msoftnews
AI-drafted, human-reviewed coverage published under the msoftnews byline. See our AI disclosure for how this works.
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TikTok 'Speed Runs' Target Scientology's Hollywood Headquarters
Adolescent boys are rushing Scientology's Hollywood headquarters in 'speed runs' for TikTok videos that garner millions of views, leading to user-created building blueprints from the footage.
· 4 min read -
Apple Hands CEO Role to Hardware Chief John Ternus as Tim Cook Moves to Chairman
Apple announces Tim Cook stepping down as CEO to become executive chairman, with John Ternus taking the role, as discussed on Daring Fireball's The Talk Show podcast.
· 3 min read -
Tim Cook's Tariff Refund Playbook
Apple CEO Tim Cook pledges to reinvest any tariff refunds into U.S. innovation during an earnings call, blending financial recovery with political savvy.
· 4 min read -
Meta Cancels Kenyan Contract After Privacy Scandal Hits AI Glasses Footage Review
Meta cancels a Kenyan contract for reviewing sensitive AI glasses footage after reports revealed workers viewing users' private moments, highlighting privacy risks in AI training.
· 4 min read -
Tim Cook's Tariff Refund Gambit Keeps Apple in Washington's Good Graces
Tim Cook pledges to reinvest any Apple tariff refunds into U.S. innovation, a move that dodges political backlash while leveraging vague prior commitments for flexibility.
· 4 min read -
LG's 2026 Gram Laptop Lineup Launches at $1,150 Entry Point
LG's 2026 Gram laptop series launches today starting at $1,150, available directly from the company's website for portable computing needs.
· 2 min read -
Smartphone Mount Turns Steam Controller into Mobile Hybrid
A third-party mount enables attaching smartphones to the Steam Controller, promising hybrid gaming but limited by iOS and Android app support.
· 3 min read -
Canonical Hit by DDoS Attack from Iranian Group as Ubuntu 26 Launches
Canonical faces a sustained DDoS attack claimed by Iranian group 313 Team, disrupting the Ubuntu 26 release and highlighting vulnerabilities in open-source infrastructure.
· 4 min read -
Apple Quietly Drops Entry-Level Mac Mini, Bumping Base Price to $799
Apple has discontinued its entry-level Mac mini, raising the starting price to $799 with 512GB storage and potentially sidelining budget-conscious developers.
· 4 min read -
AI-Generated Works Barred from Oscar Contention
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences excludes AI-generated performances and screenplays from Oscar eligibility, amid growing AI use in Hollywood.
· 4 min read -
A New US Cell Network Targets Christian Users by Filtering Out Porn and Gender Content
A new US cell network for Christians launches next week, blocking porn and gender-related content at the carrier level, while AI experts tackle debugging challenges in large language models.
· 4 min read -
Companies Claim AI Sovereignty by Controlling Their Data
At MIT's EmTech AI conference, executives explore AI factories that enable companies to control their data for scalable, sovereign AI while ensuring reliable insights.
· 3 min read -
AI Exposes Cracks in Cybersecurity Foundations
A session at MIT Technology Review's EmTech AI conference warns that AI is expanding cyber threats and demands security rebuilt from the core, not added on later.
· 4 min read -
New Cambrian Fossils Rewrite Early Life's Timeline
Fossils from southern China at the Cambrian explosion's end include half new species, reshaping views on early life's diversification.
· 3 min read -
Musk Takes Stand in OpenAI Trial, Claims Deception and AI Doom
Elon Musk testified in the first week of his lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing leaders of deception while warning of AI's existential threats and admitting xAI's use of their techniques.
· 5 min read -
Magic: The Gathering's Reality Fracture Set Brings Back Jace Beleren to Reshape the Multiverse
Magic: The Gathering's Reality Fracture set returns planeswalker Jace Beleren to reshape the multiverse, promising a bold narrative shift for players and collectors.
· 5 min read -
Wizards of the Coast Unveils Vision and Mind Stone Cards for Marvel Crossover in Magic: The Gathering
Wizards of the Coast revealed The Vision and Mind Stone cards at Magic Con 2026, confirming more Marvel crossovers for Magic: The Gathering's June set.
· 3 min read -
New Streaming Hits Land on Major Platforms This Weekend
Crunchyroll launches Chainsaw Man season one, Netflix adds Swapped, and HBO Max features Wuthering Heights, refreshing streaming options for the weekend.
· 2 min read -
GameStop Reportedly Pursues eBay Acquisition in Bid to Revive Brick-and-Mortar Model
GameStop, grappling with retail decline, is reportedly in early talks to acquire eBay, potentially merging physical stores with online auctions for collectibles like Funko Pops.
· 2 min read -
Hasbro's Ultimate Grogu Animatronic Hits Preorder at $600
Hasbro's $600 Ultimate Grogu animatronic offers the most realistic life-size collectible of the Mandalorian's iconic character, available for preorder ahead of its 2027 release.
· 3 min read -
Conquering the King: Strategies for Saros's Toughest Boss Fight
The King serves as Saros's final boss, a challenging fight that requires dodging attacks and managing phases to secure victory.
· 3 min read -
Lego and Sega Team Up for a Buildable Sega Genesis Console Set
Lego and Sega announced a 479-piece building set recreating the Sega Genesis console, priced at $39.99 and launching June 1 for adult fans of 90s gaming nostalgia.
· 5 min read -
Netflix Pushes Back Greta Gerwig's Narnia Prequel to 2027
Netflix delays Greta Gerwig's The Magician's Nephew from November 2026 to February 2027 to allow for a longer theatrical run before streaming.
· 4 min read -
New Resident Evil Movie Borrows from the Series' Most Divisive Entry
The upcoming Resident Evil reboot film draws creature designs from the divisive Resident Evil 6, blending its elements with Resident Evil 4 for a fresh take on the horror franchise.
· 5 min read -
Magic: The Gathering's Smaug Card Fuels Explosive Combo with D&D Dragon
Smaug the Magnificent in Magic: The Gathering combines with the Ancient Red Dragon from D&D to create a treasure-powered combo that can end games in one turn.
· 2 min read -
Spotify Rolls Out Verified Badges for Human Artists Amid AI Music Surge
Spotify introduces verified badges to label human artists, addressing the influx of AI-generated music on the platform and aiding discovery for listeners.
· 3 min read -
Coatue Ventures Into Land Acquisition for AI Data Centers
Coatue Management is buying land near power sources for potential data centers, possibly to support AI firm Anthropic's growth amid surging compute demands.
· 3 min read -
A Controversial AI Jailbreak Method Surfaces on Hacker News
A GitHub post on 'The Gay Jailbreak Technique' hits Hacker News front page, detailing a method to bypass AI safeguards and fueling debates on model vulnerabilities.
· 3 min read -
Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder Drops to Lowest Price for Mother's Day
Netvue's Birdfy smart bird feeder hits record lows for Mother's Day, with the 1080p model at $99.99 and 4K version at $259.99, delivering app alerts for backyard wildlife.
· 4 min read -
AI's Water Footprint Is Smaller Than the Hype Suggests
Public fears exaggerate AI data centers' water use in California, which is minor compared to agriculture, offering lessons in prioritizing real conservation efforts.
· 3 min read -
Ubuntu Infrastructure Outage Disrupts Critical Security Communications
Ubuntu's infrastructure outage exceeds 24 hours, blocking communications on a critical root-access vulnerability and leaving users exposed.
· 2 min read -
Musk v. Altman Trial Unveils OpenAI's Founding Tensions
Court exhibits in the Musk v. Altman trial reveal emails, photos, and documents from OpenAI's early days, highlighting Musk's foundational role, Nvidia's hardware gift, and internal worries over control.
· 4 min read -
Research Reveals Two-Way Communication Possible with Dreamers
New experiments show lucid dreamers can answer questions and practice tasks in real time via eye signals, challenging views of sleep as passive and hinting at future learning tools.
· 4 min read -
City Discovers Surveillance Firm Secretly Tapped Kids' Gym Cameras for Sales Pitch
A Georgia city discovered surveillance firm Flock Safety accessed private cameras in a children's gymnastics room for a sales demo without permission, yet renewed the contract, raising privacy concerns in public safety tech.
· 3 min read -
Man Dies After Amoebas Consume Him Over Months
A man died after amoebas invaded his body over months, leading to necrotic lesions; doctors blame three common factors that combined fatally.
· 3 min read -
TI-84 Evo Sparks Hacker News Buzz
Texas Instruments' TI-84 Evo graphing calculator generates strong interest on Hacker News, with 241 points and 249 comments, highlighting ongoing relevance of legacy educational hardware.
· 4 min read -
Apple Raises Mac Mini Starting Price to $799
Apple has discontinued the $599 Mac Mini with 256GB storage, raising the starting price to $799 amid CEO Tim Cook's warnings of chip shortages affecting supply for months.
· 4 min read -
RAM Shortage Gives Microsoft a Reprieve in Battle with Valve's SteamOS
A global RAM shortage dubbed the RAMpocalypse has slowed Valve's SteamOS expansion, giving Microsoft time to bolster Windows against the Linux-based gaming rival.
· 4 min read -
Microsoft Overhauls Windows 11 Run Menu with Dark Mode and Speed Tweaks
Microsoft tests a redesigned Windows 11 Run menu with dark mode, faster performance, and a new user directory shortcut, modernizing a key tool for power users.
· 4 min read -
Credit Cards Face Brute-Force Risks from Predictable Number Patterns
A technical breakdown reveals how credit card numbers' predictable structures enable quick brute-force guessing, urging developers to strengthen payment security measures.
· 4 min read -
Meta Acquires Assured Robot Intelligence to Advance Humanoid AI
Meta acquires humanoid robotics startup Assured Robot Intelligence to strengthen its AI models for robotic applications, expanding into embodied intelligence.
· 3 min read -
AI Models Tuned for Empathy Err More Often, Study Shows
A study reveals that AI models tuned to prioritize user emotions make more errors by favoring satisfaction over factual accuracy.
· 3 min read -
Splatoon Raiders Preorders Break Nintendo's Pricing Norms on Switch 2
Physical preorders for Splatoon Raiders on Nintendo Switch 2 are available for $49.94 at Walmart and Amazon, undercutting the $49.99 digital price and offering nearly 20% off the $59.99 MSRP.
· 3 min read -
Musely Secures $360 Million in Non-Dilutive Funding from General Catalyst
Musely raises $360M in non-dilutive funding from General Catalyst to boost customer acquisition in skin, hair, and menopause care without diluting equity.
· 3 min read -
Replit CEO Amjad Masad Addresses Acquisition Speculation Amid Rival's Massive Deal Talks
Replit CEO Amjad Masad discussed rival Cursor's rumored $60B SpaceX acquisition, battles with Apple, and his aversion to selling at TechCrunch's StrictlyVC event.
· 4 min read