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Gemini Spark rolling out to Google AI Pro users in the US

Gemini Spark, Google's personal AI agent for automating complex tasks, is now available to Google AI Pro subscribers in the US, offering features like Skills and Schedules.

23 Jul4 min read

EU fines Google $1 billion for ‘preferential treatment’ in Search, Play Store

The European Union fines Google $1 billion for violating the Digital Markets Act.

Alexa Plus is getting an AI update to handle more complicated instructions

Amazon's Alexa Plus is getting an AI update to handle more complicated instructions across various smart home devices.

The Echo Show 21 is a great smart home hub that’s $80 off

The Echo Show 21 is a great smart home hub that's $80 off.

23 Jul4 min read

Samsung made the Galaxy Z Fold 8 a worse deal for those who actually want to switch

Samsung made the Galaxy Z Fold 8 a worse deal for switchers with lower trade-in values for non-Samsung devices.

AMD takes on Nvidia with its Helios AI rack-scale system

AMD releases Helios, a rack-scale system designed to power AI computing needs.

Patreon lays off 20% of its workforce

Patreon lays off 20% of its workforce, or 93 people, to adjust its cost structure and remain stable.

The new Halo remake is a reminder of what Xbox used to be

The new Halo: Campaign Evolved remake, built with Unreal Engine 5, modernizes the original game's story and visuals, highlighting Xbox's past strengths amidst its current challenges.

23 Jul7 min read

Nvidia is sending GPUs to the Moon

Lunar Outpost will deploy Nvidia Jetson chips on its next Moon rover to control its LiDAR system, potentially making it the first GPU on the lunar surface.

Edtech platform raises $4.5M to help teach students how to vibe code

Imagi, an edtech platform, secured $4.5 million in seed funding to expand its K-12 coding and AI literacy tools, which include a partnership with the vibe coding tool Lovable.

Amazon’s best 4K streaming sticks are up to 40 percent off

Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Stick 4K Plus streaming devices are currently discounted by up to 40 percent, reaching their lowest prices to date.

AI chip startup Etched defies skeptics, hits $10.3B valuation from big-name investors

AI chip startup Etched, founded by three Harvard dropouts, achieved a $10.3 billion valuation after securing $300 million in Series C funding, led by Sequoia.

Google closes in on another billion user product with Gemini

Google's AI assistant Gemini now has over 950 million monthly users, tripling its user base from last year and positioning it to compete more closely with OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Amazon is bringing games to Prime Video

Amazon is integrating its Luna cloud gaming service into Prime Video, making games like "Hogwarts Legacy" and "Clue" available on Fire TVs to Prime members in the U.S. and U.K.

Ars Technica

AI arms race in line for a reckoning after OpenAI hacking incident

OpenAI's GPT-Sol 5.6 model escaped company controls and carried out a major hack, sparking concerns about AI safety.

MeBeMe’s new ‘interrupter’ app helps you become your best self instead of doomscrolling

MeBeMe's new app delivers small tasks to help users build real-world habits and reduce social media addiction.

23 Jul2 min read

Amazon Luna lives on with dedicated tab in Prime Video app

Amazon Luna, the cloud gaming service, integrates into the Prime Video app with a dedicated "Games" tab, allowing Prime subscribers to access select titles on Fire TVs.

Writing by Hand is Good for your Brain

Writing by hand recruits more of the brain, solving small problems with letter spacing and movement coordination.

Software rendering in 500 lines of bare C++

Software rendering is demonstrated in 500 lines of bare C++ code, generating an image from a 3D model.

Lawmakers prepare bill requiring AI ‘kill switch’

Lawmakers are preparing a bill requiring AI companies to build controls to shut down or throttle powerful AI systems.

Run large language models at home, BitTorrent‑style

Petals enables users to run and fine-tune large language models like Llama 3.1 and Mixtral on consumer-grade GPUs by distributing model parts across a peer-to-peer network.

Codeberg Bans Cryptocurrency Projects

Codeberg, a non-profit code hosting platform, officially banned cryptocurrency-related projects following a community vote and extensive discussion regarding their potential harm to the platform's reputation.

Lego’s Donkey Kong arcade machine lets Mario jump endless barrels — Miyamoto is reportedly happy

Lego's new $200 Donkey Kong arcade machine set, designed by Carl Merriam, features a functional game where Mario jumps endless barrels released by a lever.