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Helion, the Sam Altman-backed fusion startup, raises $465M to build a power plant for Microsoft

  • πŸš€ Fusion startup Helion is on a fast track to deliver a clean energy power plant to Microsoft by its 2028 deadline.
  • πŸ’° A recent infusion of new investment capital will provide the critical resources needed to accelerate research and development.
  • ⚛️ The partnership marks a high-stakes effort to commercialize fusion power for large-scale corporate energy needs within the next four years.

Meta’s Oversight Board says account bans lack due process, transparency

  • ⚖️ Meta's Oversight Board is raising significant "due process" concerns regarding how the platform handles account bans and suspensions.
  • πŸ” The board is pushing Meta to provide users with much clearer, specific information about which policies were violated during enforcement actions.
  • πŸ€– A demand has been issued for greater transparency on how artificial intelligence is being utilized to make automated moderation determinations.

What to expect from WWDC 2026: Siri’s highly anticipated revamp and Apple Intelligence updates

  • πŸ€– Major AI Integration: Apple is set to unveil "Project Greymatter," a suite of AI tools for iOS 18 and macOS 15 that focuses on practical everyday features and a potential partnership with OpenAI.
  • πŸ—£️ Smarter Siri: Expect a significant generative AI overhaul for Siri, enabling more natural conversations and the ability to perform complex tasks within specific apps using voice commands.
  • πŸ“± OS Refreshes & New Apps: Beyond UI customization for the iPhone home screen, Apple is rumored to debut a dedicated "Passwords" app and major updates to Mail, Photos, and Notes.

A burglar used a Waymo to steal yoga clothes in San Francisco — and got away with it

  • πŸš• New details have emerged regarding how Waymo manages and retains the vast amounts of video footage captured by its autonomous robotaxis.
  • πŸ‘️ The recent incident highlights the sensitive nature of the data collected by these vehicles and the potential privacy implications for the public.
  • πŸ“‚ This transparency offers a clearer look into the internal protocols Waymo uses to store and share sensor data following specific events.

Cash App launches a wand for tap-and-pay

  • Cash App is launching a new physical payment gadget this Thursday inspired by viral social media trends. πŸͺ„
  • The device functions as a "magic wand" that allows users to complete real-world transactions with a simple tap. πŸ“±
  • The product design stems from DIY creators who began hiding tap-and-pay credit cards inside homemade wands. πŸ’³

Waymo’s spent robotaxi batteries will be used as grid storage

  • πŸš— Waymo has partnered with B2U Storage Solutions to give retired autonomous vehicle battery packs a "second life."
  • πŸ”‹ The deal focuses on repurposing these batteries for large-scale energy storage systems rather than discarding them.
  • ♻️ This initiative aims to improve sustainability by extending the utility of battery hardware after it leaves the road.

Ramp raises $750M at $44B valuation as investors hunger for fintechs with an AI story

  • πŸš€ Corporate card startup Ramp has seen its valuation nearly triple over the past 12 months, signaling explosive growth.
  • πŸ’° High investor demand has led to a competitive scramble to secure a stake in the rapidly expanding fintech company.
  • πŸ“ˆ The surge in valuation cements Ramp's position as one of the fastest-growing players in the current startup ecosystem.

Is Silicon Valley ready to put robots in people’s homes? Hello Robot is.

  • California startup Hello Robot has officially unveiled Stretch 3, the fourth-generation model of its mobile home assistant. πŸ€–
  • The robot is specifically designed to help users with domestic tasks and support independent living through its compact, versatile frame. 🏠
  • This latest iteration features hardware and software upgrades to improve how the machine navigates and interacts with home environments. πŸš€

Chinese spies are using LinkedIn to lure Westerners into sharing sensitive information

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  • ⚠️ Security Alert: A new advisory warns that Chinese intelligence agencies are actively using mainstream job search platforms to identify and recruit potential targets.
  • πŸ•΅️ Digital Espionage: Spies are creating deceptive profiles to approach individuals who possess high-level access to sensitive or non-public information.
  • πŸ›‘️ Vigilance Required: Professionals are urged to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited job offers or networking requests from unknown sources online.
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Apple touts $1.4 trillion in App Store billings and sales, 90% without a commission

  • πŸ’° Apple's App Store reached a record-breaking $1.4 trillion in total sales this year.
  • πŸ“ˆ The new figure represents a steady growth trend, rising from $1.3 trillion in the previous year.
  • πŸ“± Revenue from digital goods specifically accounted for $149 billion of the total ecosystem sales.

Oura Ring 5 review: Thinner, lighter, better

  • πŸ’ Oura has unveiled the Ring 5, which the company claims is the world’s smallest smart ring.
  • πŸ“ The new wearable features a significantly more compact design, measuring 40% smaller than its predecessor.
  • πŸ’° Customers can purchase the high-tech device starting at a base price of $399.

Lovable signs multiyear deal with Google Cloud to up usage 5x, source says

  • Lovable and Google have finalized an expanded multiyear partnership to deepen their technological collaboration. 🀝
  • The agreement features a massive 5x expansion of Lovable’s infrastructure footprint on Google Cloud. ☁️
  • The deal provides Lovable with significantly broader access to Anthropic’s Claude AI models via the platform. πŸ€–

Alphabet’s record-breaking $85B raise for Google’s AI business is a helluva good signal

  • πŸš€ Alphabet achieves a historic milestone with a record-breaking $85 billion stock sale.
  • πŸ€– The massive sale highlights a surging investor appetite for AI-related technologies and offerings.
  • 🍽️ Market trends signal that investors are "ready to chow" on significant opportunities within the artificial intelligence sector.

Substack’s new ‘Reply Rules’ feature lets creators control how people respond

  • Enhanced Creator Control: Substack has launched "Reply Rules," a new feature designed to give writers greater authority over how their audiences engage and respond to content. πŸ”’
  • Broad Initial Rollout: The moderation tool is currently available to all English-language publications across the platform. 🌍
  • Community Management: This update aims to help creators foster healthier discussions by setting specific boundaries for their comment sections. ✍️

Google’s Dreambeans, its weirdest-named AI tool to date, will turn your life into a cartoon

  • πŸ€– **Personalized Narratives:** Dreambeans is a new platform that generates unique, AI-illustrated stories based on individual user experiences.
  • πŸ“‚ **Data-Driven Storytelling:** The service creates these custom tales by analyzing and "culling" personal data directly from your connected Google account.
  • ✨ **Curated Visuals:** Users receive a curated list of digital stories that transform their mundane digital footprint into a visual, artistic gallery.