Author: alex

Zuckerberg’s hot-mic moment: promising $600B for US AI, and why it matters At a recent White House dinner, Mark Zuckerberg told President Trump that Meta would "probably... at least $600 billion through 2028" in U.S. spending on AI infrastructure. A later hot-mic clip captured Zuckerberg apologizing to Trump: "sorry, I wasn't ready …I wasn't sure what number you wanted to go with." This post summarizes the exchange, context, and reactions. Key details Quote: "probably going to be something like, I don't know, at least $600 billion through [20]28 in the US." Hot-mic addition: Zuckerberg saying he "wasn't ready" and apologizing for the number choice. Context: The meeting followed a year of tense interactions between Zuckerberg and Trump, donations to Trump’s inauguration, policy shifts at Meta, and private meetings. Why it…

Unity adds native screen reader support for macOS & Windows Unity has introduced native screen reader support in the Unity 6 alpha (version 6000.3.0a5). The new AssistiveSupport API enables Unity apps to interface with macOS VoiceOver and Windows Narrator, and Unity plans to include this feature in the upcoming Unity 6.3 release. Why it matters Screen readers let blind and low-vision players navigate menus and UI by narrating on-screen elements. Until now, developers often had to build custom screen reader solutions per game, which is time- and resource-intensive. With native in-engine support, much of the heavy lifting is handled by Unity, lowering the barrier and cost for making games accessible. Key details Available now in Unity 6 alpha: 6000.3.0a5. Planned full integration in Unity 6.3. Main API: AssistiveSupport (Unity Scripting…

Anthropic reaches proposed $1.5B settlement in copyright class action — what it means Anthropic has agreed to a proposed $1.5 billion settlement to resolve a class-action copyright lawsuit brought by authors and publishers. Reports indicate the settlement would provide roughly $3,000 per work to affected authors and may cover around 500,000 works, subject to court approval and final notices to class members. Key points Settlement amount: $1.5 billion (proposed) Per-work payment: ~ $3,000 per registered work (reported) Affected class: Authors and publishers whose works were allegedly used without authorization to train Anthropic’s models Legal context: A June district-court ruling on fair use (Judge William Alsup) finding that certain AI training can be transformative influenced the litigation’s course Statement “In June, the District Court issued a landmark ruling on AI development…

Amazon Greenlights Live-Action "Life Is Strange" Series Amazon Prime Video has ordered a live-action adaptation of the acclaimed 2015 adventure game Life Is Strange. British writer/actor Charlie Covell (The End of the F***ing World, KAOS) will serve as creator, showrunner and executive producer. Production involves Amazon MGM Studios alongside Square Enix, Story Kitchen and LuckyChap. Premise The series will follow Max Caulfield, a photography student who discovers she can rewind time after saving the life of her childhood friend Chloe. As they investigate the disappearance of a fellow student, they uncover a darker side to their town that forces a life-or-death choice with lasting consequences — mirroring the game’s blend of teen realism, supernatural elements and moral branching. Key Players Showrunner/Creator/EP: Charlie Covell Executive Producers: Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg,…

Meta fixes Threads threading: 'View more', stacked posts & numberingMeta is rolling out several changes to Threads that make multi-post conversations easier to follow:"View more" label — marks posts that are part of a longer thread so you can tell at a glance when a post continues.Stacked series view — when you open a series, posts are stacked back-to-back for easier reading.Per-post numbering — each post now shows its position and the total number of posts in the thread (e.g., 3/8).These features will arrive on both mobile and web. Meta has also reached 400 million monthly active users and added support for attaching long text documents (up to 10,000 characters).Originally reported by Engadget — Read more.Will these changes make you use Threads differently? Share your thoughts below.

EU fines Google €2.95 billion over adtech antitrust violations The European Commission has fined Google €2.95 billion (about $3.5B) for abusing its dominant position in online advertising technology. Regulators say Google favored its own ad exchange (AdX) by sharing bid information and steering bids toward AdX, undermining competing ad exchanges and distorting auction outcomes. Key points: Fine: €2.95 billion. Deadline: Google has 60 days to propose fixes or face additional remedies, which could include structural measures. Google's response: The company says it will appeal and argues the decision is wrong and will hurt businesses. Context: This follows growing antitrust scrutiny worldwide; previous major EU fine in 2018 was €4.5B (about $5.04B) over Android app pre-installation rules. Google's quoted response (provided to media): "The European Commission's decision about our ad tech…

SwitchBot brings visual AI to the smart home with new AI HubSwitchBot has announced a new AI Hub designed to add on-device visual intelligence to smart homes. Unlike a simple network hub, the SwitchBot AI Hub is intended to interpret visual events — such as motion or specific actions — and trigger automations accordingly.Key pointsVisual interpretation: The hub processes visual information from connected cameras or sensors to understand what’s happening in a room.Edge processing: SwitchBot positions the device as an on-device (edge) intelligence unit rather than cloud-only processing to reduce latency and improve privacy.Design: It resembles a small, black hub that acts as the central point for automations.Privacy & concernsOn-device processing can limit the amount of visual data sent to the cloud, which helps privacy. Still, users should check SwitchBot’s…

iOS 26: Release Date, Compatibility & What’s New Apple is set to unveil new iPhones on Sept 9; iOS 26 is expected to roll out in mid‑September (likely about a week after the event). The update brings a major visual refresh called "Liquid Glass," new features like Live Translate, a redesigned Phone app, polls in Messages, updated lock screen options and more. Key dates Apple event: Sept 9, 2025 iOS 26 likely release: mid‑September (often ~one week after the event) Notable features Liquid Glass design — translucent, unified UI styling across the system and apps. Phone app redesign — scrollable contacts/recent/voicemail on one screen; new Hold Assist alerts. Live Translate — real‑time translation for calls and messages. Messages polls — create polls inside group chats. Lock screen upgrades — new…

iPhone 17 event (Sept 9) and iOS 26 — full rundown Apple's iPhone 17 event is scheduled for Tuesday, September 9. iOS 26 is expected to arrive to the public shortly after the event (historically within a week). The public beta for iOS 26 is available for testers via the Apple Beta Software Program — sign up at beta.apple.com. Top new features in iOS 26 Liquid Glass design: A new translucent "Liquid Glass" aesthetic across home/lock screens, apps and widgets. Phone app overhaul: Scroll contacts, recent calls and voicemail on one screen; new Hold Assist to be notified when an agent answers. Live Translation: Real-time translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages. Visual Intelligence: Search what’s on your screen (like a reverse image search for items you see in photos). Messages…

Apple "Awe Dropping" — Event Preview (Sept 9, 2025) Apple will hold its fall event, billed "Awe Dropping," on September 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT. The livestream will be available from Apple's official events page: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/ What to expect iPhone 17 lineup: base iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max iPhone 17 Air: an ultralight model rumored to be Apple’s first phone using the "Air" name Potential refreshes for Apple Watch and AirPods Pro, plus possible smart-home updates Quick facts Event date/time: Sept 9 — 1PM ET / 10AM PT Livestream: Apple Events page and Apple’s YouTube channel Software: iOS 26 already previewed at WWDC; hardware reveals expected next Where to buy related products If you want to shop current models or browse…