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Tech News
At a Bloomberg conference in Los Angeles, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said global engagement grew just 2% in the company's most recent reporting period, even as revenue kept growing at double-digit rates across every region. He said Netflix is responding by investing about $1 billion, roughly 5% of its $20 billion annual content budget, in live programming such as sports, wrestling, comedy and major cultural events.
An Entrepreneur opinion piece argues that widely used hiring criteria — resume formatting conventions, degree requirements, years-of-experience minimums and expectations of steady career progression — were rarely validated and instead became standard through repetition. It cites a 2026 audit of 14 AI resume-screening models showing that a 2023-built model still favored 'white-sounding' names in callbacks, while models built from 2024 onward showed no such gap.
The Group of Seven wealthy democracies announced plans to release 100 million barrels of oil and fuel products over the coming weeks, with an initial focus on diesel supplies. The move follows a surge in U.S. diesel prices, which reached a national average of $6.37 per gallon on Friday.
Audible is testing three new AI-powered tools for its audiobook app: Character Guide tracks who is speaking and shows cast details, Interactive Story lets listeners converse within a narrative starting with Dracula, and Visual Explorer surfaces related imagery for context. The features are rolling out in limited beta in the US and UK, with Character Guide already live for 1984 and expanding to Dracula on October 1 and Exoplanet on November 5.
Google is experimenting with a Chrome Canary flag called 'Biometric reauth for password filling' that requires a fingerprint or face scan before autofilling saved passwords on Android. The feature appeared in version 157.0.8083.0 and was spotted by browser researcher Leopeva64, who demonstrated it triggering an authentication prompt. Google previously tested a similar feature in 2024 before pulling it ahead of a stable release.
HEYDUDE, the Crocs-owned shoe brand, posted an Instagram and TikTok collaboration with the University of Florida's Theta Chi fraternity promoting branded sneakers. The posts drew criticism online after it emerged that two former Theta Chi members face sexual cyberharassment charges for allegedly distributing a nonconsensual intimate video of a former UF student, identifying her by name.
Researchers have identified a scam that begins with a sponsored Google ad for ChatGPT, which directs users to a custom GPT hosted on OpenAI's real domain. That custom GPT displays a fake 'Service Availability Notice' urging users to either upgrade to Plus or click a 'backup domain' link, the latter of which leads to malware installation. Because the page sits on the genuine chat.openai.com domain and shows the user's logged-in account, the only visible red flag is an unfamiliar model name like 'Plus 5.6.'
Twelve South has launched Airfly Drive, a small USB adapter that converts factory-wired CarPlay into wireless CarPlay. It plugs into a car's USB-A or USB-C port, pairs with a phone without any app or account, and automatically reconnects each time the car starts. The device supports two paired phones with one-button switching and is priced at $39.99 in black or white.
Officials in St. Lucie County, Florida discovered 11 license-plate reader cameras installed along roads without any permits or links to local or state agencies. Authorities say they have not determined who installed the devices or where the collected data has been going.
A new research analysis of $238 billion in World Bank disbursements to 93 countries between 2018 and 2024 found spikes in cryptocurrency activity timed to aid arrivals, concentrated in newly created and anonymous wallets. Researchers estimate this pattern reflects 2 to 6 cents of every aid dollar being diverted, totaling roughly $1.7 to $4.4 billion, with blockchain transaction patterns resembling classic money-laundering stages of placement, layering and integration.
Apple announced it will introduce additional controls around macOS's 'Full Disk Access' setting, which currently lets apps read files, mail, messages and browsing history. The company said AI agents running on desktops have heightened the risks of this access, and it will require more explicit user action before granting it. The move follows reports that Meta's Muse app appeared to access a journalist's private messages, and a separate Wired report on a flaw in ChatGPT's Mac app.
Sonos has released the Beam Ultra, a compact soundbar reviewed as delivering strong audio performance for home theater setups. The review notes it works well as a standalone device but offers added benefits when paired with other Sonos products.