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Google announced new Android security features that use on-device AI to detect scam texts and calls, hide sensitive login fields during screen sharing, and flag suspicious call forwarding. The company said its systems already flag about 5 million suspected scam calls and texts monthly through the Phone and Google Messages apps, with an enhanced Messages protection mode rolling out over the coming weeks.
Flock CEO Garrett Langley told TechCrunch Disrupt that the company's Gunshot Detection microphones pick up 'just gunshots,' but Flock's website describes the system as also detecting street takeovers, severe crashes, fireworks and sideshows. The product previously drew criticism for listening for 'screaming,' which Flock relabeled as 'sounds of human distress' before later removing that distress-detection capability for customers who tested it.
Engineers at Delft University of Technology developed a lightweight tactile sensor modeled on animal whiskers, allowing small drones to detect obstacles by touch rather than vision. The design targets ultra-compact rescue drones, which often operate in smoke-filled or dark environments where cameras and lidar fail. Professor Salwa Hamaza said the sensor must be lightweight, low-latency and low-power to work on such drones.
A new Android Auto 18 beta has appeared, revealing a redesigned user interface alongside references to deeper Gemini AI personalization and updated font technology. The changes were spotted in the beta code rather than announced formally by Google.
Apple has filed a motion seeking to overturn a jury's $5.7 billion patent infringement verdict awarded to Taction Technology over Taptic Engine technology used in iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple argues Taction never presented evidence of what its patented contribution was actually worth, instead asking jurors to pick a reasonable royalty themselves, after the court had already excluded and barred testimony from Taction's damages expert before trial.
Biomedical engineering is reported to be experiencing rapid growth as an academic and research discipline. Despite this expansion, observers are raising questions about whether the growth is translating into tangible benefits for patients.
Character Technologies, maker of the chatbot Character.AI, disclosed in bankruptcy filings that Disney has offered $20 million for a non-exclusive, perpetual license to some of its intellectual property. The press release did not specify which assets Disney wants to license.
OnePlus has released a new smartphone featuring a 9,000mAh battery, a notably large capacity compared to most flagship phones sold globally. The device is currently available only in China, meaning customers in Western markets such as the US and Europe cannot purchase it through official channels.
Researchers and former officials gathered at Queen Mary University of London for a war-game exercise simulating how nations, companies and NGOs would respond to solar radiation modification technologies that could cool the planet by reflecting sunlight. Participants, including climate researcher Colleen Golja, played roles ranging from national governments to indigenous groups and tech firms, testing how a race to deploy such technology might unfold. The exercise revealed that reaching consensus on ethical, science-based deployment proved far harder than expected.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 kicked off at Moscone West, drawing more than 10,000 founders, investors and tech leaders. Day 1 features Startup Battlefield, six industry stages covering scaling, AI, fintech and climate tech, over 300 exhibiting startups, and 250+ speakers.
In a LinkedIn essay, Clojure creator Rich Hickey contends that the word 'tool' is being applied too loosely to AI systems. He argues true tools are things wielded by hand with control and feedback, like hammers or saws, and that this hands-on use builds skill and understanding of the world. He contrasts this with LLMs, which he says lack the predictability, reliability and determinism that define genuine tools.
A U.S. Army field exercise in the desert tested new AI-enabled equipment and found significant shortcomings, including technical malfunctions and organizational obstacles to adoption. The trial was part of a broader Army effort to modernize its forces and integrate artificial intelligence into combat operations.