Timef 04/10/2025

Google, PJM, and Tapestry announced a partnership to develop AI tools to speed interconnection requests through the queue.

The cuts that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency made at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in February “disproportionately affected” employees working on vehicle automation safety, according to The Financial Times. That division was formed in 2023 and therefore included a number of staffers who were still in their initial probationary hiring period, which […]

WhatsApp has announced a slew of new updates across chats, calls, and channels designed to enhance the messaging and calling experience for users as it continues to compete with popular services like Telegram and Discord. Among the most notable additions is an “Online” indicator that appears at the top of a group chat to show […]

Daniel Ruskin started his career when he was a mere 14 years old as an engineer for Coinbase. As he tells it, he was a teenager “who knew how to code and wanted to build cool things.” Obviously too young to get a bank account, Ruskin did freelance development work he found on reddit in […]

From PD to PPS and MagSafe to Qi2, we explain common smartphone charging technologies and how to fast-charge your phone.

The new, more affordable Google Pixel 9a is available for purchase. Shop at AT&T for as low as $2.99/month.

Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar saw its first-quarter sales jump 76% compared to the same period in 2024 after it began offering discounts and other promotions, including ones geared towards locking in Tesla owners. Polestar sold 12,304 cars in the first three months of the year compared to 6,975 in Q1 2024. Sales were relatively […]

As of April 10, get an Xbox Wireless Controller for 42% off at Lenovo.

The CyberGuy provides tips to protect yourself from criminals who use various methods to make unauthorized transactions using your account information.

A new HDMI spec is coming, but don’t worry about replacing your home theater.

The sale of bankrupt EV startup Canoo’s assets to its CEO has been approved by the judge overseeing the case. After evaluating a number of limited objections to the sale, Judge Brendan Shannon said in a hearing Wednesday he believes the process was fair and that no one else but Canoo CEO Anthony Aquila made […]

In the world of tech, some might argue that the term of the decade is AI, but in the bigger scheme of things, beyond this single sector, the most important word may well be “resilience.” How well prepared are people, organizations, and countries for unforeseen, negative economic, geopolitical, social, and environmental developments? It’s a question […]

Trump fired Krebs by tweet in 2020 after he publicly debunked Trump's false claims of election fraud.

AI labs like OpenAI claim that their so-called “reasoning” AI models, which can “think” through problems step by step, are more capable than their non-reasoning counterparts in specific domains, such as physics. But while this generally appears to be the case, reasoning models are also much more expensive to benchmark, making it difficult to independently […]

With tariffs threatening to drive up the costs of most things, the new entry-level phones from Apple and Google present a timely opportunity to save some bucks.

As the job market continues to get more competitive, it’s taking months for new grads to land employment, with many settling for roles that don’t align with their goals. To address this problem, Drafted, a new startup emerging from stealth, has built a jobs platform for students and early-career professionals, a subset of people who […]

It might not look like a classic Pixel phone anymore, but this Android is still the best smartphone bargain.

As of April 10, the Beats Studio Buds + are on sale at Amazon for $99.95. Normally they're listed for $169.95, so you're saving 41%.

We’re testing the gadgets that keep showing up in our feeds. Here's what deserves the hype—and would make awesome presents.

Mobile Crisis Construction makes mobile factories that turn rubble into Lego-like construction blocks.

No circuits, no problem.

A novel drug that produces a temporary coating in the small intestine could be a new strategy for weight loss—and an alternative to surgeries and GLP-1 drugs.

As of April 10, the 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is on sale at Amazon for $159.99. Normally it's listed for $199.99, so you're getting a 20% discount.

How do you get talented engineers to work for a startup in a mundane field at a time when more exciting companies are paying well and hiring aggressively? Here’s an answer from one insurance startup out of Poland called Ominimo: make pay competitive, yes, but more importantly, give those engineers the license to apply their […]

As of April 10, the Soundcore AeroFit open-ear wireless headphones are on sale at Amazon for $49.99, 62% off the regular $129.99 price.

From a national security breach to The Group Chat series on TikTok, the messy dynamics of group communication are igniting questions around trust and the rules of social connection.

As of April 10, Sony 75-inch X85K 4K Smart Google TV is $648 at Walmart, saving you $650 off its original $1,298 price.

"The Daily Show" has mocked Trump over his 90-day pause on tariffs.

New drone technology maps land and water with stunning accuracy, giving researchers and conservationists a new way to understand our planet.

Companies struck by Donald Trump’s trade levies will likely pass the hit along to consumers—and some will want to clearly point the finger at who is to blame.

Donald Trump’s import tariffs will put pressure on the EV market. But these US-assembled battery-powered cars may avoid the worst of the price hikes.

"The White Lotus" Season 3 star Jason Isaacs appeared on "The Tonight Show" and gave Jimmy Fallon an accent tour of the UK.

Answers to each clue for the April 10, 2025 edition of NYT's The Mini crossword puzzle.

Save 27% on the Garmin Forerunner 955 at Amazon.

Spring must be here, sports fans. It's time to re-download The Masters app, best app in sports.

Upgrade your PC with a lifetime Microsoft Office license and Windows 11 Pro, now $45.97 (reg. $428). Deal ends April 27.

Meet Pok Pok, the app that's designed with Montessori-inspired kids' games to help them develop practical skills and independence, now just $49.99 (reg. $250) when you use code SAVE10.

Secure 2TB of lifetime cloud storage from FileJump for just $89—no subscriptions, no monthly fees.

Tighten up your online security with FastestVPN PRO and this $39.99 (reg. $600) lifetime subscription for 15 devices.

"Common People" is the first episode of "Black Mirror" Season 7, but we suggest working your way up to this bad boy.

What's fresh on Netflix, Max, Disney+, Prime Video, and more? Here are the must-sees and the better-off-to-avoids.

Save 18% on the Dyson V11 at Amazon.

Save $4.05 on the Apple AirTag at Amazon.

It would appear the environment and society remain relevant, whatever you might hear in some other quarters. At least, that’s one conclusion to be drawn from the news that European specialist VC Revent has closed a  €100 million ($109 million) Fund II to invest in “planetary and societal health” startups.  Launched out of Berlin in […]

Samsung is launching its ball-shaped robot Ballie with Google Gemini AI smarts this summer.

OpenAI has counter-sued Elon Musk, accusing him of making a "sham" acquisition offer as part of a "malicious" campaign to undermine its business.

"Hotel Reverie" strives for a "San Junipero"-style queer romance with a happy ending, but its final scene conjures more dread.

"Black Mirror" references the crimes of Robert Durst in "Plaything." Explainer.

Paul Giamatti and Patsy Ferran mine heartbroken memories. But what does it mean? "Black Mirror"s "Eulogy" episode.

"Black Mirror" cooks up Old Hollywood romance in "Hotel Reverie," starring Issa Rae, Emma Corrin, and Awkwafina.

A breakdown of "Black Mirror" Season 7's "Bête Noire" episode, including an explainer of the device Verity uses to change reality.

"Black Mirror" Season 7's "USS Callister: Into Infinity" pays tribute to a Season 5 classic.

"Black Mirror" Season 7 features a sequel to "USS Callister." Do you need to revisit the original before you watch?

In the "Black Mirror" episode "USS Callister: Into Infinity," what happens to the crew? Explainer.

An explainer for the ending of "Black Mirror" Season 7, episode 1, "Common People," in which a woman undergoes an experimental subscription service in order to stay alive.

SwiftScan VIP turns your phone into a scanner and it's just £32.77 (reg. £156.09) with code TAKE30.

The creator of Thronglets, featured in season 7 of the Netflix series, says the game makes it feel like a Mogwai “effed up your life.”

The number of “operator VCs” — former founders turned VCs — in Europe in recent years. This is common in the U.S., where the majority of VCs are former founders. The reverse is true in Europe, where most come from banking or finance. Recent examples in Europe include Wise founder Taavet Hinrikus, Glovo founder Oscar […]

Billionaire Elon Musk might’ve just been countersued by OpenAI. But that isn’t stopping his AI company, xAI, from making its flagship Grok 3 model available via an API. It has been several months since xAI unveiled Grok 3, the company’s answer to models like OpenAI’s GPT-4o and Google’s Gemini.  Grok 3 can analyze images and respond to questions, […]

Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the puzzle.

The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.

Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1391 on April 10 as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

Nissan said it will use self-driving software developed by Wayve to beef up its advanced driver assistance system starting in 2027, a landmark deal for the buzzy UK startup that has raised more than $1.3 billion from Nvidia, Microsoft, SoftBank Group, and Uber.  Nissan will integrate Wayve’s software as well as sensors, including lidar from an undisclosed […]

As Sequoia Capital’s first defense tech investment, Mach Industries is an industry darling, raising over $80 million since its founding in 2023. Its founder, Ethan Thornton, now 21, began Mach as a teenage MIT student before dropping out to focus full-time on his startup. But a few months before landing a seed investment from Sequoia […]

Just a few weeks after OpenAI said it would adopt rival Anthropic’s standard for connecting AI models to the systems where data resides, Google is following suit. In a post on X on Wednesday, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis announced that Google will add support for Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol, or MCP, to its Gemini […]

Banking-as-a-service startup Solid (formerly called Wise) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to documents filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on April 7. Founded in 2018, the fintech company had raised a total of nearly $81 million in funding from investors such as FTV Capital and Headline. […]

The dramatic suit between OpenAI and its estranged co-founder, billionaire Elon Musk, shows no sign of letting up. In a filing Wednesday, attorneys for OpenAI and the other defendants in the case, including CEO Sam Altman, called for Musk to be enjoined from “further unlawful and unfair action” and “held responsible for the damage he […]

In a legal filing on Wednesday, OpenAI asked a federal court to hold Mr. Musk responsible for any damage he has caused the firm, in the latest sign of their bitter feud.

The money will fund a rapid expansion, including dozens more megawatt-hours of battery storage and plans for a domestic battery factory.

Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, the former Director of Global Public Policy for Facebook and author of the recently released tell-all book “Careless People,” told U.S. senators during her testimony on Wednesday that Meta actively targeted teens with advertisements based on their emotional state. This claim was first documented by Wynn-Williams in her book, which documents […]

A Waymo robotaxi caused a traffic jam at a Chick-fil-A in Santa Monica, California this week after getting stuck in the fast food restaurant’s drive-thru lane. Waymo confirmed the incident, which was first reported by local broadcast station KTLA 5, to TechCrunch via email. Waymo told TechCrunch that there weren’t any passengers in the robotaxi. […]

A Waymo robotaxi caused a traffic jam at a Chick-fil-A in Santa Monica, California, this week after getting stuck in the fast food restaurant’s drive-thru lane. Waymo confirmed the incident, which was first reported by local broadcast station KTLA 5, to TechCrunch via email. Waymo told TechCrunch that there weren’t any passengers in the robotaxi. […]

Sarah Wynn-Williams, Facebook’s former Head of Global Public Policy, testified before the U.S. Senate today about the company’s relationship with China. According to Wynn-Williams, the company now known as Meta worked directly with the Chinese Community Party (CCP) to “undermine U.S. national security and betray American values,” she said. She alleges that Facebook created custom-built […]

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang appears to have struck a deal with the Trump administration to avoid export restrictions on the company’s H20 AI chips. The H20, the most advanced Nvidia-produced AI chip that can still be exported from the U.S. to China, was reportedly spared thanks to a promise from Huang to invest in new […]

Meta is starting to test a new feature in Threads that lets users follow the same creators they follow on X, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. “We’re currently testing a way for you to find and follow creators from other platforms on Threads, making it easier to connect with the people and conversations that matter […]

Tech stocks and crypto rallied after Trump paused some of his reciprocal tariffs for 90 days.

Block ads forever on desktop and mobile with AdGuard. Get a lifetime plan for A$26 with code FAMPLAN — no more pop-ups, banners, or autoplay videos.

Apple has released audio from an emergency call made on an Apple Watch in a new ad highlighting the gadget's safety features.

Donald Trump’s tariffs announcements are roiling the markets. On this week’s special episode of Uncanny Valley, we break it all down.

At Google Cloud Next, Google confirmed Gemini integration with Reddit Answers, doubling down on the partnership between the two companies.

Amid a nationwide furor about the detention of pro-Palestine foreign students, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced further social media monitoring.

The unsigned agreement between the US DOGE Service and the Department of Labor provides significant insight into DOGE's work with federal agencies.

Amazon has unveiled its new human-like AI voice model, Nova Sonic.

OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever’s new AI startup, Safe Superintelligence (SSI), is using Google Cloud’s TPU chips to power its AI research, part of a new partnership the companies announced on Wednesday in a press release. Google Cloud says SSI is using TPUs to “accelerate its research and development efforts toward building […]

The sale of bankrupt EV startup Canoo’s assets to its CEO has been okayed by the judge overseeing the case. After evaluating a number of limited objections to the sale, Judge Brendan Shannon said in a hearing Wednesday he believes the process was fair, and that no one else but Canoo CEO Anthony Aquila made […]

The list of 1,223 victims in 51 countries hints at the “true scale of the spyware problem,” per one researcher.

Players of the mega-popular battle royale game have a particular way of speaking. Unlearning it can be a challenge.

The Israeli spyware maker, still on the US Commerce Department’s “blacklist,” has hired a new lobbying firm with direct ties to the Trump administration, a WIRED investigation has found.

New York’s A-list venture capital seed fund, Lerer Hippeau, announced it closed a ninth $200 million fund on Wednesday. That’s a step up from its eighth fund, which closed at $140 million, it said. With the new fund, Lerer Hippeau has $1.4 billion of assets under management. Since its inception in 2010, Lerer Hippeau has […]

BYD's premium sub-brand is all set to take on Audi, BMW and Mercedes, with its crab-walking, blowout-beating Z9GT leading the charge.

OpenAI, like many AI labs, thinks AI benchmarks are broken. It says it wants to fix them through a new program. Called the OpenAI Pioneers Program, the program will focus on creating evaluations for AI models that “set the bar for what good looks like,” as OpenAI phrased it in a blog post. “As the […]

The General Accountability Office's audit examines DOGE’s handling of data at a number of federal agencies, according to sources and records reviewed by WIRED.

Jo Ellis, a National Guard pilot, is suing an influencer who falsely identified her as the captain of a helicopter that collided with a passenger plane in January.

Anthropic announced on Wednesday that it’s launching a new, very expensive subscription plan for its AI chatbot Claude: Max. An answer to OpenAI’s $200-a-month ChatGPT Pro tier, Max comes with higher usage limits than Anthropic’s $20-per-month Claude Pro subscription as well as priority access to the company’s newest AI models and features. A bit confusingly, […]

Last week, prediction market startup Kalshi sued New Jersey and Nevada after they tried to shut down its recently launched sports trading operation. In the lawsuit, Kalshi claimed that, since they’re a federally regulated platform, state gaming commissions don’t have the authority to set rules for them. “We’re not necessarily very concerned [because] we are […]

A study went viral several months ago for implying that, as AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, it develops “value systems” — systems that lead it to, for example, prioritize its own well-being over humans. A more recent paper out of MIT pours cold water on that hyperbolic notion, drawing the conclusion that AI doesn’t, in fact, […]

YouTube on Wednesday announced an expansion of its pilot program designed to identify and manage AI-generated content that features the “likeness,” including the face, of creators, artists, and other famous or influential figures. The company is also publicly declaring its support for the legislation known as the NO FAKES ACT, which aims to tackle the […]

As of April 9, save up to 50% on select Yankee Candle scents at Amazon.

Sony introduced new speakers to its ULT Power line. We tested the ULT Field 3 speaker for two weeks to see if it's worth the money.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

TurboTax software for the 2024 tax season is on sale at Amazon for up to 30% off.

Sean Plankey's nomination to head up CISA will be blocked, for now.

Apple, Dell, Microsoft, and other tech firms sped up product shipments to beat a looming tariff deadline, according to a new report.

The Vizio 40-inch 1080p Smart TV is currently on sale for $138 at Amazon, saving you 19%.

Sabrina Carpenter’s new "Fortnite" skin is taking over the game, and players can’t get enough of the hilarious sight of her dancing and running around in the virtual world.

As of April 9, get the Blink Outdoor 4 security camera 2-pack for 50% off.

Zico Kolter, a Carnegie Mellon professor and board member at OpenAI, tells WIRED about the dangers of AI agents interacting with one another—and why models need to be more resistant to attacks.

The best Amazon deals on April 9 include the M4 MacBook Air, Fitbit Charge 6, Bose SoundLink Flex, Blink Video Doorbell, and Apple Pencil 2.

Elon Musk’s team is leading an effort to link government databases, to the alarm of privacy and security experts.

As of April 9, the Hoto Electric Screwdriver comes bundled with a Hoto Box Cutter for $43.99, down from $52.98. That's 17% off, and cheaper than buying the Hoto Electric Screwdriver on its own.

An executive order intended to give coal a boost ignores the reality not only of where energy markets are going, but where they are today.

Loss of Pulse Detection for Google Pixel Watch 3 users is now available in the US.

The 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) is on sale for just $1,139 at Amazon and B&H Photo. That's 5% off its $1,199 sticker price and its best price yet.

The stock market reacted to a supposed pause to Trump's tariffs on Monday. But it was really fake news posted on Elon Musk's X.

The controversial anti-deepfake legislation, now backed by social media platforms and First Lady Melania Trump, is up for a House vote, despite free speech warnings.