Latest Tech News

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

Filtered by: pac Clear Filter

Meta is launching a California super PAC

Meta is throwing its resources behind a new super PAC in California. According to Politico, the group will support state-level political candidates who espouse tech-friendly policies, particularly those with a loose approach to regulating artificial intelligence. The budget behind the social media company's new super PAC, dubbed Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across (Meta) California, is reported to be in the tens of millions of dollars, but no exact figure has been disclosed. California ha

Designing better products with AI and sustainability

On a mission to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing components, Siemens turned its attention to the design of a robot gripper. Making up just 2% of the robot, the impact of this hand-like device may seem inconsequential. But, reducing its weight by 90% and the number of constituent parts by 84% can save up to 3 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per robot per year. Consider the impact of equivalent savings across every gripper on the more than 4 million industrial robots worldwide—tha

CRKD’s $99 Peak Design clone is great for handhelds

is an editor covering deals and gaming hardware that he thinks you’ll like. He joined in 2018, and after a stint at Polygon, he rejoined The Verge in May 2025. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Embracer Group-owned CRKD recently launched a backpack, the $99.99 Vortex 1.0. During a recent vacation, I swapped it in place of my go-to for the past eight or so years, the 20-liter Peak Design Everyday backpack, which CRKD has thoroughly cribbed t

Meta to spend tens of millions on pro-AI super PAC

In Brief Meta plans to launch a super PAC to support California candidates favoring a light-touch approach to AI regulation, Politico reports. The news comes as other Silicon Valley behemoths, like Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI’s Greg Brockman, pledge $100 million for a new pro-AI super PAC. Meta will pour tens of millions into its new group, dubbed Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across California, according to Politico. Brian Rice, Meta’s VP of public policy and head of the new PAC, has

China's Share in Global Display Capacity to Reach 75% in 2028

Capacity by application LCD TV/IT will continue to dominate during the forecast period with a share of at least 73% through 2028, followed by LCD mobile/IT with a share of at least 14%. OLED mobile/IT will rise to a 7% share by 2028, while OLED TV/IT will maintain a 4% share. OLED mobile/IT is expected to enjoy the fastest growth from 2023 to 2028 at a 6.7% CAGR, followed by OLED TV/IT at 2.6% and LCD TV/IT at 2.4%. Display capacity BOE is expected to maintain a large advantage in total dis

This Solar-Powered Camping Backpack Charged My Phone 18 Times in One Trip

CNET's key takeaways This solar-rechargeable power station is also a backpack that can carry my camping essentials. I was able to charge my laptop six to nine times, my phone 18 times and my drone five times in one charge cycle. The Bluetti Handfree 2 backpack costs $599 at full price, but it is often on sale for $450. It's heavy. It weighs 16.5 pounds by itself before adding other gear. Deep in the wilderness, you don't have many options for charging your devices, some of which are safety e

4 apps you should use instead of Headspace

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority Headspace is arguably the most popular meditation app around, with millions of users across 200 countries. I’ve used it extensively, and there’s a lot to like. It was one of the first super-successful apps in this category, paving the way for countless others that followed. However, Headspace isn’t perfect. For many, the cost is a major hurdle. It’s one of the pricier options available and offers limited free content beyond its initial trial period. I decide

AI Is Eliminating Jobs for Younger Workers

Economists at Stanford University have found the strongest evidence yet that artificial intelligence is starting to eliminate certain jobs. But the story isn’t that simple: While younger workers are being replaced by AI in some industries, more experienced workers are seeing new opportunities emerge. Erik Brynjolfsson, a professor at Stanford University, Ruyu Chen, a research scientist, and Bharat Chandar, a postgraduate student, examined data from ADP, the largest payroll provider in the US, f

SpaceX scrubbed Starship's 10th test flight this evening

SpaceX's massive Starship rocket was scheduled to lift off from the company's Texas launch site this evening for its 10th flight. After scrubbing the launch initially planned for Sunday, August 24, things were apparently back on track for Monday, August 25. The launch window opened at 7:30PM ET (6:30PM CT) and was even livestreamed on the SpaceX website and on X, with a webcast starting 30 minutes before the supposed launch. However, SpaceX ultimately stood down from the test flight due to weath

Scientist Says Mysterious Object Approaching Earth May Be Alien Artifact

Mundane wayward space snowball, or extraterrestrial visitor? Astronomers believe that our solar system's latest and only third ever confirmed interstellar visitor, 3I/ATLAS, is almost certainly a comet. But lingering questions about the object means it's not yet an open and shut case. Amid that uncertainty, famed Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb is pushing the possibility that the interstellar interloper is an "extraterrestrial artifact" — perhaps even an "alien mothership" — here to menace or obse

The Object at the Center of Jupiter Is So Strange That It Defies Comprehension

The core of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has long been a source of mystery for astronomers: an object so unfathomably dense and hot that it defies comprehension. Conventional theories have suggested for years that the gas giant's behemoth interior was formed following an enormous collision with an early planet. The "giant impact" theory suggests that roughly half of Jupiter's core originated from the remains of such a planet, explaining what researchers believe to be its st

SpaceX plans to launch Starship for its 10th test flight this evening

SpaceX's massive Starship rocket is scheduled to lift off from the company's Texas launch site as soon as this evening for its 10th flight. After scrubbing the launch initially planned for Sunday, August 24, things are apparently back on track for Monday, August 25. The launch window opens at 7:30PM ET (6:30PM CT). As always, the flight test will be livestreamed on the SpaceX website and on X, with a webcast starting 30 minutes before launch. Yesterday, the weather looked iffy for launch; Space

SpaceX’s latest Dragon mission will breathe more fire at the space station

SpaceX completed its 33rd cargo delivery to the International Space Station early Monday, when a Dragon supply ship glided to an automated docking with more than 5,000 pounds of scientific experiments and provisions for the lab's seven-person crew. The resupply flight is part of the normal rotation of cargo and crew missions that keep the space station operating. The Dragon spacecraft's cargo haul comprised packages of fresh food, including some 1,500 tortillas, and equipment for numerous resea

Yottar wants to help energy users find capacity on the electrical grid

From AI to EVs, the world’s demand for power is soaring, and the electrical grid is feeling the squeeze. Enter Yottar, a startup that maps electrical grid capacity to help companies figure out where they can plug in new data centers, EV charging stations, and other power-hungry equipment. “The electrification super cycle is colliding with the AI data center boom. That’s making the grid operators really struggle to deal with the backlog,” Peter Clutton-Brock, Yottar’s co-founder and CEO, told T

25 Best Power Banks (2025), I've Tested Countless to Find Them

What Features Should I Look for in Power Banks? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron There are a few things worth thinking about when you’re shopping for a portable charger. The capacity of a power bank is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh), but this can be a little misleading because the amount of power you get out depends on the cable you use, the device you're charging, and the charging method (Qi wireless charging is less efficient). You will never get the maximum capacity. We try to p

Best Space Heaters in 2025

CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review products and services. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. If you like your room warm and cozy, one of the best investments you can make is in a space heater. Spring, winter, or just a rainy day with a bit of nip in the air, a space heater is the perfect solution to boost the warmth in the room. Compact heaters are a great addition to any room, letting you stay warm without firing up the

SpaceX is about to launch Starship for its 10th test flight

SpaceX's massive Starship rocket is scheduled to lift off from the company's Texas launch site as soon as this evening for its 10th flight. The launch window opens at 7:30PM ET (6:30PM CT). As always, the flight test will be livestreamed on the SpaceX website and on X, with a webcast starting 30 minutes before launch. The weather is looking iffy for launch, though, so don't be surprised if this one gets postponed; SpaceX said on Saturday that conditions were looking only 45 percent favorable. Ac

NASA's Juno mission leaves legacy of science at Jupiter

The NASA spacecraft tasked with uncovering the secrets of Jupiter, king of the planets, is running out of time. The Juno probe has already survived far longer than anticipated—its path around the solar system’s largest planet has repeatedly flown it through a tempest of radiation that should have corroded away its instruments and electronics long ago. And yet here it is: one of the greatest planetary detectives ever built, still pirouetting around Jupiter, fully functional. But it may not be fo

Time is running out for SpaceX to make a splash with second-gen Starship

STARBASE, Texas—A beehive of aerospace technicians, construction workers, and spaceflight fans descended on South Texas this weekend in advance of the next test flight of SpaceX's gigantic Starship rocket, the largest vehicle of its kind ever built. Towering 404 feet (123.1 meters) tall, the rocket will lift off during a one-hour launch window beginning at 6:30 pm CDT (7:30 pm EDT; 23:30 UTC) Sunday. The main concern for Sunday's launch attempt will be weather conditions at Starbase, located a

How the U.S. space industry became dependent on SpaceX

SpaceX is valued at around $400 billion and is critical for U.S. space access, but it wasn't always the powerhouse that it is today. Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002. Using money that he made from the sale of PayPal, Musk and his new company developed their first rocket, the Falcon 1, to challenge existing launch providers. "There were actually a lot of startup aerospace companies looking to take on this market. They recognized we had a monopoly provider called United Launch Alliance. They had

NASA's Juno Mission Leaves Legacy of Science at Jupiter

The NASA spacecraft tasked with uncovering the secrets of Jupiter, king of the planets, is running out of time. The Juno probe has already survived far longer than anticipated—its path around the solar system’s largest planet has repeatedly flown it through a tempest of radiation that should have corroded away its instruments and electronics long ago. And yet here it is: one of the greatest planetary detectives ever built, still pirouetting around Jupiter, fully functional. But it may not be fo

If You Missed This Spine-Chilling Sci-Fi Nightmare, It's Now Streaming Free on Tubi

Sci-fi horror movies have always had a niche in Hollywood, delivering scares in futuristic worlds, or in the bellies of larger-than-life spaceships hurtling through space. Event Horizon and Alien are two of the most easily recognizable films, but they aren't the only great sci-fi horror flicks. One of my favorites is Pandorum, with Dead Space vibes. Released in 2009, Pandorum is a claustrophobic trip into space in which a mechanic wakes up on a colony ship to see that things have gone very wron

SpaceX Is Losing a Staggering Amount of Money Every Time One of Its Starships Explodes

Time is ticking for SpaceX's Starship. Even after nearly ten launches, the behemoth spacecraft has yet to successfully visit space and then come safely back to Earth even a single time — but NASA is nonetheless relying on it to ferry astronauts from the Moon's orbit down to the surface just over two years from now. Given Starship's track record so far — nine full-scale test flights have ended in explosions shortly after launch, explosions in space, and crashes into the ocean — it's a steep goa

Scientists Propose a Smarter Way to Hunt for Alien Radio Signals

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) has yet to detect alien technosignatures like radio waves, but the cosmos is vast, and there are plenty of places left to look. New research suggests refining our search parameters by using our own broadcasts into deep space as a helpful guide. Research published earlier this week in Astrophysical Journal Letters suggests we search for alien signals by studying how we beam strong, directed transmissions during two-way communication with our de

Watch Live as SpaceX Tries to Prove Starship Isn’t a Total Flop With Flight 10

SpaceX is gearing up for the tenth test flight of its megarocket following a streak of failures that have cast doubt on Starship’s ability to fly to Mars in 2026. Starship is slated for lift-off on Sunday, August 24, during a launch window that opens at 7:30 p.m. ET. SpaceX recently wrapped up investigations into the rocket’s previous test flight, which took place on May 27 and ended with the vehicle breaking apart during reentry. This was the third Starship flight of 2025 and the latest in a s

Much of the World Stops Sending Mail to U.S.

Do you have a package coming your way from overseas? (I do, it’s a gift, and I’m very annoyed.) Hopefully it’s not urgent, because it’s going to be a minute before that thing gets to our shores. Questions surrounding the Trump administration’s ongoing tariff regime, including a policy to end an exemption from taxing small packages, have resulted in postal services across the world simply choosing not to ship to the United States until things get sorted out, according to Bloomberg. Central to th

When Starship Comes to Florida, Expect 2-Hour Flight Delays, FAA Warns

SpaceX aims to expand its Starship operations to Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a goal of launching 44 super heavy-lift rockets per year. If regulators approve this plan, the uptick in launch activity could result in more ground stops, reroutes, and flight delays at major airports throughout the Sunshine State, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In a draft environmental impact statement released this month, the FAA states that airports such as Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Internation

US military’s X-37B spaceplane stays relevant with launch of another mission

The US military's reusable winged spaceship rocketed back into orbit Thursday night atop a SpaceX rocket, kicking off a mission that will, among other things, demonstrate how future spacecraft can navigate without relying on GPS signals. The core of the navigation experiment is what the Space Force calls the "world's highest performing quantum inertial sensor ever used in space." This is one of many payloads mounted on the military's X-37B spaceplane when it lifted off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket

The next Starship flight will test much more than hardware

SpaceX is gearing up to launch its massive Starship rocket from South Texas, a test that gives the company a chance to reverse a brutal few months of mishaps on the ground and in the air. The last Starship test flight was nearly three months ago, and it notched a milestone: the first reuse of a Super Heavy booster. But that mission ended with the upper stage, also called Starship, or Ship, breaking apart on reentry and the booster exploding over the Gulf during the landing burn phase of flight.

SpaceX, Boeing team up for another flight of the military’s X-37B spaceplane

The US military's reusable winged spaceship rocketed back into orbit Thursday night atop a SpaceX rocket, kicking off a mission that will, among other things, demonstrate how future spacecraft can navigate without relying on GPS signals. The core of the navigation experiment is what the Space Force calls the "world's highest performing quantum inertial sensor ever used in space." This is one of many payloads mounted on the military's X-37B spaceplane when it lifted off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket