Patreon is laying off 20 percent of workers

Patreon is laying off 20 percent of its workers, or around 93 employees, as reported earlier by 404 Media. In a memo to employees, Patreon CEO Jack Conte writes that the company isn’t making these changes “because we believe AI replaces humans,” but says AI has “fundamentally transformed the tech industry, including how we work, … Read more

Tesla’s robotaxi promises are clashing with reality

In an earnings call yesterday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk did his best to paint a positive portrait of the company’s robotaxi program. New cities are being added, more miles are being driven, and more people are experiencing Tesla’s unsupervised vehicles. But Musk’s typical bullishness seemed to be absent from the call, as the occasional trillionaire … Read more

Geekbench 7 will push your computer or phone even harder for better benchmarking

Primate Labs is releasing Geekbench 7, the latest generation of its popular benchmarking tool. Geekbench 7 features new video and audio encoding / decoding tests, a redesigned multi-core test, and larger, more demanding datasets for CPUs and GPUs to crunch through. It otherwise looks and acts just like Geekbench 6, and a Pro license will … Read more

OpenAI is making big claims as it rolls out ChatGPT Health to everyone

OpenAI is rolling out ChatGPT Health to everyone in the US on Thursday, allowing more people to connect their medical records and health-tracking information to the chatbot. During a briefing, Ashley Alexander, OpenAI’s vice president of health product, says the company’s models “are now capable of reasoning at levels that are better than clinician level.” … Read more

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

It’s impossible to talk about a new Xbox game without also talking about the state of Xbox. Microsoft’s gaming division is in freefall: Recent headlines are dominated by extensive layoffs, decimated studios, and confusing strategies, most of which stem from years of bad decisions and expensive acquisitions. But it wasn’t always that way. Through its … Read more

Lawmakers prepare bill requiring AI ‘kill switch’

Lawmakers are preparing to introduce an “AI Kill Switch Act” that would require AI companies to shut down or throttle their systems on orders from the Department of Homeland Security, according to a report from Politico. Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) are expected to introduce the legislation on Thursday. The news of … Read more

Ford picks Apple Maps for its next EV platform and updated BlueCruise

Ford plans to embed Apple Maps directly into its Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, which will start with a $30,000 midsize pickup truck set for release in 2027. In an announcement on Thursday, Ford says it will use Apple Maps to offer “turn-by-turn directions using natural language, real-time traffic and incident information, intuitive search featuring detailed … Read more

Google hit with $1 billion fine for breaking EU antitrust rules

The European Union has fined Google’s parent company Alphabet €890 million (about $1 billion) for two separate violations of the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). One penalty is for giving its own products preferential treatment in search results, while the other is for blocking Android developers from sending users to alternate payment options. A €460 … Read more

Framework’s premium laptop is shipping with less RAM

The Framework Laptop 13 Pro configuration you wanted may not be available for a while. | Image: Framework RAMageddon has claimed yet another victim, with Framework now announcing a “major and unfortunate” pricing update for its upcoming premium laptop – which also impacts folks who preordered it. Memory configurations for the Laptop 13 Pro have … Read more

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

Carl Merriam has designed some of my favorite nostalgia-inducing Lego sets, including the Lego Nintendo Game Boy and Piranha Plant. He’s assisted on the incredible Lion Knights’ Castle, Galaxy Explorer, and Pirates of Barracuda Bay. Now, he’s helped the company create a $200 Donkey Kong arcade machine set that managed to win even Mario creator … Read more

iOS code could reportedly let Apple cut off apps when users miss iPhone payments

Code found in an iOS 27 beta would allow Apple to put a financed iPhone in “Restricted Mode” if it detects any missed payments, 9to5Mac reports. The finding follows a story from Bloomberg earlier this week claiming Apple is preparing to launch a new “Apple Upgrade” financing program for leasing new devices. iPhones in “Restricted … Read more

Preorders for Samsung’s new Z Fold and Flip 8 come with up to $350 in gift cards

Samsung’s newest foldables are here. At Galaxy Unpacked, the company announced the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. All three devices will be available on August 7th, but you can preorder them now starting at $1,199.99, $1,899.99, and $2,099.99, respectively. You probably noticed that Samsung’s foldable lineup … Read more

Philips’ new smart toothbrush shows you where you didn’t properly brush

The latest addition to Philips’ Sonicare line of smart electric toothbrushes could take the guesswork out of your brushing routine. The Next-Generation DiamondClean 9900 Prestige uses a third-generation AI model to provide real-time feedback on how you’re brushing through a glowing ring on its base, while a touchscreen highlights areas of your mouth that may … Read more

AMD commits up to $5 billion to Anthropic

AMD says it’s going to invest up to $5 billion in Anthropic, while helping to expand the AI company’s computing power, according to an announcement on Wednesday. As part of the new partnership, Anthropic will deploy up to 2 gigawatts of AMD’s Instinct MI450 AI GPUs using the chipmaker’s new Helios rack-scale system, as reported … Read more