Designator

AI data startup Micro1 reaches $500M gross run rate amid AI training boom

AI data startup Micro1 achieved a $500 million gross annual run rate, demonstrating the high demand for AI training data, while also generating synthetic data and selling off-the-shelf datasets.

21 Aug3 min read

Ars Technica

Genesis joins the giant electric SUV club with new GV90

Genesis introduces the GV90, its new electric flagship SUV, featuring pillarless coach doors, a retractable infotainment screen, and a luxurious four-seat VIP interior option.

20 Aug4 min read

9to5Google

Pixel Journal update brings Auto format, Sleep data, and more [U]

The Pixel Journal app update introduces auto-formatting, sleep data integration, customizable media layouts, and scheduled journaling reminders, leveraging Google's Private AI Compute for enhanced features.

Harvest hikes bills by 1500% after purchased by Bending Spoons

After its acquisition by Bending Spoons, the invoicing software Harvest significantly increased its prices, with some customers reporting hikes of up to 1500% due to a new usage-based pricing model.

20 Aug15 min read

Tesla Robotaxis appear to go fully unsupervised in Austin ahead of Cybercab launch

All 170 Tesla Robotaxi rides in Austin monitored by Robotaxi Tracker over the past two weeks were unsupervised, indicating a fully driverless service ahead of the Cybercab launch.

Hacking with Claude on a $27 Smart Watch

A software engineer used Claude and other open-weight AI models to create a custom watch face for a $27 PineTime smartwatch, demonstrating AI's capability for rapid prototyping on open-source hardware.

Stwipe Acquires OpenWouter

Stwipe acquired OpenWouter, a unified API for one Dutch man named Wouter, to gain a "no" capability, complementing Stwipe's existing "yes" API.

20 Aug6 min read

Here’s what data Comcast says its motion-detecting routers collect

Comcast's WiFi Motion feature, which turns routers into motion sensors, stores customer motion history for seven days and may disclose this data if legally compelled.

Turns are Better than Radians

Using turns instead of radians simplifies code, improves computational efficiency, and enhances precision by eliminating unnecessary conversions and allowing exact representation of common angles.

20 Aug5 min read

Ars Technica

NASA calls off mission to rescue Swift gamma-ray observatory

NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies canceled a mission to rescue the Swift gamma-ray observatory due to attitude control issues with the Link spacecraft, leaving Swift to reenter Earth's atmosphere.

20 Aug4 min read

Stripe didn’t really buy OpenRouter because of the ‘singularity’

Stripe acquired OpenRouter, a platform for routing AI model prompts, for $7.5 billion, aiming to embed itself in AI capital flows and gain insights into developer AI usage.

19 Aug4 min read

Wired

Elon Musk Is Expected to Point His Money Machine at Texas Politics

Elon Musk is expected to spend up to $200 million to boost Republican candidates in the upcoming midterms, with a focus on voter turnout in key races like the Texas Senate contest.

Does giving a camera wings dodge the FCC’s drone ban?

HoverAir's new Versa drone attempts to bypass the FCC's foreign drone ban by marketing itself as a camera with optional snap-on propellers, which the FCC initially approved.

9to5Google

Google Pixel 11 gets dbrand’s full case lineup, including Tank for the first time [Gallery]

dbrand introduces a full lineup of cases for the Google Pixel 11 series, including the Grip, Ghost, and the new Tank protective case, all supporting magnetic wireless charging.

Waymo’s cheaper, next-gen robotaxi is now open to all riders in these three cities

Waymo has opened its next-generation Ojai robotaxi, designed for lower costs and easier maintenance, to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco.

OpenAI seeks to one-up Anthropic with new customer privacy protections

OpenAI is introducing Private Safety Processing, a new automated system that monitors for AI misuse across multiple sessions without retaining customer data, aiming to surpass Anthropic's current data retention policies.

19 Aug4 min read

Wired

Why Is It Absolute Hell to Buy a Movie Ticket Now?

Overwhelmed theater apps and a scarcity mindset for exclusive big-screen formats of blockbusters like *Dune: Part Three* have led to the "concertification" of movie ticket buying.

9to5Google

‘Moto Snap’ magnetic wireless charger leaks, hopefully as a sign of more Qi2 to come [Gallery]

A leaked "Moto Snap" magnetic wireless charger suggests Motorola may expand Qi2 magnetic wireless charging to more devices beyond the Edge 70 Max.

Calendly throws its hat into meeting note-taker circus

Calendly is launching a new AI-powered note-taking product that records, transcribes, summarizes, and generates action items from meetings, aiming to automate post-meeting workflows for users.

This robot vacuum solves my kitchen stool problem

The Mova V70 Ultra Complete robot vacuum features an articulating mop arm and an extending side brush, allowing it to clean under and around furniture legs and in other hard-to-reach areas.

Peacock is raising prices across all of its streaming plans

Peacock is increasing prices across all its streaming plans, with the ad-supported tier rising to $8.99 monthly and the ad-free option reaching $19.99 monthly, effective August 18.

18 Aug3 min read

Ars Technica

X-rays add new twist to narwhal's spiral tusk

X-ray analysis reveals narwhal tusks possess not one, but two spirals, with an internal spiral twisting in the opposite direction to the visible external one.

18 Aug4 min read

Wired