President Trump shared two AI-generated clips on Truth Social depicting explosions on Kharg Island, Iran's key oil export hub, without disclosing that the footage was fabricated. A US official later confirmed no such attack had occurred, even as real US strikes hit Iran's Larak Island the same night, prompting an Iranian missile response against American bases in Jordan. Vice President JD Vance defended the posts, saying Trump was 'sending a message' to Iran.
futurism.com
· 2026-09-01
Visitors to British Columbia's Williston Reservoir filmed a tree-covered floating mass roughly the size of two football fields drifting on the water. The island was later reported to have disappeared from view, leaving its exact fate unclear.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-08-31
Apple has released the eighth developer beta of iOS 27, its most AI-centric iPhone update yet, available now to Program members via Settings. The update centers on Siri AI, a rebuilt assistant using new Apple Foundation Models that adds richer conversation, on-screen awareness, and deeper app actions, alongside a refreshed Dynamic Island interface and a standalone Siri app. Apple Intelligence features are also expanding into Photos, Safari, Mail, Messages, and other apps as the company nears a public rollout in the coming weeks.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-31
Apple will reportedly launch new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models next week, powered by the new A20 Pro chip and a C2 modem. Rumored upgrades include a redesigned main camera module, a smaller Dynamic Island, new color options like dark cherry, and larger batteries, with the Pro Max expected to get exclusive camera and battery advantages.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-31
Ridley Scott is releasing a post-apocalyptic survival film called 'The Dog Stars,' adapted from Peter Heller's novel about life after a devastating flu pandemic. At the same time, he's developing a new take on 'Treasure Island' starring Hugh Jackman and considering turning one of his earlier films into a musical, though he won't say which one.
entertainment.slashdot.org
· 2026-08-29
Experts at the Eighth Annual Tree Diversity Conference warned that Colorado's Front Range has unusually harsh growing conditions for trees—hot summers, cold winters, alkaline soil and a shortened growing season—and that climate models show these stresses intensifying, especially at higher elevations. Speakers noted that losses of ash and cottonwood trees, combined with rising heat-island effects from pavement and dense development, are weakening urban forests and leaving them more susceptible to pests and disease.
coolboulder.org
· 2026-08-29
Tim Curry, the versatile actor known for roles in 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show,' 'Annie,' 'Legend,' 'Clue,' 'Muppet Treasure Island,' 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars,' and the 'It' miniseries, has died at age 80. His decades-long career spanned film, television, animation and stage, making him a recognizable presence across generations of audiences.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-08-26
Apple has confirmed a product event for September 9 at 10 a.m. PT, themed 'Surprise and shine,' where it plans to reveal the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first-ever foldable iPhone, reportedly called iPhone Ultra. Notably absent this year is a standard iPhone model, with Apple said to be shifting that release to spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e and Air 2.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-26
A leak spotted by MacRumors analyst Aaron Perris shows feature flags indicating Google's YouTube and YouTube Music apps are being prepared for Apple's Liquid Glass design language on iOS. The same flags reportedly hint at support for iOS Live Activities, which could let YouTube TV display real-time content like sports scores via the Dynamic Island.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-26
SpaceX intends to build a new 125,000-acre spaceport called Starbase Louisiana at Pecan Island, featuring five launch complexes, propellant production, power generation, deep-water shipping and an airport. Construction is slated to begin in 2027 with a first launch targeted for 2029, and the site could eventually support thousands of missions annually.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-26
Humble Bundle is selling Steam keys for Daniel Mullins' deckbuilder Inscryption at $7.99, down from its usual $20 price, for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The sale comes as Mullins teased a sequel to another of his titles, Pony Island, called Pony Island 2: Panda Circus, at Gamescom 2026.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-25
At Hot Chips 2026, Intel disclosed full specifications for its Crescent Island AI accelerator, including 32 Xe3P cores, 256 XMX engines, 32MB of L2 cache, PCIe Gen5 x16, and a 350W TDP. Shipping units will carry 160GB of LPDDR5X memory, though ODM designs can scale up to 480GB of VRAM.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-25
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