Polestar owners left ‘holding the bag’ after EV brand pulls out of the US
Last month, Polestar shocked the auto industry when it announced that it was pulling out of the US.
The EV company's decision came after the federal government denied its authorization to continue selling its cars despite a rule banning vehicles with Chinese-made connected vehicle software. Polestar, which is headquartered in Sweden but majority owned by China's Geely, said it would stop selling its vehicles in the US starting with the 2027 model year.
For the thousands of Polestar owners and dozens of dealers in the US, it was a moment of disappointment and uncertainty. What would happen with their vehicles? Who would service them? Would …
Instagram and Facebook will likely require a redesign after EU rules they’re ‘addictive’
Meta is in breach of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), a preliminary investigation has found, over the "addictive" design of Instagram and Facebook. It's likely to be forced to redesign both apps, and could face a fine of up to $12 billion.
The European Commission said Meta "did not adequately assess the risks of its addictive design on the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors and vulnerable adults." It singled out features like personalized recommendations, autoplay, and infinite scroll, arguing that they "fuel the user's urge to keep scrolling and shift the brain into 'autopilot mode.'"
The report also criticizes t …
Microsoft’s carbon emissions went up 25 percent last year
Microsoft may once again be struggling to keep up with its own climate goals, according to its 2026 sustainability report. As reported by GeekWire, the report states that Microsoft's carbon emissions increased 25 percent in 2025, totalling 34 million metric tons "without select interventions." Microsoft says this was "driven primarily by the expansion of our datacenter infrastructure," as well as the company's decision last February to stop purchasing "non-additional, unbundled renewable energy certificates."
Several years ago, Microsoft set itself a goal to be carbon negative by 2030, meaning it will need to remove more carbon emissions t …
Fidji Simo steps down from leading OpenAI’s AGI work due to illness
OpenAI's Fidji Simo is departing her full-time role as the company's AGI chief and is transitioning to being a "part-time advisor," she said on X.
The news follows Simo's original announcement in April that she would take a few weeks of medical leave due to a neuroimmune condition, shortly after she had taken on the AGI chief title. (She had formerly been the company's CEO of applications). Around the same time, COO Brad Lightcap also stepped down from his role to focus on "special projects," and OpenAI CMO Kate Rouch also stepped down in order to focus on her health. Rouch planned to return to a "more narrowly scoped role" when her health …
Netflix reportedly considers adding always-on channels
Netflix is thinking about adding always-on channels that would stream specific shows and movies, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move sounds like a Netflix version of always-on services like Pluto TV and Tubi, except the big hook for those is that they're free - because of the ads you have to watch. Netflix has seen success with its ad-supported tier, which is increasingly popular, but it costs $8.99 per month after a recent price hike.
Netflix is also apparently considering selling bundles that would include other streaming services, something else that competitors like Apple TV and Prime Video already offer. The company has bee …
The ChatGPT browser is already dead
OpenAI is already shutting down ChatGPT Atlas, its browser that could do tasks for you on your behalf, less than a year after launching it. Atlas was announced in October, but as part of its wave of news about ChatGPT Work today, the company confirmed that it will be "sunsetting" Atlas and is targeting an August 9th date for deprecation.
The shutdown follows OpenAI's push to reduce "side quests" and catch up with Anthropic on productivity features. As part of that push, in March, The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI planned to combine the ChatGPT app, Codex, and Atlas into a desktop "superapp" - ChatGPT Work appears to be the result …
The floatable, powerful Soundcore Boom 2 speaker is over half off
Bluetooth speakers with big sound and great features are hard to find for under $100, with most offerings being some variation of the same basic (and often small) design. Thankfully, through July 10th Woot has the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 on sale for $69.99, which is $20 cheaper than the discounted price at other retailers like Amazon, and about half its original $129.99 price. The waterproof Bluetooth speaker can run for up to 24 hours on a single charge, with big, bass-forward sound that’s great for a day by the water or just hanging out in the yard.
While size isn’t everything when it comes to Bluetooth speakers, the Soundcore Boom 2’s 50W subwoofer and pair of 15W tweeters should deliver louder, clearer sound than other speakers around the same price (which are often smaller). The IPX7 rating means it’s fully waterproof and submersible, and its design will let it pump out the tunes, or take calls with its built-in microphone, while it floats in water.
The Boom 2 has a robust set of features for a speaker at this price point. You can adjust the equalizer and the built-in lighting behavior from the Anker app, plus the speaker charges your other devices at up to 5W from its built-in USB-A port. Its support for Anker PartyCast 2.0 lets the Boom 2 sync with other Anker speakers for larger audio. There’s no 3.5mm aux input, which isn’t irregular for waterproof speakers, so it’s Bluetooth only for playback.
Google will now tell you if an ad was made with AI
You can see if ads on Google Search, Google Discover, and YouTube were made or edited using AI from a new section in Google's "My Ad Center," as reported earlier by TechCrunch. The update, announced on Thursday, adds a "created or edited with AI" label under the "how this ad was made" tab. Users can find it by tapping the three dots or info button on ads, which pulls up the same panel where you can also block or report ads.
Google says it will automatically apply the AI label to any ads made with its own generative AI advertising tools, but AI ads made elsewhere will need to have the label applied manually. In some regions, Google's new AI …
Google’s Nest Thermostat has hit its best price of the year
If you’re looking for a relatively affordable way to cut down on cooling costs, Google’s Nest Thermostat can help. It’s packed with smart controls and energy-saving features, and right now it’s on sale in white for $79 ($50 off), which is its best price of the year, at Amazon.
The smart thermostat is quick to install and makes it easy to adjust your home’s temperature whether you’re relaxing in bed or on your way home thanks to the Google Home app. You can also create schedules and control it with your voice using Google Assistant, Alexa, or another Matter-compatible voice assistant.
Once it’s set up, the Nest Thermostat can automatically turn the temperature down when you’re away to help reduce unnecessary energy use, while Google’s Savings Finder feature suggests additional ways to save over time. It also monitors your HVAC system and can alert you if something doesn’t seem right, making it easier to stay on top of maintenance before small issues become bigger, more expensive ones. If you’re eligible, Nest Renew can also automatically shift some of your heating and cooling to times when electricity is cleaner or cheaper.
That said, this is Google’s entry-level model from 2020, so you do miss out on some of the premium features found on the latest Nest Learning Thermostat. Unlike the flagship version, it won’t learn your schedule automatically over time, for example, and lacks support for Nest Temperature Sensors that let you prioritize the temperature in a specific room. Even so, if all you want is an easy way to adjust your home’s temperature remotely and potentially lower your energy bills, the Nest Thermostat is still a solid investment at this price.
Read our Google Nest Thermostat review.
Microsoft’s patch Tuesdays are about to get bigger
Windows 11 updates could soon include fixes for more security issues at once. Microsoft said in a blog post on Thursday that it's now using AI to "identify potential issues earlier," which means "customers will see a higher volume of security updates included in each security release."
Hackers, even amateurs, have increasingly been using AI to quickly exploit security weaknesses over the past several months. Security researchers are also using AI to find issues faster, leading to more frequent high-severity vulnerabilities, like the "Copy Fail" exploit that impacted nearly every Linux distribution in May. Similarly, when Anthropic announce …