Designator

Reliance’s JioHotstar takes its streaming empire global — without sports

JioHotstar, an Indian streaming platform, is expanding globally to the U.K., Canada, and Singapore, offering over 160,000 hours of entertainment content, but without live sports.

Google needs Hollywood more than the studios need AI

Google is reportedly offering major Hollywood studios, including Disney, hundreds of millions for licensing agreements to train its AI models on their copyrighted content.

My local model setup on an M4 Pro Mac Mini

Running a local large language model setup on an M4 Pro Mac Mini offers cost predictability, data privacy, and AI sovereignty, avoiding cloud API limitations.

1 Sept7 min read

Wired

Sonos Ace Ultra, Beam Ultra, Sonos Fabric, and a New App: Everything Sonos Just Announced

Sonos announced new hardware, including a soundbar and headphones, alongside a new operating system, Sonos 27, which integrates generative AI features into its updated app.

1 Sept5 min read

Waymo accelerates robotaxi expansion with launches in Denver, San Diego and Tampa

Waymo expanded its robotaxi service to Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, bringing its commercial operations to 14 U.S. cities and introducing its new Ojai minivan in two of those markets.

Help build the future of startups: Volunteer at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

TechCrunch is recruiting volunteers for its Disrupt 2026 conference, offering free admission in exchange for at least 12 hours of support for the startup community.

Sonos introduces new headphones, soundbar, and software in its biggest announcement in years

Sonos unveiled new Ace Ultra headphones and a Beam Ultra soundbar, alongside a significant Sonos 27 software update featuring AI integration, custom voice assistants, and enhanced whole-home audio capabilities.

1 Sept7 min read

India’s Unacademy sells to rival upGrad for $206M, about 94% less than its peak valuation

Indian edtech startup Unacademy sold to rival upGrad for $206 million, a 94% decrease from its 2021 peak valuation of $3.44 billion.

9to5Google

Android Auto 17.6 update rolling out with redesigned logo [Gallery]

The Android Auto 17.6 update introduces a slightly redesigned green logo and wordmark, which appears in the app switcher, settings menu, and on the official website.

1 Sept3 min read

Tim Cook’s legacy isn’t just phones, it’s politics

Tim Cook's tenure as Apple CEO is defined by his political navigation, balancing appeasement of Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump to safeguard Apple's supply chain and growth.

1 Sept6 min read

John Ternus takes over as Apple’s new CEO

John Ternus has replaced Tim Cook as Apple's CEO, with Cook transitioning to executive chairman after 15 years leading the technology giant.

1 Sept14 min read

9to5Google

Sony’s new ULT Tower party speakers start at $450

Sony expanded its ULT Tower party speaker series with three new models, starting at $450 for the compact ULT Tower 5, offering more affordable options with enhanced bass and sound profiles.

1 Sept3 min read

How AI could make it harder for governments to use hacking tools

Artificial intelligence could make software significantly more secure, potentially making it harder for governments to use hacking tools to surveil criminals, according to cybersecurity experts.

31 Aug5 min read

Nvidia’s $3.5B MediaTek bet reveals its plan for tackling Big Tech’s AI chip buildout

Nvidia is investing $3.5 billion in MediaTek, enabling the Taiwanese chipmaker to design custom AI chips for hyperscalers that integrate with Nvidia's data center infrastructure.

Launch HN: Hebbian Robotics (YC S26) – Build scalable robotics data pipelines

Hebbian Robotics introduces HFlow, an open source SDK designed to address data processing bottlenecks in robotics by providing scalable multimodal data pipelines for physical AI.

31 Aug7 min read

New York governor to 3D printed gun leader: ‘tell Cody I will get ahead of him’

New York Governor Kathy Hochul defended the state's ban on 3D-printed guns, asserting her intent to counteract a new tool designed to bypass detection systems for firearm files.

31 Aug4 min read

New York Governor Kathy Hochul thinks AI should be ‘less evil’

New York Governor Kathy Hochul discussed her positions on various tech policy issues, including AI regulation, data center construction, and restrictions on 3D-printed gun parts.

Omarchy: 1Password and 37signals become Distinguished Corporate Patrons

1Password and 37signals committed $100,000 annually for three years to the Omacom Foundation, becoming its first Distinguished Corporate Patrons and increasing its funding to $12.6 million.

31 Aug2 min read

Ars Technica

ChatGPT and Reddit now face EU's toughest online safety rules

ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox must now comply with the EU's Digital Services Act, facing stricter rules on illegal content and user safety due to their large user bases.

31 Aug2 min read

ChatGPT to face tougher regulation in the EU

The European Union designated ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox as "Very Large Online Platforms" under its Digital Services Act, subjecting them to stricter regulations regarding user safety and content moderation.

31 Aug3 min read

The U.S. is building barriers around drones and robots, but China has scale to get around them

The U.S. is implementing restrictions and tariffs on foreign-made drones and robots, primarily from China, due to national security concerns, potentially fragmenting the global robotics market.

31 Aug6 min read