Parenting in ICE-occupied Minneapolis

Last Saturday, I received an email from the Children’s Theatre Company of Minnesota. They explained that they were canceling the weekend’s performances of Go, Dog. Go! “for the safety of our patrons, staff, and artists.” Earlier that morning, federal agents had killed Alex Pretti in the streets, about nine blocks away from the theater’s doors. … Read more

Melania documentary creators say its big price tag wasn’t bribery

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 29: (L-R) President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend Amazon MGM’s “Melania” World Premiere at The Trump Kennedy Center on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) | Getty Images The makers of Amazon’s Melania documentary have defended its exorbitant cost following accusations of bribery … Read more

The small film that answers the big questions

Anna and Magnus built a life together. They had a home with three kids and a dog. Then they separated. This is where The Love That Remains begins, but as time passes and the reality of their divorce sets in, they’re left to move through a future strained by their unraveling. Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason’s … Read more

One of the biggest manga piracy networks has been shut down

Japan’s anti-piracy coalition says that one of the world’s largest manga piracy networks has been shut down following a coordinated investigation between Japanese publishers and Chinese authorities. The Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) announced the arrest of an individual on suspicion of copyright infringement on November 19th, who “has admitted to operating” Bato.to and approximately … Read more

Apple just had a record-breaking iPhone quarter

iPhone 17 Pro Apple says the iPhone had its “best-ever” quarter, with revenue hitting more than $85.3 billion over the past few months. The company announced the news as part of its Q1 2026 earnings report, which also revealed record-breaking revenue of $143.8 billion, up 16 percent when compared to the same time last year. … Read more

Apple’s second biggest acquisition ever is an AI company that listens to ‘silent speech’

Apple’s biggest acquisition ever is still its $3 billion Beats buy in 2014, but now the second biggest deal is bringing in Q.ai, a four-year-old AI audio startup. Apple did not disclose the terms, but Financial Times reports that Apple is spending $2 billion on the company. It also mentioned Q.ai patents for optical sensor … Read more

Everything is gambling now: the latest news on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi

Prediction markets will let you bet on just about anything, from how many tweets Elon Musk will post this week to the next president of the United States, with predictions sometimes showing shockingly (or suspiciously) spot-on accuracy. Polymarket’s CEO Shayne Copland has even claimed that prediction markets are “the most accurate thing we have as … Read more

Spotify’s new group chats share music with everyone in your circle

Spotify is expanding its in-app messaging feature with group chats. Now you can add up to 10 friends and family members to your discussion about your new favorite song, podcast, or audiobook, as reported earlier by TechCrunch. The music streaming platform launched direct messaging last August, allowing you to share what you’re listening to without … Read more

Microsoft is working to rebuild trust in Windows

Windows is in a weird spot. In its 40-year history, the operating system has weathered its fair share of missteps, but Windows 11 is testing the patience of its users in new ways. Persistent bugs, performance issues, intrusive prompts, ads, and bloatware have eroded the core Windows experience. Early system requirement decisions have also damaged … Read more

Linux gaming developers join forces to form the Open Gaming Collective

Gaming on Linux has already come a long way over recent years, with improvements to Valve’s Proton and more gamers switching to Linux, but the newly-formed Open Gaming Collective (OGC) is aiming to take it even further. Universal Blue, developer of the gaming-focused Linux distribution Bazzite, announced on Wednesday that its helping to form the … Read more

Deezer opens its AI music detection tool to other platforms

The music streaming service Deezer is giving other companies access to its AI song-detecting tool. The tool, which identifies, tags, and excludes AI-generated music from algorithmic recommendations, is now available for businesses to purchase and use, according to an announcement on Wednesday. Deezer launched its AI music detection tool last year as part of efforts … Read more

The rise of the slopagandist

The violent federal occupation of Minneapolis – and the subsequent killings of two residents at the hands of immigration agents – began with a vlog. Nick Shirley, a roving 23-year-old with a smartphone and a taste for outrage, made a YouTube video with unfounded allegations of fraud at daycares operated by the local Somali American … Read more

Netflix is eating Hollywood — because it has to

On today’s episode of Decoder, I’m talking about the bidding war over Warner Bros. Discovery, which is the biggest story in the entertainment industry right now, and for good reason. It has pretty much everything you could want in a buzzy Hollywood saga — big names, big money, and big drama. Right now, the winning … Read more

Sen. Warren pushes Altman for guarantee OpenAI isn’t seeking government bailout

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is pushing OpenAI for assurances it won’t seek a government bailout if it doesn’t turn a profit. In a letter to CEO Sam Altman, Warren says she is concerned that the company is preparing to fall back “on the classic strategy of privatizing profits and socializing losses” amid soaring spending and … Read more

Fidelity is launching its own stablecoin

Fidelity is launching a stablecoin that investors will be able to buy and sell for $1 when it arrives in the “coming weeks.” The stablecoin, called Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD), will live on the Ethereum network and is backed by cash reserves, cash equivalents, and short-term US Treasuries, according to CoinDesk. A stablecoin is a … Read more

Google agrees to $135 million settlement for collecting Android users’ data

Android users could get a recovery payout of up to $100 each in a proposed settlement Google filed in San Jose, California on Tuesday night. As Reuters reports, the $135 million settlement is for a class action lawsuit claiming that Google collected users’ cellular data without their permission, even while Google apps were closed, location … Read more