DEV Community: Atharv Shinde

Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-02-04

Atharv Shinde — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 05:32:18 +0000

1. Adobe actually won’t discontinue Animate
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/873621/adobe-animate-maintenance-mode-reverse-course
Summary: Adobe is no longer planning to discontinue Adobe Animate on March 1st. In an FAQ, the company now says that Animate will now be in maintenance mode and that it has "no plans to discontinue or remove access" to the app. Animate will still receive "ongoing security and bug fixes" and will still be available for […]

2. Epstein-linked longevity guru Peter Attia leaves David Protein, and his own startup ‘won’t comment’
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/03/epstein-linked-longevity-guru-peter-attia-leaves-david-protein-and-his-own-startup-wont-comment/
Summary: Attia co-founded longevity medical testing startup Biograph, which came out of stealth a year ago.

3. Republicans haul Netflix before Congress for being too ‘woke’
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/873533/netflix-warner-bros-discovery-senate-antitrust-hearing
Summary: Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos was launched into the middle of a congressional culture war on Tuesday as he testified before a Senate subcommittee about the company's attempt to buy a large part of Warner Bros Discovery. The hearing before the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee highlighted an array of traditional merger concerns on both sides of […]

4. India’s Varaha bags $20M to scale carbon removal from the Global South
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/03/indias-varaha-bags-20m-to-scale-carbon-removal-from-the-global-south/
Summary: Varaha's fresh funding is part of a $45 million Series B round led by WestBridge Capital.

5. AMD hints Microsoft could launch its next-gen Xbox in 2027
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/873490/microsoft-next-gen-xbox-console-2027-date-amd
Summary: Microsoft confirmed last year that it's working on a next-gen Xbox console in partnership with AMD. Now, AMD is hinting that the next Xbox console, which will use custom AMD chips, could be launching in 2027. "Development of Microsoft's next-gen Xbox, featuring an AMD semi-custom SoC, is progressing well to support a launch in 2027," […]

6. Department of Justice appeals Google search monopoly ruling
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/873438/google-antitrust-case-doj-states-appeal
Summary: On Tuesday, the Department of Justice and the plaintiffs in the antitrust case against Google filed a cross-appeal, as the DOJ Antitrust Division announced in a post on X: "Today, the DOJ Antitrust Division filed notice that it will cross-appeal from the remedies decisions in its case against Google's unlawful monopolization of internet search and […]

7. Slopaganda goes West
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/873400/nick-shirley-somali-daycares-san-diego-california-youtube
Summary: After right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley's viral video alleging fraud at Minnesota daycares he said were operated by Somali residents, Donald Trump's administration responded by flooding the state with federal immigration agents and freezing funding for childcare services. (A judge ruled that the federal government must continue funding childcare subsidies, at least temporarily.) Now Shirley is […]

8. The Minneapolis tech community holds strong during ‘tense and difficult time’
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/03/minnesota-tech-community-founders-investors-ice-response/
Summary: Founders and investors in the Minneapolis tech industry told TechCrunch they've put much of their work on hold to help out their community.

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-02-03

Atharv Shinde — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:34:35 +0000

1. Fintech CEO and Forbes 30 Under 30 alum has been charged for alleged fraud
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/02/fintech-ceo-and-forbes-30-under-30-alum-has-been-charged-for-alleged-fraud/
Summary: The startup CEO says she plans to publicly address the charges this week.

2. Waymo raises $16B to scale robotaxi fleet internationally
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/02/waymo-raises-16-billion-round-to-scale-robotaxi-fleet-london-tokyo/
Summary: Waymo said the funds will be used to fuel its growth, which has accelerated over the past year and doesn't appear to be slowing.

3. Adobe Animate is shutting down next month
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/872731/adobe-animate-app-shutdown-date
Summary: Adobe is pulling the plug on Adobe Animate. In a FAQ posted to Adobe's website, the company says it will stop selling the animation software on March 1st, citing the emergence of new platforms "that better serve the needs of the users." Users have until March 1st, 2027 (or March 1st, 2029 for enterprise customers) […]

4. Waymo raises $16 billion to take its robotaxi business ‘global’
Source: https://www.theverge.com/transportation/872651/waymo-raises-16-billion-investment-value-robotaxi
Summary: Waymo announced a $16 billion investment round aimed at bringing its robotaxi business to more US cities, as well as some overseas markets. The funding round was led by Dragoneer Investment Group, a "crossover" firm known for investing in late-stage tech companies before they go public. Waymo's co-CEOs said in a blog post they would […]

5. Elon Musk’s SpaceX officially acquires Elon Musk’s xAI, with plan to build data centers in space
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/02/elon-musk-spacex-acquires-xai-data-centers-space-merger/
Summary: The merger creates the world's most valuable private company and paves the way for Musk to try and prove out the usefulness of space-based data centers.

6. Here are the best Apple Watch deals available right now
Source: https://www.theverge.com/21289209/best-apple-watch-deals
Summary: In September, Apple launched its latest fleet of smartwatches, including the Apple Watch Series 11, the SE 3, and the Ultra 3. Each wearable offers something a little different (their prices indicate their breadth of features), and we’re already starting to see big price drops. Additionally, we’re still recommending some recent predecessors in Apple’s portfolio, […]

7. China is leading the fight against hidden car door handles
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/02/china-is-leading-the-fight-against-hidden-car-door-handles/
Summary: Under new safety rules published Monday by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, cars sold in the country must have mechanical releases on their door handles. The new rules, which go in effect January 1, 2027, will prohibit the hidden, electronically actuated door handles popularized by Tesla — and now found on numerous other electric vehicles in China.

8. Elon Musk merges SpaceX with xAI (and X)
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/872619/elon-musk-merges-spacex-with-xai-and-x
Summary: Elon Musk is merging two of the companies that he leads, SpaceX and xAI (which also owns X), into one. According to an announcement from Musk: SpaceX has acquired xAI to form the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, space-based internet, direct-to-mobile device communications and the world's foremost real-time […]

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-02-02

Atharv Shinde — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 05:46:35 +0000

1. AI layoffs or ‘AI-washing’?
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/ai-layoffs-or-ai-washing/
Summary: How many of the companies with recent layoffs are just using AI as an excuse?

2. Why Tether’s CEO is everywhere right now
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/why-tethers-ceo-is-everywhere-right-now/
Summary: For years, Tether's CEO avoided the United States, watching from offshore as regulators circled and prosecutors investigated. Those days are over.

3. Bill Gates says accusations contained in Epstein files are ‘absolutely absurd’
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/871879/bill-gates-epstein-files-absolutely-absurd
Summary: Reports of Bill Gates' connections with Jeffrey Epstein grow more lurid with each dump of documents from the Department of Justice. The latest includes somewhat confusing emails that Epstein may have been drafting on behalf of someone named Boris, who worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The messages claim that Bill contracted an […]

4. Amazon’s ‘Melania’ documentary makes $7M on opening weekend
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/amazons-melania-documentary-makes-7m-on-opening-weekend/
Summary: While the documentary is exceeding box office expectations, it's unlikely to make a profit in theaters.

5. Shedding light on Iran’s longest internet blackout
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/871848/iran-blackout-internet-mahsa-alimardani
Summary: After protests broke out in early January, the Iranian regime shut down the internet, starting the longest blackout in Iranian history. Despite this attempt to stop the protests from spreading, they did not stop. Still, the internet shutdown slowed down the spread of information both inside and outside Iran. Behind the heavily policed borders and […]

6. You need to listen to M83’s icy post-rock record Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
Source: https://www.theverge.com/column/871847/m83-dead-cities-red-seas-lost-ghosts
Summary: New York City got hit with a hell of a snowstorm last week. And, inevitably, when I'm watching the snow fall, wandering the oddly quiet streets after dark, people hiding inside and staying warm, I put on M83's sophomore record, Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. Before Nicolas Fromageau left the band and Anthony […]

7. Indonesia ‘conditionally’ lifts ban on Grok
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/indonesia-conditionally-lifts-ban-on-grok/
Summary: Indonesia has followed Malaysia and the Philippines in lifting a ban on xAI’s chatbot Grok.

8. TechCrunch Mobility: The great Tesla rebranding
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/techcrunch-mobility-the-great-tesla-rebranding/
Summary: Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-02-01

Atharv Shinde — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 05:43:40 +0000

1. Nvidia CEO denies he’s ‘unhappy’ with OpenAI
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/871818/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-unhappy-openai
Summary: Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang denied reports that he was unhappy with OpenAI and said his company still planned to make a "huge" investment in the ChatGPT firm. NVIDIA announced in September that it would invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, but recently, there have been suggestions that the deal might not happen. While Huang […]

2. Waymo reportedly raising a $16B funding round
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/31/waymo-reportedly-raising-a-16-billion-funding-round/
Summary: Waymo is reportedly finalizing a new funding round that will value the robotaxi company at $110 billion.

3. SpaceX seeks federal approval to launch 1 million solar-powered satellite data centers
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/31/spacex-seeks-federal-approval-to-launch-1-million-solar-powered-satellite-data-centers/
Summary: SpaceX's filing claims these satellites will be “a first step towards becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization — one that can harness the Sun’s full power."

4. “No more Minnesota nice, Minneapolis will strike”
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/871606/minneapolis-general-strike-anti-ice-protest
Summary: It was too cold to take off my mittens and check Google Maps so I put my faith in the trickle of bundled-up people ahead of me. All of them were carrying signs and wearing whistles around their necks on top of layers and layers of winter clothing. At first there were dozens of us […]

5. SpaceX wants to put 1 million solar-powered data centers into orbit
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/871641/spacex-fcc-1-million-solar-powered-data-centers-satellites-orbit
Summary: SpaceX filed a request with the FCC on Friday seeking approval to put a constellation of 1 million data center satellites into orbit. While the FCC is unlikely to approve a network that expansive, SpaceX's strategy has been to request approval for unrealistically large numbers of satellites as a starting point for negotiations. The filing […]

6. Nvidia CEO pushes back against report that his company’s $100B OpenAI investment has stalled
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/31/nvidia-ceo-pushes-back-against-report-that-his-companys-100b-openai-investment-has-stalled/
Summary: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that a recent report of friction between his company and OpenAI was “nonsense.”

7. HomeBoost’s app will show you where to save on your utility bills
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/31/homeboosts-app-will-show-you-where-to-save-on-your-utility-bills/
Summary: The startup is partnering with utilities to help homeowners determine the best upgrades to cut their energy use.

8. The AirPods 4 and Google’s 4K streamer are just two of this week’s best deals
Source: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/871092/airpods-4-anc-google-tv-streamer-4k-deal-sale
Summary: Happy Saturday, folks! After a few weeks of middling deals, we’re starting see things pick up. Some of our favorite deals of the holiday season have returned in some fashion, making now a great time to pick up deal stalwarts like the AirPods 4 with ANC or Google’s TV Streamer (4K). We also stumbled upon […]

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-31

Atharv Shinde — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 05:22:56 +0000

1. Senate passes budget with two more weeks of Homeland Security funding
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/870419/senate-passes-budget-with-two-more-weeks-of-homeland-security-funding
Summary: The Senate voted on Friday evening to pass the federal budget, funding everything except for one entity: the Department of Homeland Security, which was given a two-week funding extension in order to negotiate new guardrails around Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If no agreement is reached, DHS funding will lapse and the department will face […]

2. a16z partner Kofi Ampadu to leave firm after TxO program pause
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/30/a16z-partner-kofi-ampadu-to-leave-firm-after-txo-program-pause/
Summary: Ampadu's departure perhaps signals the end of the TxO chapter. The fund and program focused on supporting underserved founders by providing access to tech networks and investment capital through a donor-advised fund.

3. Jeffrey Epstein was permanently banned from Xbox Live
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/871425/jeffrey-epstein-xbox-live-ban-microsoft-sex-offender
Summary: Would it surprise you to learn Microsoft booted Jeffrey Epstein from its online gaming platform? As spotted by XboxEra, the latest batch of Epstein's emails shows that in December 2013, he was "permanently suspended due to harassment, threats, and/or abuse of other players." But it appears the real reason may be simpler: A second email […]

4. Physical Intelligence, Stripe veteran Lachy Groom’s latest bet, is building Silicon Valley’s buzziest robot brains
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/30/physical-intelligence-stripe-veteran-lachy-grooms-latest-bet-is-building-silicon-valleys-buzziest-robot-brains/
Summary: If co-founder Lachy Groom has any doubts, he doesn’t show it. He’s working with people who've been working on this problem for decades and who believe the timing is finally right, which is all he needs to know.

5. OnlyFans considering selling majority stake to Architect Capital
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/30/onlyfans-considering-selling-majority-stake-to-architect-capital/
Summary: This isn't the first time in recent memory that OnlyFans has been in talks to sell off its business.

6. Peloton lays off 11 percent of its staff just a few months after launching its AI hardware
Source: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/871422/peloton-layoffs-cost-cutting-2026
Summary: Peloton said on Friday that it's cutting around 11 percent of its staff, mostly impacting "engineers working on technology and enterprise-related efforts," reports Bloomberg. Last August, Peloton laid off six percent of its workforce and told investors it would continue layoffs globally in 2026, in an attempt to cut at least $100 million of annual […]

7. OpenClaw’s AI assistants are now building their own social network
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/30/openclaws-ai-assistants-are-now-building-their-own-social-network/
Summary: The viral personal AI assistant formerly known as Clawdbot has a new shell — again. After briefly rebranding as Moltbot, it has now picked OpenClaw as its new name.

8. Video game company stock prices dip after Google introduces an AI world-generation tool
Source: https://www.theverge.com/games/871348/google-project-genie-take-two-roblox-unity
Summary: The stock prices of some major video game companies, including Take-Two Interactive, Roblox, and Unity, had notable declines on Friday, just a day after Google announced its Project Genie tool that lets users prompt AI to generate interactive experiences, Reuters reports. Take-Two's stock price closed at $220.30 (down 7.93 percent from yesterday), Roblox's closed at […]

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-30

Atharv Shinde — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:31:59 +0000

1. How Sequoia-backed Ethos reached the public market while rivals fell short
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/how-sequoia-backed-ethos-reached-the-public-market-while-rivals-fell-short/
Summary: The profitable life-insurance platform was one of the first major tech companies to test the 2026 public markets.

2. The iPhone just had its best quarter ever
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/the-iphone-just-had-its-best-quarter-ever/
Summary: Growth in regions like China and India are credited with pushing Apple's phone sales higher than ever.

3. Guys, I don’t think Tim Cook knows how to monetize AI
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/guys-i-dont-think-tim-cook-knows-how-to-monetize-ai/
Summary: One intrepid Morgan Stanley analyst dared to ask how Apple will make money on its AI investments. The answer will not shock you.

4. Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/elon-musk-spacex-tesla-xai-merger-talks-ipo-reuters/
Summary: This merger would bring the Grok chatbot, Starlink satellites, and SpaceX rockets together under one corporation.

5. It’s a new heyday for gas thanks to data centers
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/870422/data-center-ai-gas-power-surge
Summary: The US is now leading a global surge in new gas power plants being built in large part to satisfy growing energy demand for data centers. And more gas means more planet-heating pollution. Gas-fired power generation in development globally rose by 31 percent in 2025. Almost a quarter of that added capacity is slated for […]

6. Amazon is reportedly in talks to invest $50B in OpenAI
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/amazon-is-reportedly-in-talks-to-invest-50-billion-in-openai/
Summary: If a deal materializes, it would mean Amazon is backing competing startups in the race for AI supremacy.

7. Apple just had a record-breaking iPhone quarter
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/870319/apple-iphone-best-revenue-ai-q1-2026
Summary: 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. "The demand for […]

8. Medium gives employees Friday off to participate in national strike protesting ICE
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/medium-gives-employees-friday-off-to-participate-in-national-strike-protesting-ice/
Summary: Activists behind the general strike are calling for "no work, no school, and no shopping" amid a push to defund ICE, which has escalated raids in U.S. cities, killing several people, including two U.S. citizens earlier this month in Minneapolis.

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-29

Atharv Shinde — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 05:28:36 +0000

1. Meta burned $19 billion on VR last year, and 2026 won’t be any better
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/28/meta-burned-19-billion-on-vr-last-year-and-2026-wont-be-any-better/
Summary: The reported financial losses follow a series of layoffs at the VR unit.

2. Halide co-founder Sebastiaan de With is joining Apple’s design team
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/869926/apple-hires-sebastiaan-de-with-design-team-halide-lux
Summary: Sebastiaan de With, known for his work on apps like Halide, Kino, and Orion as the co-founder of Lux, is joining Apple's design team, he announced today. "So excited to work with the very best team in the world on my favorite products," de With says in his post. de With is well-known for his […]

3. Mark Zuckerberg is all in on AI as the new social media
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/869882/mark-zuckerberg-meta-earnings-q4-2025
Summary: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse dreams seem to have been replaced by a new vision: an AI-generated social feed. In an earnings call on Wednesday, Zuckerberg reiterated his belief that AI will become the next big media format, making feeds "more immersive and interactive:" We started with text, and then moved to photos when we […]

4. Windows 11 has reached 1 billion users faster than Windows 10
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/869889/microsoft-windows-11-1-billion-users
Summary: Windows 11 now has 1 billion users. Microsoft hit the milestone during the recent holiday quarter, meaning Windows 11 has managed to reach 1 billion users faster than Windows 10 did nearly six years ago. "Windows reached a big milestone, 1 billion Windows 11 users," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on the company's fiscal Q2, […]

5. Zuckerberg teases agentic commerce tools and major AI rollout in 2026
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/28/zuckerberg-teases-agentic-commerce-tools-and-major-ai-rollout-in-2026/
Summary: Mark Zuckerberg says 2026 will be "a big year for delivering personal super intelligence."

6. Trump energy department loosens rules on nuclear safety
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/28/trump-energy-department-loosens-rules-on-nuclear-safety/
Summary: The new rules apply to nuclear reactors built on Department of Energy property, which includes several currently being developed by startups.

7. Tesla discontinuing Model S and Model X to make room for robots
Source: https://www.theverge.com/transportation/869872/tesla-model-s-model-x-discontinue-optimus-robot-factory
Summary: Tesla will discontinue the Model S and Model X in the second quarter of 2026, Elon Musk said in an earnings call with investors today. No advance word was given about the cancellations, making it an abrupt ending for Tesla's two original flagship EVs. Musk said the reasons for cancelling the vehicle programs was to […]

8. Microsoft gained $7.6B from OpenAI last quarter
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/28/microsoft-earnings-7-6-billion-openai/
Summary: Microsoft, one of OpenAI's major investors, is benefiting greatly from the AI lab's growth.

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-28

Atharv Shinde — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 05:00:39 +0000

1. What you should know about the owners of US TikTok
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/27/what-you-should-know-about-the-owners-of-us-tiktok/
Summary: ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, recently established a separate American entity to run the app’s U.S. operations. This restructuring aims to separate U.S. TikTok from its Chinese parent, addressing concerns about data privacy and foreign control. The move came after years of pressure from lawmakers, who feared the Chinese government’s potential access to Americans’ data. […]

2. The crypto bill is falling apart in Congress
Source: https://www.theverge.com/column/868941/clarity-act-congress-shutdown
Summary: Hello and welcome to Regulator, the Verge newsletter about the technology politics happening in our nation's capital. I hope our snowstorm-affected readers are safe, warm, and haven't reenacted The Shining at home yet. Do you know what prevents that? Subscribing to The Verge. Last week, when I was tracking Coinbase's opposition to the Clarity Act, […]

3. The best Android phones
Source: https://www.theverge.com/23674658/best-android-phone
Summary: The Android ecosystem is all about choice. While iPhone owners have a smaller pool of new devices to pick from when it’s time to upgrade, there’s a wider range of choices on Android. Some Android phones even fold in half! Imagine. On the flip side, all that choice can make for some hard decisions. Here’s […]

4. Everything you need to know about viral personal AI assistant Clawdbot (now Moltbot)
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/27/everything-you-need-to-know-about-viral-personal-ai-assistant-clawdbot-now-moltbot/
Summary: Personal AI assistant Moltbot —formerly Clawdbot — has gone viral in a matter of weeks. But there’s more you should know before jumping on the bandwagon.

5. Fashion rental app By Rotation and Uber partner to help deliver ski clothing
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/27/fashion-rental-app-by-rotation-and-uber-partner-to-help-deliver-ski-rentals/
Summary: By Rotation, one of the U.K.’s most popular peer-to-peer fashion rental platforms, is partnering with Uber to deliver ski clothes.

6. Meta is spending millions to convince people that data centers are cool and you like them
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/869008/meta-data-centers-ad-campaign
Summary: Over the last few months of 2025, Meta spent $6.4 million on an ad campaign running in cities across the country, from Sacramento to Washington, with a clear mission: win over viewers on the construction of new data centers. As the New York Times reports, the ad campaign is anchored by short, folksy video spotlights […]

7. Moltbot, the AI agent that ‘actually does things,’ is tech’s new obsession
Source: https://www.theverge.com/report/869004/moltbot-clawdbot-local-ai-agent
Summary: An open-source AI agent that "actually does things" is taking off, with people across the web sharing how they're using the agent to do a whole bunch of things, like manage reminders, log health and fitness data, and even communicate with clients. The tool, called Moltbot (formerly Clawdbot), runs locally on a variety of devices, […]

8. The best budget robot vacuums
Source: https://www.theverge.com/23846479/best-budget-robot-vacuum-robot-mop
Summary: Today’s robot vacuums are becoming a bit like cars: with all the features, upgrades, and fancy trimmings available these days, it’s easy to forget that they can just be simple machines that get us from point A to point B. Yes, some bots blow hot air on their bums (mop pads), deftly navigate dog poop, […]

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-27

Atharv Shinde — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:01:57 +0000

1. TikTok is still down, here are all the latest updates
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/868379/tiktok-us-trump-oracle-broken-rumors-power-outage
Summary: More than a day after TikTok’s issues began, TikTok USDS says the problems are the result of a power outage at a data center and subsequent cascading systems failure. Starting early Sunday morning, TikTok’s now under new ownership US arm started breaking down just a couple of days after Oracle & Co took the reins. […]

2. South Korea’s Edenlux set for U.S. debut of eye-strain wellness device
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/26/south-koreas-edenlux-set-for-u-s-debut-of-eye-strain-wellness-device/
Summary: Edenlux builds wearable tech to protect and train your eyes, inspired by its founder’s personal vision recovery.

3. Qualcomm backs SpotDraft to scale on-device contract AI with valuation doubling toward $400M
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/26/qualcomm-backs-spotdraft-to-scale-on-device-contract-ai-with-valuation-doubling-toward-400m/
Summary: SpotDraft now processes over 1 million contracts annually using its AI tool, with contract volumes up 173% year-over-year.

4. Google pays $68M to settle claims its voice assistant spied on users
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/26/google-pays-68-million-to-settle-claims-its-voice-assistant-spied-on-users/
Summary: Google did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement of the class-action case, which accused the firm of "unlawful and intentional interception and recording of individuals’ confidential communications without their consent and subsequent unauthorized disclosure of those communications to third parties."

5. AI chip startup Ricursive hits $4B valuation two months after launch
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/26/ai-chip-startup-ricursive-hits-4b-valuation-two-months-after-launch/
Summary: Ricursive joins Recursive and Unconventional AI in raising massive funds at multi-billion valuations out of the gate.

6. Meta to test premium subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/26/meta-to-test-premium-subscriptions-on-instagram-facebook-and-whatsapp/
Summary: In the coming months, Meta is going to explore a premium experience on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp that gives users access to special features and more control over how they share and connect, while keeping the core experiences free.

7. Some international attendees are skipping 2026 GDC due to safety fears and growing ICE presence
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/26/some-international-attendees-are-skipping-2026-gdc-due-to-safety-fears-and-growing-ice-presence/
Summary: Many members of the international games industry are skipping the 2026 Game Developers Conference because of the growing ICE presence and other concerns.

8. X faces EU investigation over Grok’s sexualized deepfakes
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/868239/x-grok-sexualized-deepfakes-eu-investigation
Summary: X is facing an investigation from the European Commission over the sexualized deepfakes generated by its Grok AI chatbot. In its announcement, the Commission says it will evaluate whether X "properly assessed and mitigated risks" associated with Grok's image-generating capabilities in the EU, as reported earlier by The New York Times. Advocacy groups and lawmakers […]

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-26

Atharv Shinde — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:08:11 +0000

1. This founder cracked firefighting — now he’s creating an AI gold mine
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/25/this-founder-cracked-firefighting-now-hes-creating-an-ai-gold-mine/
Summary: The nozzle is just the beginning – what company founder Sunny Sethi calls "the muscle on the ground.”

2. ChatGPT is pulling answers from Elon Musk’s Grokipedia
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/25/chatgpt-is-pulling-answers-from-elon-musks-grokipedia/
Summary: Information from the conservative-leaning, AI-generated encyclopedia developed by Elon Musk’s xAI is beginning to appear in answers from ChatGPT.

3. Humans& thinks coordination is the next frontier for AI, and they’re building a model to prove it
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/25/humans-thinks-coordination-is-the-next-frontier-for-ai-and-theyre-building-a-model-to-prove-it/
Summary: Humans&, a new startup founded by alumni of Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI, and Google DeepMind, is building the next generation of foundation models for collaboration, not chat.

4. Science fiction writers, Comic-Con say goodbye to AI
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/25/science-fiction-writers-comic-con-say-goodbye-to-ai/
Summary: Some of the major players in science fiction and pop culture are taking firmer stances against generative AI.

5. Creators and communities everywhere take a stand against ICE
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/867451/creators-and-communities-take-a-stand-against-ice
Summary: It's not surprising when the guy who's been yelling about the horrors of late-stage capitalism on Instagram for the last five years turns his ire towards ICE. But something different has been happening over the week or so, following the most recent shootings of civilians by federal agents - even accounts that stay laser focused […]

6. TechCrunch Mobility: RIP, Tesla Autopilot, and the NTSB investigates Waymo
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/25/techcrunch-mobility-rip-tesla-autopilot-and-the-ntsb-investigates-waymo/
Summary: Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.

7. It doesn’t matter if Alex Pretti had a gun
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/867455/dhs-ice-border-patrol-minneapolis-alex-pretti
Summary: Shortly after federal agents killed Alex Pretti Saturday morning, the Department of Homeland Security began to run with the story that the dead man had been armed and dangerous. He had a gun, DHS said. (A Bellingcat analysis of the video concludes that Pretti was unarmed when he was shot.) He had approached the agents […]

8. Apple will reportedly unveil its Gemini-powered Siri assistant in February
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/25/apple-will-reportedly-unveil-its-gemini-powered-siri-assistant-in-february/
Summary: We’re about to get our first real look at the results of the recently announced AI partnership between Apple and Google.

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-25

Atharv Shinde — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 05:04:30 +0000

1. The day of the second killing
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/867410/minneapolis-ice-protest-alex-pretti-killing
Summary: Steven Garcia, as told to Gaby Del Valle: I was in the middle of a frozen lake when I got the notification from the Minnesota Star Tribune that there had been a shooting. I was on assignment at a pond hockey event, and someone who was supposed to play later that evening said he probably […]

2. Gmail is having issues with spam and misclassification
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/24/gmail-is-having-issues-with-spam-and-misclassification/
Summary: If your Gmail account doesn’t seem to be working properly today, you’re not alone.

3. Microsoft handed the government encryption keys for customer data
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/867244/microsoft-bitlocker-privacy-fbi
Summary: The FBI went to Microsoft last year with a warrant, asking them to hand over keys to unlock encrypted data stored on three laptops as part of an investigation into potential fraud involving the COVID unemployment assistance program in Guam - and Microsoft complied. Typically, companies resist handing over encryption keys to authorities. Most famously, […]

4. Tech CEOs boast and bicker about AI at Davos
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/24/tech-ceos-boast-and-bicker-about-ai-at-davos/
Summary: There were times at this week’s meeting of the World Economic Forum when Davos seemed transformed into a high-powered tech conference.

5. Former Googlers seek to captivate kids with an AI-powered learning app
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/24/former-google-trio-is-building-an-interactive-ai-powered-learning-app-for-kids/
Summary: Sparkli said that education systems often fall behind in teaching modern concepts. The company wants to teach kids about topics like skills design, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship by creating an AI-powered learning "expedition."

6. MicroSD Express cards and Anker’s travel adapter rule the deal roost this week
Source: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/866788/anker-nano-travel-adapter-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-deal-sale
Summary: Welcome to the weekend, friends! We’re still in a bit of a deals lull before the Presidents Day and V-Day sales begin, the bulk of which we anticipate kicking off the first week of February. However, for now, we’re still seeing some solid discounts on a few newer gadgets and some old, Verge-approved favorites. Anker’s […]

7. SEC drops lawsuit against Winklevoss twins’ Gemini crypto exchange
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/24/sec-drops-lawsuit-against-winklevoss-twins-gemini-crypto-exchange/
Summary: The Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped its lawsuit against Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by Trump backers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.

8. Gmail’s spam filter and automatic sorting are broken
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/867247/gmails-spam-filter-broken
Summary: Some Gmail users may have noticed that promotional emails that normally go to their own siloed tab have started flooding their inbox. Reports hit the Google forums and Reddit that messages are bypassing the Updates and Promotional filters and went straight to Gmail inboxes. Some also reported seeing a banner at the top of some […]

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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-24

Atharv Shinde — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 04:55:21 +0000

1. TikTok users freak out over app’s ‘immigration status’ collection — here’s what it means
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/tiktok-users-freak-out-over-apps-immigration-status-collection-heres-what-it-means/
Summary: TikTok users are freaking out over a mention of "immigration status" data collection, but lawyers explain the disclosure is related to state privacy laws.

2. Chromebooks train schoolkids to be loyal customers, internal Google document suggests
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/867138/google-chromebook-education-expansion-court-filings
Summary: Internal documents revealed as part of a child safety lawsuit hint at Google's plan to "onboard kids" into its ecosystem by investing in schools. In this November 2020 presentation, Google writes that getting kids into its ecosystem "leads to brand trust and loyalty over their lifetime," as reported earlier by NBC News. The heavily-redacted documents, […]

3. Leak: Nvidia is about to challenge ‘Intel Inside’ with as many as eight Arm laptops
Source: https://www.theverge.com/games/867056/leak-nvidia-n1-n1x-laptops-lenovo-dell
Summary: Intel and AMD have split the Windows laptop market for years, but the x86 players may be getting outnumbered. It's not just Apple MacBooks and MediaTek-based Chromebooks using Arm chips anymore. There are finally competent Qualcomm Snapdragon laptops running Windows, and - as soon as this spring - Nvidia will finally power Windows consumer laptops […]

4. Who’s behind AMI Labs, Yann LeCun’s ‘world model’ startup
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/whos-behind-ami-labs-yann-lecuns-world-model-startup/
Summary: Yann LeCun's new venture, AMI Labs, has drawn intense attention since the AI scientist left Meta to found it.

5. Congress doesn’t seem to know if the TikTok deal complies with its law
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/866977/tiktok-deal-congress-china
Summary: TikTok finally closed a deal meant to bring it into compliance with the law that should have banned it a year ago, and the lawmakers who passed that law still don't seem to know what's going on. The company announced Tuesday that its US service is now part of the separate TikTok USDS Joint Venture […]

6. Waymo probed by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal school bus behavior
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/waymo-probed-by-national-transportation-safety-board-over-illegal-school-bus-behavior/
Summary: The NTSB joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in investigating Waymo vehicles illegally passing stopped school buses.

7. The Rippling/Deel corporate spying scandal may have taken another wild turn
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/the-rippling-deel-corporate-spying-scandal-may-have-taken-another-wild-turn/
Summary: The Department of Justice may be conducting a criminal investigation. This is arguably the biggest drama between two HR startups ever.

8. What to know about Netflix’s landmark acquisition of Warner Bros.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/what-to-know-about-netflixs-landmark-acquisition-of-warner-bros/
Summary: Learn more about Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros., considered the most historic megadeal in Hollywood, as it continues to develop.

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