Designator

Some satellite companies still have an appetite for boutique launch services

Some satellite companies still prefer dedicated, boutique launch services for specific missions, even as SpaceX scales back its Falcon 9 program and Starship remains unproven for external payloads.

11 Sept13 min read

TechCrunch

Mecka AI nears $500M valuation in Sequoia-led deal amid rush for robot training data

Mecka AI, a startup collecting human motion data to train humanoid robots, is nearing a $500 million valuation in a Sequoia-led deal, driven by the high demand for real-world robotics training data.

Project Blinkenlights

Project Blinkenlights transforms building facades into interactive displays, beginning in 2001 with an 18x8 pixel monochrome installation and evolving into large-scale, multi-continent projects with color capabilities.

11 Sept1 min read

TechCrunch

Matt Mullenweg tells Automattic staff in Slack he’s back in control after CEO ouster

Matt Mullenweg announced on Slack that he is back in control of Automattic as CEO, days after the board reportedly voted to oust him.

Anime reaction YouTubers are at war with copyright enforcers

Anime reaction YouTubers are clashing with copyright enforcers, particularly a company called Remove Your Media, over the fair use of copyrighted anime clips in their content.

11 Sept10 min read

Instagram chief thinks a chronological feed is ‘much worse’ and says the quiet part out loud

Instagram's chief believes a chronological feed is "much worse" for users, citing a potential overwhelm of content from brands and publishers that could drown out friends and creators.

Wired

One of AI’s Fiercest Critics Says All the Doom Talk Is ‘Meant to Distract Us’

AI critic Timnit Gebru argues that fears of AI-induced human extinction are a distraction from real, immediate harms like autonomous weapons and corporate power grabs.

11 Sept5 min read

Apple on wide Android foldables beating iPhone Duo; ‘they got the aspect ratio’

Apple executives state that Android foldables achieved a better aspect ratio for their devices, while Apple focused on the iPhone Duo's nanotexture finish and optimized software.

11 Sept4 min read

The wireless earbuds with unbeatable call quality got their first discount

Anker's Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro wireless earbuds, known for their call quality and features like an IP55 rating, are now available for $149.99, their first discount.

HuggingFace: Security.txt

HuggingFace published its security.txt file, detailing contact information for reporting vulnerabilities, preferred languages, and a link to career opportunities.

11 Sept1 min read

Walmart restocks $60 Onn 4K Pro for many following Google TV Streamer price hike

Walmart has widely restocked its $60 Onn 4K Pro Google TV streamer, offering a more affordable alternative to the recently price-hiked flagship Google TV Streamer.

Meta says it’s changing AI suggestions after posing invasive personal questions

Meta is altering its AI chatbot's suggested prompts after a viral video showed the AI asking invasive personal questions about a user's children, drawing information from past posts.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 3 copies the worst part of Apple’s AirTag in leak

Leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 3 reveal a design lacking a built-in mounting mechanism, similar to Apple's AirTag, requiring an additional accessory for attachment.

New York City’s last pickpocket doesn’t need a smartphone

John Turturro portrays an aging, technophobic pickpocket in "The Only Living Pickpocket in New York," a film that explores his struggle to maintain a dishonest living in a world advancing beyond him.

11 Sept7 min read

Why Apple’s next computer should be for the smart home

Apple's next computer should be an intelligent home hub, combining a Wi-Fi router, an AI-powered smart home hub, and local storage into a single device for enhanced privacy and speed.

11 Sept8 min read

Samsung says ‘Tim Cook’ bought a Galaxy Fold

Samsung's latest ad for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 features a New Zealander named Tim Cook, who resembles Apple's CEO, to playfully tease its rival.

Show HN: ClaudeStatsBar: your session is 486k deep and nothing told you

ClaudeStatsBar, a new tool, displays the real-time token cost of Claude AI sessions, revealing that sessions often carry unexpectedly large contexts, leading to significant, hidden token consumption.

11 Sept6 min read

Ikea supersized its cheap Bluetooth speaker and added an optical input

Ikea's new $59.99 Badkruka wireless Bluetooth speaker, a larger version of its Kallsup, features multi-speaker mode, Spotify Tap, three EQ modes, and an optical input for home theater connectivity.

Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

Houthi forces reportedly seized Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical global shipping route, aligning their military objectives with Iran's regional interests.

Google will buy half the electricity of a nuclear power plant

Google will invest €13 billion in Finland's AI infrastructure, including three new data centers, and committed to buying half the electricity from a Finnish nuclear power plant for 22 years.

Wired