EST. The Washington Post released an AI-driven podcast feature, Your Personal Podcast, even after internal tests showed substantial issues. In three testing rounds, 68% to 84% of scripts failed the publication's standards, with testers urged to fail in doubt. Reported errors included misattributed quotes, pronunciation mistakes, and even the AI inserting commentary that reflected the paper's position. Despite the risk of bias and factual slip-ups, the product team opted to continue iterating and labeled the tool a work-in-progress while moving forward with the release. CTO Vineet Khosla and head of product Bailey Kattleman framed it as a milestone for premium experiences, customer choice, and AI platforms, signaling ongoing refinement ahead of broader deployment.

Tesla Signals Massive Lease Price Hikes at Quarter-End: Up to 67% Increases

December 15, 2025, 10:48 AM EST. Tesla has signaled significant lease price hikes that take effect on December 26, with end-of-quarter subsidies set to roll back. The Model 3 lineup jumps to $499/mo (Premium RWD) with $3,000 down, $549/mo (Premium AWD), and $749/mo (Performance). The Model Y follows, with $549/mo (RWD) and $649/mo (AWD), while the Cybertruck increases to $849/mo with $5,000 down. In each case, down payments are higher and monthly payments rise by double digits to mid-60s percentages. This looks like a temporary push to clear inventory before year-end, a familiar end-of-quarter tactic. Buyers are advised to act before December 26, as Electrek notes this reflects subsidized pricing rather than sustainable demand. The best time to buy is at quarter/year end.

Three Trends Shaping AI Rollouts in 2025

December 15, 2025, 10:46 AM EST. Across 2025, leaders prioritized three AI rollout themes. First, AI for back-end tasks is booming, proving that the boring work can move the needle when automated thoughtfully. Second, people become the hinge: successful adoption hinges on how organizations prepare, reskill, and align teams around real needs. Third, initial strategy matters most: firms succeed when they lead with the problem to solve, not with the tool. The risk of AI fatigue comes from chasing flashy use cases or misaligned pilots. Examples include West Monroe warning against leading with AI and BigRentz reinventing its business by focusing on a concrete problem using traditional machine learning. The takeaway: balance governance and data wrangling with business-led problem framing for sustainable, value-driven AI.

AI Reasoning Drives Big Energy Jump: Hugging Face and Salesforce Find 30x-700x Increases

December 15, 2025, 10:44 AM EST. New analysis from Hugging Face and Salesforce under the AI Energy Score project finds that models with reasoning capabilities consume far more power than non-reasoning ones. On average, reasoning models use about 30x more energy per 1,000 queries, with some models running hundreds of times more energy. In some cases, activating the reasoning mode pushed energy use to around 700x. The increase is largely due to the models' tendency to generate longer outputs while thinking aloud, effectively increasing the number of emitted words. The study benchmarks open or partially open models across 10 tasks on GPUs, assigning a star rating out of five. The findings highlight the need to choose the right model for the task and to improve efficiency, given concerns about AI's carbon footprint.

DeSantis: Florida limits would prevail in legal challenge to federal AI executive order

December 15, 2025, 10:42 AM EST. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis argued that the federal AI executive order cannot block state action, and that Florida's approach would likely withstand a challenge by Attorney General Pam Bondi. He said much of Trump's order encourages but does not preempt states, and Florida's plan would align with the guidance while remaining policy-driven. DeSantis contends the state would prevail if Bondi spearheaded litigation over what he views as overreach, and he criticized a possible reliance on the dormant Commerce Clause. He flagged Florida's focus on consumer protections, parental rights, data privacy, data centers, foreign labor, deepfakes, and the use of images in AI. The governor says the state seeks to establish a rights-based framework rather than a patchwork of 50 different rules, aiming to sustain U.S. AI leadership.

Texas universities use AI to audit courses amid curricular scrutiny

December 15, 2025, 10:38 AM EST. Texas A&M and other state universities are testing AI tools to audit course syllabi and descriptions after a high-profile gender-identity controversy and a new state law expanding regents control over curricula. Internal emails show staff using AI to search for terms that might trigger policy flags, while at Texas State administrators advised faculty to use an AI writing assistant to revise descriptions and rename classes. Experts caution that these systems don't truly understand course content; they generate plausible text based on training data. Small phrasing changes yield different results, raising questions about reliability for verifying catalog accuracy and for transparent, accountable audits across the system's 12 universities.

2.8 Days to Disaster: The CRASH Clock and The Risk in Low Earth Orbit

December 15, 2025, 10:36 AM EST. New research warns that our satellite mega-constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) may be a House of Cards waiting to collapse. A recent arXiv preprint by Sarah Thiele and colleagues shows a 'close approach' every 22 seconds across all constellations, with Starlink alone experiencing a near miss roughly every 11 minutes and thousands of satellites performing about 41 maneuvers per year to avoid collisions. Solar storms could disrupt propulsion, navigation, or communications, increasing drag and eroding positional certainty. The authors introduce the CRASH Clock to quantify immediate risk, arguing that, if operators lose command ability, a catastrophic collision could occur in about 2.8 days. This underlines the urgency of legal frameworks around orbital debris and resilient collision avoidance in a stressed LEO environment.

Giverny Capital's Cautious AI Optimism Centers on NVIDIA (NVDA) and OpenAI Deals

December 15, 2025, 10:32 AM EST. Giverny Capital Asset Management's Q3 2025 letter expresses cautious optimism on AI and draws parallels to the late-1990s dot-com era. The report spotlights NVIDIA (NVDA) as a leading beneficiary of AI demand, noting the stock's December 2025 close near $175 with a roughly $4.261 trillion market cap. It highlights a controversial deal where NVIDIA would invest about $100 billion in OpenAI, a customer with uncertain economics, and cites other bets like CoreWeave. While praising NVIDIA's leadership in graphics, compute, and networking, the letter warns that AI euphoria may be excessive and suggests some AI stocks offer higher upside with potentially lower downside. It advocates balanced positioning and thorough due diligence across AI opportunities.

South Africa to amend satellite internet ownership rules with equity-equivalent investment

December 15, 2025, 10:30 AM EST. South Africa plans to amend the Electronic Communications Act to replace the current 30% local equity requirement for foreign-licensed operators with an equity equivalent framework. Communications Minister Solly Malatsi says the policy direction recognises employment and empowerment goals without forcing ownership transfers, allowing firms like Starlink/SpaceX to invest in digital infrastructure and related projects instead of ceding equity. The move aims to attract investment, accelerate transformation, and expand high-speed internet to rural and underserved communities. ICASA has been urged to reconsider the barrier, drawing mixed reactions from lawmakers, though government feedback reportedly favored the changes. If enacted, the policy could enable satellite networks to improve access for South Africans while maintaining empowerment objectives and regulatory parity.

AI Digital Outperforms Incumbent in Enterprise ABM with 3x CTR and 2x CVR in Benchmark Test

December 15, 2025, 10:28 AM EST. AI Digital, an AI-native media consultancy, published a head-to-head ABM benchmark against an incumbent partner, delivering 3× CTR and 2× CVR across identical campaigns, with 25% higher VCR. The test, initiated by Swell, used suppression pixels to ensure zero audience overlap and transparent benchmarking. Following the results, Swell awarded AI Digital ongoing media business and expanded the partnership. The AI-powered strategy relies on a proprietary audience-modeling engine that blends predictive data signals, contextual targeting, and continuous optimization. Key components include: audience precision targeting senior decision-makers, contextual alignment with native/video formats, and sequential targeting from prospecting to retargeting. The results suggest enterprise ABM can surpass typical retargeting benchmarks through earlier, more precise audience identification.

Rian Johnson blasts AI as 'making everything worse' amid Disney-OpenAI licensing push

December 15, 2025, 10:24 AM EST. Rian Johnson has joined the growing chorus railing against AI in Hollywood, declaring, 'F AI' and calling it a force that makes 'everything worse in every single way.' The controversy comes as Disney moves to license iconic characters to OpenAI-backed platforms and license shortform content for Disney+, fueling debate over whether algorithms replace human artists. Johnson's comments arrived ahead of Disney's deal to unlock characters like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader for generative video use, while actors' unions push back on AI likeness and voice replication. The moment underscores a wider industry shift as studios, streaming platforms, and tech firms balance creativity with cost-saving AI tools, amid ongoing talks with SAG-AFTRA and questions about intellectual property.

UK government to push Apple and Google to block nude photos via age verification on iOS and Android

December 15, 2025, 10:22 AM EST. A Financial Times report says the UK government will ask Apple and Google to block the taking and viewing of nude photos on iOS and Android unless users are verified as adults, potentially via biometric checks or official IDs. The plan would move age verification from individual apps to platform-level screening, a concept echoed by the proposed App Store Accountability Act in the US. Apple has reportedly resisted, but proponents argue platform-level controls could curb CSAM grooming by limiting access to explicit material. Critics raise serious privacy concerns about on-device nudity detection and surveillance. Currently, iMessage-like protections blur explicit content for children in Family Sharing, while experts warn of the tension between child safety and user privacy.

Weekly Recap: Apple 0-Days, WinRAR Exploit, .NET RCE, LastPass Fines & OAuth Scams

December 15, 2025, 10:20 AM EST. This week's cybersecurity roundup highlights exploits in everyday software. Apple and Google issued patches for two zero-days (CVE-2025-14174 and CVE-2025-43529) exploited via malicious web content in iOS/iPadOS/macOS/web products; Chrome's ANGLE fix is tied to one of them. In .NET, the SOAPwn flaw lets HTTP client proxies write to the filesystem, enabling NTLM relaying and potential RCE through web shells or PowerShell. Attacks target CentreStack and Triofox products, while OAuth-related abuse and credential phishing warnings persist. This week also spotlights WinRAR exploits and LastPass enforcement actions. Install updates promptly, enable automatic updates, and monitor for suspicious web, proxy, or file-upload activity to mitigate these active threats.

Toyota reportedly joins Apple Wallet car key support

December 15, 2025, 10:14 AM EST. Toyota is reportedly joining Apple's car key ecosystem in Apple Wallet. A new report says Apple's backend now lists Toyota among the car key partners, though no launch date or model details are provided. It could arrive on existing or upcoming Toyota models, with timing yet to be announced. Apple first unveiled car key at WWDC 2020, letting users add keys to Wallet to lock, unlock, and start their car. Variants include Passive Entry, Proximity, and Remote control, plus Express Mode. The rollout has gained momentum recently, with rivals like Rivian adding support. We will watch for an official statement on timing and model scope.

Arcesium Unveils AI Features in Aquata to Scale Institutional AI Strategies

December 15, 2025, 10:10 AM EST. Arcesium today announced a new suite of AI features for Aquata, its self-service data platform, enabling institutional investors to scale and operationalize AI. The release adds unstructured data processing powered by a generative AI agent to extract structured data from PDFs, emails, and other documents, reducing manual validation from hours to minutes. The update also introduces the Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, which connects enterprise AI tools to Aquata's governed data foundation, improving interoperability and workflow automation. Use cases span private credit lifecycles, loan notices, private equity, real estate finance, and bilateral trading agreements, all processed with data quality controls. Arcesium CTO Bryan Dougherty emphasizes secure, scalable, and governance-first AI across investment workflows.

AI Is Changing Holiday Shopping: Personalization, Trust, and Time Savings

December 15, 2025, 10:08 AM EST. AI is reshaping how we shop for gifts this holiday season, with tools like ChatGPT, Amazon's Rufus, Google's AI Mode, and retailer assistants from Walmart and Target offering recommendations based on product data and user history. Proponents say these tools can save time and money, but experts warn about hallucinations and data biases that undermine trust in AI recommendations. The idea of a gift picked by a machine raises questions about personalization and the effort behind a thoughtful present. Critics point to the data-driven nature of suggestions, which may miss nuanced tastes. Yet, some AI-powered shopping tools may help users discover options quickly, balancing convenience with questions about authenticity, privacy, and the true meaning of gift-giving this season.

iOS 26.2 adds multipack accessory pairing to streamline HomeKit setup

December 15, 2025, 10:06 AM EST. Apple's iOS 26.2 introduces a new Home app feature: multipack accessory pairing, letting you enroll several accessories sold together with a single setup code. This strengthens the already strong Matter interoperability and reduces the pain of configuring multiple devices from the same pack. The change comes as Apple and the broader smart-home ecosystem push for easier onboarding and unified experiences. The update is timely as companies launch new HomeKit peripherals and as smart plugs and other accessories increasingly ship in multipacks. If you're upgrading this holiday season, expect faster, smoother setup for grouped devices, and a more uniform smart-home setup across rooms.

Likelihood-Based Up-the-Ramp Gain Estimator for Astronomical Detectors

December 15, 2025, 10:04 AM EST. Researchers develop a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method to compute the electronic gain converting detected photons into digital counts from up-the-ramp readouts. The approach uses ramp data to fully exploit each measurement, modeling Poisson photon noise, detector read noise, and dark current, while allowing mild nonlinearities in the light-to-signal conversion. Applied to the Wide-Field Instrument (WFI) on the Roman Space Telescope, the method yields nearly unbiased, pixel-by-pixel gain estimates with a median uncertainty around 3.5%. The results reveal substantial spatial gain variations, linked to epoxy-layer deposition, and enable automatic gain map generation in WFI calibration pipelines. Beyond WFI, the technique can be adapted to calibrate other large-format infrared detectors, supporting high-precision astronomy.

Google rolls out NotebookLM integration in Gemini to attach notebooks to chats

December 15, 2025, 10:02 AM EST. Google is bringing NotebookLM directly into Gemini, letting users attach notebooks to chats for added context. The rollout appears very limited at first, with some accounts seeing the NotebookLM option in the attachment sheet inside Gemini. The integration lets you use Gemini's latest reasoning models while still jumping back to NotebookLM when needed. Through the Sources button you can reopen NotebookLM and review or edit notes without leaving the Gemini app. This move simplifies access to NotebookLM and hints at a wider rollout to come, though Google has not yet announced formal availability. Expect more updates as the rollout expands across accounts.

Seven features from other brands I want on Google's Pixels

December 15, 2025, 9:58 AM EST. Compared with older Nexus phones, the Pixel offers unique features like Call Screening and Now Playing, but the author lists seven borrow-from-others ideas to improve Pixel: individual app volume control, volume-button behavior when the screen is off, Photographic Styles, Widget Stacks, Media controls in Live Updates, a dedicated routines app, Pop-up windows, and Motion gestures. The pieces argue for per-app audio silencing, easier media control without unlocking, and more customization options inspired by iOS and Android skins. Implementing these could make the Pixel feel more flexible without sacrificing its distinctive experience.

Camilla Luddington bids farewell as Alix Wilton Regan takes over Lara Croft for Tomb Raider Catalyst

December 15, 2025, 9:56 AM EST. Camilla Luddington bids farewell to Lara Croft after leading the role since the 2013 reboot, handing the bow to Alix Wilton Regan. Announced at The Game Awards, Regan will portray Lara in Crystal Dynamics and Amazon's Tomb Raider projects, including the remake Legacy of Atlantis and the upcoming Tomb Raider Catalyst. Luddington praised the fandom and teased Regan's debut, while Regan calls the moment the absolute highlight and says we are just getting started. Catalyst arrives in 2027 for PS5/Xbox Series X/S/Steam, with Legacy of Atlantis due next year. A live-action series from Phoebe Waller-Bridge is in development, starring Sophie Turner as Lara.

Apple iPhone 20 to Feature Four-Sided Bending and Bezel-Less Display; LG Invests to Overhaul Production

December 15, 2025, 9:52 AM EST. Speculation says the iPhone 20 will celebrate Apple's 20th anniversary with a four-sided bending design and a truly bezel-less display in 2027. The concept envisions a front camera and Face ID sensors housed behind the screen, with a thinner Thin-Film Encapsulation (TFE) layer to protect the OLED. Some versions hint at under-display Face ID before a punch-hole option appears as a transition. To make this possible, LG is reportedly investing nearly $300 million to overhaul its production line and possibly add multiple lines, while Samsung remains a major OLED supplier. The plan demands massive fabrication changes and supply-chain coordination to mass-produce these advanced panels.

Linux 7.0: First DRM-Next Batch for 6.20 Includes BO_SYNC, THP Optimizations, and KDB Removal

December 15, 2025, 9:50 AM EST. Even before the 6.19 merge window closed, developers kicked off the next cycle with the first drm-misc-next pull for what will become Linux 6.20/7.0. Linus Torvalds' versioning pattern suggests 7.0 after 6.19, and the initial batch targets the DRM-Next queue ahead of February's merge window. Highlights include a new BO_SYNC buffer-object synchronization ioctl for the Panthor and Panfrost (Arm Mali) drivers. Other changes bring new DRM fence helpers, GEM improvements to reduce THP page-table overhead, and updates to DRM Panic reporting. Notably, the firmware-style KDB built-in debugger is being dropped from DRM drivers due to maintenance and compatibility issues. More details via the DRM-Next pull request.

RAM crisis could push smartphones to slower RAM upgrades in 2026, experts warn

December 15, 2025, 9:46 AM EST. Rising RAM prices driven by AI data centres could force smartphones to slow or reverse RAM upgrades. TrendForce suggests high-end phones may keep 12GB instead of moving to 16GB, while mid-range devices could cap at 8GB and low-end models at 4GB. Some leaks even hint that premium models currently shipping 16GB may drop to 12GB in next generations. The change could temper AI features on phones that rely on large memory pools, and may affect pricing and performance expectations. Whether this materializes remains uncertain, as these are predictions. If RAM pricing continues rising, we could see higher costs or stagnant specs across tiers.

Toyota to Gain Apple Car Keys Support

December 15, 2025, 9:44 AM EST. Apple Car Keys is expanding to Toyota vehicles, with support appearing on Apple's back end and rollout expected soon. Toyota previously offered its own Digital Key via the Remote Connect package, letting a smartphone unlock and start the car. Now, iPhone and Apple Watch users can store a digital key in Wallet and unlock by near-field communication (NFC) at the door handle, with Express Mode that bypasses authentication for speed. The update follows Apple's WWDC 2025 confirmation that 13 brands would soon support digital car keys, alongside existing options from BMW, Genesis, Kia, Hyundai, Mercedes, Volvo, and others. Toyota has not announced a date, but rollout could be imminent as the feature goes live on Apple's backend.

Lara Croft Passes the Baton: Alix Wilton Regan to Lead Tomb Raider: Catalyst and Legacy of Atlantis

December 15, 2025, 9:42 AM EST. At The Game Awards, Crystal Dynamics unveiled Tomb Raider: Catalyst, a next-gen sequel published by Amazon Game Studios, due in 2027 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Also announced: Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a Unreal Engine 5 reimagining of the original game. Both games will feature a new Lara Croft – Alix Wilton Regan – signaling a baton pass from Camilla Luddington, who shared a heartfelt farewell post about her decade as the lead. Regan, known for roles like the Female Inquisitor in Dragon Age and Samantha Traynor in Mass Effect 3, celebrated the casting as the "absolute highlight" of her career. Catalyst follows Lara exploring Northern India after a mythical cataclysm, with Unreal Engine 5 powering the largest Tomb Raider world yet.

Elon Musk: Money could vanish as AI makes work optional within 10-20 years

December 15, 2025, 9:40 AM EST. Elon Musk argues that in a future where AI and robotics could meet all human needs, money may lose relevance and salaries could become obsolete. In a podcast interview, he says work could be optional within 10-20 years, with robots building homes, producing food, and delivering services at near-zero cost. He points to The Culture novels as a glimpse of a society where access is not tied to income. The idea raises questions about who gets scarce resources when money is no longer needed, and how government policy will shape this transition. While tools like ChatGPT and Gemini push automation forward, historians note that productivity gains haven't always translated into leisure, echoing Keynes' 1930 forecast. The timeline remains speculative.

Nvidia Debuts Nemotron 3 Open-Source Models, Signaling Move Toward In-House AI Model Making

December 15, 2025, 9:38 AM EST. Nvidia unveils Nemotron 3, a family of open models available with open data and tooling to customize and run on local hardware. This marks a shift toward becoming a fuller AI model maker as rivals like OpenAI and Google pursue competing chips. Nemotron 3 ships in Nano (30B), Super (100B), and Ultra (500B) parameters and includes a hybrid latent mixture-of-experts architecture, plus libraries for reinforcement learning to train agents. Nvidia is also releasing training data and tools to simplify fine-tuning, aiming for greater transparency and open innovation. CEO Jensen Huang says the move builds an open platform for developers to tailor models, sequence tasks, and scale agentic AI across applications.

Starfish Space, Impulse Space Demonstrate Autonomous Satellite Rendezvous with Starfish Navigation System

December 15, 2025, 9:34 AM EST. Starfish Space and Impulse Space have demonstrated an autonomous in-space rendezvous, using Starfish's guidance, navigation and control suite on Impulse Space's Mira. Codenamed Remora, the test was added to the LEO Express 2 mission after Mira completed primary deployments. Starfish's Cetacean and Cephalopod software processed camera imagery to estimate relative position and compute optimal orbital trajectories, commanding Mira's thrusters to close from ~100 km to about 1,200 meters, then perform an autonomous egress. A lightweight camera from TRL11 supported the visuals. The effort moved toward an eventual docking-oriented platform, with Starfish's upcoming in-house craft, Otter, designed to approach and inspect or service other objects. This marks a first for enabling a new vehicle platform to autonomously complete an entire rendezvous mission.

Windows RasMan CVE-2025-59230: Local System RCE via Endpoint Race Condition and Secondary Zero-Day

December 15, 2025, 9:30 AM EST. Security researchers uncovered a complex exploit chain against Windows Remote Access Connection Manager (RasMan) that enables local attackers to gain System privileges. The primary flaw, CVE-2025-59230, stems from how RasMan registers RPC endpoints at startup, allowing a pre-session attacker to register the endpoint first when RasMan is not running. The race condition is typically hard to exploit because RasMan auto-starts at boot, but researchers leveraged a second, previously unknown zero-day to crash RasMan, freeing the RPC endpoint and triggering the CVE-2025-59230 chain for Code Execution as SYSTEM. Microsoft released patches for the privilege-escalation flaw; however, the crash-vector remained unpatched in official channels at discovery. 0patch released micropatches to address the crash across supported platforms. Administrators should apply the October 2025 updates promptly to mitigate the primary risk.

AI Boom Could Strain Grids as Data Centers Demand More Power

December 15, 2025, 9:28 AM EST. Across the United States, a surge in AI and cloud workloads is driving rising electricity demand from data centers. Meta's planned 1.2-million-square-foot facility near El Paso could draw nearly 1 gigawatt, underscoring the water and energy footprint tied to AI ambitions. Analysts warn that as data centers expand, local grids face bottlenecks and the need for tens of billions in new generation and upgrades. In 2024, data centers consumed about 4% of national electricity; by 2030, that share could reach 9-12%, potentially competing with homes, industry, and transportation. A mix of renewables, energy storage, and reliable firm generation plus smart grid management will be essential to preserve reliability and affordability while meeting climate goals. Coordinated planning among utilities, industry, and policymakers is critical to prevent electricity scarcity for consumers.

Avalon GloboCare Announces All-Stock Acquisition of RPM Interactive, Forms Avalon Quantum AI

December 15, 2025, 9:22 AM EST. Avalon GloboCare Corp. announced an all-stock acquisition of RPM Interactive, Inc., forming Avalon Quantum AI, LLC to advance its AI software strategy. The merger resolves a Nasdaq minimum stockholders' equity deficiency and creates a dedicated platform for automated content creation. Under the Merger Agreement, Avalon issued 19,500 shares of Series E Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock valued at $19.5 million, convertible into Avalon common stock at $1.50 per share (subject to conditions and a 4.99% beneficial ownership cap). RPM's Catch-Up SaaS automates sourcing video clips, AI commentary, an on-screen avatar, and multi-platform publishing for short-form content across news, politics, sports, finance, entertainment and evergreen topics. Marketing is expected to start after the new year. The company plans to leverage Catch-Up to bolster KetoAir breathalyzer initiatives.

As AI Grows More Complex, Model Builders Rely on NVIDIA's Full-Stack Infrastructure

December 15, 2025, 9:18 AM EST. OpenAI unveiled GPT-5.2, described as the most capable model series yet for professional knowledge work, trained and deployed on NVIDIA infrastructure, including Hopper and GB200 NVL72 systems. The piece highlights how leading AI builders deploy at scale on NVIDIA's full-stack AI platform. It explains three scaling laws: pretraining, post-training, and test-time scaling, and notes that scale remains the bedrock of intelligence. Training frontier models from scratch requires tens to hundreds of GPUs, with performance gains from GB200 NVL72 vs Hopper and GB300 NVL72. The article also covers multimodal capabilities (speech, image, video) and examples like Evo 2, OpenFold3, and Boltz-2, plus Runway's Gen-4.5 optimized for NVIDIA Blackwell.

Nvidia Stock Rises as JPMorgan Calls Dip a Buying Opportunity

December 15, 2025, 9:14 AM EST. Nvidia shares edged higher in premarket trading after a pullback, as investors weigh competition from Google's Tensor Processing Units and a broader chip-cycle pause. In the last month, NVIDIA (NVDA) has slipped about 6%, but J.P. Morgan analysts view the dip as a buying opportunity. They maintain an Overweight rating with a $250 price target, citing a robust order pipeline. One note even proposed selling put options with a $160 strike price expiring in March 2026; a premium of $8.50 could let investors acquire shares at a net about $151.50, implying roughly 65% upside to the target. Other chipmakers like AMD and Broadcom rose modestly, reflecting cautious optimism about earnings and demand.

One Reason I'm Watching Apple Heading Into 2026: iPhone Momentum and Valuation

December 15, 2025, 9:02 AM EST. Apple stock has rallied about 40% over six months as investors monitor how the tech giant performs heading into 2026. The focal point this year isn't tariffs or AI features, but iPhone momentum. In Q4 FY2025, Apple posted 6.1% revenue growth for the iPhone lineup, and management guided a double-digit rise for Q1 2026, boosted by the new iPhone 17 models. In FY2025, roughly 50% of total revenue came from the iPhone, underscoring its still-dominant role. While the business looks strong, the stock trades at a rich P/E ratio around 37x. For investors, the key question is how iPhone sales trend as 2026 approaches, and whether the premium valuation can be justified by continued device demand and ecosystem strength.

Prediction: Tesla Faces Potential Q4 Loss Amid Declining Auto Sales and Margin Pressure

December 15, 2025, 9:00 AM EST. A tech/business analysis argues Tesla could report a Q4 loss as its auto sales fall for two straight quarters. Q3 revenue was buoyed by the expired $7,500 tax credit, but industry peers show weak EV demand. Even in a pessimistic Q4 scenario, total revenue around $17.3-$17.9B would still be down, with a continued margin compression (Q3 gross margin near 18%, likely dipping to the low 17s). The revenue hit could be worsened if many future sales shift to the cheaper Model 3/Y 'Standard' variants. If automotive earnings weaken, profits would rest more on the energy/storage and services units. The piece suggests Musk may be compelled to acknowledge profitability challenges in Q4.

Alliance Creative Group Unveils ACGX.AI: A Full-Service AI Character & Marketing Agency

December 15, 2025, 8:56 AM EST. Alliance Creative Group unveils ACGX.AI, a next-generation, full-service AI character and marketing agency designed to elevate branding, revenue, and digital presence. Centered on AI Characters, Digital Spokespeople, and Brand Mascots, the new agency delivers scalable, cost-efficient content across videos, social, and ads, while maintaining a human-driven strategy. ACGX.AI bundles ongoing marketing services-content creation, video production, SEO, PPC, lead generation, and social media management-within retainers, subscriptions, and long-term partnerships. Additional capabilities include website optimization, mobile-friendly landing pages, email/SMS/CRM campaigns, pipeline automation, and retention strategies. Paul Sorkin, CEO, says AI characters offer powerful marketing potential-faster, more flexible, and cost-effective-helping brands boost awareness, engagement, and conversions through a unified agency relationship.

Fitell Unveils 2FCulinaryAI: First AI-Driven Personal Robot Chef for Personalized Meals

December 15, 2025, 8:52 AM EST. Fitell Corporation announces 2FCulinaryAI, the first AI-driven personal robot chef developed by its 2F Robotics venture. The system combines AI nutrition, precision ingredient dispensing, and All-in-One Smart Cooking to deliver meals tailored to each user's metabolic data, dietary needs, and goals via wearable biometrics. Through an integrated app, users manage their nutrition profiles, order ingredient capsules, and sync health metrics for dynamically optimized macros, micronutrients, and calories. Targeted at fitness-minded consumers and adaptable for homes, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and hospitals, 2FCulinaryAI reflects Fitell's finance backing and partnerships to build a broader ecosystem of AI-driven robotic solutions with plans to expand into retail, senior living, and industrial settings.

NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit: Free Tools, Libraries, and Training for GPU-Accelerated Development

December 15, 2025, 8:50 AM EST. The NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit provides a complete development environment for building high-performance, GPU-accelerated applications. It enables you to develop, optimize, and deploy across embedded systems, desktop workstations, enterprise data centers, cloud platforms, and supercomputers. The toolkit bundles GPU-accelerated libraries, debugging and optimization tools, a C/C++ compiler, and a runtime library. Whether you're targeting inference workloads, scientific computing, or graphics, CUDA accelerates performance from development to deployment. Download now to access free tools and training resources that help you maximize parallelism, optimize memory usage, and ship optimized GPU-powered software.

RTX Season Continues: ARC Raiders GeForce Reward & Resident Evil Requiem RTX 5090 Giveaway

December 15, 2025, 8:48 AM EST. RTX fans get more rewards as NVIDIA tees up the ARC Raiders GeForce Reward and a Resident Evil Requiem GeForce RTX 5090 Giveaway. Battlefield 6: Winter Offensive lands with DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, DLSS Frame Generation, DLSS Super Resolution, DLAA, and NVIDIA Reflex, delivering peak responsiveness for GeForce RTX GPUs. In 4K Ultra, DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation and DLSS Super Resolution reportedly push frame rates to around 460 fps on desktops and 310 fps on GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs. The promotions underscore NVIDIA's ongoing RTX push to maximize perf and fidelity across titles, blending high-fidelity visuals with blistering frame times for both seasoned shooters and next-gen experiences.

OpenAI Open Models Optimized for NVIDIA RTX GPUs Enable Fast Local Inference

December 15, 2025, 8:46 AM EST. OpenAI's open-weight gpt-oss-20b and gpt-oss-120b models are now optimized to run on NVIDIA RTX GPUs, delivering fast, local inference from cloud to PC. Trained on NVIDIA H100 GPUs and powered by MXFP4, the models support chain-of-thought reasoning, adjustable effort levels, and tool use. AI developers can run them on RTX AI PCs and workstations via Ollama, llama.cpp, and Microsoft AI Foundry Local, achieving up to 256 tokens per second on the GeForce RTX 5090. They offer long contexts up to 131,072 tokens, enabling tasks like web search, coding assistance, and document understanding. This collaboration underscores NVIDIA and OpenAI's leadership in AI from training to inference-from cloud to AI PC.

NVIDIA DGX Spark Delivers Local AI Power for Fine-Tuning and Image Generation

December 15, 2025, 8:44 AM EST. DGX Spark packs Blackwell-powered, compact hardware with 1 petaflop FP4 AI performance, 128 GB coherent memory, 273 GB/s bandwidth, and the NVIDIA AI software stack. It lets AI developers run large, compute-intensive tasks locally-without cloud or data-center queues. Benchmarks show strong tuning throughput: Llama 3.2B full fine-tuning at 82,739.2 tokens/sec; Llama 3.1 8B LoRA at 53,657.6 tokens/sec; Llama 3.3 70B QLoRA at 5,079.4 tokens/sec, illustrating memory demands that exceed 32 GB consumer GPUs. On image generation, Flux.1 12B at FP4 achieves 1K images every 2.6 seconds; SDXL 1.0 BF16 via TensorRT yields seven 1K images per minute. The platform highlights local compute, memory capacity, and preinstalled AI software for faster fine-tuning, generation, and inference.

Macron Celebrates Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025

December 15, 2025, 8:40 AM EST. France's President Emmanuel Macron joined the spotlight after Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 swept The Game Awards 2025, earning Game of the Year along with Best Narrative, Best Music, and Best Performance. The French RPG from Sandfall Interactive became a historic win for a French title, drawing praise from Macron who posted on Instagram and celebrated the Montpellier studio's achievement. The show highlighted the game's broad acclaim amid stiff competition, including titles like Death Stranding 2 and Hades 2. Beyond the awards, Macron's remarks recalled earlier comments on video game violence, underscoring a complex debate about gaming's role in culture and economy. The celebration marks a moment of national pride for France's gaming industry and its global reach.

Apple rolls out critical security updates for iOS/iPadOS 26.2 and 18.7.3

December 15, 2025, 8:36 AM EST. Apple's latest iOS/iPadOS updates fix a wave of security updates in WebKit and other components. iOS 26.2 (and iPadOS 26.2) adds 25 security updates; if you can't upgrade, iOS/iPadOS 18.7.3 backport brings 20 of those fixes. The most notable are WebKit flaws allowing arbitrary code execution via crafted web content, including zero-days reportedly used in targeted attacks prior to iOS 26. Also addressed are race conditions and buffer overflows in several frameworks and apps, including App Store permissions, FaceTime password exposure, and Photos Hidden Album access. Users on 26 should move to 26.2 ASAP; others should install 18.7.3. Update via Settings > General > Software Update.

Samsung Galaxy S26: AI-Powered Notification Summaries and More in One UI 8.5

December 15, 2025, 8:26 AM EST. The Samsung Galaxy S26 is nearing launch, expected January-February. With the One UI 8.5 beta already out, signs of features remain hidden or disabled. Leaker chatter suggests there are lots of One UI 8.5 features not yet visible, including Notification Summaries that reportedly run on Samsung's Gauss AI model to summarize 24 hours of alerts. The feature was originally slated for One UI 7 but appears delayed to 8.5. Initially exclusive to the Galaxy S26, it may arrive on older flagships like the S25 and Z Fold 7/Z Flip 7 later. Language support spans multiple markets. A similar concept exists on Google's Pixel devices, but the Galaxy implementation would be exclusive for now.

Memory shortage threatens 16GB RAM phones as 4GB models return

December 15, 2025, 8:24 AM EST. Rising memory costs and supply constraints are pushing smartphone RAM into a rarer territory. The chatter suggests that 16GB RAM phones could become scarce next year, while budget models drift back to 4GB RAM to cut costs in price-sensitive markets like India. Flagship price increases appear to be spreading to mid-range devices, yet manufacturers may choose to trim RAM instead of raising stickers across the board. Analysts cite growing demand for high-bandwidth memory for AI datacenters – including HBM and GDDR5 – as a driver behind the squeeze. If this trend holds, the industry could see a shift toward leaner memory configurations, with 12GB thinning out and mid-range 6/8GB devices filling the gap.

Starlink Doubling Down as Cloudflare Radar Tracks a 2025 Internet Traffic Surge

December 15, 2025, 8:22 AM EST. Cloudflare Radar's 2025 year-in-review shows global internet traffic rising 19%, with growth accelerating in the back half of the year. Satellite connectivity, led by Starlink, doubled in 2025 as service expanded to 20+ new countries, and total request traffic from Starlink's primary AS14593 rose about 2.3x. Across Cloudflare's network-330 cities in 125+ countries-the platform handled roughly 81 million HTTP requests per second on average (peaking near 129 million RPS) and about 67 million DNS queries per second. The study notes that growth tended to accelerate after mid-year and that outages in 2025 were heavily tied to government-directed shutdowns, even as overall connectivity expanded. The results underline how satellite broadband and global routing are reshaping internet usage and resilience.

SpaceX Opens Its First Starlink Retail Store in Gretna, Nebraska

December 15, 2025, 8:12 AM EST. SpaceX has opened its first physical Starlink retail store in Gretna, Nebraska, offering hardware and merch alongside online options. The storefront, shown by a Twitter user, marks a shift from online-only sales to dedicated shops that could widen visibility for Starlink. SpaceX previously sold through Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and its website; the new stores suggest broader retail ambitions, with reports of four stores in Nebraska and a fourth in Sioux Falls, SD, and potential additional openings. The move may bolster adoption ahead of the BEAD funding to close broadband gaps, but some analysts warn about upfront costs and variable customer support. Starlink's portable, high-speed service remains a competitive advantage despite service issues.

One UI 8.5 Mostly Positive, but iOS-like Tweaks Spark Debate

December 15, 2025, 8:10 AM EST. Samsung's One UI 8.5 beta introduces iOS-like tweaks-a new Quick Settings layout and refreshed apps-that spark a debate about identity. Proponents say the changes add polish and customization, while critics argue the UI is drifting toward iPhone aesthetics. A recent poll shows the split: just over 42% dislike the iOS-like changes, about 9% tolerate them, and around 28% think they look great, with roughly 20% indifferent. Many readers prefer a distinctly Android/Samsung look and consider third-party launchers or switching brands. Defenders emphasize flexibility and note that Apple has borrowed from Android too. In short, One UI 8.5 is polished but divisive.

Mirelo raises $41M from Index and a16z to add sound to AI-generated videos

December 15, 2025, 8:04 AM EST. Mirelo, the Berlin-based startup behind AI that adds soundtracks to videos, has raised a $41 million seed round led by Index Ventures and a16z. Its AI model, first shown as Mirelo SFX v1.5, analyzes video content to generate synced sound effects and ambience, addressing a long-standing gap in AI video creation. The funding will help Mirelo hire, expand its R&D, and push its Mirelo Studio workspace for creators, while revenue is expected to come largely from API usage and a freemium model priced at €20/month. The company has published models on Fal.ai and Replicate and notes training data relies on public and purchased libraries with revenue-sharing partnerships to respect artists' rights. Competitors include Sony, Tencent, Kling AI, and ElevenLabs; Mirelo aims to build a narrow moat through focus on audio.

Can Apple Fix Siri? Delays, promises, and the hunt for a smarter assistant

December 15, 2025, 8:02 AM EST. Apple's Siri has long underperformed despite being embedded in nearly every product. The June 2024 promise of an AI-powered Siri has yet to materialize, and 18 months on it remains blithely irrelevant to many users. The latest chatter suggests a spring 2026 rollout alongside the rumored HomePad, a pace that feels like too little, too late. Meanwhile, Apple has canceled or deferred other projects like AirPower and trimmed expectations around Vision Pro updates. The result is growing questions about trust in Apple to deliver timely updates, patch vulnerabilities, and protect privacy. If Apple wants to reclaim confidence, it will need concrete, widely felt improvements that go beyond vague promises and sporadic releases.

Forgotten MTG Enchantment Flourishing Defenses Surges 4,251% on Morcant Combo

December 15, 2025, 7:56 AM EST. Magic: The Gathering's forgotten enchantment Flourishing Defenses has re-entered the spotlight thanks to the reveal of High Perfect Morcant. When a -1/-1 counter is placed on a creature, Flourishing Defenses creates a 1/1 green elf token. High Perfect Morcant makes opponents place a -1/-1 counter on a creature whenever an elf enters the battlefield under your control, triggering a loop that can flood the board with elves and clear non-ally creatures. Data from TCGplayer shows Flourishing Defenses rising from about $0.31 on Nov 15 to a peak of $21.45 on Dec 11, then dipping to $13.49-a staggering 4,251% increase. Got a favorite MTG combo? Share in the Wargamer Discord.

MSI MEG X870E Godlike X Edition Review: A 10th-Anniversary Halo motherboard with cutting-edge features

December 15, 2025, 7:54 AM EST. MSI's MEG X870E Godlike X Edition is a halo motherboard built to celebrate the Godlike line's 10th anniversary. Limited to 1,000 samples, it showcases MSI's engineering prowess rather than mass appeal, with a 24-phase CPU power design and premium features that trickle down over time. It supports AMD Socket AM5 Ryzen 7000/9000 and DDR5-9000(OC) across up to 256 GB. You get multiple PCIe Gen5/Gen4 slots, generous M.2/Storage options, and robust networking: 10 Gbps Ethernet (Marvell) alongside 5 Gbps Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7 via MT7927. Exclusive extras include Dynamic Dashboard II, EZ M.2 Clip II, EZ PCIe release button, and a collectors stand. If you crave the pinnacle of aesthetic and feature density, this board delivers-though at a premium.

SpaceX and Google: A 10-Year Windfall Driving AI Compute and Space-Based Data Centers

December 15, 2025, 7:50 AM EST. Google's 2015 investment of $900M for roughly 7.5% of SpaceX, when the company was valued at $12B, now looks like a colossal windfall. SpaceX's planned $1.5T IPO would value Google's stake at about $112B, underscoring a rare blend of profit and strategic foresight. But the story is bigger than finance: space-based data centers could help hyperscalers address energy and cooling constraints by accessing abundant solar power and passive orbital cooling. With around 7,500 satellites, SpaceX enables near-continuous solar generation and reduced land/water use for compute. As AI compute needs surge, this model may redefine where and how data centers scale, letting Google align capital with energy-efficient, future-ready infrastructure.

UK to push nudity-blocking software on devices to protect children

December 15, 2025, 7:48 AM EST. The UK is considering a policy to require nudity-blocking software on consumer devices to safeguard children online. Framed as a digital-safety initiative, the plan would push for standard content controls, defaults, and potential regulatory oversight to ensure persistent protections. Proponents argue it could reduce exposure to harmful material, while critics warn about privacy implications, costs, and the feasibility of broad implementation across devices and platforms. Stakeholders-device makers, software developers, and parental-control providers-will shape the policy's scope, enforcement, and transparency requirements. If adopted, the move could redefine the safety-rights balance in the digital landscape and set a global precedent for device-level protections.

AI dominates Q3 2025 S&P 500 earnings calls as uncertainty fades

December 15, 2025, 7:46 AM EST. FactSet finds AI cited on 306 S&P 500 earnings calls from Sep 15-Dec 4, the most in 10 years and well above the 5-year (136) and 10-year (86) averages. The information technology and communication services sectors top the share of calls mentioning AI. Firms citing AI also outperformed peers on stock moves since 12/31/2024: ~13.9% vs 5.7% by Dec 2024-Jun 2025, 8.1% vs 3.9% by Jun 30, 2025, and 1.0% vs 0.3% by Sep 30, 2025. On uncertainty, mentions peaked in Q1 2025 (415 mentions) and tapered in Q2/Q3 2025. CFOs stress action over inaction amid a shifting geopolitical/economic backdrop; global AI spend remains rising into 2026.

Xbox Series X Discount Drops to $600 at Amazon with 4K/120fps and Game Pass

December 15, 2025, 7:38 AM EST. The Xbox Series X is on sale at Amazon with an 8% discount that reduces the price by $50 to $600. The piece traces the price history, noting launch at $500 and subsequent increases to $600 then $650 before this drop. Compared with the Xbox Series S, the Series X delivers 4K gaming, up to 120fps, and includes a disc drive for physical games. Powered by Xbox Velocity Architecture, it enables fast load times and Quick Resume. With Game Pass Ultimate, players gain online multiplayer and a growing library. The article also nods to the acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from The Game Awards. See at Amazon.

Nvidia weighs expanding H200 AI chip production amid rising Chinese demand

December 15, 2025, 7:36 AM EST. Following the Trump administration's easing of export restrictions on Nvidia's H200 AI chips to China, several Chinese tech firms, including Alibaba and ByteDance, have reportedly shown significant interest in securing more supply. The potential policy shift could prompt Nvidia to expand production of the H200 and related AI chips to meet a surge in demand from Chinese buyers while balancing U.S. export controls. Industry watchers say the move could bolster AI deployment in China but faces political and supply-chain considerations, pricing pressures, and risk of renewed restrictions. Nvidia's decision may hinge on chip supply, customer commitments, and government approvals, with the market watching how Alibaba and ByteDance will participate in future orders.

Apple and Google push emergency patches for zero-day exploits in WebKit and Chrome

December 15, 2025, 7:34 AM EST. Apple and Google issued emergency patches after zero-day flaws were actively exploited in sophisticated, real-world attacks. Apple pushed updates across iPhone, iPad, and Mac to fix WebKit bugs that reportedly enabled targeted exploitation. Google followed with a Chrome Stable channel update addressing multiple flaws, including CVE-2025-14174, an out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability already used in the wild. Google said the patch was coordinated after Apple disclosed findings, with attribution to Apple's security team and Google's Threat Analysis Group, implying spyware-grade exploitation rather than ordinary malware. The incidents push the 2025 tally higher: Apple has patched nine zero-day exploits exploited in the wild, and Google eight in Chrome. Attacks highlight browsers and mobile platforms as high-value targets for attackers.

Soverli Raises $2.6M Pre-Seed to Bring Sovereign OS Layer to Any Smartphone

December 15, 2025, 7:32 AM EST. Soverli, an ETH Zurich spin-off, today announced a USD 2.6 million pre-seed funding round led by Founderful to bring a sovereign OS layer to any smartphone – running in parallel to Android and iOS without hardware changes. The patent-pending approach enables multiple OSes to run in isolation on a single device, delivering true digital sovereignty for individuals, enterprises and governments while preserving full device functionality. In demonstrations, Signal runs inside the sovereign OS, cutting the attack surface by 500× and isolating messaging from Android even if the base OS is compromised. No hardware mods are required, making auditable, customizable, and secure mobile infrastructure accessible to OEMs, businesses, and consumers.

Rumored Half-Life 3 Could Launch with Steam Machine in Spring 2026

December 15, 2025, 7:24 AM EST. Insider Gaming Weekly claims Half-Life 3 could be a launch title for Valve's Steam Machine, with a spring 2026 window for the game, the Frame, and the Controller. Host Mike Straw says his sources insist the title is real and tied to Valve's hardware push, though RAM-pricing surges may complicate pricing and the official announcement. Valve has not commented, and while there have been past hints and a 20th-anniversary Half-Life 2 update, no formal confirmation exists. The rumor highlights the possibility of a major game launch aligned with Valve's hardware, but uncertainty remains over timing, cost, and production.

Samsung updates Good Lock's One Hand Operation+ to support One UI 8.5 beta

December 15, 2025, 7:22 AM EST. Samsung has rolled out an update for One Hand Operation+, the module inside Good Lock, adding compatibility with the One UI 8.5 beta. The update fixes bugs and improves stability, enabling Galaxy S25 series users in the One UI 8.5 beta to use the gesture-driven app designed for one-handed operation. Samsung has recently refreshed several stock apps – Calculator, Clock, Samsung Internet, and Samsung Notes – for One UI 8.5, alongside a refreshed design. The One Hand Operation+ update makes it easier to navigate the device with one hand via extra gestures, continuing Samsung's push to optimize apps for the new software.

Top 10 Smartwatches to Power Your New Year Fitness Goals

December 15, 2025, 7:20 AM EST. Start your year strong with our roundup of the top 10 smartwatches designed to boost your fitness goals. This guide covers rugged models with long battery life and built-in GPS, plus stylish wearables with Wear OS, extensive health tracking, and smart features to keep you motivated. Highlights include the rugged Amazfit T-Rex, OnePlus Watch 2, Huawei Watch FIT 4, Google Pixel Watch LTE, Garmin Forerunner 55, Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic, Noise Endeavour Pro, Garmin Venu Sq 2, Fastrack Sleek, and Titan Evoke 2.0. Expect accurate activity tracking, sleep monitoring, HR insights, GPS precision, and daily reminders that support your workouts, steps, and overall wellness-helping you stay committed all year long.

Nvidia Considers H200 Output Boost as China Demand Surges

December 15, 2025, 7:18 AM EST. Nvidia is weighing higher production of its H200 AI chip as China-bound demand outstrips supply. The move follows chatter that the U.S. could permit H200 sales to China with a 25% tariff, while Alibaba and ByteDance have shown interest in substantial orders. The H200 remains the most capable AI processor accessible to Chinese firms, ahead of Nvidia's downgraded H20 designed to comply with export rules. As Chinese cloud providers accelerate AI builds, the demand gap has widened. Yet hurdles remain: authorities have not approved H200 transactions and are weighing whether approving the chip could deter local alternatives. Any purchases might require locally developed chips. Nvidia's output ramp is challenging as it doubles down on Blackwell and the Rubin platform, amid TSMC capacity limits. Timing hinges on the coming weeks.

Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC Takes New Stake in NVIDIA (NVDA) as Analysts Boost Targets

December 15, 2025, 7:16 AM EST. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC disclosed a new position in NVIDIA (NVDA) in its 2Q filing, purchasing 50,273 shares valued at about $7.93 million. The stake represents roughly 1.0% of Coppell's portfolio, making NVIDIA its 26th largest holding. Other institutions also added to or trimmed NVIDIA, including Harbor Asset Planning, Winnow Wealth, Spurstone Advisory Services, and EDENTREE Asset Management; Longfellow Investment Management increased its stake by 47.9%, to 207 shares worth about $33,000. Institutional ownership stands at about 65.27%. Analysts have raised targets: Stifel Nicolaus ($250), CICC ($228), Benchmark ($250), Melius ($320), and Citigroup ($270), with a Buy/Strong Buy consensus and an average target of $258.65. NVIDIA traded down around 3.3% after opening near $175.02; market cap remains near $4.25 trillion.

Apple Watch Series 11 drops $100 at Amazon to lowest price yet

December 15, 2025, 7:14 AM EST. Amazon cuts $100 on the Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm) to as low as $329 for the GPS model, with the cellular/LTE option also discounted to $699. Both sizes and aluminum finishes see savings ahead of Christmas. The Series 11 boosts battery life to 24 hours per charge, offers faster charging (80% in 30 minutes), and introduces an on-wrist screen protection thanks to a new ceramic coating. It can detect hypertension trends over 30 days and, with watchOS 26, supports the feature on Series 9/10/Ultra 2 as well. LTE adds a 5G antenna for better connectivity. A solid pick for early fitness goals and a timely deal ahead of the holidays.

NVIDIA News Today: China H200 Export Shift, Blackwell Ramp, and Wall Street Forecasts

December 15, 2025, 7:02 AM EST. Investors are weighing two realities as NVIDIA sits at the center of the AI infrastructure boom: surging data-center demand and renewed regulatory sensitivity around exports. The U.S. policy shift to allow H200 exports to China, with a 25% fee collected via a Taiwan-to-U.S. route for security clearance, has stirred political backlash and raised questions about Chinese demand and future approvals. NVIDIA is evaluating expanding H200 production to meet rising orders, signaling a potential ramp in output. Traders are watching NVDA around the mid-$170s, with intraday swings amid broader AI-stock volatility and rotation away from tech. Wall Street forecasts remain focused on the AI cycle, margins, and how policy moves will influence NVIDIA's ability to monetize AI infrastructure ahead of new chip generations and regulatory reviews.

Apple patches two zero-day flaws in WebKit exploited in targeted attacks across iPhone and Mac

December 15, 2025, 7:00 AM EST. Apple has issued urgent patches for two zero-day flaws in WebKit (CVE-2025-43529 and CVE-2025-14174) that may have been exploited in highly targeted attacks. The vulnerabilities are a use-after-free and memory corruption flaw, enabling arbitrary code via crafted web content. Affected devices include iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro (12.9-inch 3rd gen+; 11-inch 1st gen+), iPad Air (3rd gen+), iPad (8th gen+), and iPad mini (5th gen+). Patches arrive with iOS 18.7.3, iPadOS 18.7.3, macOS Tahoe 26.2, watchOS/tvOS/visionOS 26.2, and Safari 26.2. Apple notes the flaws may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals. Google researchers helped identify the flaws; coordinated industry response continues.

Not all CEOs favor Trump's AI order to preempt state laws

December 15, 2025, 6:58 AM EST. Morning read on how industry leaders react to President Trump's AI executive order that would preempt state AI laws in favor of a national standard. Some Silicon Valley figures praise the move to keep the U.S. competitive with China and to avoid a chaotic patchwork of rules. Yet seven leaders, speaking on background, caution that the order may overstep state rights and that current and pending state laws would persist unless preempted by Congress or blocked in court. They call for a federal framework that creates clarity, whose priorities balance risk mitigation with innovation. The piece contrasts U.S. debate with EU and Chinese models, noting calls for a seat at the table and robust protections, including about copyright and consumer rights in AI use.

Starlink near-miss with Chinese CAS Space satellite highlights data-sharing gaps in orbit

December 15, 2025, 6:46 AM EST. SpaceX says a newly launched Chinese satellite from CAS Space came within a few hundred meters of a Starlink satellite, blaming the operator for not sharing ephemeris data. Starlink engineers note that automatic avoidance relies on knowing other objects' positions. CAS Space says their launches use a ground-based space awareness system and that the incident occurred after payload separation. With over 24,000 objects tracked in low Earth orbit and potential totals up to 70,000 by decade's end, the near-miss heightens concerns about deconfliction and the risk of a Kessler syndrome. The episode underscores the need for better data-sharing and coordination among operators to keep LEO safe.

Tesla: Morgan Stanley raises price target but warns of choppy year as FSD and Optimus drive value

December 15, 2025, 6:44 AM EST. Tesla stock faces a mixed outlook after Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco takes over coverage, lifts the price target from $410 to $425 and shifts the rating to Equal Weight. He argues Tesla remains a leader across EVs, autonomy, renewable energy, and real-world AI, but cautions a fragile, choppy trading environment over the next 12 months as he sees downside to estimates and catalysts for non-auto businesses largely priced in. A 7% cut could come if market-cap hurdles are cleared. He assigns about $60 of equity value per share to Optimus and singles out Full Self-Driving (FSD) as the crown jewel with potential to redefine personal driving. Bear and bull cases range from $145 to $860, with risks from competition, margins, and regulatory headwinds. The stock trades near $441.

My Thoughts on AI Safety: Balancing Risk, Innovation, and Pragmatism

December 15, 2025, 6:42 AM EST. At a Christmas party, the author reflects on AI safety debates, acknowledging the fear of a superintelligent godlike AI but arguing against halting innovation. They compare existential risk discussions to other tech risks (nuclear, biology, media) and note that avoiding progress may be suboptimal. The piece references Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, Gregory Benford, and even Neuromancer's Turing Cops as cultural touchpoints. Rather than surrender to fear, the author advocates exploring technology's potential while recognizing unknowns, suggesting measured progress rather than blanket bans. The takeaway: balance risk and progress, embrace prudent study of AI safety without stifling invention.

Pokemon TCG Mega Charizard Ultra-Premium Collection Restocked at $165 on Amazon

December 15, 2025, 6:14 AM EST. Amazon has restocked the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection for $165 (down from $250). Released with the Phantasmal Flames expansion, this bundle previously peaked at $250 and briefly hit $211 on launch day, later dropping toward $200 as it sold out. The set includes two foil promo cards (Mega Charizard X ex and Oricorio ex), 18 booster packs, a Charizard-themed playmat and deck box, a metal coin, six damage-counter dice, and a TCG Live code card. The boosters span Phantasmal Flames, Mega Evolution, Destined Rivals, Journey Together, and more. With stock moving quickly, collectors should grab it soon before it sells out again.

Ethical hacker demonstrates Kindle vulnerability via malicious ebook, risking Amazon accounts

December 15, 2025, 6:12 AM EST. Valentino Ricotta, an ethical hacker at Thales, showed how a malicious ebook could compromise a Kindle and expose an Amazon account. By exploiting flaws in the device's audiobook-scanning software and the on-screen keyboard, he could load malicious code that captured the user's session cookies, granting full access to payments and personal data. He warned that side-loading books from third-party sites-even offline-can create serious risks. Amazon fixed the critical flaws after the disclosure, and Ricotta earned a bug bounty of $20,000 (donated by Thales to charity). The demonstration highlights the ongoing need for robust security across connected devices and vigilance against malicious ebooks.

Hybrid Superyacht Connectivity: Bonding VSAT, 5G and Starlink for Seamless Internet at Sea

December 15, 2025, 6:10 AM EST. Superyachts are shedding slow, costly links for bonded, high-performance connectivity. ONEXP, a boutique AV/IT integrator, blends multiple sources-VSAT, 5G, GSM, Starlink, and OneWeb-into a single, resilient link that self-corrects and auto-fails over. The result is uninterrupted streaming, calls, and cloud apps, powered by intelligent switching and cybersecurity layers to protect the onboard footprint. This shift from limited satellite access to hybrid networks reshapes budgets, latency, and user experience, delivering home-like internet on board. As CTO Chris Poortvliet notes, the trend has accelerated, with Starlink and next-gen satellites expanding capacity and reliability across oceans.

Dispatch's Secret Fourth 'Your Robert' Endgame Hidden From Players

December 15, 2025, 6:06 AM EST. Dispatch players may have a hidden fourth outcome for Your Robert that no one has unlocked, despite the game's focus on moral choices. After finishing the final episode, Your Robert can be labeled as a true hero, antihero, or everyman, but a fourth variant has reportedly slipped under the radar. Eurogamer spoke with AdHoc Studio founders Nick Herman and Pierre Shorette, who noted they've only seen three of the tests appear in players' stats. Some speculate the missing fourth state is bugged. The discussion underscores Dispatch's branching endings and the possibility of a still-undiscovered outcome, keeping players curious about the true scope of the ending.

Gallup: AI Use at Work Rises to 45% in 2025 Q3

December 15, 2025, 6:04 AM EST. Gallup's Q3 2025 Workforce results show AI use at work rising among U.S. employees: those using AI at least a few times a year grew from 40% to 45%, with frequent use (a few times a week or more) up from 19% to 23%, and daily use edging to 10%. Knowledge-based roles lead adoption-76% in technology or information systems, 58% in finance, and 57% in professional services report at least yearly AI use-while frontline sectors trail (retail 33%, healthcare 37%, manufacturing 38%). About 37% say their organization has implemented AI to boost productivity; 40% say not, and 23% don't know. The study highlights uncertainty in adoption, with "don't know" more common among individual contributors (26%) than managers (16%) or leaders (7%), and among part-time, on-site, and frontline employees.

Experts raise serious concerns over LG NCM811 batteries in Tesla Model 3/Y

December 15, 2025, 6:02 AM EST. Researchers at EV Clinic warn that LG Energy Solution NCM811 cells used in some Tesla Model 3 and Model Y packs may fail sooner than Panasonic cells. They report higher initial resistance (28 milliohms vs ~10 milliohms) and claim most failed LG packs cannot be repaired at the cell level. The warning could dampen EV adoption amid range anxiety and concerns about battery durability and repair costs. Tesla owners are advised to swap LG Nanjing packs for Panasonic or visit service centers for full replacement. The issue has broader implications for policy, infrastructure, and consumer trust in electric vehicles, underscoring the need for stricter battery quality controls and transparent durability data.

Galaxy S23 receives December 2025 security patch with 57 fixes (South Korea)

December 15, 2025, 6:00 AM EST. Samsung has released the December 2025 security patch for the Galaxy S23 series, beginning in South Korea with firmware S918NKSS6EYL1 and addressing 57 security issues. The rollout is expected to expand to other regions in the coming days. To install, go to Settings > Software update > Download and install. The Galaxy S23 is still on One UI 8.0, with the possibility of One UI 8.5 arriving soon. We also tested One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which brings a refreshed look and new features.

Meta's AI Restructuring in 2025 Triggers Employee Departures and Morale Concerns

December 15, 2025, 5:58 AM EST. Meta's ongoing AI restructuring and new policy changes are triggering resignations and internal unease across teams. Staff report shifting expectations, tighter performance reviews, and reallocations that disrupt project timelines, especially on core AI initiatives and product roadmaps. Critics warn that attrition and morale dip could slow rollout of key features; researchers and engineers feel uncertain about long-term direction while management defends the changes as necessary to align with an AI-first strategy. The situation raises questions for leadership, compensation, and hiring as well as potential implications for investor confidence and competitive positioning in the rapidly evolving tech industry. Meta has reiterated commitment to its AI roadmap, signaling patience may be required as teams adapt.

Exclusive: Tesla board earned $3B via stock awards, dwarfs tech peers

December 15, 2025, 5:56 AM EST. Tesla's board has earned more than $3 billion through stock awards, dwarfing peers at Alphabet, Nvidia, Meta, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon. Equilar's analysis for Reuters shows CEO Elon Musk's brother Kimbal netted nearly $1 billion since 2004, director Ira Ehrenpreis $869 million since 2007, and chair Robyn Denholm about $650 million since 2014. Directors received significant pay before a 2021 suspension amid a shareholder lawsuit over excessive compensation. Between 2018 and 2020, the average Tesla director took roughly $12 million in cash-and-stock, about eight times the average at Meta. Tesla notes pay is tied to stock performance and shareholder value creation, while critics warn that granting stock options can magnify upside with limited downside risk. 58 meetings in 2024 underscore director commitment.

ASML's EUV Monopoly and the AI Chip Bottleneck: The High-NA Leap to Sub-2nm

December 15, 2025, 5:54 AM EST. ASML stands at the center of AI hardware, with Bloomberg portraying it as the market's choke point: a true monopoly on EUV lithography that only ASML can supply. The company's machines, including the recent $400M beasts, power the most advanced GPUs from NVIDIA and foundries like TSMC to print tiny transistors. While NVIDIA dominates AI GPUs, ASML's role is outsized – a potential single point of failure for the global AI supply chain. Now, under CEO Christophe Fouquet, ASML is moving from existing EUV toward High-NA lithography to enable sub-2nm nodes. That leap promises higher performance and lower heat, but it also concentrates risk and power in one company's hands as AI investment remains a two-track economy.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra to launch with Redmi Turbo 5 series, flagship smartwatch and more, leak says

December 15, 2025, 5:38 AM EST. Rumors point to an early reveal of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite and joined by two Redmi midrange models: the Redmi Turbo 5 and Turbo 5 Pro. The Turbo 5 is said to use MediaTek's Dimensity 8500, while the Turbo 5 Pro may sport the Dimensity 9500 and a massive 9,000 mAh battery with 100W charging (the non-Pro may offer a 7,500 mAh cell). A new flagship smartwatch with eSIM support, a large 930 mAh wearable battery, and Xiaomi HyperOS are also expected, along with a midrange tablet, two pairs of TWS earbuds, and other IoT devices. Blind pre-orders have begun; price in China may match the previous generation, with no confirmed global pricing.

Galaxy Watch 4 starts getting One UI 8 Watch, likely last update

December 15, 2025, 5:22 AM EST. Samsung has begun rolling out One UI 8 Watch to the aging Galaxy Watch 4, widely expected to be its last major OS update. The rollout started in South Korea with builds R87OXXU1JYK4/R870OXM1JYK4 and is likely to expand to the US soon. The watch debuted in 2021, and Samsung promised four years of major OS updates for Wear OS and One UI Watch, making this release the final platform upgrade for Samsung's first Wear OS watches. While One UI 8 Watch on Wear OS 6 may not bring every feature seen on newer devices, it should deliver meaningful refinements, under-the-hood improvements, and ongoing security patches.

One UI 8.5: Customize the battery indicator in the status bar

December 15, 2025, 5:16 AM EST. One UI 8.5 brings a subtle but noticeable change to how the battery indicator is shown in the status bar. In contrast to earlier versions, the percentage is always displayed as a number, but Samsung adds a new customization: you can decide whether the pill-shaped battery icon appears. Turn off the battery background for a cleaner look that shows just the numeric value with a %. To adjust it, open Settings > Notifications & Status bar and toggle Show battery background on or off. This lets you switch between two styles without hiding the percentage, giving you a cleaner or more icon-focused appearance while keeping the exact charge visible.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 15R: What changes in display, price, and design

December 15, 2025, 5:14 AM EST. Here's a quick look at how the OnePlus 15 and the upcoming OnePlus 15R stack up. The OnePlus 15 remains the flagship with strong battery life, top-tier performance, and improved AI and camera features, priced at $899 / £899. The OnePlus 15R is expected to be lighter on some specs (chipset, screen size, camera) to hit a lower price-rumored around $599 / £679-and it may borrow design elements from the flagship, including the same 165Hz display refresh rate. Availability: the 15 is rolling out worldwide; the 15R tease points to a December 17 announcement. In practice, the gap between models may be smaller than past R series variants, with the 15R aiming to offer strong value without sacrificing core performance.

Taiwan forms computing alliance to advance sovereign AI applications

December 15, 2025, 5:12 AM EST. Taiwan has launched a government-funded cloud computing center on December 12, 2025, aiming to boost domestic AI capabilities. The initiative forms a national computing alliance designed to accelerate the deployment of sovereign AI solutions and reduce dependence on foreign infrastructure. President Lai Ching-te underscored Taiwan's commitment to leadership in advanced technologies and digital sovereignty, outlining close collaboration with industry, academia, and government agencies. The center will provide secure, scalable cloud computing resources to support research, development, and deployment of local AI applications across sectors, from manufacturing to public services, while reinforcing data protection and cyber resilience. By pooling public investments and private expertise, Taiwan seeks faster innovation cycles, talent retention, and a more resilient AI ecosystem at home.

Satellite IoT Market to Reach $3.5B by 2030 Fueled by LEO Networks and Industry 4.0

December 15, 2025, 5:10 AM EST. The Satellite IoT market is expanding as remote regions gain reliable connectivity for agriculture, maritime, mining, and logistics. From US$1.4B in 2024, the market is expected to reach US$3.5B by 2030, a CAGR of ~16.5%. Growth is driven by Industry 4.0 adoption, widespread LEO satellite constellations, and rising automation. Key tech advances include NB-IoT and LPWAN over satellite, AI-powered data analytics for predictive maintenance and anomaly detection, and blockchain-enabled secure transmissions. Antenna innovations like phased-array systems improve throughput, while miniaturized sensors boost scalability and energy efficiency. Industries leveraging satellite IoT span agriculture, maritime, mining, and logistics, unlocking real-time monitoring, asset tracking, and enhanced decision-making across vast geographies.

iOS 26 glitch turns Android photos red in Apple Photos, workaround emerging

December 15, 2025, 5:08 AM EST. Reports of an iOS 26 glitch are turning Android-taken photos red when viewed in Apple Photos, with users citing devices like Motorola Razr and Samsung Galaxy S24. Some also see red photos from iPhone shots when opened on iPhone 17. In cropping, photos have turned to black-and-white, and the issue persists after the 26.2 update. A temporary workaround is to tap Edit and Revert to remove the red tint, but no permanent fix is confirmed by Apple yet. The broader iOS 26 rollout has faced lag, crashes, and battery drain, with Apple issuing several updates and promising fixes for security and design issues.

Fran Tarkenton's Apple Bet: Why the NFL Legend Is Bullish on Tim Cook

December 15, 2025, 5:06 AM EST. Fran Tarkenton, the NFL legend, explains why he allocated millions to Apple and remains bullish on Tim Cook's leadership. The veteran investor cites Apple's durable brand, expansive ecosystem, and steady push into services as reasons for a long-term stake. He notes the company's hardware resilience, innovation cadence, and cash-flow strength as pillars of confidence. Tarkenton contrasts Apple with peers, underscoring disciplined capital returns and strategic investments in AI and health-related tech. For fans and investors, his stance illustrates a bridge between sports stardom and tech investing-and a firm belief in Apple's ongoing dominance under Cook.

AI in Media: Polarization, Trust, and Social Sustainability Explored

December 15, 2025, 4:52 AM EST. Four guest speakers at the biannual IMS Digital Media Debate shared research on AI in the media, examining how AI changes communication, builds trust, and may drive polarization. The discussion covered whether social sustainability of AI is feasible, especially in media education, and how journalists and geopolitical contexts shape biases in AI systems. Highlights included questions about geopolitical pressures on smaller states and the journalist's responsibility to curb bias. Abstracts outlined frames-from Theorizing Communication in the Context of AI, with worldviews and cybersemiotics, to Using AI for Non-Polarizing Communication-exploring AI's role as a transdisciplinary tool in understanding meaning, information, and mediated discourse.

AI aims to turn mammograms into a multitool for preventive health

December 15, 2025, 4:50 AM EST. At RSNA in Chicago, researchers and vendors described AI software that could expand routine mammography beyond cancer detection to a multitool for preventive health care. The idea is to use imaging-based AI to estimate breast cancer risk and also predict cardiovascular disease risk, guiding personalized surveillance. Some clinics already offer AI add-ons for $40-$50 out of pocket, and academic centers are conducting head-to-head clinical trials to validate the approach. If validated by 2026, these tools could broaden the role of screening in clinical care, linking imaging to broader risk assessment and early intervention in both cancer and cardiovascular disease.

PlayStation Portal Update Expands Cloud Streaming but Still Lacks a True Handheld Console

December 15, 2025, 4:38 AM EST. Sony's PlayStation Portal just got another update, expanding cloud streaming to thousands of games tied to a player's account, not just the PS Plus catalog. The move makes Portal more usable in theory, but in practice it underscores why Sony needs a real handheld console. Since its 2023 launch, Portal shifted from a TV-streaming accessory to a portable gateway for Remote Play and cloud titles, yet hardware limitations and reliance on a strong home network persist. The latest update, enabling cloud streaming beyond the curated library for PS Plus Premium subscribers, expands the library but keeps the premium price tag and PS5 dependence. Until Sony delivers true handheld processing, Portal remains an accessory, not a standalone device.

Trending tickers: Tesla, iRobot, Canopy Growth, STMicroelectronics and HSBC in focus

December 15, 2025, 4:34 AM EST. Investors navigated updates on Tesla, iRobot, Canopy Growth, STMicroelectronics and HSBC as trading headlines shifted. Tesla shares rose as the robotaxi program advances, with a video showing a self-driving car operating with no occupant and Elon Musk confirming testing is underway. In contrast, iRobot filed for bankruptcy, warning of debt and a restructuring plan that would leave Picea with 100% equity while continuing device operations. Meanwhile, Canopy Growth and other cannabis names surged on reports the White House may reclassify cannabis to ease federal restrictions, potentially boosting profitability. The coverage also touched STMicroelectronics and HSBC as investors weigh the broader tech and financial implications.

Tesla Tests Driverless Robotaxis in Austin as Autonomy Push Advances

December 15, 2025, 4:18 AM EST. Tesla has begun testing its Model Y robotaxis in Austin without human safety drivers on board, signaling a major step toward true driverless rides. Paying passengers still travel with a human supervisor, but Elon Musk has suggested that unsupervised operation could arrive in Austin in about three weeks. The tests rely on Tesla's Full-Self Driving (FSD) software, with a broader rollout still without a firm date. Critics point to past FSD missteps and NHTSA crash reports, even as rival Waymo expands its driverless services across multiple cities. Musk cautions that timelines are optimistic, but this year's progress highlights how autonomous taxis remain a central battleground for AI and self-driving tech.

MacBook Pro Deal: 13-inch model for $399.97 before it's gone

December 15, 2025, 4:04 AM EST. A sponsored Mashable deal highlights a limited-time discount on Apple's MacBook Pro. The 13-inch space gray model is listed at $399.97 (regularly $1,580), offering substantial savings for buyers who act quickly. The post emphasizes that deal pricing and availability can change after publication and notes this is a high-performance laptop with the usual MacBook Pro strengths. If you're shopping for a portable, powerful macOS machine, this promo represents a rare discount on a top-tier device-though supply is limited and today's price may not last long.

Can Quantum Computing Stocks Become the Next Nvidia? Lessons from History

December 15, 2025, 4:02 AM EST. Historical precedent shows game-changing technologies often surge in an early bubble before settling into steady growth. The piece argues that, while quantum computing stocks such as IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, and Quantum Computing Inc. have rallied strongly, they face years of wait for broad-based commercialization. Like the internet's early days, investors search for the next Nvidia-like winner, drawn by AI breakthroughs. Yet early adoption remains limited: major platforms from AWS to Microsoft offer only partial access, and the industry is far from giving classical computers a lasting edge. In short, history suggests the bubble-bursting pattern may recur for quantum optimism despite compelling potential.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection Switch physicals omit MK4 on cartridge, MK4 added as DLC

December 15, 2025, 3:14 AM EST. Players who bought the physical Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection for Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 discovered Mortal Kombat 4 is not on the game card. Digital Eclipse confirmed the cartridge build went to production before MK4 was ready, with MK4 delivered as downloadable content after release. Atari's product page now notes that Switch users should download post-release patches to access MK4 and other improvements. Nintendo Life observers report a day-one update on a Switch 2 cartridge that enables MK4. The situation appears limited to the Nintendo versions; the PlayStation 5 physical release includes all games on-disc. Digital Eclipse says future cartridge reprints for Switch might include MK4 if that happens. We'll update if there are significant developments.

Tesla rolls out new deals to blunt another sales decline

December 15, 2025, 2:44 AM EST. Tesla is rolling out new deals and better financing options to blunt another potential sales decline. The move focuses on flexible pricing, lease terms, and time-limited incentives designed to attract price-conscious buyers and clear inventory. As competition intensifies in the EV market, the company aims to sustain demand by making its lineup more accessible while protecting margins through cost controls and selective promotions. Analysts note that while such tactics can boost near-term results, sustained success will depend on continued innovation, service enhancements, and navigating policy shifts that affect consumer adoption and energy incentives.

Nvidia Stock Pullback: Is This AI Leader a Buy?

December 15, 2025, 2:42 AM EST. Nvidia stock has fallen about 17% from its late-October high, raising questions about whether the pullback creates a buying opportunity. Despite a softer sentiment toward AI, Nvidia's fundamentals remain solid. In fiscal Q3, revenue rose 62% year over year to $57.0 billion, led by the data-center segment at $51.2 billion. Operating income rose 65% and EPS was $1.30. Nvidia guided for FYQ4 revenue around $65.0 billion, implying about 14% sequential growth and roughly 65% year-over-year. At about 43x earnings, the stock trades at a premium, justified only if AI demand stays robust and margins stay in the 70% range. The main risk is a potential AI slowdown or cyclical shifts in semiconductors, not execution.

Is SoundHound AI a Top AI Stock for 2026?

December 15, 2025, 2:30 AM EST. SoundHound AI, a $5B market-cap player, has shown volatile momentum in 2025 but still attracts interest as an AI stock. The company blends audio recognition with generative AI to automate customer interactions, with early traction in restaurants and expanding to healthcare, insurance, and financial services. In Q3, revenue rose 68% to $42 million, illustrating rapid growth, though year-to-date performance remained choppy with a ~15% decline. Proponents note potential for a 2026 rebound as large clients deepen adoption and more industries deploy AI-powered customer service agents. Risks include consumer acceptance of non-human agents and execution overhype. If SoundHound can scale offerings and deliver reliable experiences, the stock could benefit from broader enterprise AI spend.

Surface Immobilized Electrides Push Quantum Computing Forward, Enabling Tunable Electron Behavior

December 15, 2025, 2:28 AM EST. Auburn University scientists have developed a groundbreaking class of materials called Surface Immobilized Electrides, enabling precise control over free electrons-particles essential to chemistry and computing. The electrides allow electrons to move freely, unlocking potential for quantum computing and catalysis. By attaching solvated electron precursors to stable surfaces like diamond or silicon carbide, they created materials whose electronic properties can be tuned for different applications. Depending on molecular arrangement, electrons can form isolated "islands" that act as quantum bits for advanced computing or spread into metallic seas that drive chemical reactions, paving the way for breakthroughs in computing, energy, and manufacturing. This could lead to supercomputers that learn like humans and factories that manufacture compounds more efficiently, uniting chemists, physicists, and materials engineers in a transformative step toward scalable technologies redefining the limits of computation and industrial chemistry.

STMicroelectronics and SpaceX celebrate a decade of co-designed chips powering Starlink

December 15, 2025, 2:26 AM EST. STMicroelectronics and SpaceX celebrate a decade of collaboration, delivering custom-made components that power Starlink's global connectivity. Co-design between ST engineers in France and Italy and manufacturing across France, Malta, and Malaysia has enabled BiCMOS chips for Starlink's phased-array antennas, serving more than 8 million users in over 150 countries. The partnership underpins SpaceX's rapid production of Starlink terminals-now exceeding 20,000 units per day-and ongoing designs for next-generation satellites, including Starlink's V3 with >1 Tbps fronthaul. As the network expands to reach education, healthcare, and business opportunities, the collaboration remains focused on scale, reliability, and the next generation of connectivity.

Linux 6.19 Benchmarks on AMD EPYC 9965 2P Highlight HPC/AI Gains Amid Scheduler Regressions

December 15, 2025, 2:14 AM EST. In early Linux 6.19 benchmarks, a 2P AMD EPYC 9965 system (384 cores / 768 threads) on a Volcano reference platform was tested against Linux 6.18 stable. With Ubuntu 25.10 defaults, the author notes scheduler regressions and slower build times on 6.19-rc1, echoing Phoronix findings. Nonetheless, in AI/HPC workloads, Linux 6.19 Git shows gains: Incompact3D and other HPC tests improve; Altair OpenRadioss benefits are significant; OpenFOAM CFD shows improvements; PostgreSQL 18 and ClickHouse also look promising. The same kernel configuration was used, varying only the kernel version. More hardware tests across workloads are planned as Linux 6.19 approaches a February stable release.

AI boom set to supercharge European banks' rally in 2026

December 15, 2025, 2:10 AM EST. European banks are set for more gains in 2026 as profits rise and AI-driven efficiency trims costs. After a strong 2025, investors expect higher earnings and cheaper operations, with AI expanding from revenue gains to meaningful cost savings. Banks such as Societe Generale, Commerzbank and Barclays have surged, and the sector trades around 1.17x price-to-book, cheaper than U.S. peers. Analysts from BlackRock and UBS call AI a key upside for near-term valuations and long-term earnings, though risks from exuberance and macro shocks linger. The ECB notes high systemic risks even as AI could unlock substantial value, with McKinsey estimating AI could add about $340 billion annually to global banking and cut costs by around 20%.

Dropbox's AI Push Under New CFO: What Investors Should Watch

December 15, 2025, 1:56 AM EST. Dropbox just named Ross Tennenbaum as CFO to back its AI agenda, including Dash that links to Slack, Google Workspace, and other services. The leadership shift aligns with a push to monetize AI tools and lift ARPU while addressing declining core storage revenue. Yet the near-term verdict remains on whether Dash can gain traction fast enough to offset competition and churn. The change places a seasoned software finance executive at the center of monetization strategy, but investors should weigh Dash's adoption, timing, and the overall economics of the AI bet against the company's solid cash flow. If Dash falters, the stock faces headwinds; if successful, the AI trajectory could redefine value for Dropbox.

8 Smartphone Trends Shaping 2026: AI-Native Chips, Agentic Apps, and Sustainable Design

December 15, 2025, 1:54 AM EST. Smartphones in 2026 will feel like personal platforms rather than mere terminals. Expect AI-native processors and edge AI to run on-device, delivering faster responses and stronger security. This enables deeper integration of AI into everyday apps. The rise of agentic super-apps-AI copilots that act across calendars, payments and travel-will turn phones into autonomous assistants. Multi-screen models move toward mid-tier adoption, with dual- and tri-screen designs expanding productivity and collaboration. Sustainable design accelerates under EU Ecodesign rules, with ongoing security updates and greater use of recycled materials. These trends redefine how we work, access data, and engage with digital services.

Amazon Prime Video Adds Free US News Hub With 200+ Channels

December 15, 2025, 1:42 AM EST. U.S. Amazon Prime Video subscribers now get a free, built-in news hub. Amazon launched a dedicated section that aggregates hundreds of 24/7 news channels at no extra cost, offering local, national, and global coverage. By year's end the catalog is expected to top 200 channels, with major live streams such as ABC News Live, CBS News 24/7, LiveNOW from Fox, CNN Headlines, and NBC News NOW. The news hub is accessible via the Prime Video app's top navigation and will be free to all U.S. accounts, regardless of Prime membership. This expansion follows Amazon's summer move to consolidate Freevee content into Prime Video and reinforces Prime Video's value in live and on-demand news on multiple devices.

Apple Stock Preview: iPhone 17 Demand Signals and Policy Risks Ahead of Market Open

December 15, 2025, 1:40 AM EST. Apple stock entersMonday with two opposing narratives: a growing iPhone 17 cycle showing up in supply/demand indicators and analyst notes, and a policy/platform risk story tied to App Store rules, AI governance, and global regulation. The premarket view follows Friday's move as AAPL trades near $278, with investors watching macro data (jobs, CPI, retail sales) that can drive risk-on or risk-off moves for mega-cap tech. China data and IDC projections add color on iPhone demand, signalling a two-speed handset market ahead of 2026 forecasts. Even without new company-specific headlines, macro catalysts and policy headlines can move AAPL due to its weight in major indices.

Jim Cramer: Tesla Is Transitioning From Auto Company to Tech Company

December 15, 2025, 1:26 AM EST. Jim Cramer argues that Tesla is transitioning from an auto company to a tech company, driven by robots, self-driving, and energy storage. He says the stock's narrative has morphed while the core business remains, turning investors' focus from traditional auto profits to a nascent leadership in autonomous tech. The piece notes that, even as autos benefit from a rate cut, Tesla now trades more like a tech stock than a carmaker. It contrasts the evolving storyline with the stock's past performance and hints at broader AI stock opportunities, pointing readers to a free report on the best short-term AI stock. This analysis is sourced from Insider Monkey and captures the ongoing valuation debate around high-growth tech names.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launches 29 Starlink satellites from Florida

December 15, 2025, 1:22 AM EST. SpaceX launched 29 Starlink satellites from Florida early Monday, beating weather forecasts. A Falcon 9 lifted off at 12:25 a.m. EST from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, reaching space about 8 minutes 40 seconds later. The upper stage deployed the satellites, Group 6-82, after a coast and a second Merlin engine burn. The first stage landed on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' in the Atlantic, completion of booster B1092's ninth flight. This east-coast mission followed a California Starlink deployment the day before and is SpaceX's 163rd Falcon 9 flight in 2025, with another launch scheduled for Tuesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Microsoft Scales Back AI Goals as Copilot Struggles to Gain Traction

December 15, 2025, 1:10 AM EST. Microsoft has cut its AI sales targets for Copilot by up to 50%, though the company disputes lowered quotas. The pullback underscores weaker-than-expected demand for Copilot and questions about its usefulness. Tests earlier this year showed AI agents failing as much as 70% of the time, limiting their value as a workflow tool. In the broader race, OpenAI's ChatGPT commands about 61% of the market, while Google's Gemini sits a touch behind Microsoft's ~14% share, edging closer to Copilot. The Information reports on the tensions between growth promises and actual sales; Microsoft's momentum and returns from large AI bets remain in doubt.

DJI Avata 360 FCC Approval, NASA Death Valley Drone Tests, Texas Drone Fishing Law

December 15, 2025, 1:08 AM EST. This week's UAS news covers DJI's FCC approval for the rumored Avata 360 as regulators brace for a potential U.S. ban, with the filing hinting at two model numbers and a larger 38.67Wh battery that could boost endurance. Early leaks point to impressive specs, including native 8K video at 50fps, O4 transmission, and enhanced obstacle sensing. In NASA news, a team tested new drone navigation software in Death Valley to inform future Mars missions under the project Extended Robust Aerial Autonomy, tackling terrain challenges that troubled Ingenuity. Finally, Texas clarifies that using drones for fishing violates federal law, highlighting ongoing regulatory boundaries for hobbyists and operators. Stay tuned for updates.

GM Pulls CarPlay: Third-Party Mod Lets GM EV Owners Re-Enable CarPlay

December 15, 2025, 1:06 AM EST. General Motors has removed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from most new US EVs, despite the automaker's infotainment hardware supporting them. A DIY workaround has emerged: a third-party mod that uses a $55 CPC200-CCPA dongle and an Android app that must be compiled and sideloaded via a developer account. The project's open-source code is available, and the patch leverages GM's Android Automotive OS foundation to route CarPlay wirelessly, though audio still isn't natively provided by the dongle (Bluetooth audio handles music). Siri and apps like Waze work, according to the creator, with future updates possibly bringing a ready-made Play Store companion app. GM defended its stance, but frustrated owners now have a tech workaround to restore CarPlay on select EVs.

AI-Driven Quiet Hiring Returns for Entry-Level Talent, Public Company CEOs Say

December 15, 2025, 12:50 AM EST. Public-company CEOs say AI is quietly reshaping early-career hiring. Rather than noisy job rounds, firms are widening pipelines, using AI-powered screening and internal mobility to bring on entry-level talent. The trend-often called quiet hiring-lets companies ramp teams with targeted training, apprenticeships, and internal promotions, aligning with tighter budgets and faster scaling. In this tech/AI era, CEOs view the rebound as a strategic adjustment to the labor market rather than a traditional expansion.

Jensen Huang's quiet leadership shines as Nvidia backs families through two-year vigil

December 15, 2025, 12:44 AM EST. Following Avinatan Or's release, Noa Argamani describes two years of daily vigils, a preserved workspace, and direct CEO involvement at Nvidia. Staff who never met him carried signs, and every meeting began with a nod to Or's return. Huang personally supported the family, coordinating with Nvidia's Israeli leadership and calling to check on them. The reunion at Nvidia's U.S. headquarters, organized by Amit Krig, marked the founder-CEO's first face-to-face since Or's kidnapping near the Nova festival. Argamani's post paints Nvidia as more than a workplace-a family that stood by its employee through wartime. Huang's letter to staff highlighted the bravery of thousands of Nvidia employees, underscoring the company's commitment to mutual responsibility and resilience.

UChicago researchers edge closer to quantum internet with MBE-driven fabrication

December 15, 2025, 12:42 AM EST. University of Chicago researchers are moving quantum networks toward a global-scale quantum internet. By using molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) to create rare-earth doped crystals, they dramatically extended the quantum coherence times of erbium atoms from 0.1 milliseconds to beyond 10 milliseconds, with demonstrations at 24 ms. This could extend fiber-based links between quantum computers from a few kilometers to thousands of kilometers-potentially 2,000 km or more, and up to about 4,000 km in some configurations. The advance relies on entangling atoms through fiber cables, and represents a shift from the traditional Czochralski method toward a fabrication approach akin to 3D printing. The work suggests a practical path to a global-scale quantum internet.

Astound Launches Low-Latency Fixed Wireless Internet in Davis and Northern California

December 15, 2025, 12:40 AM EST. Astound is rolling out a low-latency fixed wireless network to bring high-speed internet and Wi-Fi to more than 26,000 homes across Davis and nearby areas in Yolo and Placer Counties, effective immediately. The rollout includes more than 2,000 rural homes previously lacking service and marks Davis as the service's first market. Users can access up to 500 Mbps with low latency, designed to perform in real-world conditions such as trees, hills, and long fiber distances. The deployment helps bridge the digital divide by delivering dependable connectivity for remote work, online learning, telehealth, streaming, and video conferencing. Installations can occur in days using existing towers or poles, rather than months required for traditional fiber.

Weather could push ULA and SpaceX to up to three launches in 12 hours

December 15, 2025, 12:38 AM EST. Bad weather threatens a tight sequence of launches from SpaceX and ULA. SpaceX plans a two-flight Falcon 9 cadence: Starlink 6-82 from Cape Canaveral late Sunday night and Starlink 6-99 from Kennedy Space Center Monday morning, with downrange recovery on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas and Just Read the Instructions. Forecasters show odds of a good liftoff around 30-40% at window opening, improving through the day while booster-recovery weather remains a watch item. ULA is targeting an Atlas V flight for Amazon Leo 4 on Tuesday, delivering 27 more satellites to the growing Amazon Leo broadband constellation. A 24-hour delay could push launch odds higher at the pad, and SpaceX has already flown several missions for Amazon as both programs scale toward the 2029 goal.

Militant Groups Experiment with AI, Raising Recruitment, Deepfake and Cyberattack Risks

December 15, 2025, 12:34 AM EST. WASHINGTON – Militant groups are increasingly testing AI to boost operations, raising concerns among national security experts. The technology could help with recruitment, generate realistic deepfake images and videos, and refine cyberattacks, even for small, poorly resourced actors. A post from a pro-IS site urged supporters to make AI part of their operations, illustrating how adversaries view the tool. IS and other extremists have used AI to translate messages, produce deepfake audio, and spread propaganda at scale on social media. History shows how such content can polarize and recruit, with examples from the Israel-Hamas conflict and a Russia concert attack. Analysts warn that AI lowers barriers for amplification, enabling groups to reach global audiences more efficiently.

Kindle's AI Feature Lets iOS Users Get AI-Generated Plot and Character Insights

December 15, 2025, 12:28 AM EST. The Kindle app adds an AI-generated feature that offers tips to explain a book's plot and how characters relate to each other. The capability is designed to help readers dive deeper into narratives, but at the moment it's only available on the iOS version. The update marks another step in how AI is being integrated into e-reader experiences.

9 Meta Quest 3 Accessories to Upgrade Your VR Headset

December 15, 2025, 12:04 AM EST. From a gear tester, this piece highlights nine Meta Quest 3 accessories that fix the headset's top flaws. A battery-pack head strap extends runtime and adds cushioned comfort, while a long, high-speed cable delivers lag-free access to PC VR. Other picks target portability, hygiene, mounting, and audio, all designed to squeeze more performance from the Quest 3/Quest 3S. Several items come with limited-time discounts, making holiday gifting easier. If you want longer play sessions, a cleaner setup, or a sturdier fit, these tested add-ons show how a few well-chosen accessories can improve the VR headset experience without changing the hardware.

iOS 26.2 Update Brings Liquid Glass, AirDrop Security Enhancements, and Apple Music Tweaks

December 15, 2025, 12:02 AM EST. Apple's iOS 26.2 update expands control over Liquid Glass, adds AirDrop security enhancements, and refines how you interact with Apple Music and reminders. The release gives new ways to enable Liquid Glass protections, introduces stronger safeguards for file sharing, and offers refreshed options to keep on top of Reminders* and workflows. Users can expect subtle UI tweaks, improved performance, and privacy-focused tweaks designed to limit data exposure during sharing. The update reinforces Apple's focus on safety, productivity, and a more seamless ecosystem across devices, while delivering smoother media playback, easier reminders management, and enhanced privacy controls.