Autonomous box-truck startup Gatik has raised $200 million, its largest round yet, led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies with backing from Millennium Management, ARK Invest, and Intact Private Capital. The raise comes two months after Gatik signed a multi-year commercial agreement with PepsiCo, bringing its total funding since 2019 to roughly $500 million. The company did not disclose its current valuation.
The Pebble Time 2 requires initial setup time to pick a watch face from thousands available, drawing on Pebble's legacy library, but proves easy to use afterward thanks to its tall display suited for scrolling menus and reading text. It includes basic health tracking—steps, sleep, and heart rate via a PPG sensor—presented through simple graphs rather than computed scores. The device runs on PebbleOS, now fully open-source after Google released it and the Rebble community maintained it following Fitbit's earlier abandonment of the platform.
Apple introduced a refreshed Mac Mini powered by its new M6 chip, priced from $899 for 256GB storage and 16GB RAM, with pre-orders open now and shipping starting September 22. A higher-end M5 Pro variant starts at $1,699 with 512GB storage and 24GB RAM. Apple also launched new Mac Studio desktops built on M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, priced from $2,499 and $5,499 respectively.
NASA and Caltech researchers are developing a large, flower-shaped spacecraft called a starshade that would fly in formation with a space telescope to block a star's glare. By blotting out starlight, the device would let astronomers directly observe faint, Earth-sized planets orbiting that star.
Apple released a support page listing 50 ways users can adapt their devices as they age, organized into ten categories covering vision, hearing, mobility and cognition. The list draws mostly on existing accessibility settings, such as enlarging text, boosting contrast, and Sound Recognition, which can alert users to doorbells, alarms or appliance beeps. The release coincides with Apple's 50th anniversary and highlights features many customers may not know already exist.
New leaked photos shared on Weibo by tipster Digital Chat Station show what appears to be Xiaomi's upcoming book-style foldable, featuring a wide inner display, noticeable bezels, and a punch-hole front camera. The design closely matches Xiaomi's own HyperOS 4 teaser image, lending credibility to the leak ahead of the device's confirmed September debut as the Xiaomi 18 Fold.
Instagram has introduced First Draft, a new editing feature on iPhone that automatically trims multiple video clips to cut pauses and highlight key moments before stitching them into a shareable Reel. The company says the tool works with multi-clip montages, talking-head videos, and day-in-the-life content, and serves as an editable starting point rather than a finished product. Instagram confirmed the feature does not rely on AI, distinguishing it from similar tools like Adobe's Quick Cut.
A Congressional Research Service report cited by the Library of Congress estimates US data centers consumed 17 billion gallons of water in 2023, about triple the 2014 level. Over 80% of that footprint comes indirectly from electricity generation needed to power the facilities, rather than from onsite cooling systems.
Universal Studios Hollywood spent three years and heavy engineering—pea gravel track fill, glass 'scream screens,' and a 940-foot sound wall—to minimize noise from a new 72-mph looping coaster near a residential area. The measures worked during rider-free tests, but once real passengers boarded, nearby residents reported constant, piercing screams every 30 seconds throughout operating hours. Universal is now adding more sound barriers and adjusting hours to address the ongoing complaints.
Apple has refreshed its Mac mini with a new M6 chip and given the Mac Studio upgrades to M5 Max and M5 Ultra processors. The base Mac mini now starts at $899 with 256GB storage, an increase of $100, while the Mac Studio starts at $2,499 for the M5 Max version and $5,499 for the M5 Ultra model. Buyers wanting more performance can also configure the Mac mini with an M5 Pro chip for $1,699.
Uber has introduced a live video streaming option for its teen accounts, letting parents watch their child's ride in real time using the driver's selfie camera. The feature is currently being tested in nine US regions, including Atlanta, Phoenix, and Portland, with a wider national rollout expected soon.
Apple has updated its Mac Mini and Mac Studio desktops with new internals while keeping their exterior designs unchanged. The Mac Mini now ships with either the M5 Pro or the all-new M6 chip, Apple's first built on 2-nanometer technology, featuring a 12-core CPU, a 12-core GPU, and a dual 16-core Neural Engine for improved AI performance. The Mac Studio gains an M5 Ultra option, and both machines return to steady availability after months of limited stock.
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