tech-watch

Using AI to mitigate the growing environmental threat of data centers

By rethinking how large cloud computing systems operate, Associate Professor Christina Delimitrou seeks to make data centers more energy efficient.

Ransomware fixer claimed he could decrypt files, allegedly defrauded clients instead

Feds claim he charged clients more than ransoms, paid up, pocketed the difference

The Best Prime Day Apple Deals (2026) Are About to Expire

MacBooks, iPads, AirPods, and just about every Apple accessory imaginable are on sale for Prime Day—but only hours remain.

Best October Prime Day Deals to Shop Before the Sale Ends (2026)

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days are here, and we’ve tracked down the best discounts on all the gear our team recommends.

Singapore’s central bank wants all FinTech AI use cases subject to independent review

Failures of third-party services no excuse for island nation’s financial sector

Microsoft event debuts new AI-friendly hardware and Windows changes

Get ready for more AI in your Windows and more AI on the desktop.

Microsoft event debuts new AI-friendly hardware and Windows changes

Get ready for more AI in your Windows and more AI on the desktop.

All of the best fall Prime Day deals: AirPods, Mac mini, MacBook, chargers, cases, more

Update: Amazon’s 2026 fall Prime Day sale is set to close up shop for good at midnight PT, get in there before the deals are gone for good. The 2026 fall Prime Day sale is now soaring with millions of price drops, from…

Robot data startup Mecka AI nabs $60M from Sequoia

Mecka AI collects and analyzes human motion data to train humanoid robots and other kinds of robots. The startup pays people to record everyday tasks.

The 23 Best Prime Day Deals Under $100 That You Can Still Get (2026)

These are all products we've tested and loved, and they're all on sale until Prime Day ends for under $100.

WhatsApp expands the Liquid Glass design to its video player

WhatsApp’s rollout of Liquid Glass across its interface continues, with the app now bringing the new look to its video player. Here are the details. more…

The 28 Best Prime Day Tech Deals Will Expire Tonight

Never pay full price. Bag yourself some Prime Day tech deals on our favorite WIRED-tested gadgets before they disappear.

While VCs crowd into San Francisco, Endeavor Catalyst raises $320M for founders ‘elsewhere’

Endeavor Catalyst just raised $320 million to keep backing founders outside Silicon Valley. Half the profits go back to the nonprofit that finds them.

BMW’s iX4 SUV is a 428-mile defensive weapon against China’s EV takeover

While much of the automotive world sits dumbfounded as China gobbles up all its customers, BMW continues to roll out extremely well-crafted, technologically advanced electric vehicles that impress in both drive quality…

Tropical Storm Isaias Set to Be First Atlantic Hurricane of 2026 Season

Tropical Storm Isaias is set to become the basin’s first hurricane of the season, bringing life-threatening rain and storm surge to the Gulf Coast.

Review: Rhinoshield’s iPhone 18 Pro bumper case is minimalist but surprisingly protective

iPhone bumper cases have been a fan-favorite since the iPhone 4 bumpers, but options these days are few and far between. Rhinoshield offers a decent option for those wanting a minimal case. more…

“Software is over”: Bold AI developer takes aim at Adobe with open source clones

Opus-built Creative Cloud alternatives are ambitious, free, and nowhere near finished.

“Software is over”: Bold AI developer takes aim at Adobe with open source clones

Opus-built Creative Cloud alternatives are ambitious, free, and nowhere near finished.

Microsoft is about to let Copilot loose on your file system

But don't worry, it's totally safe because the agents and models will (probably) be running locally. Routers never break right?

Apple partners with The King’s Trust on new Creative Labs initiative in the UK

Apple and The King’s Trust announced today an expansion of their partnership with a new education program that offers workshops to help young people build creative and digital skills. Here are the details. more…

Shaq Got Hacked. Now He’s Pitching for a VPN

At a recent event for security firm NordVPN, NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal revealed that he got hacked—and warned the public about the need to “have control of their own information.”

27 Best Prime Day Deals on Phone Accessories (2026)

Just bought a new phone or looking to enhance an existing one? Prime Day is the time to save on accessories like batteries, chargers, and more.

Teenage Engineering’s CEO says it’ll stop making synths

Teenage Engineering founder and CEO Jesper Kouthoofd told Highsnobiety that it plans to stop making synths. And yes, that includes the iconic OP-1, which put the company on the map. TE isn't just a music gear maker; it'…

Margaret Hamilton has died

Article URL: https://news.mit.edu/2026/margaret-hamilton-computing-pioneer-dies-1007 Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49998895 Points: 999 # Comments: 111

Best Prime Day Vacuum Deals: Save Big On a Dyson (2026)

I’ve compared cordless sticks, watched robot vacuums chase stains, and cleaned plenty of car crumbs. These discounts get my recommendation.

First RCs for macOS Sequoia 15.8.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.7.2 now available [U]

Update, October 7: Apple has now released both RCs to public beta testers as well. The build numbers are unchanged from the developer RCs. In addition to releasing macOS 27.2 Golden Gate public beta 2, Apple is now roll…

Elon Musk’s America PAC Is Quietly Funding November’s Most Consequential Elections

America PAC’s approach has been unusual: for every dollar it has spent supporting GOP Senate candidates, it has spent almost three dollars attacking Democrats.

OpenAI brings GPT-6 to ChatGPT and debuts Intelligent UI

After introducing the first GPT-6 models last month, OpenAI today announced new GPT-6 models built for everyday ChatGPT conversations, alongside a new Intelligent UI. Here are the details. more…

Apple’s new ‘second-party’ accessories for Home are bigger than we thought, per leak

Apple has reportedly been co-developing “second-party” Home accessories with LG, but a new leak reveals there are “second-party” smart home products coming from another company too. more…

Nous Research confirms it hit $1.5B valuation, launches AI agents for business users

The developer of Hermes Agent raised a $90 million Series B.

Nous Research confirms it hit $1.5B valuation, launches AI agents for business users

The developer of Hermes Agent raised a $90 million Series B.

OpenAI dots inspire open source imitators amid technical difficulties

Persistent agents appeal to AI companies, but demand isn't obvious

Android’s physical navigation buttons are back on Googlebooks, but not the way you think

What year is it, and what dessert name of Android are we up to? | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge A common misconception I've seen with Googlebooks is that the Quick Insert and Google logo keys are new. They'…

The Science Behind the Nobel-Winning Technology That Controls Neurons With Light

Optogenetics revolutionized neuroscience, but its origins come from an entirely brainless organism—an alga.

We found some great October Prime Day deals under $50

Anker’s 45W charger is less than $50 during Amazon’s October sale. In fact, you can get two for under $50. Getting in on the Prime Day action doesn’t have to result in an empty wallet. Just as we found a couple handfuls…

Argonne scientists create chatty X-ray microscope that zooms in where you tell it to

Talking to an X-ray nanoprobe beamline is far better than talking to a toaster, we assume

Microsoft releases new Nvidia-chip AI PCs with revamped Windows 11

Microsoft revealed the specs and price for its Surface Laptop Ultra, AI PCs that run on Nvidia chips that are designed to run AI models and agents.

Microsoft releases new Nvidia-chip AI PCs with revamped Windows 11

Microsoft revealed the specs and price for its Surface Laptop Ultra, AI PCs that run on Nvidia chips that are designed to run AI models and agents.

Does better work always mean better workers?

Spotify starts rolling out audiobooks to more than 180 markets

Spotify today announced a global rollout of its audiobooks section, giving users in more than 180 markets access to over 350,000 titles spanning more than 120 languages. Here are the details. more…

Discovering the value of humanistic inquiry

Students in MIT’s Concourse program delve deeply into the human condition, debate challenging questions, and learn to develop judgment about issues that can’t be quantified.

The Best Amazon Prime Day Pet Deals on Feeders, Litter Boxes, and More (2026)

The sale is almost over. Here’s the WIRED-tested gear I recommend for less scooping, easier feeding, and keeping tabs on your pets.

'Jonathan' is the oldest land animal on Earth

Article URL: https://www.404media.co/oldest-living-land-animal-jonathan-the-tortoise/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49998066 Points: 93 # Comments: 36

PA measles outbreak tops 1,000 cases, largest since disease was eliminated

Pennsylvania reported 1,066 outbreak-linked cases on Wednesday.

Microsoft N1Xes Intel in favor of Nvidia's shiny new SoCs in Surface Laptop Ultra

Poverty-spec model starts at $2,599 with 24 GB of RAM and 512GB of storage with 128 GB models topping $5,899

TP-Link problems in US grow amid FCC router ban and four state lawsuits

TP-Link can't sell latest routers in US, still needs exemption from FCC ban.

Best Shark Prime Day Vacuum Deals (2026)

Save on two Shark models I recommend after testing, including my favorite robot vacuum and a powerful cordless stick.

Attackers hijacked top-level domains, minted fake security certs for Google and other orgs

Trusted brand impersonation without the usual browser certificate warnings spells trouble

Last chance: Apple’s flagship AirPods now up to $120 off for Prime Day

Update 10/7: Amazon now has official countdown clocks on thousands of deal prices set to end at Midnight Cupertino time, and the particularly notable AirPods Pro 3 discount is one of them – get in there while you can. W…

Browser-in-browser attacks use fake Meta Muse Ad lure to steal credentials

Wiley fisherfolk spin up a new page just days after Meta's AI agent launch

Roku’s OLED TVs are up to $400 off during Prime Day, starting at $700

Just over a week ago, we covered a deal at Amazon that knocked around 30 percent off Roku’s new (and first-ever) OLED TVs. The deal expired, but has returned for the final day of October Prime Day. The 55-inch Pro Serie…

ChatGPT’s ‘Intelligent UI’ update fills its responses with pictures, charts, and buttons

OpenAI is launching a new Intelligent UI feature in ChatGPT that allows the chatbot to answer your questions with interactive visuals. The update, which is rolling out to all users alongside GPT-6, gives ChatGPT the abi…

ChatGPT with GPT-6 ditches mostly text output for interactive UI with charts, buttons, and mini apps

OpenAI is rolling out GPT-6 with "Intelligent UI," a feature that turns answers into interactive interfaces with charts, buttons, and forms. The model can now respond while still thinking, cutting wait times by 44 perce…

The first Nvidia RTX Spark laptops cost up to $7,000

The 15-inch Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599. | Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge The first array of laptops powered by Nvidia's new RTX Spark chip are designed to compete with high-end MacBook Pros - and they've got…

Introducing Claude Haiku 5.5 on AWS

Claude Haiku 5.5 is now available on Amazon Bedrock and Claude Platform on AWS. According to Anthropic, it is the fastest, most efficient model in the Claude 5.5 family, built for subagents and high-volume, cost-sensiti…

Meta and Microsoft take steps to reduce employee usage of Claude AI

Article URL: https://www.rswebsols.com/news/meta-and-microsoft-take-steps-to-reduce-employee-usage-of-claude-ai/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49997161 Points: 310 # Comments: 296

Claude Haiku 5.5 arrives with massive price cuts proving the AI pricing arms race is far from over

Anthropic's new Claude Haiku 5.5 crushes its predecessor in benchmarks, jumping from 15.7 to 72.4 percent on the OSWorld computer use test. Token prices drop by up to 90 percent, though a new tokenizer eats into some of…

Chemistry Nobel goes to reactions like those that gave life a hand

Altering molecular handedness has implications for the origins of life.

It appears .agent and .agi are about to be the hot new domains

What’s in a URL anymore, really. For the first time in years, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers - better known as ICANN - is accepting applications for new top-level domains. These are the suffixes…

Push ifs up and fors down: The idiom, its algebra, and its limits

Article URL: https://debasishg.github.io/blog/push-ifs-up-fors-down/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49997073 Points: 118 # Comments: 59

Everything announced at Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra event

Microsoft just wrapped up a big Windows and Surface-focused keynote in San Francisco. The biggest announcement was arguably the release details about the Surface Laptop Ultra, its new laptop that’s powered by Nvidia’s R…

watchOS 27 adds three new apps to your Apple Watch

watchOS 27 is the latest major software update for Apple Watch, and among its variety of new features, it adds three new apps to your Watch. more…

Rethinking access control for RAG with Amazon Quick and Amazon Bedrock

Enterprise RAG unlocks insights from knowledge sources like SharePoint, Google Drive, and Confluence, but those sources carry complex permissions. Learn how Amazon Quick and Amazon Bedrock Knowledge Bases enforce docume…

Meta’s Muse launches on iPad just a month after its mobile debut

Meta’s AI agent Muse is now available on iPad, just a month after its mobile debut, as the company rapidly expands the assistant’s reach and integrations.

Meta’s Muse launches on iPad just a month after its mobile debut

Meta’s AI agent Muse is now available on iPad, just a month after its mobile debut, as the company rapidly expands the assistant’s reach and integrations.

Pediatricians renew call to ban raw milk as anti-science rhetoric reigns

In renewed policy, pediatricians review the benefits of heating milk to kill germs.

ChatGPT for Teens keeps teens talking, even during mental health crises

ChatGPT’s teen safeguards are meant to protect vulnerable users, but new testing found the chatbot continues encouraging engagement during crises and potentially encourages unhealthy relationships with the AI itself.

ChatGPT for Teens keeps teens talking, even during mental health crises

ChatGPT’s teen safeguards are meant to protect vulnerable users, but new testing found the chatbot continues encouraging engagement during crises and potentially encourages unhealthy relationships with the AI itself.

Anthropic upgrades Claude with new Haiku 5.5 model, details here

Anthropic has released its latest AI model with Claude Haiku 5.5. The new version arrives about a year after the previous Haiku model upgrade. more…

X expands its ‘Gametime’ sports hub beyond the NFL, starting with MLB

X is turning its NFL-focused Gametime feature into a year-round sports destination, starting with MLB and with other professional leagues to follow.

Claude Haiku 5.5

Article URL: https://www.anthropic.com/claude-haiku-5-5 Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49996437 Points: 750 # Comments: 378

Microsoft is giving Copilot more control over Windows and your files

At today's Windows and Surface event, Microsoft showed off an upgrade to its Copilot AI system that will give it access to local files on your PC and the ability to take actions across the OS. It's part of an idea Micro…