Spotify rolls out group chats

After launching a messaging feature last August, Spotify is now rolling out group chats. The company announced this week that users can now share the podcasts, playlists, and audiobooks they’re listening to with up to 10 people. You can only start a chat with someone you’ve previously shared content with. For example, if you have … Read more

This ring watch squeezes in heart rate, sleep, and fitness tracking

It’s not a household name, but Rogbid has been churning out budget-friendly smart wearables for around a decade. Its latest creation capitalizes on the recent trend of functional ring watches, but unlike Timex and Casio’s wearables that don’t do much more than tell time, the Rogbid Fusion includes smart functionality like fitness tracking, heart rate … Read more

Tesla kills Models S and X to build humanoid robots instead

But even robotaxis have lost some of their shine. For Musk, the real action is with his humanoid robot. These will sell in the billions, Musk has claimed, adding up to $20 trillion to Tesla’s market capitalization at some point in the future. And he needs factory space to build these Optimus robots, which Tesla … Read more

Fidelity is launching its own stablecoin

Fidelity is launching a stablecoin that investors will be able to buy and sell for $1 when it arrives in the “coming weeks.” The stablecoin, called Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD), will live on the Ethereum network and is backed by cash reserves, cash equivalents, and short-term US Treasuries, according to CoinDesk. A stablecoin is a … Read more

Google Maps now lets you access Gemini while walking and cycling

Google announced on Thursday that Google Maps users can now access Gemini hands-free while walking and cycling. The update comes a few months after Google Maps rolled out its Gemini-powered hands-free, conversational driving experience. The announcement marks Google’s ongoing efforts to plug Gemini into more parts of people’s everyday lives, while shifting Google Maps from … Read more

Google agrees to $135 million settlement for collecting Android users’ data

Android users could get a recovery payout of up to $100 each in a proposed settlement Google filed in San Jose, California on Tuesday night. As Reuters reports, the $135 million settlement is for a class action lawsuit claiming that Google collected users’ cellular data without their permission, even while Google apps were closed, location … Read more

States want to tax fossil fuel companies to create climate change superfunds

Rising costs of climate change Last year, the nonprofit Climate Central launched an online database to track the most costly weather- and climate-related disasters across the country. The effort was led by the same lead scientist who tracked those costs for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—until the Trump administration axed the project in May. … Read more

The Stream Deck-packed gaming keyboard is a monster of good ideas

The Corsair Galleon 100 SD didn’t just come out of the ether. The new full-size mechanical keyboard with a Stream Deck fused to its side is the result of a lot of things coming together over the years. Corsair’s gaming business is more refined than ever, and Stream Deck’s wide ecosystem of plug-ins makes the … Read more

Apple says Patreon creators must switch to subscription billing

Patreon will force creators to move away from legacy billing methods this fall to appease Apple’s newly revived subscriptions mandate. The migration will impact four percent of Patreon creators who still use first-of-the-month and per creation billing models, with Apple imposing a deadline to switch to subscription billing by November 1st, 2026. On its support … Read more