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Latest story• Jan 15, 2026

Google Meet can now automatically detect when you're in a conference room

Google Meet now uses ultrasonic technology to automatically detect when users enter conference rooms, making Companion Mode the default joining option to prevent audio feedback from multiple microphones. The feature works by having primary meeting room hardware emit silent ultrasonic sounds that Android and iOS devices can detect, automatically checking users into calls and helping administrators track attendance....

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Airbnb seemingly confirms Apple’s self-driving car — and what it reveals about Apple’s AI shift, and Airbnb’s future

Airbnb's memo naming Ahmad Al-Dahle as CTO confirmed he led Apple's secret self-driving car project from 2014. This highlights Apple's shift toward AI partnerships and Airbnb's growing AI ambitions.

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What We Didn’t See At CES 2026, And Why That Matters

CES 2026 featured impressive AI innovations and robots but ignored critical issues like job displacement, environmental costs, and governance needs. Manufacturers focused on flashy capabilities while avoiding discussions about...

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8Bitdo N30 Turns an NES Controller Into a Wireless Mouse, and Somehow It Works

8BitDo transformed a 2009 concept design into a real wireless mouse that perfectly replicates the classic 1985 NES controller, featuring the original's gray-and-red color scheme and button layout. The functional mouse weighs 71...

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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy tries something different, and I don’t hate it

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premieres on Paramount+ in the 32nd century, following young cadets at the newly reopened academy after warp travel's restoration. The show centers on Cadet Caleb Mir, separated from his mother as a...

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Tesla Optimus V3 gets early third-party feedback, and it’s eye-opening

Angel investor Jason Calacanis visited Tesla's Optimus lab and witnessed the unrevealed V3 humanoid robot, claiming it's so revolutionary that people will forget Tesla ever made cars. He predicts Tesla will produce a billion...

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NASA Commits to Plan to Build a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon by 2030

The moon is going nuclear. NASA and the Department of Energy announced plans Tuesday to build a fission reactor on the lunar surface within the next four years, marking a dramatic shift in how humanity might power its cosmic...

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Stretchable OLEDs: Stable Light in Flexible Form

Engineers developed flexible OLED displays that maintain brightness when stretched, solving a key challenge. This breakthrough enables displays woven into clothing fabric for wearable technology applications.

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Tesla just switched to a Netflix-style subscription model for Full Self-Driving

Tesla has eliminated the $8,000 one-time purchase option for its Full Self-Driving software, switching exclusively to a $99 monthly subscription model starting February 14. The change comes after declining sales and a federal...

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Kodak Printomatic+ instant camera delivers Zink photos

Kodak's new Printomatic+ instant camera combines 10-megapixel digital photography with built-in Zink printing technology, automatically producing smudge-resistant 2x3-inch photos while storing images on microSD cards. Available...

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The Quest for the Perfect Lip-Synching Robot

Columbia University researchers developed a humanoid robot with advanced lip-syncing capabilities using neural networks and a silicone face with magnetic connectors allowing complex mouth movements. The system can accurately...

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Google’s Gemini AI will use what it knows about you from Gmail, Search, and YouTube

Google's Gemini AI is launching "Personal Intelligence," a beta feature that connects the chatbot to Gmail, Google Photos, Search, and YouTube to provide highly personalized responses by reasoning across user data. Instead of...

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Bandcamp takes a stand against AI music, banning it from the platform

Bandcamp banned AI-generated music from its platform, prohibiting content created wholly or substantially by AI and barring AI impersonation of artists. This follows AI songs topping charts amid legal battles over AI training on...

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Robotics broke out at CES 2026 – just not in the way most people expected

CES 2026 showcased major chipmaker advances in robotics processors, with Qualcomm's Dragonwing IQ10 delivering 700 TOPS performance. These foundational technologies enable Physical AI breakthroughs, though consumer humanoid...

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Your next pair of headphones may be able to read your brain

Neurable and HyperX unveiled a prototype gaming headset at CES 2026 that uses brain-computer interface technology to enhance esports performance. The headphones contain EEG sensors that monitor brain waves to measure focus and...

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Will Apple Announce New MacBook Pros This January?

While Apple updated the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip in October, higher-end models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips remain unreleased, with speculation pointing to a late January announcement. Three factors suggest...

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YouTube now has a way for parents to block kids from watching Shorts

YouTube introduced new parental controls allowing parents to set time limits or completely block children from watching YouTube Shorts, the platform's short-form video feature similar to TikTok. Parents can also establish custom...

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Netflix’s first original video podcasts feature Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin

Netflix launches two new video podcast series on January 19 and 30, featuring Michael Irvin and Pete Davidson respectively. This expansion targets YouTube's podcast dominance as viewers consume over 700 million monthly podcast...

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Apple's Foldable iPhone Rumored to Be Built With Liquid Metal and Improved Titanium

Apple plans to build its first foldable iPhone using liquid metal for the hinge and improved titanium alloys for the body, leveraging materials it has explored for over 15 years. The device is expected to launch this fall with a...

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DJI Neo 2 review

DJI's Neo 2 drone converts hesitant beginners into drone enthusiasts by addressing the original Neo's shortcomings while remaining affordable at $280. The lightweight 151g device offers controller-free operation with automatic...

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Digg launches its new Reddit rival to the public

Digg, the early internet community once valued at $175 million before being outpaced by Reddit, has relaunched under original founder Kevin Rose and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The new platform functions similarly to Reddit...

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Custom-Built Sound Laser Can Fire Music Directly at Someone

A maker built a "sound laser" device that fires music or conversation in a tight beam directly at specific people while others nearby hear nothing. The contraption uses 73 piezoelectric transducers to generate ultrasonic waves at...

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Introducing Robotopia: A 3D, First-Person, Talking Simulator

Push spacebar to talk, the developers said, and suddenly the future of video games materialized on a laptop screen in Seattle. Tomato Cake Inc. has emerged from stealth mode to reveal Robotopia, a 3D talking simulator that...

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Over 1 million players expected: New Minecraft-style sandbox MMO enters Early Access

Hytale, a highly anticipated sandbox MMO from Hypixel Studios, launched into Early Access on January 13, 2026, after over a decade of development. The game combines Minecraft's familiar voxel aesthetic with enhanced MMO elements...

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