@Snap2 | Digg

16d

Let's not make this into another news community

We already have enough tech-related communities where hundreds of news posts are posted every day, do we really need one more? Why not make this into a community made for discussion/help instead?

/technology

16d

I don’t hate the robot barista like I thought I would | The Verge

This article explores the experience of using Artly's robot barista Jarvis in Seattle, noting that while Jarvis can make a good latte, the author questions whether a coffee shop can truly be a coffee shop without the human element.

/technology

16d

Notepad++ says Chinese government hackers hijacked its software updates for months | TechCrunch

Notepad++ developer Don Ho confirmed that hackers associated with the Chinese government hijacked the software's update mechanism to deliver malicious updates to users between June and December 2025. Security experts attributed the attack to Lotus Blossom, a known Chinese espionage group. The compromised updates targeted specific sectors including government, telecom, aviation, critical infrastructure, and media. Ho apologized for the incident and urged users to update to the latest version of Notepad++ to mitigate the risk.

/technology

16d

Adobe Animate is shutting down as company focuses on AI | TechCrunch

Adobe Animate, a 2D animation software, will be discontinued by Adobe on March 1, 2026, as the company shifts its focus to AI technologies. Enterprise customers will receive technical support until March 1, 2029, while other customers will have support until March 2025. Adobe explained that Animate has served its purpose well over the past 25 years but is no longer aligned with the company's current direction. The decision has been met with disappointment and anger among users, who are concerned about the lack of alternatives that mirror Animate’s functionality.

/technology

21d

Trump's acting cybersecurity chief uploaded sensitive government docs to ChatGPT | TechCrunch

According to a report by Politico, the acting head of the U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA uploaded sensitive contracting documents marked 'for official use only' to the public version of the large language model, ChatGPT. This action triggered multiple automated security warnings designed to prevent the theft or inadvertent disclosure of government files from federal networks. The Department of Homeland Security, which houses CISA, is now seeking to determine if there was any harm to government security as a result of this incident.

/technology

21d

Apple tells Patreon to move creators to in-app purchase for subscriptions by November | TechCrunch

TechCrunch reports that Apple has mandated that Patreon move all creators to in-app subscription billing by November 2026, causing concern among creators for the uncertainty it creates. Apple's decision stems from its desire to manage all subscription billing through its own system, which Patreon had been circumventing. While Patreon has been given ample time to transition, the company is frustrated by Apple's changing rules and the impact on creators' businesses.

/technology

21d

Amazon says it is laying off 16,000 employees | TechCrunch

Amazon announced it is laying off 16,000 employees, following a previous round of 14,000 layoffs in October. The company cited restructuring and bureaucracy reduction as reasons for the cuts. Despite the layoffs, Amazon plans to continue hiring in strategic areas. The company also announced plans to close some physical stores and expand its Whole Foods footprint.

/technology

26d

TikTok finalizes deal for its US entity

TikTok has finalized a deal for its US entity, TikTok USDS Joint Venture, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9 percent stake and the rest controlled by non-Chinese investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. The new entity will protect US users' data, retrain TikTok’s algorithm, and handle content moderation. The joint venture also includes CapCut and Lemon8, with a seven-member board of directors overseeing operations.

/technology

26d

Vimeo lays off most of its staff just months after being bought by private equity firm

Vimeo, a video-hosting platform, has laid off most of its staff just months after being acquired by private equity firm Bending Spoons for $1.38 billion. The layoffs have impacted nearly the entire company, including the video team. The reason for the layoffs is unknown, but Bending Spoons has a history of purchasing tech companies and cutting costs through layoffs. Vimeo, founded a year before YouTube, has positioned itself as a premium alternative for hosting creative and business-adjacent videos.

/technology

26d

Retro handheld maker Anbernic has a new gamepad with a screen and heart rate sensor

Retro handheld maker Anbernic has introduced a new gamepad, the RG G01, featuring a 2.5-inch HD smart screen for intuitive customization and a heart rate sensor to monitor well-being during gaming.

/technology

26d

A rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products

Solos, a smart glasses maker, is suing Meta for patent infringement related to its Ray-Ban smart glasses, seeking billions in damages and an injunction. Solos claims Meta's products violate its patents on core smart eyewear technologies. The lawsuit alleges that Meta gained access to Solos' technology through Oakley and a former MIT Sloan Fellow who worked at Meta.

/technology

26d

“I swallowed some of it. I had really been spitting it out near the end.” | The Verge

A kid ate part of an AI art exhibit!!!

/digg

26d

Community - Private/Request-Access limits?

Will communities sometime get the option to be either private, or request-access only?

/technology

26d

Apple will begin showing more App Store ads starting in March

Starting in March, Apple will show more App Store ads in search results, appearing both at the top and further down. This move aims to provide more opportunities for advertisers to drive downloads, as search is the primary method for finding and downloading apps, accounting for nearly 65% of downloads.

/technology

26d

Meta is temporarily pulling teens' access from its AI chatbot characters

Meta is temporarily halting teens' access to its AI chatbot characters globally due to safety concerns. This decision follows reports of inappropriate interactions and follows the company's commitment to re-train its chatbots to prevent discussions on sensitive topics. Teens will still be able to access the official Meta AI chatbot, which already has age-appropriate protections.

/technology

26d

Even the lawmakers behind the TikTok ban have no idea what’s going on |

Lawmakers who passed a bill to ban TikTok are staying quiet about the repeated delays of its enforcement by President Donald Trump. The Verge contacted several lawmakers involved in the bill's passage, but only Maria Cantwell commented, expressing concerns about the lack of transparency in the deal Trump is brokering. The deal, which involves selling TikTok to a US entity, raises questions about whether it meets the legal requirements for divestiture and if it will sever all ties to China.

/technology

26d

Hang on, there’s a Trump Phone Ultra coming too? | The Verge

What are they even trying to achieve?

/technology

26d

Apple accuses Europe of 'delay tactics' following alternative app store collapse

Following the shutdown of an alternative app store, Apple has accused the European Commission (EC) of using 'political delay tactics' as an excuse to probe and fine the company. Apple claims the EC has refused to approve changes to its pricing model for third-party app stores, which it submitted in October. The EC insists it is in constant contact with Apple to find a solution compliant with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The EC is reportedly preparing to blame Apple for the shutdown of the Setapp store, citing complex business terms.

/technology

26d

Malaysia lifts ban on Grok after taking X at its word

Malaysia has lifted its ban on Grok, Elon Musk's AI chatbot, after X Corp implemented required safety measures against misuse. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission confirmed it was satisfied with the new policies, which now prohibit the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing. The country will continue to monitor the platform for further violations.

/technology

26d

Chrome won’t support macOS 12 starting later this year.

Starting with Chrome 151, Google will no longer support macOS 12 Monterey, requiring users to upgrade to macOS 13 Ventura or later to continue receiving updates.

/gaming

26d

The Last General: A new game planned for release in mid-late 2026

The Last General is a real-time modern war strategy game featuring diverse single player and multiplayer match types, including deathmatch battles, assassinations, and sieges, set on billions of massive islands.

/technology

26d

Elon Musk is weighing how to participate in the midterm elections.

Elon Musk is considering ways to participate in the midterm elections, having already donated $10 million to a super PAC supporting Nate Morris, who is running for the seat left by Mitch McConnell. Musk aims to encourage voters who only participate when Trump is on the ballot to vote in this year’s elections.

/technology

26d

Giving your healthcare info to a chatbot is, unsurprisingly, a terrible idea | The Verge

OpenAI's ChatGPT Health promises privacy, but users must trust the company's word as tech companies are not bound by the same obligations as medical providers. Despite assurances, data protection largely depends on the company's privacy policies and terms of use, which can change over time. Additionally, while the tool is not intended for diagnosis or treatment, its potential medical use raises questions about its classification and regulation.

/technology

26d

Google won’t stop replacing our news headlines with terrible AI

Google has confirmed that its AI-generated news headlines in Google Discover are now a permanent feature, not an experiment. Despite claims of improved user satisfaction, these AI headlines have been criticized for being misleading and inaccurate, often misrepresenting the content they link to. Google maintains that these headlines are not rewrites of individual articles but rather AI-powered overviews of trending topics. However, this has raised concerns among news publishers about the potential impact on their ability to accurately market their journalism.

/technology

26d

Microsoft Paint can now make AI coloring books

Microsoft has introduced new AI capabilities to its Paint and Notepad apps on Windows. The updates, currently available to Windows Insiders, include AI text improvements in Notepad and a 'Coloring book' feature in Paint that generates coloring book pages based on text prompts. These features are available on Copilot Plus PCs, suggesting Microsoft is exploring ways to make its AI-infused Windows 11 devices more marketable.

/technology

26d

It’s the end of an era for Sony TVs | The Verge

Sony's new joint venture with TCL marks the end of an era for Sony TVs, as discussed on The Vergecast. The podcast covers Sony's legacy in televisions, the implications of the deal, and the broader AI news, including monetization strategies and AI hardware.

/technology

26d

600,000 Trump Mobile phones sold? There’s no proof.

There is no evidence to support the viral claim that Trump Mobile sold 600,000 preorders for its phone. The figure originated from a meme account and has been widely shared, even by reputable sources, but no credible evidence backs it up.

/technology

26d

A second US Sphere could come to Maryland

Sphere Entertainment plans to develop a smaller Sphere venue in Maryland, near Washington, DC, with seating for 6,000, featuring immersive technology and a high-resolution screen. This project, pending governmental incentives and approvals, aims to generate revenue and create jobs.

/technology

26d

Google Search AI Mode can use Gmail and Photos to get to know you

Google is enhancing its AI Mode in Search with a new Personal Intelligence update. This update allows the chatbot to analyze users' Gmail and Google Photos accounts to provide more personalized responses. Eligible Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers can opt in to this feature, which is currently rolling out in the US for personal Google accounts. The update aims to tailor search results to users' interests and daily life, such as suggesting travel itineraries based on email bookings and photos, and curating recommendations based on users' activities.

/technology

26d

Claude Code is suddenly everywhere inside Microsoft

Microsoft is increasingly adopting Anthropic's AI coding tool, Claude Code, despite selling its own GitHub Copilot. The company is encouraging its employees to use both tools, and is considering selling Claude Code to its cloud customers. Microsoft's decision to adopt Claude Code more broadly among its engineering teams suggests a vote of confidence in Anthropic's AI tools over its own.