tech
techMeta Develops Internal Prediction‑Market App ‘Arena’ with Points‑Based Betting
Meta’s internal team is building “Arena,” a prediction‑market style app that uses virtual points instead of cash, according to a New York Times report. The project mirrors services like Polymarket and Kalshi, but the company has not confirmed whether real‑money wagering will ever be enabled.
techPrime Day Brings Deep Discounts on Top Robot Vacuum‑Mop Models
Amazon’s Prime Day and competing retailers are slashing prices on a range of robot vacuum‑mop hybrids, from entry‑level units to premium cleaners with self‑emptying docks and AI navigation.
techAnthropic launches Claude Tag: an AI assistant that learns your Slack conversations
Anthropic’s Claude Tag integrates directly into Slack, turning every channel message into training data for a persistent AI teammate. The move is positioned as a productivity boost, but it also gives the startup unprecedented insight into corporate knowledge and workflow patterns.
techMeta Introduces Desk‑Friendly Charging Stand for Its Smart Glasses
Meta's new $59 charging stand lets users place supported Ray‑Ban and Meta‑branded smart glasses on a desk or nightstand while they charge, offering an alternative to the portable case.
techHaloBraid Secures $7 Million to Speed Up Salon Braiding Sessions
Startup HaloBraid has closed a $7 million Series A round led by venture firm Seven Seven Six. The capital will fund the launch of its AI‑assisted braiding device, designed to cut professional braiding appointments from hours to minutes.
techMeta Unveils Affordable Smart Glasses Under Its Own Brand Across Multiple Markets
Meta announced the launch of a lower‑priced line of smart glasses, offering several colour and lens options in select markets starting today.
techEarly‑Bird Deadline Approaches for TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026
Only four days remain to lock in discounted tickets for the TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026, a three‑day gathering aimed at early‑stage entrepreneurs. The early‑bird deadline expires at 11:59 p.m. PT on June 26, with savings of up to $190 per pass.
techRibbie Transforms Live MLB Data into Retro Pixel-Style Broadcasts
The new platform Ribbie offers baseball fans a real‑time, arcade‑inspired view of Major League games, turning raw stats into animated pixel art streams.
techFika Jobs Secures $4 Million to Launch AI‑Driven Video Interview Platform
Fika Jobs has closed a $4 million Series A round to develop a video‑first hiring marketplace where AI agents conduct initial interviews, aiming to cut through the opacity of traditional recruiting.
techPrime Day 2024: A Comprehensive Guide to the Top Tech Deals
Amazon’s four‑day Prime Day sale is live, offering steep discounts on laptops, wearables, smart home gear and more. This guide highlights the most compelling offers and what shoppers should watch for.
techPrime Day Apple Discounts: Best Deals on iPhones, Watches, AirPods and More
Amazon’s Prime Day has triggered a wave of Apple product discounts, with the Watch Series 11, AirPods Pro 3 and iPad Air among the most compelling offers. Prices are fluctuating fast, prompting shoppers to act quickly.
techAmazon Prime Day 2026: Deals, Discounts and What Shoppers Should Expect
Amazon’s four‑day Prime Day began on June 23 and is already delivering deep price cuts across gadgets, home tech and entertainment subscriptions. The Verge compiled a comprehensive guide covering top deals, price‑matching tips and the likely impact on competing retailers.
techAmflow unveils TL e-bike, a versatile “eSUV” for families and adventure riders
Amflow, the DJI‑spun off e‑bike maker, introduced its TL series – a rugged, high‑torque electric bike that promises to carry a child to daycare, tackle mountain trails and even act as a bike‑packing workhorse.
techTech Giants Trim Workforce in 2026, Citing AI as a Core Reason
A reverse‑chronological review reveals that several large technology firms announced sizable layoffs in 2026, attributing the cuts to artificial‑intelligence integration and related restructuring.
techOpenAI rolls out program to identify and fix vulnerabilities in open‑source software
OpenAI announced a new initiative that will enlist its research team and cloud resources to hunt for security flaws in popular open‑source projects and help developers patch them.
techNvidia touts liquid‑cooled AI data centre design that claims to slash water use
Nvidia says its new Rubin reference architecture, which relies on full‑circuit liquid cooling, can drastically lower power consumption and eliminate most water‑draw, a claim that comes as regulators and activists press the industry over the environmental footprint of AI‑intensive warehouses.
techTesla Refutes Autopilot Blame After Texas Fatal Crash
Tesla says its Autopilot system was not at fault in the Texas crash that killed a driver, demanding a thorough review of vehicle data before any conclusions are drawn.
techShareholders File Lawsuit Against Uber Board Over Alleged Mishandling of Sexual Assault Claims
A Detroit-based pension fund leads a class-action suit accusing Uber’s board and senior executives of neglecting safety protocols, leading to thousands of lawsuits related to sexual assault and other misconduct.
techAI Swarm Loops: Continuous Background Agents Redefine Machine Autonomy
A new AI architecture dubbed “loop” enables a swarm of autonomous agents to operate endlessly in the background, raising questions about control, efficiency, and safety.
techMicrosoft and Chevron Team Up on Massive Natural‑Gas Powered Data‑Center Initiative
Microsoft has signed a 20‑year power‑purchase agreement with Chevron to fuel a new natural‑gas plant that will supply electricity to a multi‑site data‑center campus, marking one of the largest gas‑powered cloud projects in the United States.
techGroq secures $650 million funding and expands leadership after Nvidia’s $20 billion not‑acqui‑hire collapse
AI accelerator firm Groq announced a $650 million financing round and a series of senior hires as it redirects focus toward its NeoCloud offering, following the fallout of Nvidia’s aborted $20 billion not‑acqui‑hire arrangement.
techNvidia's New Data‑Center Cooling Slashes Water Use, Yet AI’s Overall Water Footprint Remains Unchanged
Nvidia unveiled a cooling system that reduces water consumption inside its AI‑focused data centres, but experts warn that the move does not tackle the larger water‑intensive energy demand of artificial‑intelligence workloads powered by fossil‑fuel plants.
techAI‑generated virtual staging fuels rent‑price inflation and deceptive listings in US housing market
AI tools that create photorealistic interiors are being used by landlords and brokers to make modest apartments appear luxurious, misleading renters and pushing prices higher across major cities.
techTata Electronics Confirms Data Breach Amid Global Supply‑Chain Expansion
Tata Electronics, a key supplier for Apple and Tesla, has disclosed a cyber‑attack that exposed client data and internal documents as it widens its role in worldwide technology supply chains.
techResearchers Reveal Unpatchable Vulnerability in Apple Silicon That Could Enable iPhone Jailbreaks
European security firm Paradigm Shift has disclosed a hardware-level flaw in older Apple processors that cannot be patched through software updates, potentially allowing attackers to bypass iPhone security measures.
techGoogle DeepMind invests $75 million with A24 to develop AI tools for Hollywood filmmaking
Google’s DeepMind division will fund a joint venture with indie studio A24, creating artificial‑intelligence software to assist writers, editors and visual effects artists. The $75 million partnership aims to speed up production pipelines while raising questions about creative control and labor impacts.
techApple Watch SE 3 Hits $199 During Prime Day, Offering Feature‑Rich Upgrade at Record Low
Apple’s mid‑range smartwatch, the Watch SE 3, dropped to $199 for Prime Day, bundling an always‑on display, temperature sensor and fast charging. The price cut comes as Apple prepares to launch Series 12 later this year.
techAmazon Rolls Out Alexa+ Trial with Hindi Language Support in India
Amazon has invited a select group of Indian customers to try Alexa+ featuring Hindi voice interaction, marking the company's first major push to localise its AI assistant for the sub‑continent.
techHow to Reserve a Steam Machine: Valve’s New Pre‑order System Explained
Valve has launched a reservation system for its upcoming Steam Machine, aiming to curb bot abuse and make allocation fairer. The process differs from the $5 Steam Deck reservations and offers four configuration options with varying prices across regions.
techValve opens SteamOS to DIY Steam Machines with 3.8 update
Valve's latest SteamOS 3.8.10 release lets users install the operating system on any PC, effectively turning any desktop into a custom Steam Machine after years of limited hardware offerings.
techSpaceX Signs $150 Million‑Per‑Month Compute Contract with Open‑Source Lab Reflection AI
Reflection AI will start paying $150 million each month from July 2026 for exclusive access to Nvidia’s GB300 AI chips housed in SpaceX’s new Colossus 2 data centre near Memphis, Tennessee.
techRingConn’s Lord of the Rings ad sparks debate over smart‑ring messaging
RingConn likened its wearable to the themes of Tolkien’s saga, prompting criticism that the campaign confuses Tolkien’s moral choices with the company’s 24‑hour ring usage model.
techNintendo Switch 2 Prime Day Discount Brings $50 Savings Before Price Hike
Woot is offering the Nintendo Switch 2 for $419.99 with a promo code, shaving $50 off the regular price before it climbs to $499.99 in September.
techApple AirPods Max 2 Slashed to $399: First Major Discount Since Launch
Walmart and Amazon are offering the second‑generation AirPods Max for $399, a $150 cut from the standard $549 price. The headset retains the original design but adds a USB‑C port, a stronger amp and a new chip that enables live translation and conversation awareness.
techLucid Motors trims workforce by 18% as new CEO seeks to streamline operations
Lucid Motors' newly appointed chief executive announced an 18% reduction in staff and the removal of a production shift at its Arizona plant to better match output with projected demand.
techSeedcamp Secures $320 Million for New Fund Aimed at U.S. Expansion
After 18 years of concentrating on European startups, Seedcamp announced a $320 million raise to back early‑stage companies in the United States and broaden its global footprint.