A Harvard Business School analysis led by Professor Mark Egan finds that interchange fees baked into retail prices generate about $9.2 billion annually in net rewards for affluent credit card users, while cash and debit customers pay the same higher prices but receive little or none of that money back. Across the broader economy, the researchers estimate roughly $30 billion moves each year from cash and debit users to credit card users at the same stores.
Taiwanese prosecutors have charged nine individuals in connection with an alleged scheme to illegally smuggle AI servers, according to reporting on the case. The same roundup notes the U.S. has sanctioned suspected Iranian hackers on what officials called 'economic D-Day,' and Alabama has issued a subpoena to OpenAI over a cyberattack tied to its systems.
An executive coach recounts working with a manager who drove a fast platform migration and hit every deadline, assuming a lack of pushback meant the team was fine. The coach argues this speed often masks disengagement, burnout, and silent resistance that surface later as attrition or stalled execution.
New testing of robotic pool vacuums shows that suction strength, measured in gallons of water pulled through per hour, matters less than how efficiently a robot navigates and targets debris. This year's test batch included models with AI-powered cameras and sensors that detect debris and redirect the robot toward it, a first for these tests. Corded models like the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus generally outperformed cordless ones like the Aiper Scuba V3 due to continuous power for repeated cleaning cycles.
After two years of testing electric kitchen composters, a WIRED reviewer found that most devices marketed as composters actually just grind and dehydrate food scraps rather than produce true garden-ready compost. The reviewer's top pick, the Reencle Prime, was singled out as the rare model that yields something closer to actual compost.
OpenAI removed a network of ChatGPT accounts traced to Russia after investigating AI-generated social media posts that led to a wider covert influence operation. The campaign centered on a website featuring plagiarized academic content and a 'sovereignty index' favorable to Russia, with operators using VPNs to mask their location since OpenAI blocks access within Russia.
A hands-on review of 2026 car phone mounts singles out the Andery aluminum-arm MagSafe mount for its strong suction cup, 22-magnet ring with airflow venting, and low-profile 360-degree rotating design that doesn't obstruct the driver's view. The Andobil vent/windshield/dash mount is named the top universal pick for its mechanical side-loading grip that fits larger phones without added bulk, priced around $27 after discount.
A Weibo leak from Digital Chat Station claims Qualcomm's upcoming flagship chip, model SM8975, will be branded Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and built on TSMC's 2nm process with two prime cores at 5.01GHz plus three performance and three efficiency cores, paired with an Adreno 850 GPU. The same leak details MediaTek's rival Dimensity 9600 Pro, also on 2nm, using dual 4.55GHz cores alongside performance and efficiency cores and a Mali G2 Ultra GPU.
CD Projekt Red will spend Gamescom week showcasing Songs of the Past, a new Witcher 3 expansion co-developed with Fools Theory that matches Blood and Wine in scope with roughly 30 hours of content. The studio also confirmed The Witcher 4, centered on Ciri instead of Geralt, is targeting a 2028 release, though executives hedged on the timeline.
Emails obtained through public records requests show that state's attorneys in roughly one-sixth of Illinois counties shared personal details about immigrants facing local charges with federal immigration agents. One case involved Marion County prosecutor John Christeson sending a Homeland Security Investigations agent the birth date, address and court schedule of Rolando Perez Samayoa, a man facing a DUI charge, who was arrested by federal agents weeks later along with his teenage son.
Samsung has pushed a sixth One UI 9 beta to Galaxy S26 devices, an 851MB update carrying the August 5, 2026 security patch under firmware ZZHE. It fixes display glitches affecting the Now Brief widget, home screen, and camera widgets, plus a photo-saving bug in Expert RAW 24MP mode at certain focal lengths. The update is currently rolling out in Germany, India, Poland, the UK, and South Korea, with US availability expected soon.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued subpoenas to banks that financed Situational Awareness, the AI-focused hedge fund run by 24-year-old former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner, after it lost more than two-thirds of its value in a tech stock sell-off last month. Investigators are seeking records on trade timing and communications about the borrowed money, or leverage, the fund used to amplify its bets on AI stocks. The fund says it hasn't been accused of wrongdoing and is cooperating fully with regulators.
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