Latest Tech News

Stay updated with the latest in technology, AI, cybersecurity, and more

Filtered by: mod Clear Filter

Could a Paper Plane Thrown from the ISS Survive the Flight?

Sometimes there are profound questions in life that must be answered, like "What is the meaning of existence?", "Are we alone in the universe?" or "What happens if you throw a paper airplane from the International Space Station?" Luckily, that third one has finally been answered, because of course someone would eventually. A new paper from Maximilien Berthet and Kojiro Suzuki from the University of Tokyo looks at "the dynamics of an origami space plane during Earth atmospheric reentry" – in ot

Amazon Prime Day TV deals for 2025 from Sony, LG, Samsung and others

Amazon Prime Day is here, and it’s the perfect time to consider upgrading that old 1080p or first-gen 4K set. While it’s been nice to see TV prices fall in general over the years, there’s always room for even more discounts. And yes that includes typically high-end technology like OLED and MiniLED screens. We’ve collected the best Prime Day discounts on sets from Sony, Samsung, LG and others, along with additional deals on media streamers and soundbars. It turns out, you really don’t have to spe

Topics: inch mini model sony tv

Elon Musk’s xAI launches Grok 4 alongside a $300 monthly subscription

Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, late on Wednesday released its latest flagship AI model, Grok 4, and unveiled a new $300-per-month AI subscription plan, SuperGrok Heavy. Grok is xAI’s answer to models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, and can analyze images and respond to questions. In recent months, Grok has become more deeply integrated into Musk’s social network, X, which was recently acquired by xAI. However, that has also put Grok’s misbehavior front and center for millions of users.

Topics: ai grok heavy model xai

Open vs. closed models: AI leaders from GM, Zoom and IBM weigh trade-offs for enterprise use

Want smarter insights in your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get only what matters to enterprise AI, data, and security leaders. Subscribe Now Deciding on AI models is as much of a technical decision and it is a strategic one. But choosing open, closed or hybrid models all have trade-offs. While speaking at this year’s VB Transform, model architecture experts from General Motors, Zoom and IBM discussed how their companies and customers consider AI model selection. Barak Turovsky

Topics: ai model models open said

Why I recommend this TCL Mini LED TV over flagship OLED models - especially at $700 off

ZDNET's key takeaways The TCL QM7K (65-inch) is on sale for $799 ($800 off). It has exceptional contrast and superb glare resistance, plus AI features and gaming boosts. The setup process for this beautiful-looking TV is tedious. View now at Amazon For Amazon Prime Day, you can get various sizes of the TCL QM7K for hundreds of dollars off. Recently, I took a look at this year's base-level Mini-LED set from TCL, the QM6K. After spending some time with its higher-end sibling, the TCL QM7K, I i

Topics: model qm6k qm7k tcl tv

A New Kind of AI Model Lets Data Owners Take Control

A new kind of large language model, developed by researchers at the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2), makes it possible to control how training data is used even after a model has been built. The new model, called FlexOlmo, could challenge the current industry paradigm of big artificial intelligence companies slurping up data from the web, books, and other sources—often with little regard for ownership—and then owning the resulting models entirely. Once data is baked into an AI model today, extract

OpenAI’s open language model is imminent

Microsoft’s complicated relationship with OpenAI is about to take an interesting turn. As the pair continue to renegotiate a contract to allow OpenAI to restructure into a for-profit company, OpenAI is preparing to release an open language AI model that could drive even more of a wedge between the two companies. Sources familiar with OpenAI’s plans tell me that CEO Sam Altman’s AI lab is readying an open-weight model that will debut as soon as next week with providers other than just OpenAI and

Circle to Search gets a key upgrade first on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7

TL;DR The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are the first devices to receive the improved Circle to Search with AI Mode. AI Mode supports longer questions in Google Search and enables more descriptive answers. With AI Mode in Circle to Search, you can add context to screen snippets for improved results. AI Mode is also coming to Google Lens. Among all other touchpoints, Google has been especially bullish on injecting AI into our Search experience. After first launching its AI Mode in Google search

Proposal: GUI-first, text-based mechanical CAD inspired by software engineering

Most mechanical CAD tools (SolidWorks, Fusion, FreeCAD) still lock all modeling into opaque binary files. That makes it hard to track changes, collaborate with Git, or automate builds. I’ve written a proposal for an alternative paradigm: - GUI-first, like KiCad - visual modeling is the default - Text-based source files (YAML/JSON) — readable, diffable, Git-friendly - Separation of source and result - .step, .stl and previews are built artifacts - Parametric logic is explicit - slot width =

Why I don't ride the AI Hype Train

Ever since ChatGPT came out, the tech world has jumped on a new hype train—just like it did before with crypto, NFTs, and the metaverse. This time, I think the hype spread even faster because it was so easy to try—just open a website and start typing. ChatGPT quickly became one of the fastest-growing products ever, reaching 100 million users in 2 months. Like past trends, it also brought a lot of debate and strong opinions. I’ve used ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs), and I’ve even

Best Dyson Vacuum Cleaners of 2025: I Put the Best-Known Vacuum Brand to the Test

There are many key factors we look at when helping you decide on a Dyson vacuum. Here are some of the ones we use to weigh scoring. Sarah Tew/CNET Cordless vs. corded Cordless Dyson models (V-series, Gen5) prioritize portability for quick cleanups and multi-level homes but are limited by battery life. Generally, CNET only tests cordless vacuums in our testing lab, but that doesn't mean corded isn't the right choice. Our lab testing shows that most Dyson vacuums we recommend can last between 3

This 3000+ Piece LEGO Boutique Hotel Drops to a New Low, Amazon Clears Out Stock for Prime Day

LEGO sets are always very popular during major shopping periods like Prime Day and Black Friday. This year, although Star Wars and Harry Potter series are drawing a lot of attention, there are some other LEGO sets with massive discounts that shouldn’t be overlooked. One of the most popular deals is the LEGO Icons Boutique Hotel, a set with over 3,000 pieces and an impressive 4.8 out of 5 rating from hundreds of reviews. It’s one of the best-sellers in the LEGO lineup, and right now it’s availab

The Prime Day sale on TCL’s 85-inch TV is one of the best deals out there

Prime Day 2025 is the best time this year to get a big-screen TV. Sure, there are deals in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, but those are generally on the previous year’s TV because most new models haven’t been released yet. Prime Day, however, comes after most major TV refreshes — including the 85-inch TCL QM8K, available for a limited time at Amazon and Best Buy for $2,499.99 ($1,300 off). For its size and overall brightness, especially if you’re looking for a bright-room TV, the QM8K

Topics: bright models qm8k tcl tv

This $85 Kindle deal is the one most people should buy for Prime Day

ZDNET's key takeaways Amazon's base model Kindle promises quicker page-turning, a brighter display, and a fun matcha green colorway (alongside the classic black) It's on sale for $85 during Prime Day The e-reader is more reactive and vivid, and reading anything on the lightweight, portable device is convenient. This model has the shortest battery life out of the entire lineup, but it's still six weeks long. View now at Amazon The base model Kindle is on sale during Prime Day for $85, $20 les

Show HN: A rain Pomodoro with brown noise, ASMR, and Middle Eastern music

Can I use Rain Pomodoro timer for studying and work? Absolutely! Rain Pomodoro is perfect for both studying and work. The pomodoro technique's 25-minute focus sessions are ideal for maintaining concentration during study sessions, while the variety of background sounds (rain, brown noise, ASMR, desert ambience) allows you to customize your environment based on the type of work you're doing. The visual rain effects also help reduce eye strain during long computer sessions.

The Tradeoffs of SSMs and Transformers

This blog post was adapted from a talk I’ve given a handful of times over the last year. It was meant to be a high-level talk accessible to a fairly broad audience, but hopefully has some interesting insights, opinions, and intuitions around sequence models for the dedicated researchers too. State Space Models Just so we’re on the same page, I’ll start by defining what I mean by a state space model. (This section isn’t strictly necessary to get to the main part of this post though; feel free t

You Can Now Play ‘The Last of Us Part II’ in Chronological Order

The video Game publisher Naughty Dog released a free update to The Last of Us Part II today that adds a new chronological story mode. The mode effectively replaces the game’s nonlinear structure that bounced players between two separate characters. Otherwise, the update keeps the gameplay the same. Game owners will get the new mode automatically as part of the latest patch download. In the original version of The Last of Us Part II, players switch between dual protagonists Ellie and Abby, whos

AI Does Something Subtly Bizarre If You Make Typos While Talking to It

New research suggests that medical AI chatbots are woefully unreliable at understanding how people actually communicate their health problems. As detailed in yet-to-be-peer-reviewed study presented last month by MIT researchers, an AI chatbot is more likely to advise a patient not to seek medical care if their messages contained typos. The errors AI is susceptible to can be as seemingly inconsequential as an extra space between words, or if the patient used slang or colorful language. And strik

Rivian unveils a new quad-motor R1 variant

Rivian has a new high-performance EV that you almost certainly don't need. On Tuesday, the automaker unveiled a quad-motor variant of the second-generation R1. The EV can do remarkable things, but it's positioned as more of an off-road brand magnet than a sensible purchase. The Gen 2 Quad R1T (truck) starts at $115,990, and its R1S (SUV) counterpart starts at $121,990. The Gen 2 Quad lineup packs serious power. The four motors combine to give it 1,025 horsepower and 1,198 lb-ft of torque. It ca

Topics: ev high mode quad rivian

LLM-Ready Training Dataset for Apple's Foundation Models (iOS 26)

The only comprehensive training dataset for Apple's Foundation Models Framework (iOS 26) What You Get Three technical specification files for training LLMs on Apple's Foundation Models framework: 1. Core Framework Guide SystemLanguageModel availability, LanguageModelSession management, response generation, and context handling. 2. Advanced Implementation Guide @Generable/@Guide macros, constrained decoding, Tool protocol, and performance optimization. 3. Strategic Features Guide Adapter

Smollm3: Smol, multilingual, long-context reasoner LLM

SmolLM3: smol, multilingual, long-context reasoner Published July 8, 2025 Update on GitHub Base model: https://hf.co/HuggingFaceTB/SmolLM3-3B-Base Instruct and reasoning model: https://hf.co/HuggingFaceTB/SmolLM3-3B Small language models are becoming increasingly important as users seek capable models that can be deployed efficiently. The community has produced a fascinating range of capable small models, each pushing the boundaries of what's possible at this scale. With SmolLM3, we're excit

VITURE launches new series of XR glasses for gamers, enthusiasts, and professionals

TL;DR VITURE has announced the launch of its Luma series and The Beast XR glasses. The Luma series consists of three entries, including a base model, Pro, and Ultra. The Beast is the company’s flagship model, boasting the most advanced specs. The XR glasses market is getting increasingly crowded with major players like Google, Samsung, and Apple all looking to enter the space. However, those tech giants have their work cut out for them as competitors like Xreal and VITURE have their own produ

The Last of Us Part II’s new mode puts the story in chronological order

With season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us in the books, and with no The Last of Us Part III coming in the immediate future, Naughty Dog has come up with an interesting way to funnel all the attention from the show into the game. The studio has released a new, free patch for The Last of Us Part II Remastered that lets you play the game in chronological order. The mode takes Abby and Ellie’s stories and interleaves them in chronological order rather than the nonlinear story of the original version of

There’s now a cheaper Retroid Pocket Flip 2 available, but here’s why you shouldn’t buy it

Nick Fernandez / Android Authority TL;DR The Dimensity 1100 edition of the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 will go up for sale later today. With the 72-hour early bird discount, it costs $50 less than the Snapdragon 865 version. The D1100 is powerful enough for PS2, but the SD865 has better driver support. The release of the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 earlier this year was rocky to say the least, with the looming threat of tariffs and halted shipping marring what was otherwise one of the most anticipated A

The Kindle most people should buy is majorly discounted for Prime Day

ZDNET's key takeaways Amazon's base model Kindle promises quicker page-turning, a brighter display, and a fun matcha green colorway (alongside the classic black) It's on sale for $85 during Prime Day The e-reader is more reactive and vivid, and reading anything on the lightweight, portable device is convenient. This model has the shortest battery life out of the entire lineup, but it's still six weeks long. $109.99 at Amazon $109.99 at Target $109.99 at Best Buy more buying choices The base

Apple just released a weirdly interesting coding language model

Apple quietly dropped a new AI model on Hugging Face with an interesting twist. Instead of writing code like traditional LLMs generate text (left to right, top to bottom), it can also write out of order, and improve multiple chunks at once. The result is faster code generation, at a performance that rivals top open-source coding models. Here’s how it works. The nerdy bits Here are some (overly simplified, in the name of efficiency) concepts that are important to understand before we can move

Apple Reportedly Loses Key AI Mind

Apple has kept a low profile in the artificial intelligence arms race. But now, a major talent loss is raising fresh questions about whether the iPhone maker is falling behind. According to Bloomberg, Meta has hired Ruoming Pang, a high-level engineer who led Apple’s foundation models team. Pang, a former Google veteran and key architect behind the large language models (LLMs) powering Apple Intelligence, will now join Meta’s elite AI unit focused on building superintelligent systems. His exit

Topics: ai apple models pang team

What Microchip doesn't (officially) tell you about the VSC8512

Switch project, part 3 - what Microchip doesn't (officially) tell you about the VSC8512 2025-07-04 08:00 This is part 3 of my ongoing series about LATENTRED, my project to create an open source 1U managed Ethernet switch from scratch. Here’s a quick, or maybe not-so-quick, update about the PHY on the line card and some of my troubles (and solutions). And probably more internal details than you want to know, but hey - maybe this will be useful to somebody. Not a lot of pretty pictures either.

New 1.5B router model achieves 93% accuracy without costly retraining

Want smarter insights in your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get only what matters to enterprise AI, data, and security leaders. Subscribe Now Researchers at Katanemo Labs have introduced Arch-Router, a new routing model and framework designed to intelligently map user queries to the most suitable large language model (LLM). For enterprises building products that rely on multiple LLMs, Arch-Router aims to solve a key challenge: how to direct queries to the best model for the job