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Chinese authorities are using a new tool to hack seized phones and extract data

Security researchers say Chinese authorities are using a new type of malware to extract data from seized phones, allowing them to obtain text messages — including from chat apps such as Signal — images, location histories, audio recordings, contacts, and more. On Wednesday, mobile cybersecurity company Lookout published a new report — shared exclusively with TechCrunch — detailing the hacking tool called Massistant, which the company said was developed by Chinese tech giant Xiamen Meiya Pico.

Voxtral – Frontier open source speech understanding models

Voice: the original UI. Voice was humanity’s first interface—long before writing or typing, it let us share ideas, coordinate work, and build relationships. As digital systems become more capable, voice is returning as our most natural form of human-computer interaction. Yet today’s systems remain limited—unreliable, proprietary, and too brittle for real-world use. Closing this gap demands tools with exceptional transcription, deep understanding, multilingual fluency, and open, flexible deploy

This laptop accessory has replaced standing desks for me, plus it's easy to travel with

ZDNET's key takeaways Moft's Sit-stand Laptop Desk is a 5-in-1 foldable laptop stand that retails for $70. The standing option is a game-changer for those traveling for work, hot-desking, or with compact home office spaces. However, for $70, the stand would be more complete if it had a companion keyboard stand. $59.99 at Amazon We all know the feeling of sitting in a desk chair for too long: fatigue, back pain, and a sore neck, among other things. If you sit at a desk for work, it's important

Petabit-class transmission over > 1000 km using standard 19-core optical fiber

An international research team led by the Photonic Network Laboratory at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT, President: TOKUDA Hideyuki Ph.D.), and including Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo Electric, President: INOUE Osamu) have set a new world record in optical fiber communications, achieving data transmission at 1.02 petabits per second over a distance of 1,808 kilometers (roughly equivalent to the distance from Sapporo to Fukuoka, from Misso

‘Andor’ Gets 14 Emmy Nominations in a Genre-Heavy Year

Television, it turns out, is geeky as hell. That seemed to be the major takeaway as the 77th annual Emmy Award nominations were announced Tuesday, with Severance leading all nominees with 27 total, HBO’s The Penguin coming in second with 24, The Last of Us in fifth with 16, and Andor coming in sixth with 14, including Outstanding Drama Series. Other genre shows, such as The Acolyte, Agatha All Along, Black Mirror, The Boys, Cobra Kai, Dune: Prophecy, House of the Dragon, Invincible, Paradise, P

Show HN: Built a desktop app to organize photos locally with duplicate detection

Help us improve your experience! We use analytics to understand how you use our website so we can make it better for you and other visitors. What this helps us do: Improve website performance and user experience Improve website performance and user experience Understand which features you find most useful Understand which features you find most useful Make our content more relevant and helpful We never sell your data. Read our privacy policy

Marc Andreessen reportedly told group chat that universities will ‘pay the price’ for DEI

In Brief Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen sharply criticized universities including Stanford and MIT, along with the National Science Foundation, in a group chat with AI scientists and Trump administration officials, according to screenshots viewed by the Washington Post. According to the Post, Andreessen described MIT and Stanford (which I attended two decades ago) as “mainly political lobbying operations fighting American innovation.” He also reportedly complained that Stanford “forced my

Apple TV+ docuseries scores 6 Daytime Emmy Awards nominations

Apple has picked up six Daytime Emmy nominations for one of its most interesting nature docuseries, produced in partnership with the BBC Studios Natural History Unit. See the categories and watch the trailer below. Winners will be announced this October Today, the Television Academy announced the nominees for the 52nd Daytime Emmy Awards. The winners will be revealed on October 17, a little more than a month after the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, which will take place on September 14. Among th

Get more done with less effort — These productivity-boosting gadgets now start from $119

Many people use AI tools to enhance their work efficiency and productivity, but very few can do it all. If you’re looking for a handy AI assistant to elevate your meeting experiences with useful transcriptions, summaries, to-do lists, and so much more, viaim has you covered. And, did we mention that these come in the ultra-portable form of wireless earbuds or PC accessories? Viaim’s AI-powered earbuds and meeting tools are a must-have if you regularly attend meetings or take online classes. And

Grok 4 appears to seek Elon Musk’s views when answering controversial questions

Elon musk and the xAI logo. Vincent Feuray | Afp | Getty Images When xAI's Grok 4 chatbot was launched on Wednesday, users and media outlets quickly began pointing out examples of it consulting its owner Elon Musk's views on controversial matters. CNBC was able to confirm that when asked to take a stance on some potentially contentious questions, the chatbot said it was analyzing posts from Musk while generating its answers. When asked, "Who do you support in the Israel vs Palestine conflict? O

Perplexity launches Comet, an AI-powered web browser

Perplexity on Wednesday launched its first AI-powered web browser, called Comet, marking the startup’s latest effort to challenge Google Search as the primary avenue people use to find information online. At launch, Comet will be available first to subscribers of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan, as well as a small group of invitees that signed up to a waitlist. Here’s what a New tab looks like for me on Comet Image Credits:Screengrab/Maxwell Zeff / Perplexity Comet’s headline feature is

HyAB k-means for color quantization

HyAB k-means for color quantization Color quantization in CIELAB space, visualized. The input is converted to CIELAB space and a special “HyAB” distance formula is used when clustering. This in theory should result in better image quality. I’ve been obsessing over color quantization algorithms lately, and when I learned that an image conversion app called Composite did its so-called pixel mapping step in CIELAB space, I instantly thought of the “HyAB” color distance formula I’d seen in the FLI

These Moft MagSafe accessories are the best Prime Day deals under $35 that you won't regret buying

The Moft Tripod accessory. Kayla Solino/ZDNET Prime Day 2 is here, and while plenty of hefty discounts on expensive tech, my favorite offers to scout during a sale are always on cheaper items. After all, who doesn't like saving even more on an already affordable product? Also: The best Prime Day tech deals That's why when I caught these MagSafe accessories on sale, I knew I had to share them. At ZDNET, I test dozens of MagSafe accessories, from battery packs to wallets, phone cases, tripods,

Perplexity launches Comet, an AI-powered web browser

Perplexity on Wednesday launched its first AI-powered web browser, called Comet, marking the startup’s latest effort to challenge Google Search as the primary avenue people use to find information online. At launch, Comet will be available first to subscribers of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan, as well as a small group of invitees that signed up to a waitlist. Here’s what a New tab looks like for me on Comet (Credit: Maxwell Zeff/Perplexity) Comet’s headline feature is Perplexity’s AI s

Google’s powerful Gemini assistant is finally coming to the Pixel Watch and Wear OS

TL;DR Google is finally rolling out its Gemini assistant to Wear OS smartwatches, with the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series being the first to get it. The wearable version supports voice interactions, like answering complex questions and creating tasks, offering a more advanced experience than Google Assistant. Gemini will also come to existing smartwatches from brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus via an update that will likely replace the current Google Assistant app. When Google unveiled its Ge

If You’re a Mac Mini Owner, This UGREEN Dock Is a Must-Have Prime Day Deal, and It’s Going for Peanuts

Apple’s accessory game is usually pretty strong, but sometimes you find a third-party device that’s custom made for an Apple computer that works so seamlessly that it makes you wonder how Apple didn’t design it themselves. In the case of the UGREEN Mac Mini M4 Dock and Stand, be glad for that — instead of paying Apple prices, you get this amazing extension device for a Prime Day price of just $60. Plug your M4 Mac Mini into the UGREEN dock and stand, and it looks like it came straight from the

Android Auto begins erasing Assistant as Gemini prepares for takeover (APK teardown)

TL;DR With the newest version of Android Auto, references to “Google Assistant” are being replaced with generic terms like “Digital Assistant,” despite still referring to the existing Google Assistant settings. The changes indicate Google’s ongoing transition from Google Assistant to Gemini across supported platforms. Google has long begun phasing out Google Assistant in favor of Gemini across its supported platforms. Back in May, Google had shown off Gemini for Android Auto and cars with Goog

I'm a mobile gadget expert and these Moft MagSafe accessories are my favorite under $35 Prime Day deals

The Moft Tripod accessory. Kayla Solino/ZDNET Prime Day is here, and while plenty of hefty discounts on expensive tech, my favorite offers to scout during a sale are always on cheaper items. After all, who doesn't like saving even more on an already affordable product? Also: The best Prime Day tech deals That's why when I caught these MagSafe accessories on sale, I knew I had to share them. At ZDNET, I test dozens of MagSafe accessories, from battery packs to wallets, phone cases, tripods, an

Exploring the future of voice AI with Mati Staniszewski at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

We’re excited to welcome Mati Staniszewski, co-founder and CEO of ElevenLabs, to the AI stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, taking place October 27–29 in San Francisco. In a featured fireside chat, Staniszewski will dive into how AI-powered voice technology is transforming digital communication and interaction. Takeaways that blend technical depth with business impact ElevenLabs is leading innovation in audio AI, building tools that make synthetic voices more natural, expressive, and accessible.

Collatz's Ant and Σ(n)

Collatz's Ant and Σ(n) Relevant preceding posts here and here. Consider the corresponding ant’s landscape development for $n = 500$: with the last frame being: Let’s also consider a score function $\Sigma(n)$ which returns the number of 1’s (or marked states) left by the ant on the corresponding landscape (regarding the last frame). With the prior example, we would have $\Sigma(500) = 54$. We might also want to normalize this by the corresponding stopping time $\tau_{n}$ characteristic of th

12 Best Kids Headphones (2025), Hearing Protection and More

Protect Those Headphones Satechi 2-in-1 Headphone Stand Photograph: Julian Chokkattu Even durable headphones are easy to damage. We have lost pairs to folks standing on them, cats and robot vacuums attacking the cables, and chairs rolling over them. I have learned that a stand or holder is worth the investment if it keeps those cans off the floor. Even if your kids only sometimes remember to use it, that could extend the likely lifespan of their headphones. We use the Satechi 2-in-1 Headphone

Best Laptop Stands (2025): 25+ Models Tested and Reviewed

More Laptop Stands to Consider There’s no shortage of computer stands out there, and most of them get the job done. While these didn’t quite make my top picks, they still have some perks worth considering. Rain Design iLevel2 Photograph: Rain Design Rain Design iLevel2 for $65: I wanted to love the Rain Design iLevel2, assuming that it was a bestseller for a reason. Adjusting the height is easy—you slide the front level—but even at its lowest (5.4 inches), it still feels too high for some set

Show HN: AirBending – Hand gesture based macOS app MIDI controller

As a standard MIDI controller, AirBending works seamlessly with any digital audio workstation (DAW) including Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Cubase, and more. Connect to external hardware synthesizers, software instruments, and effects processors. No special drivers or plugins required—just standard MIDI communication that every music production setup understands. Advanced Preset Manager AirBending offers a sophisticated preset system that allows you to customize every aspect of your gest

Show HN: AirBending – hand gesture based macOS app MIDI controller

As a standard MIDI controller, AirBending works seamlessly with any digital audio workstation (DAW) including Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Cubase, and more. Connect to external hardware synthesizers, software instruments, and effects processors. No special drivers or plugins required—just standard MIDI communication that every music production setup understands. Advanced Preset Manager AirBending offers a sophisticated preset system that allows you to customize every aspect of your gest

Microsoft is closing its local operations in Pakistan

Microsoft is closing its operations in Pakistan, marking the end of a 25-year presence in the South Asian nation. The Redmond-based company on Friday told TechCrunch that it is changing its operational model in Pakistan and will now serve its customers through resellers and “other closely located Microsoft offices.” “Our customer agreements and service will not be affected by this change,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We follow this model successfully in a number of

Writing Code Was Never the Bottleneck

For years, I’ve felt that writing lines of code was never the bottleneck in software engineering. The actual bottlenecks were, and still are, code reviews, knowledge transfer through mentoring and pairing, testing, debugging, and the human overhead of coordination and communication. All of this wrapped inside the labyrinth of tickets, planning meetings, and agile rituals. These processes, meant to drive quality, often slow us down more than the act of writing code itself because they require t

Mandatory battery throttling is coming for more Pixels with poor battery health (APK teardown)

Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Google could potentially force Battery Health Assistance to remain enabled on Pixel phones with poor battery health. Users may not be able to change/disable the feature until they replace their phone’s battery. Pixel 9a users have Battery Health Assistance already enabled and mandatory, even on new devices. Update, July 2, 2025 (1:58 PM ET): Well, that didn’t take long! Just hours after sharing our findings with you about Battery Health Assistance cha

This laptop accessory has replaced standing desks for me, plus it's easy to travel with - and it's on sale

ZDNET's key takeaways Moft's Sit-stand Laptop Desk is a 5-in-1 foldable laptop stand that retails for $70. The standing option is a game-changer for those traveling for work, hot-desking, or with compact home office spaces. However, for $70, the stand would be more complete if it had a companion keyboard stand. $47.99 at Amazon The Moft Sit-stand Laptop Desk is now available for $48 during Amazon's Prime Day sale, $12 off its original price of $60. We all know the feeling of sitting in a des

Finally, a MagSafe wallet for my phone that feels premium (and it just got even cheaper)

ZDNET's key takeaways The UAG Metropolis Wallet is a MagSafe wallet and stand made of vegan leather for $45. It holds up to five cards and cash, has a kickstand, is RFID blocking, and features pockets. It's only available in Black. $44.95 at Amazon $44.95 at Walmart more buying choices Now until July 7, get 20% off with the code UNITED at checkout on UAG's direct website. This drops the Metropolis wallet down to $36. As ZDNET's MagSafe expert, I've tried many magnetic accessories, from walle

Is mandatory battery throttling coming for more Pixels with poor battery health? (APK teardown)

Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Google could potentially force Battery Health Assistance to remain enabled on Pixel phones with poor battery health. Users may not be able to change/disable the feature until they replace their phone’s battery. Pixel 9a users have Battery Health Assistance already enabled and mandatory, even on new devices. Pixel smartphones have been a staple recommendation as great Android phones, but lately, we’ve been hearing more and more about their battery issu