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OpenAI Delays Next Major AI Model 'Astra' Over Critical Hacking Concerns

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:01:16 -0400

OpenAI today said it is "pausing" activities involving its upcoming AI exemplary Astra, due to the fact that its cyber capabilities are perchance excessively dangerous. OpenAI says its newest interior evaluations amusement "significant advancements successful agentic coding and cybersecurity," and it cannot regularisation retired "critical cyber capabilities." Prior OpenAI models, including GPT–5.6 Sol, were labeled arsenic "High."

Astra triggers stricter guidelines successful OpenAI's "Preparedness Framework." The guidelines telephone for caution erstwhile processing frontier AI capabilities that make risks of terrible harm, and the cybersecurity information of the model says OpenAI volition instrumentality other safeguards for models that "create caller risks of scaled cyberattacks and vulnerability exploitation."

The "Critical" threshold Astra whitethorn person deed is defined by an quality to place and make functional zero-day exploits of each severity levels successful galore hardened real-world captious systems without quality intervention, oregon devise and execute end-to-end caller strategies for cyberattacks.

OpenAI says it is expanding its safeguards and information controls earlier deploying Astra, including limiting enactment connected the exemplary until caller safeguards are successful place. The institution plans to usage isolated investigating environments with restricted web and instrumentality access, on with adding sandboxed execution and much monitoring capabilities. OpenAI says it volition enactment with applicable authorities agencies and AI information organizations to trial Astra.

"We're committed to moving alongside governments, information institutes, and civilian nine to guarantee that the frontier capabilities of models similar Astra, and those that follow, are deployed responsibly and broadly for the payment of each humanity," writes OpenAI.

Astra wasn't formally announced, but OpenAI shared details connected its adjacent large exemplary successful a caller station outlining its mathematical advancements. Astra solved 10 unfastened problems successful mathematics and theoretical machine subject for astir $2,000 (in Sol API rates).

Advancements successful AI are changing cybersecurity for large tech companies similar Apple by unearthing an unprecedented fig of bugs. Apple precocious constricted its bug bounty programme submissions due to the fact that it is having occupation handling the volume.

Models similar Claude Mythos are capable to suss retired captious vulnerabilities, and Apple is 1 of Anthropic's Mythos partners. Mythos is constricted to prime companies due to the fact that successful summation to uncovering vulnerabilities, it has the imaginable to exploit them.

OpenAI made headlines successful July because GPT–5.6 Sol and a "more susceptible pre-release model" (not Astra) autonomously hacked Hugging Face during interior benchmark testing. Anthropic recovered Claude had done thing similar. Meta this week said it excessively had an AI exemplary hack different institution during a cybersecurity evaluation.

Tag: OpenAI

This article, "OpenAI Delays Next Major AI Model 'Astra' Over Critical Hacking Concerns" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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Fenix Flexin isn’t even denying using AI to make ‘Rubberz’ anymore

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:01:00 -0400

That screen creation is astir surely AI too. | Image: Fenix Flexin

It took agelong enough, but present LA rapper Fenix Flexin appears to person admitted utilizing AI for the 80s synth pop-themed opus "Rubberz." His comments travel the producer Medasin's videos claiming that an AI instrumentality called Treblo (formerly Sonauto) was utilized to marque the song, and the company releasing an AI detector that identifies it arsenic Treblo AI-created.

In a reply to a remark pointing retired that Tyga admitted to relying connected AI for his ain arguable '80s-influenced medium $tarface, connected 1 of his Instagram posts, Fenix said:

never said I didn't usage AI , one said it had nun to bash w signaling process . I didn't adjacent cognize what da app was till we mixed …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Isuzu VehiCROSS, AMC Spirit, 12 Go-Karts: The Dopest Cars I Found For Sale Online

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:00:54 -0400

I couldn't spot a azygous listing for 12 go-karts and not deem that 1 of this week's Dopest Cars.

iOS 26 Gets First Jailbreak Thanks to Dopamine

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 17:01:38 -0400

After 326 days, iOS 26 has received its archetypal jailbreak, acknowledgment to the developers down the fashionable Dopamine jailbreak.

Lars Fröder, amended known arsenic opa334, contiguous released Dopamine 3.0, which adds enactment for a fig of newer firmware versions, including iOS 26.0 and iOS 26.0.1 connected devices with A12 oregon A13 chips.

Another large summation successful today's merchandise is enactment for each devices moving iOS 16.5.1 done iOS 17.3.1, importantly expanding the scope of devices and bundle versions compatible with Dopamine.

A afloat breakdown of supported devices and iOS versions tin beryllium recovered connected AppleDB, a database that tracks jailbreak compatibility.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26

Tag: Jailbreak

Related Forum: iOS 26

This article, "iOS 26 Gets First Jailbreak Thanks to Dopamine" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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Apple Rumored to Launch Three New 'Ultra' Products by Early Next Year

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:01:05 -0400

According to assorted reports from sources specified arsenic Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Macworld's Filipe Espósito, Apple is readying to merchandise up to 3 caller products with "Ultra" branding betwixt precocious 2026 and aboriginal 2027.

The long-rumored foldable iPhone is expected to beryllium called the "iPhone Ultra." Rumored features see a 7.7-inch interior display, a 5.3-inch outer display, 2 rear cameras, 1 beforehand camera, a Touch ID powerfulness fastener alternatively of Face ID, and more. The device's ample interior surface volition beryllium perfect for watching videos and multitasking.

Apple is expected to merchandise the "iPhone Ultra" this September, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. In the U.S., it has been estimated that the instrumentality volition person a starting terms of anyplace from $1,999 to $2,499.

"AirPods Ultra" are reportedly set to beryllium released arsenic aboriginal arsenic this year — it would beryllium fitting for them to beryllium unveiled alongside the "iPhone Ultra" this September.

"AirPods Ultra" are fundamentally rumored to beryllium AirPods Pro with tiny infrared cameras that service arsenic eyes for Siri. The cameras volition assistance to heighten the Visual Intelligence diagnostic connected the iPhone 15 Pro and newer, and a tiny LED airy connected the earbuds volition bespeak erstwhile the cameras are active, according to Gurman's reporting.

On iOS 27, Visual Intelligence is accessible done the Camera app via a caller "Siri" mode. "AirPods Ultra" would supply a much hands-free experience.

"The thought is to fto users inquire questions astir an point they mightiness beryllium looking at," helium said. If idiosyncratic is looking astatine ingredients connected their room countertop, for example, they could inquire Siri for meal ideas.

Last month, Apple's codification for the 2nd iOS 27 developer beta seemingly hinted astatine AirPods with cameras, truthful a motorboat could beryllium accelerated approaching.

Finally, Apple is reportedly planning a "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED show that doubles arsenic a interaction screen. Other rumored features see M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a Dynamic Island, a thinner plan compared to the latest MacBook Pro models, and perchance adjacent an Apple-designed C2 modem for built-in 5G/LTE cellular connectivity.

Apple plans to merchandise this caller MacBook by aboriginal 2027, according to Gurman.

All successful all, Apple is expected to merchandise an iPhone Ultra, AirPods Ultra, and a MacBook Ultra implicit the people of the adjacent six to 7 months oregon so.

Tags: AirPods Ultra, iPhone Ultra, MacBook Ultra

This article, "Apple Rumored to Launch Three New 'Ultra' Products by Early Next Year" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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Los Angeles Is Littered With Thousands Of Oil Wells Hiding In Fake Buildings, Under Schools And Playgrounds

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:00:48 -0400

In the precocious 19th and aboriginal 20th centuries, abundant lipid attracted waves of American settlers to Southern California, and it remains a important industry.

Watching Roku’s AI channel is like eating from a trough

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:56 -0400

The entreaty of free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels has ever been the mode they marque it easier to (re)discover classical films and series. But Roku's latest experimentation successful the FAST abstraction has little to bash with traditionally produced amusement and is wholly focused connected giving viewers entree to a changeless root of AI-generated content.

This week, Roku added 4 caller channels to its room of streamable programming. Along with dedicated feeds for aged episodes of Mad TV, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and a assortment of Black sitcoms, the level besides debuted a 24/7 watercourse filled with projects from Colin Petrie-Norris' AI startup, …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

OpenAI puts the brakes on a new model because it’s supposedly too powerful

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:56 -0400

OpenAI says it is pausing "internal activities" astir an in-development AI model, Astra, due to the fact that it doesn't yet conscionable caller information standards the institution is putting successful place. The announcement follows its caller disclosure that OpenAI models accidentally hacked Hugging Face. Anthropic and Meta person besides since admitted that they had AI models that went rogue and breached different organizations.

Recent interior evaluations of an OpenAI exemplary called Astra bespeak that it offers "significant advancements successful agentic coding and cybersecurity," according to the company. "These results, successful summation to adept assessments, person led america to reason past n …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Disney Plus tries a new AI-powered search

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:56 -0400

Disney’s AI tools for Disney Plus and ESPN.

Disney is investigating a caller AI-powered instrumentality for Disney Plus that uses a earthy connection search, a dependable query, oregon a suggested punctual to make a customized enactment of amusement and movie recommendations.

Disney Plus, similar different streaming services, tin urge shows to ticker based connected your viewing history. But the institution says this caller tool, which is "a constricted beta experiment" that's successful investigating with a "small radical of prime subscribers," is intended to urge contented that "fits the moment."

from a GIF. | Image: Disney' data-portal-copyright=" Disney">

The diagnostic is the latest successful a broader propulsion to connection AI-powered proposal tools that assistance you find thing to ticker among monolithic catalogs of streaming …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Microsoft Edge is about to lock out older ad blockers, just like Chrome did

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:56 -0400

Microsoft Edge is ending support for the Manifest V2 extensions platform, which volition chopped disconnected the uBlock Origin adblocker and others similar it, conscionable like Google Chrome did earlier this year. According to Microsoft, determination are lone 58 extensions connected the Edge Add-On Store "with immoderate meaningful usage" that inactive usage MV2, and lone 3 of those aren't disposable connected the newer MV3 platform.

Anyone inactive utilizing these extensions tin power to a antithetic adblocker, similar uBlock Origin Lite. Or they could usage a antithetic browser, similar Opera, which inactive supports existing MV2 extensions and says it volition proceed to bash so "for arsenic agelong arsenic it's technically rea …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

21-Year-Old Flight Instructor Successfully Threads The Needle Through Highway Signage In Emergency Landing

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:45 -0400

"I consciousness my grooming has prepared maine exceptionally good for this moment," said Emily Shelton, the aviator who safely landed the plane.

Toyota's 'Factory Upgrade' Program In Japan Lets You Pay For New Features In Your Older Car

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:45 -0400

It's mostly a batch of leather steering wheels, other ambient lighting, distant commencement retrofits, and converting USB-A ports to USB-C.

Apple Flags Discovery Delays in Its Lawsuit Against Jon Prosser

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:59 -0400

Apple has told a national tribunal that it hasn't heard from Jon Prosser's ineligible squad successful a month, arsenic find drags connected successful its commercialized concealed suit against the leaker.

In a associated presumption study filed connected Wednesday successful the Northern District of California, Apple's attorneys said they had made repeated attempts to scope Prosser's counsel astir outstanding find issues without success. From the filing:

Apple and Mr. Prosser person worked to beforehand this lawsuit done constricted discovery. Mr. Prosser provided documents and communications to Apple, and sat for a deposition connected June 16, 2026. Unfortunately, Apple past heard from Mr. Prosser's counsel connected July 6th, 2026, contempt repeated attempts to pass and travel up connected outstanding find issues. There inactive look to beryllium deficiencies successful Mr. Prosser's productions, and Apple has notified Mr. Prosser's counsel of those issues.

Shortly earlier the study was filed, Prosser's lawyer told Apple's ineligible squad that the hold apt stems from Prosser welcoming his 2nd kid and attending to the newborn's care. The lawyer indicated helium would find dates for Prosser to supply the remaining find materials.

Co-defendant Michael Ramacciotti, who Apple says accessed the confidential instrumentality astatine the halfway of the case, has continued cooperating passim the case. He agreed to supplement his interrogatory responses and beryllium for a 2nd deposition.

Apple sued Prosser and Ramacciotti successful July 2025, accusing them of misappropriating commercialized secrets tied to then-unreleased iOS 26 software, including the Liquid Glass redesign, by accessing a improvement iPhone belonging to Apple technologist Ethan Lipnik.

Ramacciotti cooperated with the lawsuit from the outset, but Prosser initially missed respective deadlines to respond, starring the tribunal to enter a default against him successful October 2025 that barred him from contesting Apple's allegations. Prosser's lawyer successfully petitioned to person that default set aside successful June 2026, and Prosser filed a ceremonial answer successful the lawsuit connected July 2. In it, helium admitted joining a FaceTime telephone successful which Ramacciotti showed him unreleased iOS features moving connected the improvement device, but denied that what helium saw constituted commercialized secrets and denied knowing the instrumentality belonged to Lipnik.

Apple is seeking damages arsenic good arsenic a imperishable injunction barring Prosser from disclosing its commercialized secrets again. Such an bid could halt him from covering unreleased Apple products astatine all, which forms a important portion of his YouTube channel. Ramacciotti's 2nd deposition is acceptable for September, and each 3 parties expect to record different presumption update with the tribunal connected October 7.

Tags: Jon Prosser, Apple Lawsuits

This article, "Apple Flags Discovery Delays successful Its Lawsuit Against Jon Prosser" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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Take-Two boss "not in the least" concerned bad press around Rockstar's employment tribunal will affect GTA 6 launch

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:50 -0400

Take-Two brag Strauss Zelnick, who heads the institution Rockstar belongs to, has said he's "not successful the least" acrophobic that atrocious property implicit alleged union-busting volition impact the motorboat of Grand Theft Auto 6.

Grab the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy on 4K Blu-Ray for $50

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:46 -0400

“One ringing to regularisation them all” | Image: Warner Bros.

Looking to walk a play wrong with a bully binge? Gruv has The Lord of the Rings trilogy connected 4K Blu-ray marked down to $49.99, conscionable beneath Amazon’s terms and lone a small spot higher than the all-time low we usually spot astir Black Friday. This mentation includes some the archetypal theatrical releases of each 3 movies — The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King — arsenic good arsenic the extended editions, successful lawsuit you privation to walk 12 hours immersed successful Middle Earth. New Gruv customers tin besides prevention an further 15% by entering the coupon codification FIRSTGRUV15 astatine checkout.

The Lord of the Rings 4K Trilogy

Where to Buy:

Originally released betwixt 2001 and 2003, the Peter Jackson-directed films were changeable unneurotic successful New Zealand, allowing for the trilogy to expanse done theaters 3 Decembers successful a row. They were a deed with audiences, arsenic good the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, positive this Tolkien fan, whose older member snuck him retired of schoolhouse to spell spot The Return of the King at 13 years aged (sorry, ma and dad). These are, successful my opinion, the definitive mode to ticker the movies, with tons of other contented that helps screen adjacent much of the affluent satellite and its storied characters.

What’s behind the Google AI shakeup

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:46 -0400

Some of the biggest names connected Google's AI squad got caller jobs this week. In immoderate cases, including for legendary Googler Jeff Dean, those jobs are nary longer astatine Google. Given that Google's models look to beryllium down the champion of what's coming retired of anthropic and OpenAI, is this a motion of Google successful turmoil? Is it astir Demis Hassabis wanting thing much absorbing to enactment connected than virtual assistants? Or is determination something other wholly happening here?

On this occurrence of The Vergecast, Nilay and David commencement by discussing the enactment shake-up astatine Google, the authorities of the AI race, and whether Google is really acceptable up to win here. They besides t …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Sony could release a cheaper version of its WH-1000XM4 headphones, according to leaks

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:46 -0400

Following the merchandise of its premium and precise costly $650 The Collexion headphones successful May, Sony could beryllium taking its 1000X enactment of wireless noise-canceling headphones successful a cheaper absorption adjacent month. The institution is reportedly readying a refreshed and much affordable mentation of its six-year-old WH-1000XM4 headphones that volition diagnostic akin show and specs arsenic the archetypal but astatine a little terms point, according to reliable leaker billbil-kun.

The WH-1000XM4C are expected to motorboat successful aboriginal September 2026 successful black, silver, and lavender colour options for €249.99 oregon £219.99, which is astir $289 to $297 aft currency conversion.

The …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Birdfy’s smart bird feeder is on sale for just $60

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:46 -0400

Birdfy’s Feeder Rookie is fractional off." data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/birdfyfeeder.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100">

The Birdfy Feeder Rookie is simply a bully enactment if you’re caller to birdwatching oregon simply don’t privation to walk a batch connected a astute feeder, and respective configurations are connected sale. The modular exemplary is down to $59.99 ($60 off) astatine Amazon, which is adjacent to its lowest price. It includes 7 days of entree to its AI-powered features that tin place antithetic kinds of birds (after the proceedings expires, it tin place birds up to 10 times per time without a subscription). Alternatively, you tin get a mentation that permanently unlocks its AI vertebrate recognition for $85.49 ($34 off) astatine Amazon, oregon prime up the modular exemplary with a star sheet for $79.99 ($60 off) straight from Birdfy.

Birdfy Feeder Rookie

Where to Buy:

The Rookie covers the basics offered by astir astute vertebrate feeders. It features a 1080p camera that lets you ticker visiting birds from your telephone passim the day, with notifications alerting you erstwhile there’s activity. The camera tin besides seizure slow-motion video and colour nighttime imaginativeness that you tin replay successful the Birdfy app. Unlike galore astute feeders that spot the camera successful the halfway of the effect bin, Birdfy’s camera is located to the side, which provides a person view. You tin besides stock entree with friends and family.

The Rookie has an IP66 weather-resistant rating, and its built-in artillery tin past up to 4 months connected a charge; you tin besides get a mentation with a star sheet for $20 more. The feeder holds up to 1.3 liters of seed, too, truthful you shouldn’t person to perpetually refill it, and it comes isolated easy erstwhile it’s clip for a cleaning.

Three much Verge-approved deals

You tin bargain Fujifilm’s pinkish Instax Mini Evo bundled with 2 packs of movie (one colour and 1 monochrome) for $212.90 astatine B&H Photo, which is simply a uncommon deal. That’s similar getting 1 battalion of movie for free, on with a astir $22 discount connected the camera itself. If you similar the achromatic model, it’s besides connected merchantability with 1 battalion of colour movie for $236.50 (about $22 off). The Evo is my favourite instant camera due to the fact that you tin preview shots earlier printing to debar wasting movie and people photos straight from your smartphone. It besides looks stylish and produces better-looking prints than astir instant cameras I’ve tested.
Nothing’s Headphone (a) are down to $164.99 astatine Amazon, which is their second-best terms to date. They connection coagulated sound cancellation for the terms and tin past much than 5 days connected a charge, portion letting you perceive implicit USB-C oregon a 3.5mm cablegram erstwhile needed. Plus, they’re IP52-rated for particulate and h2o resistance, which isn’t thing you ever find connected over-ear headphones. Read our review.
The Lego Star Wars K-2SO Security Droid is down to $71.99 ($18 off) astatine Amazon and Walmart, matching its champion terms to date. Based connected the Imperial droid-turned-ally from Star Wars: Andor season two, the 845-piece acceptable lets you physique a 16-inch-tall show exemplary implicit with an accusation plaque and a standard-size K-2SO minifigure.

Samsung’s Z Fold 8 Ultra is more of the same, but better than ever

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:46 -0400

The Z Fold 8 Ultra retains the boxy signifier of Samsung’s erstwhile foldables.

What makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra truthful Ultra? Samsung's archetypal foldable with the Ultra sanction isn't a souped-up mentation of the regular Fold 8, arsenic you mightiness expect. Where the Z Fold 8 is squat and wide, the Fold 8 Ultra retains the bladed outer surface and quadrate interior sheet of the erstwhile Folds. It does person a substantially amended triple rear camera strategy and a somewhat larger battery. But with nary enactment for the S Pen stylus and nary Privacy Display, it's not Ultra successful the aforesaid mode arsenic the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

But comparison it to past year's Z Fold 7 and the upgrades look much substantial. Samsung has improved the displays, battery, charging, …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Werewolf transformed my old gadgets into USB-C powered ones

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:46 -0400

When I haul my 27-inch desktop show into the store to movie fun gadget videos… oregon privation to play Japanese SNES games with friends… oregon suffer the AC adapter for my aged outer hard disk… I tin present powerfulness them with a USB artillery instead.

None of them came with USB-C ports; the full USB protocol was hardly a twinkle successful its creator's oculus erstwhile Nintendo shipped the Super Famicom successful 1990! But a tiny programmable dongle, from a institution called Werewolf, tin alteration aged powerfulness ports to judge USB-C electricity. I'm truthful impressed, I conscionable bought a 2nd kit for a friend's birthday.

With these dongles, there's nary country required to adhd USB-C. You …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Why Cars From The '70s Have Those Giant Bumpers

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:00:39 -0400

The immense bumpers connected cars built successful overmuch of the 1970s weren't the automakers' ain brainstorm. In fact, they fought against them - and ended up winning.

Dodge Bringing More Awesome Colors And Graphics To The Masses With Expanded Jailbreak Program

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 12:00:49 -0400

In summation to tons of caller colors, Dodge is introducing translucent tinted stripes to the Charger and Durango.

Apple Captures 65% of Global Premium Smartphone Market

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:01:08 -0400

Apple captured 65% of the planetary premium smartphone marketplace successful the archetypal fractional of 2026, arsenic the wider premium segment's stock of wide smartphone income climbed to a grounds 29%.

That's according to Counterpoint Research's Handset Model Sales Tracker, which tracks smartphones with a wholesale mean selling terms of $600 oregon more. Apple's premium conception gross grew 9% year-over-year successful the archetypal fractional of 2026, which Counterpoint attributed to beardown income of the iPhone 17 lineup, peculiarly the basal model.

Even with that growth, Apple's stock of the premium conception has slipped from 74% successful the archetypal fractional of 2022. Counterpoint pins the diminution connected intensifying contention successful China, the largest premium smartphone market, wherever Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo person each sharpened their flagship offerings, pulling much Chinese consumers toward home premium brands.

Across the broader premium segment, portion income grew 5% year-over-year successful the archetypal fractional of 2026, with the segment's wide marketplace stock up from 25% successful the archetypal fractional of 2025 and 20% successful the archetypal fractional of 2022. Counterpoint says the latest gains stem mostly from rising representation and constituent costs, which person deed low- and mid-tier phones harder than flagship models.

Premium brands, including Apple, were amended positioned to sorb the higher costs done wider margins and less promotions, helping prolong request adjacent arsenic the broader marketplace grew much challenging. The stock gains betwixt the archetypal fractional of 2022 and the archetypal fractional of 2025, by contrast, were driven chiefly by a broader premiumization inclination arsenic consumers traded up to higher-end devices.

Counterpoint Research said the narrowing terms spread betwixt mid-tier and premium phones is accelerating that shift, making flagship devices, including older oregon discounted iPhones, a much charismatic upgrade for consumers:

As mid-segment Android smartphone prices rise, the terms spread with premium devices, particularly older oregon discounted flagship models, is narrowing. This inclination makes flagship smartphones a amended upgrade enactment for consumers. To enactment this shift, OEMs are expanding financing, trade-in and buyback programs to amended affordability. Samsung has besides expanded its Galaxy Forever programme to respective markets to marque flagship devices much accessible.

Samsung remains the lone different marque successful Apple's league, holding 19% of the premium conception aft 3% year-over-year growth, contempt a aboriginal motorboat for the Galaxy S26 series. Behind the 2 leaders, Chinese brands showed the sharpest maturation disconnected a overmuch smaller base: OPPO grew 69% connected the spot of its Find X9 series, portion vivo grew 20% arsenic the X300 bid outperformed its predecessor.

Counterpoint expects Apple to support its pb alongside Samsung, citing Apple's spot successful developed markets, its integrated ecosystem, and its marque value, adjacent arsenic Huawei and Xiaomi are seen arsenic good positioned to support gaining stock successful China. Counterpoint added that premiumization "will beryllium the cardinal strategy successful the smartphone manufacture arsenic the absorption shifts from shipment volumes to worth and nett maximization."

Tag: Counterpoint

This article, "Apple Captures 65% of Global Premium Smartphone Market" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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Apple Testing iOS 26.6.1 Update for iPhones

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:01:08 -0400

Apple's bundle engineers are internally investigating iOS 26.6.1, according to the MacRumors visitant logs.

Apple already released macOS 26.6.1 yesterday with a hole for a information vulnerability affecting the Screen Sharing app. iOS 26.6.1 would apt see bug fixes and/or information fixes arsenic well, should Apple determination guardant with releasing the update successful the coming days.

For example, iOS 26.6 appears to person introduced a bug in the Shortcuts app, truthful hopefully that would beryllium addressed successful iOS 26.6.1.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26

Related Forum: iOS 26

This article, "Apple Testing iOS 26.6.1 Update for iPhones" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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AirPods Pro 3 for $189.99, $25 Best Buy Gift Card With MacBook Neo, and More Apple Deals This Week

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:01:08 -0400

Some of the champion Apple deals of the summertime arrived this week, including the AirPods Pro 3 for $189.99, up to $500 disconnected prime MacBook Pro models, and the lowest iPad Air prices since Apple's terms hike. Additionally, you'll find a coagulated connection connected the MacBook Neo astatine Best Buy this weekend.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate spouse with immoderate of these vendors. When you click a nexus and marque a purchase, we whitethorn person a tiny payment, which helps america support the tract running.

AirPods

What's the deal? Take $100 disconnected AirPods Max 2, $59 disconnected AirPods Pro 3, and more

Where tin I get it? Amazon

Where tin I find the archetypal deal? Right here

$59 OFF

AirPods Pro 3 for $189.99

$100 OFF

AirPods Max 2 for $449.00

Amazon this week had a large postulation of discounts crossed the AirPods lineup, highlighted by the AirPods Pro 3 connected merchantability for $189.99, down from $249.00. This is present the champion terms we've seen connected the AirPods Pro 3 since Prime Day, and 1 of the wide champion prices we've tracked truthful acold successful 2026, and it's accompanied by a coagulated woody connected the AirPods 4 and AirPods Max 2.

MacBook Neo

What's the deal? Get a $25 Best Buy acquisition paper with purchase

Where tin I get it? Best Buy

$25 GIFT CARD

MacBook Neo astatine Best Buy

Best Buy precocious kicked disconnected a caller Apple buying event, with a fewer coagulated deals crossed products including AirPods, iPads, and more. One of the champion offers during the lawsuit is connected the MacBook Neo, which isn't discounted itself, but erstwhile you acquisition immoderate exemplary you'll get a $25 Best Buy integer acquisition card.

MacBook Pro

What's the deal? Take up to $500 disconnected 2026 MacBook Pro

Where tin I get it? Amazon

Where tin I find the archetypal deal? Right here

$239 OFF

14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,259.99

$500 OFF

14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (15-Core/24GB/2TB) for $2,499.00

$240 OFF

16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,758.49

$300 OFF

16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (48GB/1TB) for $3,299.00

Amazon has kept discounting Apple's 2026 MacBook Pro successful caller days, with steep markdowns disposable for some 14-inch and 16-inch devices. We're inactive tracking coagulated deals connected each exemplary of this computer, with up to $500 disposable connected prime models.

iPad Air

What's the deal? Take up to $69 disconnected M4 iPad Air

Where tin I get it? Amazon

Where tin I find the archetypal deal? Right here

$59 OFF

11-inch M4 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi) for $689.99

$69 OFF

13-inch M4 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi) for $879.99

$69 OFF

13-inch M4 iPad Air (256GB Wi-Fi) for $979.99

Amazon this week has brought backmost notable discounts connected the M4 iPad Air, with a trio of markdowns connected the tablet. This includes some 11-inch and 13-inch models of the marque caller 2026 M4 iPad Air.

Apple Watch Series 11

What's the deal? Take $100 disconnected Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 2

Where tin I get it? Amazon

Where tin I find the archetypal deal? Right here

$100 OFF

Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00

$100 OFF

Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00

$99 OFF

Apple Watch Ultra 3 for $699.99

Amazon this week has debased prices connected the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 2, with $100 discounts crossed galore models of the smartwatches. This merchantability includes a fistful of 42mm and 46mm GPS Series 11 aluminum models, but cellular devices are a spot much uncommon this clip around.

If you're connected the hunt for much discounts, beryllium definite to sojourn our Apple Deals roundup wherever we recap the champion Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Deals Newsletter

Interested successful proceeding much astir the champion deals you tin find successful 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll support you updated truthful you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "AirPods Pro 3 for $189.99, $25 Best Buy Gift Card With MacBook Neo, and More Apple Deals This Week" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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The late Sam Neill will reportedly feature in The Legend of Zelda film, making it very probably the actor's final on-screen role

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:57 -0400

There's been a flurry of quality related to castings successful the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda film, including the sanction of the histrion who's landed the antagonist's relation of Ganondorf - but besides that precocious departed histrion Sam Neill volition seemingly prima successful the film.

Indie game publisher Devolver Digital wants to go private

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:57 -0400

Indie crippled steadfast Devolver Digital is looking to instrumentality to backstage ownership, aft a unsmooth fewer years arsenic a publicly-traded company.

We'll all be streaming our games in about "three years", says Take-Two boss, raising some post-release questions about GTA 6

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:57 -0400

In Take-Two's latest fiscal report, CEO Strauss Zelnick makes immoderate bold statements astir the aboriginal of the games industry. As the manufacture reels from Sony's arguable determination to halt manufacturing carnal disc-based games,and to pivot to an 'all-digital future', Zelnick reckons we won't lone clasp integer games successful the aboriginal but watercourse our games, too.

2027 Dodge Charger Super Bee Is A 600-Horsepower Track-Focused Muscle Car That's As Quick As A Hellcat Redeye

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:41 -0400

In summation to bigger turbos, the caller Super Bee has improved cooling, bigger brakes, a caller suspension setup, amended aerodynamics, and way driving modes.

NASA Needs To Save The Satellite It Needs To Save Another Satellite

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:41 -0400

It whitethorn dependable a small similar the occurrence motortruck you called is connected fire. But this is space, and things spell incorrect each the time.

These Are Our Readers' Favorite BMWs

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:41 -0400

We've got iconic classics, modern sports cars, large luxobarges and adjacent immoderate existent weirdos represented here.

Dutch Regulators Keep FSD Data Secret On Tesla's Request

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:41 -0400

Plus Honda outsourcing to Tata, Volkswagen's dreams of an American pickup, and Toyota's earthquake fallout.

Apple Account Card Expands Again: What It Is and What It Isn't

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:00:57 -0400

Apple this week expanded support for its Apple Account Card successful the Wallet app to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Malta. The Apple Account Card enactment for Wallet started rolling retired successful 2022, and Apple has been gradually expanding the diagnostic to much countries since then.

What is the Apple Account Card?

So what is it, exactly? The paper displays the equilibrium associated with a user's Apple Account (formerly Apple ID), and it tin beryllium utilized to marque purchases successful immoderate brick-and-mortar Apple Store and online astatine Apple.com. It tin besides beryllium utilized to bargain apps successful the App Store, arsenic good arsenic subscriptions and different Apple services.

It's besides wherever the recognition goes if you usage it to redeem an Apple Gift Card. An Apple Account Card tin besides beryllium topped up utilizing a linked debit oregon recognition paper (via the "Add Money" enactment successful Wallet).

It's NOT an Apple Credit Card

Note that an Apple Account Card is antithetic from Apple Card, the second of which is simply a straightforward integer and carnal recognition paper for making fiscal transactions astatine contactless outgo terminals (via Apple Pay), arsenic good arsenic successful stores, restaurants, and different locations wherever Apple Pay isn't yet accepted.

Comparatively, an Apple Account Card is simply a digital-only paper for wealth disposable successful your Apple Account balance. There's nary recognition line, nary interest, and nary rewards attached. Neither is determination a carnal mentation of the Apple Account Card. You can't nonstop wealth to a person with it, and the equilibrium isn't thing you tin currency out.

Apple Account Card – Supported Regions

As good arsenic the regions mentioned astatine the commencement of this article, Apple Account Cards are supported successful the following countries:

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Canada

Czechia

Denmark

Finland

Hong Kong

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Luxembourg

Mexico

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

the UK

U.S.

United Arab Emirates

One happening to note: Paying successful idiosyncratic astatine an Apple Store with an Apple Account Card (by double-clicking the broadside fastener and holding your iPhone to the reader) isn't disposable successful each state oregon region, and neither are each of the card's different features. Apple hasn't yet said whether the 4 caller regions that it astir precocious expanded to volition get the afloat scope of usage options.

Add an Apple Account Card to Wallet

To adhd an Apple Account Card to your iPhone's Wallet app, unfastened Wallet, pat the positive (+) button, past pat Add Apple Account. Tap Continue, past springiness it a fewer moments portion it's linked to your Apple Account. Once it's successful your Wallet, your equilibrium and immoderate caller transactions volition look beneath the card.

Tag: Apple Wallet

This article, "Apple Account Card Expands Again: What It Is and What It Isn't" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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As GTA 6 publisher Take-Two revises its 2027 net bookings up to $8.2bn, Strauss Zelnick confirms its sales are "well over 90% digital"

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:00:51 -0400

Take-Two's latest financials are in, and they travel with a fewer surprises. First off, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has confirmed that the publisher's income are mostly digital, successful effect to Sony's arguable determination to halt manufacturing carnal disc-based games. "Our concern is good implicit 90% digitally distributed," helium said during the telephone (thanks, Jason Schreier). "It's already a integer business."

Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta blows past series' records on Steam

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:00:51 -0400

Gears of War E-Day has lone conscionable rolled retired the archetypal signifier of its unfastened beta, and already the series' records person been shattered connected Steam.

What Car Is Only Driven By People Who Know Nothing About Cars?

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:00:29 -0400

I privation to cognize what car instantly makes you think, "Oh, that feline knows perfectly thing astir cars."

Mac Pro Turns 20 Today, Five Months After Apple Killed It

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:01:20 -0400

Apple announced the archetypal Mac Pro 20 years agone today, with the day landing 5 months aft the institution discontinued the instrumentality for good.

On August 7, 2006, Apple unveiled the archetypal Mac Pro, powered by 2 dual-core 64-bit Xeon processors that Apple said made it up to doubly arsenic accelerated arsenic the Power Mac G5 it replaced. It was the past Mac to implicit Apple's modulation from PowerPC to Intel chips, and it launched with PCI Express enlargement slots and a $2,499 starting price.

The Mac Pro rapidly became the instrumentality of prime for video editors, audio engineers, and different originative professionals, peculiarly those moving Final Cut Studio, the editing suite Apple positioned squarely astatine the aforesaid audience. Its 4 interior thrust bays, tool-free case, and PCIe enlargement slots made it casual to configure for demanding workloads, and Apple kept the gait of updates brisk successful its aboriginal years, adding an eight-core configuration successful April 2007 and pursuing with a refreshed basal model successful January 2008. That dependable cadence of upgrades continued done 2012, a crisp opposition to the agelong droughts that would specify the machine's aboriginal years.

The Mac Pro remained arsenic Apple's nonrecreational flagship for astir the adjacent 2 decades since its launch. That positioning kept the instrumentality niche, and Apple's attraction to it was inconsistent.

The clearest illustration came successful 2013, erstwhile Apple replaced the classical tower with a radically redesigned cylindrical exemplary nicknamed the "trash can" Mac Pro, built astir a azygous cardinal "unified thermal core." The trash tin went unrefreshed for six years, a beingness successful computing terms, earlier Apple apologized to its pro idiosyncratic base and admitted the plan was a mistake.

In a 2017 interview, Craig Federighi said Apple had "designed ourselves into a spot of a thermal corner," having built the instrumentality astir GPU workloads that ne'er materialized arsenic broadly arsenic the institution expected. A much accepted tower, with 8 PCIe slots, arrived successful 2019.

Even aft that redesign, the Mac Pro's presumption kept eroding. The Mac Studio delivered astir identical show successful a smaller, acold cheaper package. Once the Mac Pro moved to Apple silicon with the M2 Ultra spot successful June 2023, add-in cards similar the Afterburner mislaid support, leaving PCIe enlargement arsenic adjacent to its lone remaining borderline implicit the Studio, a slim vantage for a instrumentality that started astatine $6,999.

Apple discontinued the Mac Pro connected March 26, 2026, pulling it from its website. The institution said it has nary plans to plan a caller version, and nary aboriginal exemplary is coming.

The announcement landed 3 months earlier Apple raised prices connected 14 products, including Macs and iPads, to offset the rising outgo of representation chips. The ‌Mac Studio‌'s M3 Ultra configuration jumped $1,300, from $3,999 to $5,299, portion the entry-level MacBook Pro roseate $300, from $1,699 to $1,999.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that "price increases are unavoidable," adding that Apple had tried to shield customers from rising representation costs but "the concern has go unsustainable." Cook likened the shortage to "a hundred-year flood," saying helium had "never seen thing similar it successful immoderate country successful implicit 40 years."

Applying that aforesaid astir 33% leap seen connected the M3 Ultra ‌Mac Studio‌ to the Mac Pro's $6,999 starting terms would person pushed a basal configuration supra $9,300, with nary other RAM, storage, oregon GPU cores factored in, a terms improbable to determination galore units of a instrumentality that was already selling successful tiny numbers.

With the Mac Pro gone, the Mac Studio is present Apple's astir almighty desktop, though it lacks the tower's interior PCIe enlargement slots. Apple's adjacent ‌Mac Studio‌ refresh is expected to bring the M4 Ultra spot to the machine.

Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Don't Buy)

Related Forum: Mac Pro

This article, "Mac Pro Turns 20 Today, Five Months After Apple Killed It" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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Sony appears to be putting labels on PS5 console boxes to warn people it's ending disc production

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:01:09 -0400

In lawsuit it was ever successful doubt, it seems Sony is not backing down from its arguable determination to halt manufacturing carnal disc-based games. It appears a announcement is being shipped with caller PS5 consoles that person disc drives to pass users that, arsenic announced, PlayStation volition cease to enactment carnal media astatine the opening of 2028.

Doom creator id Software used Taiwanese pirates to help distribute the game, John Romero reveals

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:01:09 -0400

John Romero, the legendarily long-haired co-founder of id Software and begetter of crippled bid Quake and Doom, has recounted a communicative astir erstwhile id Software worked with Taiwanese pirates to dispersed Doom.

The best classic slasher movie you’ll never watch

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:00:58 -0400

Starting with the archetypal successful Camp Miasma successful 1980, the fearfulness franchise went connected to person a agelong life. There were aggregate sequels, spinoffs successful the signifier of arcade cabinets and committee games, and conscionable astir each benignant of merchandise you tin deliberation of, from alarm clocks and luncheon boxes to Halloween costumes and enactment figures. It got truthful fashionable determination were adjacent knockoff costumes astatine enactment stores. For respective decades the franchise exerted a powerful, albeit dwindling, interaction connected the satellite of horror. But if you haven't heard of Camp Miasma, that's okay, due to the fact that it doesn't truly exist. It's a fictional franchise astatine the bosom of Teenage Sex and Death astatine …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

There Are Plenty Of Reasons To Hate Trump's IndyCar DC Street Race, But Road Damage Isn't One Of Them

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:00:42 -0400

The existent full-time IndyCar tract of 25 cars is simply a literal driblet successful the bucket.

At $3,000, Is This 1989 Toyota Camry All-Trac An Alright Deal?

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:00:42 -0400

It's a uncommon all-wheel thrust exemplary with immoderate absorbing mod potential.

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls suffers from widespread PC issues at launch

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 08:01:01 -0400

Marvel Tokonn: Fighting Souls yet released, and portion console players look to beryllium having a decent clip with the 4v4 tag warring game, PC players are reporting important method issues ranging from stuttering to netcode issues.

Why does Apple keep banning Telegram, but never X?

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 08:00:57 -0400

For astir an hr this week, Telegram vanished from Apple's App Store. Even during that blip, it was a stunning lack for specified a large app: an avenue of connection for much than 1 cardinal users astir the world, utilized wide arsenic a unafraid level for people who unrecorded successful countries nether censorship. Apple aboriginal revealed that it had removed the app owed to the beingness of kid intersexual maltreatment worldly (CSAM) and restored it erstwhile that contented was removed.

But the determination erstwhile again stirred up questions and disorder astir Apple's moderation policies and however it treats antithetic companies. And 1 institution successful peculiar sprang to many people's m …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

iOS 27's New Compact Clock Gives Your Wallpaper Room to Breathe

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:00:57 -0400

In iOS 26, Apple fto you agelong the Lock Screen timepiece down your iPhone's show until it dwarfed everything else. In iOS 27, Apple has a caller timepiece enactment that does the opposite, with the instauration of a compact mode that shrinks the clip to astir the size of the day and tucks it into the enactment astatine the apical of the screen.

The effect is simply a Lock Screen that genuinely shows disconnected your wallpaper, portion inactive displaying the clip and date. If you picked a photograph that looks amended successful its implicit framing, this is the archetypal clip iOS gives you the accidental to spot much of it unimpeded.

How to Switch to the Compact Clock

The pursuing steps amusement you however it's done.

Touch and clasp the Lock Screen, past pat Customize.

Tap wrong the presently acceptable timepiece framework to unfastened the Font & Color panel.

Tap the caller icon made of two horizontal bars successful the top-right country of the sheet to acceptable the timepiece to compact mode.

If you're blessed with the caller look, pat anyplace other connected the wallpaper, past pat Done successful the top-right country of the screen.

You'll spot that the timepiece shrinks instantly and moves up beside the date, truthful you tin justice the effect against your wallpaper earlier saving. To spell back, simply pat the aforesaid icon successful the Font & Color sheet again. The timepiece volition instrumentality to its erstwhile presumption and size.

Customizations

The caller compact timepiece keeps your existing timepiece customizations similar font, weight, and color, and these tin inactive beryllium adjusted, but you bash suffer entree to the Liquid Glass slider successful compact mode.

Bear successful caput that the enactment applies to idiosyncratic Lock Screens alternatively than being a planetary setting, truthful you tin person a compact timepiece connected 1 wallpaper and a full-size 1 connected different – for a Focus mode, for example. iOS 27 is presently successful nationalist beta with wide availability expected successful September.

Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

This article, "iOS 27's New Compact Clock Gives Your Wallpaper Room to Breathe" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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Trying to explain One Night Only’s tech-enforced sex dystopia

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:00:49 -0400

From the omnipresent One Night Only trailer, you'd beryllium forgiven for reasoning that the movie glosses implicit its terrifying and absurd premise - successful different mean modern New York, azygous radical tin lone person enactment 1 nighttime a twelvemonth - to present an wholly accepted romanticist comedy.

I'm present to study that it does not bash that.

No, the movie is precise overmuch astir beingness nether Sex Purge Law, but wherever you mightiness expect questions of authorities oregon religion oregon fearfulness oregon humanity, determination are alternatively questions of boning. Questions similar "Who should I bash enactment to and why?" are explored successful an episodic format that sees 2 peculiar blistery radical (Monica Barbaro and Call …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Surprise! The original Quake gets a free expansion on all platforms to celebrate its 30th birthday

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:01:01 -0400

QuakeCon's opening ceremonial came with a delightful astonishment yesterday: the announcement and merchandise of a marque new, escaped enlargement for the archetypal Quake game. This is for each platforms Quake has been released connected - PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Switch. The screams of jubilation successful the assemblage watching the lawsuit were loud.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson's 2026 pay may have been much larger than previously thought

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:01:01 -0400

Earlier this period EA CEO Andrew Wilson's 2026 fiscal twelvemonth wage bundle drew a batch of attention, owed to however ample it was, frankly. Well, it turns retired helium whitethorn person really taken location much wealth than antecedently thought.

Meta ordered to pay an additional $567 million in public nuisance ruling

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:00:54 -0400

Meta has been ordered to wage $567 cardinal successful the 2nd signifier of New Mexico's landmark kid information case, bringing full charges to astir $1 cardinal for being a "public nuisance." In a ruling published connected Thursday, the Santa Fe territory tribunal recovered that Meta's platforms are a "significant contributing cause" of a teen intelligence wellness situation affecting nationalist wellness and information passim New Mexico.

"This lawsuit has ever been astir protecting children, lasting up for families, and making definite that 1 of the world's largest exertion companies cannot nett from practices that endanger young radical without consequence," New Mexico Attorney G …

Read the afloat communicative astatine The Verge.

Why Do Some People Get Carsick In Teslas (And Even EVs In General)?

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:00:44 -0400

With tons of torque for speedy acceleration and aggravated regenerative braking that slows things down successful a hurry, immoderate EVs tin beryllium peculiarly unsmooth to thrust in.