Tesla’s robotaxi reality check
After years of grand promises about how robotaxis would change the way we buy and use our cars, Tesla finally launched its taxi service. In one small portion of one city. With only a few cars and a few riders. Plus…
These battery-powered 4K cameras record 24/7
TP-Link's new line of 4K-capable cameras works with its new Matter-compatible HomeBase hub. TP-Link just launched a bunch of new security cameras for its Tapo smart home brand, including a 4K-capable line for outdoors and a slew of inexpensive pan and…
Amazon bringing same-day delivery to ‘millions’ of rural customers
Amazon announced its intention to bring same-day and next-day delivery to “tens of millions” of people who live in live in smaller towns by the end of 2026. Speedier deliveries will be available to residents “in more than 4,000 smaller cities,…
What a set of knockoff headphones taught me about headphones — and knockoffs
Quick: which one is $500 more than the other? As a rule, you should never believe anything you see on social media. And you should really never believe anything someone says in a video with a TikTok Shop link, because they…
Google DeepMind’s optimized AI model runs directly on robots
One of Apptronik’s robots running the on-device model puts a Rubik’s Cube in a bag. Google DeepMind is rolling out an on-device version of its Gemini Robotics AI model that allows it to operate without an internet connection. The vision-language-action model…
I skipped every Death Stranding cutscene and I’ll do it again
I wouldn’t have seen the end if not for skipping cutscenes. | Image: Kojima Productions I beat the original Death Stranding, but please don't ask me what happened in it. There was a cataclysm - not quite a Gommage - that…
Android’s youthful new design will change the way you make and answer calls
Google is freshening up its Phone app with a new interface that’s supposed to make it easier to find contacts and your calls. The test is gradually rolling out to some of Google’s public beta users, and also includes some style…
Microsoft planning ‘major’ Xbox layoffs next week
Microsoft is planning to cut jobs in the company’s Xbox gaming business, as early as next week. I first reported in Notepad earlier this month that Microsoft was planning Xbox layoffs “potentially by the end of the month,” and now Bloomberg…
Nintendo’s wheelchair basketball game will be out in August
Drag x Drive is the next Switch 2 exclusive to get a release date. Nintendo, via its Nintendo Today news app, announced that the 3 v 3 wheelchair basketball game would be out August 14th. Since the launch of the Switch…
Anthropic wins a major fair use victory for AI — but it’s still in trouble for stealing books
A federal judge has sided with Anthropic in an AI copyright case, ruling that training — and only training — its AI models on legally purchased books without authors’ permission is fair use. It’s a first-of-its-kind ruling in favor of the…