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Tech News
Amazon's Ring is rolling out a new encryption scheme called Throw Away the Key Encryption (TAKE) starting this September. Under the system, video is protected by rotating encryption keys, and Ring can only briefly access its stored copy of the key to power AI features like face detection or video summaries before permanently deleting that copy, cutting off further access to the footage.
PeopleFinders.com, the online data broker, has launched a new platform called Stud or Dud that lets users run background checks on potential romantic partners using just a name or phone number. The tool compiles public records—including court documents, bankruptcy filings, tax liens, and social media activity—into a single report covering finances, assets, employment, and criminal history, complete with an AI-generated summary and flagged 'red' or 'green' indicators.
A pay-what-you-can dining initiative that started small in Mexico City has grown this year to include more than 100 restaurants across Mexico, the United States, and other countries. On August 26, 2026, participating eateries let diners choose their own price for meals based on what they can afford.
A blogger describes a quirk of using GHCi (and ghcid) for live code reloading: GHCi can only track one set of source files at a time, so a properly separated project with distinct executable, library and test components can't have all parts reloaded simultaneously. To work around this while editing both tests and program code, the author merges everything into a single component, a compromise unsuitable for serious projects but workable for small experiments.
Apple has started rolling out advertisements within its Maps app in the US and Canada, appearing both in suggested places before a search and within relevant search results. The company says the ads are privacy-preserving, with no user location data tied to Apple accounts or shared with advertisers, and the rollout will reach all users in both countries within weeks.
The Document Foundation has released LibreOffice 26.8, bringing a set of Writer-focused enhancements. Key additions include automatic RTL text direction detection, a new baseline grid display option, fixed page line-spacing inside frames, and a new Paragraph Composer that balances word spacing across consecutive lines instead of using a simple greedy algorithm.
Canada confirmed a new round of tariffs matching Washington's 50% duties, covering more than 700 American products worth roughly $20 billion, set to take effect September 8. The move follows the collapse of trade talks last week, with both governments blaming each other for last-minute demands. Ottawa specifically doubled its tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum to 50% in direct response to similar U.S. levies.
A website posing as the 'Hanover Institute for Public Policy' published over half a million words in nine days, presenting pro-Israel talking points on Gaza and Palestinian prisoners as neutral research. The New York firm Piro Inc registered the site with the US government as material distributed on behalf of Israel, though the institute itself has no verifiable legal existence, address, or staff. It forms part of a larger, multimillion-dollar Israeli government campaign, involving Havas Media and other firms, to shape how AI chatbots frame conversations about Israel.
MIT Technology Review has published its annual Kids issue, exploring how children are experiencing and adapting to a world saturated with AI and technology, including topics like AI companionship, monitoring apps, and schools' use of AI. Separately, in an interview featured in the same roundup, Bill Gates told MIT Technology Review's Mat Honan that he believes society has already crossed certain safety thresholds with artificial intelligence, expressing concern about risks ranging from economic disruption to loss of control over AI systems.
Apple has scheduled its next hardware event for September 9th at 1PM ET, held at the Steve Jobs Theater with a livestream option, under the tagline 'Surprise and shine.' The showcase is expected to feature updated Pro and Pro Max iPhones along with a possible first look at a long-rumored foldable iPhone, though the standard iPhone 18 won't debut until next year.
Ryan Gosling is producing a new film project focused on Bamm-Bamm, the son of Barney and Betty Rubble from the classic 'Flintstones' universe. Gosling, currently attached to upcoming Star Wars and Marvel projects, is taking on this development role behind the camera rather than as a lead actor.
NASA and industry engineers have outlined a synchronal bimodal nuclear rocket concept that pairs nuclear thermal propulsion with electric power generation using a single reactor and two separate fluid loops. The design avoids the complicated mode-switching valves of earlier bimodal reactor concepts while still delivering high thrust and steady electric power for spacecraft systems. Researchers say the approach could cut crewed Mars transit time from roughly 620 days down to 335 days or fewer.