Perplexity wants to be more than just an answer engine. On Wednesday it launched Personal Computer, a new AI agent tool that can turn a spare Mac into a locally run AI system, pitching it as “a digital proxy for you.” Personal Computer will run 24/7 on a dedicated device on your local network, have … Read more
Electric vehicle drivers and smartphone power users have been salivating over the prospect of silicon anode batteries, which promise to dramatically boost energy density and lower charging times. Several companies have been working on silicon anodes over the last decade or so, and the tech has started creeping into consumer electronics. Wearable maker Whoop, for … Read more
This season on Build Mode, we’re diving into what it takes to build a world-class founding team. This week we’re exploring different kinds of co-founder dynamics and what it takes to build a startup with your family. Building with a family member or spouse comes with major benefits like built-in trust and an “always-on” mentality, but … Read more
US medical equipment provider Stryker said its global networks were disrupted by a cyberattack on Wednesday, allegedly carried out by a hacking group linked to Iran. The attack impacted Stryker’s internal Microsoft environment and deleted information from devices, with one employee telling NBC News that company phones stopped working, grinding work and communications to a … Read more
I grew up in a Star Trek household, not a Star Wars one. More to the point, I wasn’t even allowed to watch Star Wars when I was a kid, so I didn’t see the original trilogy until I was nearly an adult—about 17 years old, as I recall. For my then-fundamentalist Christian family, the … Read more
A rock counts as a tool. Credit: Matthew Molter A rock counts as a tool. Credit: Matthew Molter In the end, Wolff was able to get his car drivable by hitting the steering components with a rock and using a ratchet strap to hold it in place. He then manhandled the heavy car to his … Read more
Flash floods are among the deadliest weather events in the world, killing more than 5,000 people each year. They’re also among the most difficult to predict. But Google thinks it has cracked that problem in an unlikely way — by reading the news. While humans have assembled a lot of weather data, flash floods are … Read more
Elon Musk’s Neuralink and OpenAI-backed Merge Labs are pushing forward with brain–computer interface (BCI) technology in the U.S. Meanwhile, Chinese serial entrepreneur Phoenix Peng is building rival efforts through two startups: NeuroXess, which develops implantable BCI systems, and a second company, Gestala, developing non-invasive ultrasound-based BCIs. Gestala has raised $21.6 million (CN¥150 million) just two … Read more
When the production company Particle6 debuted its AI-generated “actor” Tilly Norwood last fall, the move was not warmly welcomed by Hollywood. “Good Lord, we’re screwed,” Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt said in an interview with the industry publication Variety. “Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop.” If only Particle6 followed Blunt’s advice. Instead, the … Read more
Buy once (or more) to play anywhere While Google announced last year it was opening the door to all Android games on Windows, things haven’t exactly worked out like that. It should have been easy, though. None of these “Windows” games is actually built for Windows—Play Games uses virtualization to run a lightweight Android OS … Read more