News'n'Clues - TECHNOLOGY Article Summaries

Amazon supersizes its Walmart rivalry with new big-box retail concept

Source: {'href': 'https://www.geekwire.com', 'title': 'GeekWire'} Published: 2026-01-13 18:34:41

Now, it appears the e-commerce giant is taking those efforts to a whole new scale. The company describes the plans as part of its culture of experimentation — calling it “a new concept that we think customers will be excited about.” Amazon says the store will offer fresh groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise, making it convenient for customers to shop a broad selection of items in one trip. “This could just be another experiment, but as experiments go, it reveals a degree of Walmart jealousy that we didn't expect,” wrote analysts Mike Levin and Josh Lowitz of Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), in a report to subscribers this morning. CIRP notes that while Amazon dominates e-commerce, online shopping accounts for less than 20% of U.S. retail spending, leaving the vast majority of consumer dollars on the table. Amazon has tried a variety of physical retail formats over the years, with mixed results, in addition to its acquisition of Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in 2017. But with data showing that 93% of Amazon customers still shop at Walmart, CIRP suggests this new superstore concept is Amazon's admission that capturing the remaining addressable market requires building a physical moat that rivals the scale and utility of its biggest competitor. This is similar to an Amazon experiment at its Whole Foods locations — building a “store within a store” to bridge the gap between niche organic offerings and mass-market items. Amazon last fall unveiled an automated micro-fulfillment center attached to a Whole Foods in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. The concept allows shoppers to browse organic produce in the aisles while simultaneously ordering non-Whole Foods items — like Tide Pods, Pepsi, or Doritos — via an app. The Orland Park superstore appears to be an industrial-sized evolution of that experiment. “We like to explain it as: ‘It's the best that Amazon has to offer under Whole Foods, Fresh and their online offerings,' ” said Katie Jahnke Dale, a lawyer representing Amazon at the hearing. If approved, village officials estimate the store could open in late 2027. The chips powering your smart TV, voice assistant, tablet, and car all have something in common: MediaTek Click for more about underwritten and sponsored content on GeekWire. Click for more about underwritten and sponsored content on GeekWire. Google makes a big move into agentic commerce, raising questions about Amazon's retail dominance GeekWire Podcast: Alexa's next act, Microsoft's retail play, Google's AI Inbox, and a smart bird feeder fail Former Amazon execs raise $15M for agentic commerce startup that uses AI to generate custom storefronts GeekWire Studios has partnered with AWS for the Guide to re:Invent. This interview series took place on the Expo floor at AWS re:Invent 2025, and features insightful conversations about the future of cloud tech, as well as partnership success stories. Click for more about underwritten and sponsored content on GeekWire. Sold on Walmart, sent by Amazon: The weird new world of online retail Amazon unveils ‘Saver' private-label grocery brand, escalating price wars with Walmart and Target

Tech Moves: Acumatica hires CPO; former Amazon manager named new mayor of Bellevue

Source: {'href': 'https://www.geekwire.com', 'title': 'GeekWire'} Published: 2026-01-13 17:54:33

— Jon Pollock is now chief product officer of Acumatica, the Bellevue, Wash.-based enterprise software giant that was acquired last year by Vista Equity Partners. He previously held leadership roles with Worldpay, Asurion, Dell, Polaroid and others. “Jon has the experience, vision, and strong track record of leading dynamic teams to execute our product strategy and empower the people who use our software every day,” John Case, CEO of Acumatica, said in a statement. Case succeeds Ali Jani, who was with the company for 16 years. Malakoutian joined the Bellevue City Council in 2023, was elected by his colleagues to serve as deputy mayor beginning in 2024, and was chosen as mayor this month. — Software engineering leader David Bettis is leaving Amazon after two decades. Bettis was most recently with Amazon Web Services, including roles focused on the company's telehealth initiative. Earlier in his career, Bettis worked on the company's Halo product, Amazon Go's cashierless “Just Walk Out” technology, Kindle and other initiatives. Bettis said on LinkedIn that he stayed at Amazon for so long because of the opportunity to work on emerging businesses, which provided “new and exciting opportunities, while staying under the same roof.” More recently he had “explored a couple paths internally, but nothing sparked the same excitement I'd felt in previous roles. That's when I realized it was time for a bigger change.” The engineer added that he'll spend most of this year deciding what full-time role comes next — maybe a smaller company, teaching, something entrepreneurial — and that he'll be staying in Seattle. — In another Amazon departure, Steven Hatch has resigned from his role as head of engineering with AWS Bedrock. Hatch did not disclose his next move, but said there would be “more soon.” — Warren McNeel left T-Mobile after more then 25 years with the Bellevue-based telecom juggernaut. McNeel has been in the wireless sector for three decades, and most recently served as T-Mobile's senior vice president of information technology. McNeel said on LinkedIn that he wanted to spend time with his family “and begin thinking about the next chapter of my professional journey.” “I couldn't be more proud of the innovations, technology transformations, and results these teams delivered.” Fischer, who resides in Denver, is a business development and human resources consultant. He is also a co-founder of the protein design company Vilya. Diwakar, who was previously based in India, joins from the semiconductor company AMD. Together, we help employers cut through the noise and hire smarter, faster. Learn more about GeekWork: Contact GeekWire co-founder John Cook at [email protected]. Tech Moves: AWS VP switches roles; Seattle's new economic development head; Microsoft Teams exec departs Tech Moves: Amazon AI leader joins Google Cloud; Meta taps new chief legal officer from Microsoft Desney Tan leaves Microsoft after 21 years leading key research and healthcare initiatives GeekWire Studios has partnered with AWS for the Guide to re:Invent. This interview series took place on the Expo floor at AWS re:Invent 2025, and features insightful conversations about the future of cloud tech, as well as partnership success stories. Vista Equity Partners to acquire Acumatica in latest Seattle-area enterprise software deal Acumatica CEO on the secret sauce behind company's growth — and its next chapter with Vista Tech Moves: Amazon leaders depart; Starbucks, Acumatica, Yoodli add execs; Seattle Children's new CEO GeekWire Awards: Workplace of the Year finalists buck trends and create their own positive cultures

Google Pulls Some Health-Related AI Overviews as Industry Goes All-In on Healthcare

Source: {'href': 'https://gizmodo.com', 'title': 'Gizmodo'} Published: 2026-01-13 17:35:17

Instead, users are shown short excerpts pulled from traditional search results. According to The Guardian, the AI Overviews for those liver-related searches and others had “served up inaccurate health information and put people at risk of harm.” For example, the summaries reportedly provided for the liver test searchers included “masses of numbers, little context and no accounting for nationality, sex, ethnicity or age of patients.” The Guardian reported that some experts said these results could be dangerous. For instance, someone with liver disease might delay follow-up care if they rely on an AI-generated definition of what's normal. “We invest significantly in the quality of AI Overviews, particularly for topics like health, and the vast majority provide accurate information,” a Google spokesperson told Gizmodo in an emailed statement. “Our internal team of clinicians reviewed what's been shared with us and found that in many instances, the information was not inaccurate and was also supported by high quality websites. In cases where AI Overviews miss some context, we work to make broad improvements, and we also take action under our policies where appropriate.” The removals come at a moment when more people than ever are turning to AI for answers about their health, and the industry is taking notice. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, said last week that roughly a quarter of its 800 million regular users submit a healthcare-related prompt every week, with more than 40 million doing so daily. Days later, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, a health-focused experience that can connect with users' medical records, wellness apps, and wearable devices. And shortly after that, the company announced it had acquired the healthcare startup Torch, which tracks medical records including lab results, recordings from doctor visits, and medications. On Monday, the company announced a new set of AI tools that allow healthcare providers, insurers, and patients to use its Claude chatbot for medical purposes. As AI advances in healthcare, even minor errors or missing context can have significant consequences for patients. Whether these companies are ready for that remains to be seen. Thank god someone is brave enough to take down many people's favorite wireless earbuds. Not everyone liked hearing Disney got into bed with OpenAI, but SAG-AFTRA thinks it could be good for transparency and progress.

Will Seahawks fans have reason to cheer against 49ers? Stadium cameras will capture the reaction

Source: {'href': 'https://www.geekwire.com', 'title': 'GeekWire'} Published: 2026-01-13 17:33:10

Neo humanoid maker 1X releases world model to help bots learn what they see

Source: {'href': 'https://techcrunch.com', 'title': 'TechCrunch'} Published: 2026-01-13 17:14:08

90M people. 118 hours of silence. One nation erased from the internet

Source: {'href': 'https://news.ycombinator.com', 'title': 'Hacker News'} Published: 2026-01-13 17:06:48

DIY PC maker Framework's desktops finally succumb to RAM apocalypse, hit with price increase — now starts at $1,139 with 32GB, 128GB up $450

Source: {'href': 'https://www.tomshardware.com', 'title': "Tom's Hardware"} Published: 2026-01-13 16:52:39

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Framework, the DIY-focused PC manufacturer, has announced that it is raising prices on its desktop PC as a result of continuing RAM shortages rocking the consumer technology industry. "We held off on it as long as we could, but with LPDDR5x memory prices from our suppliers continuing to increase rapidly, we've had to update the pricing on Framework Desktop systems and Mainboards," Framework CEO Nirav Patel wrote in an updated blog post detailing the company's response to the memory crisis. The top configuration, with a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor featuring Radeon 8060S graphics and 128GB of RAM, used to start at $1,999, but now it is $2,459.Framework has been particularly transparent about its price increases — moreso than the big box OEMs. The company made its last increase specifically for RAM modules in December, and at the time suggested that more increases would likely be coming. This, however, is the first time that pricing has directly affected Framework's systems. Patel wrote in the blog update that Framework is only raising prices to cover increased costs from suppliers. And he doesn't seem to think things are getting better: "The memory outlook as we enter 2026 continues to get worse," he wrote. Dell, Asus, and other PC manufacturers have price increases on the way. We've also seen announcements of hikes from single-board computer leader Raspberry Pi. This move is a sign that 2026 will continue to be a rocky market for companies selling PCs and for people who want to build them alike. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds. Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher.

DIY PC maker Framework finally succumbs to RAM apocalypse, is raising prices on its desktops — now starts at $1,139 with 32GB, 128GB up $450

Source: {'href': 'https://www.tomshardware.com', 'title': "Tom's Hardware"} Published: 2026-01-13 16:52:39

Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

Source: {'href': 'https://news.ycombinator.com', 'title': 'Hacker News'} Published: 2026-01-13 16:49:27

I understand those two aren't necessarily contradictory, but the wording of the first sentence paints a very different mental picture than the second one (at least it did for me), especially since they throw in the O-1A and then almost exclusively talk about people applying for the O-1B after that.Personally, I don't want the US choosing to give visas to influencers over scientists, but if this visa was already being heavily used to bring in actors, musicians, and athletes I don't see what the hubbub is about. Personally, I don't want the US choosing to give visas to influencers over scientists, but if this visa was already being heavily used to bring in actors, musicians, and athletes I don't see what the hubbub is about. Also this visa in uncapped so giving visas to OF models does not take away anything from scientists and others.O visa's original intent was to help pretty ladies from Eastern Europe to be brought into the country as indentured workers. That is why it is so easy to get this visa for an actor or a fashion model but very tough to get someone for their research.So all this is working as intended. O visa's original intent was to help pretty ladies from Eastern Europe to be brought into the country as indentured workers. That is why it is so easy to get this visa for an actor or a fashion model but very tough to get someone for their research.So all this is working as intended. For traditional arts, you've gotta be good.For an influencer... some number of anonymous followers?There are certainly some that would qualify... but it they should be held to the same standards as others. For traditional arts, you've gotta be good.For an influencer... some number of anonymous followers?There are certainly some that would qualify... but it they should be held to the same standards as others. For an influencer... some number of anonymous followers?There are certainly some that would qualify... but it they should be held to the same standards as others. There are certainly some that would qualify... but it they should be held to the same standards as others. - Evidence of a record of major commercial or critically acclaimed successes in the performing arts, as shown by box office receipts or record, cassette, compact disk, or video sales- Evidence of significant recognition for achievements from organizations, government agencies, or other recognized experts in the field- Evidence of having commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services in relation to others - Evidence of significant recognition for achievements from organizations, government agencies, or other recognized experts in the field- Evidence of having commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services in relation to others You might be shocked to find out how much the performers being written about in magazines or discussed on TV shows is a direct line to the production company promoting them. > > advertisements, press releases, publications contracts, or endorsements> > box office receipts or record, cassette, compact disk, or video sales> > Evidence of having commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services in relation to othersI fail to see the distinction you are trying to draw. Commercial value and celebrity has always been one of the metrics of "achievement".The overall gist is that the visa application should be someone who is not easily replaced by an existing local worker that can generate similar value. > > box office receipts or record, cassette, compact disk, or video sales> > Evidence of having commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services in relation to othersI fail to see the distinction you are trying to draw. Commercial value and celebrity has always been one of the metrics of "achievement".The overall gist is that the visa application should be someone who is not easily replaced by an existing local worker that can generate similar value. Commercial value and celebrity has always been one of the metrics of "achievement".The overall gist is that the visa application should be someone who is not easily replaced by an existing local worker that can generate similar value. Commercial value and celebrity has always been one of the metrics of "achievement".The overall gist is that the visa application should be someone who is not easily replaced by an existing local worker that can generate similar value. The overall gist is that the visa application should be someone who is not easily replaced by an existing local worker that can generate similar value. 8 CFR 214.2(o)(3) ( https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/part-214/section-214.2#... ) Extraordinary ability in the field of arts means distinction. Distinction means a high level of achievement in the field of arts evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition substantially above that ordinarily encountered to the extent that a person described as prominent is renowned, leading, or well-known in the field of arts. Extraordinary achievement with respect to motion picture and television productions, as commonly defined in the industry, means a very high level of accomplishment in the motion picture or television industry evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition significantly above that ordinarily encountered to the extent that the person is recognized as outstanding, notable, or leading in the motion picture or television field. The approval of an O-1 petition by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) decides whether an individual qualifies for O-1 classification. This classification requires a substantial amount of evidence. Extraordinary ability in the field of arts means distinction. Distinction means a high level of achievement in the field of arts evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition substantially above that ordinarily encountered to the extent that a person described as prominent is renowned, leading, or well-known in the field of arts. Extraordinary achievement with respect to motion picture and television productions, as commonly defined in the industry, means a very high level of accomplishment in the motion picture or television industry evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition significantly above that ordinarily encountered to the extent that the person is recognized as outstanding, notable, or leading in the motion picture or television field. The approval of an O-1 petition by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) decides whether an individual qualifies for O-1 classification. This classification requires a substantial amount of evidence. The approval of an O-1 petition by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) decides whether an individual qualifies for O-1 classification. This classification requires a substantial amount of evidence. https://www.hio.harvard.edu/o-1-visa-individuals-extraordina...> The O-1 visa is a temporary work visa designated for individuals who have achieved and sustained national or international acclaim for extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, or individuals who have demonstrated a record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture and television industries.> O-1 Extraordinary Ability visa status is reserved for those who are among the small percentage of experts who have risen to the top of their field. The approval of an O-1 petition by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) decides whether an individual qualifies for O-1 classification. This classification requires a substantial amount of evidence. > The O-1 visa is a temporary work visa designated for individuals who have achieved and sustained national or international acclaim for extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, or individuals who have demonstrated a record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture and television industries.> O-1 Extraordinary Ability visa status is reserved for those who are among the small percentage of experts who have risen to the top of their field. The approval of an O-1 petition by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) decides whether an individual qualifies for O-1 classification. This classification requires a substantial amount of evidence. > O-1 Extraordinary Ability visa status is reserved for those who are among the small percentage of experts who have risen to the top of their field. The approval of an O-1 petition by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) decides whether an individual qualifies for O-1 classification. None directly disagree with the original point, but they do imply fault in the original reasoning without providing any proof or requiring any effort.The third one is a classic. A concise implication of error in which a good-faith response would be long-winded and boring comparatively.To what end?What are they hoping to get out of disagreeing with someone trying to encouraging our future culture to be one of relative wholesomeness?... Why take the time out of one's day to say "well... encouraging X is great and all but you know what's better? None directly disagree with the original point, but they do imply fault in the original reasoning without providing any proof or requiring any effort.The third one is a classic. A concise implication of error in which a good-faith response would be long-winded and boring comparatively.To what end?What are they hoping to get out of disagreeing with someone trying to encouraging our future culture to be one of relative wholesomeness?... Why take the time out of one's day to say "well... encouraging X is great and all but you know what's better? A concise implication of error in which a good-faith response would be long-winded and boring comparatively.To what end?What are they hoping to get out of disagreeing with someone trying to encouraging our future culture to be one of relative wholesomeness?... Why take the time out of one's day to say "well... encouraging X is great and all but you know what's better? Why take the time out of one's day to say "well... encouraging X is great and all but you know what's better? Why take the time out of one's day to say "well... encouraging X is great and all but you know what's better? ... Why take the time out of one's day to say "well... encouraging X is great and all but you know what's better? The original poster was clearly not making an analogy between professional soccer and only fans creators.To be explicit, the comparisons were:Cinematic actors -> TikTok creatorsVictoria's Secret model -> only fans creatorPro soccer -> esportsI fail to see how the culture of our country will be negatively impacted by any of those changes. Comparing Cristiano Renaldo to OnlyFans is a straw man because that specific comparison was never suggested, except by the “rebuttal” To be explicit, the comparisons were:Cinematic actors -> TikTok creatorsVictoria's Secret model -> only fans creatorPro soccer -> esportsI fail to see how the culture of our country will be negatively impacted by any of those changes. Comparing Cristiano Renaldo to OnlyFans is a straw man because that specific comparison was never suggested, except by the “rebuttal” Cinematic actors -> TikTok creatorsVictoria's Secret model -> only fans creatorPro soccer -> esportsI fail to see how the culture of our country will be negatively impacted by any of those changes. Comparing Cristiano Renaldo to OnlyFans is a straw man because that specific comparison was never suggested, except by the “rebuttal” Victoria's Secret model -> only fans creatorPro soccer -> esportsI fail to see how the culture of our country will be negatively impacted by any of those changes. Comparing Cristiano Renaldo to OnlyFans is a straw man because that specific comparison was never suggested, except by the “rebuttal” Pro soccer -> esportsI fail to see how the culture of our country will be negatively impacted by any of those changes. Comparing Cristiano Renaldo to OnlyFans is a straw man because that specific comparison was never suggested, except by the “rebuttal” Comparing Cristiano Renaldo to OnlyFans is a straw man because that specific comparison was never suggested, except by the “rebuttal” Does anyone know on which work visa do models come in then? When someone describes themselves as an "influencer", it is entirely appropriate to ask what sort of influence they're having, and whether we want that. It would be unwise to filter out the fun people. ...are a member of scholarly/professional organizations;...have published original research works scientifically and internationally (peer reviewed publications);...that you have judged the work of others (supervised and/or examined Ph.D. candidates);...that you have consulted to governments;...that you have repeatedly been invited as guest speaker at conferences, trade fairs or universities;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT;...that three referees that are themselves O-1 level equivalents deem you worthy of receiving O-1 status;...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...have published original research works scientifically and internationally (peer reviewed publications);...that you have judged the work of others (supervised and/or examined Ph.D. candidates);...that you have consulted to governments;...that you have repeatedly been invited as guest speaker at conferences, trade fairs or universities;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT;...that three referees that are themselves O-1 level equivalents deem you worthy of receiving O-1 status;...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you have judged the work of others (supervised and/or examined Ph.D. candidates);...that you have consulted to governments;...that you have repeatedly been invited as guest speaker at conferences, trade fairs or universities;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT;...that three referees that are themselves O-1 level equivalents deem you worthy of receiving O-1 status;...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you have consulted to governments;...that you have repeatedly been invited as guest speaker at conferences, trade fairs or universities;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT;...that three referees that are themselves O-1 level equivalents deem you worthy of receiving O-1 status;...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you have repeatedly been invited as guest speaker at conferences, trade fairs or universities;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT;...that three referees that are themselves O-1 level equivalents deem you worthy of receiving O-1 status;...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT;...that three referees that are themselves O-1 level equivalents deem you worthy of receiving O-1 status;...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that three referees that are themselves O-1 level equivalents deem you worthy of receiving O-1 status;...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you are a named inventor on patent applications and granted patents;...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you have received media coverage;...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you abilities are reflected in higher than typical compensation/salary/remuneration;...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you won major international scholarships and awards (e.g. best paper awards at conferences, Masters's/doctoral scholarships from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT; or...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). ...that you have published significant works (i.e., works that created impact through citations, business creation, or software systems using the methods described therein).Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). Usually, from an official ist similar to the above (which I re-wrote from memory here), three out of nine or so checkboxes is the lowest bar for an O-1, and if you tick all of them and work with a specialist law firm, then it should be a slam dunk; my O-1 took about six months from application to grant back in 2008 (no payments of any "expediting fees" if they exist were made as far as I know). that's why they accept so much, the circulation of money would bring an enormous currency more than "traditional" job ever could There's a reason why Hollywood became the Earth's center of cultural gravity post-WW2, https://goldenglobes.com/articles/exiles-and-emigres-hollywo...You may argue that these people aren't of such import, but I would beg to differ. You may argue that these people aren't of such import, but I would beg to differ. Beast episode of David Letterman's show, and I had no expectations but figured he must have some charisma as the most watched youtube person. He was unable to explain basic concepts, had no self-awareness, and generally seemed detached from any sort of reality. Hollywood took a bribe from the tobacco industry to make smoking "cool" and infect our nation with cigarettes.> have little self-awarenesshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mpUxn7NybY : "A big opportunity for us is that there are no gatekeepers. > have little self-awarenesshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mpUxn7NybY : "A big opportunity for us is that there are no gatekeepers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mpUxn7NybY : "A big opportunity for us is that there are no gatekeepers. I think the whole world took up smoking because of Hollywood. The reason why Hollywood even exists is because it was a way of escaping the enforcement of patents and royalties. Other than that, the lettering is a racist monument of a bygone era.> You may argue that these people aren't of such import, but I would beg to differI'm not a US citizen, but lets face it - there is some irony in seeing some scientists fleeing for abroad offers, some probably deported, and having influencers or glorified strippers benefiting from some ill-thought program.> These people shape the culture that the young people around you consume.Do you have kids? People don't give 2 f** about Hollywood or their "stars". We have our own clowns here, and 15 minutes of fame doesn't require being predated on by some director (thankfully). My daughter couldn't name a single actor even if she wanted to - because movies are (mostly) dead, and series are a commodity. And I'm not saying this as some weirdo who doesn't own a TV or something - we have Disney, SkyShowTime, HBO, Amazon, etc. Its just "kids dont care about that anymore".> They create the memes of six-seven-ification So, do you know what that means exactly? Just asking, because from the tone of your response, you seem to have no idea of the meaning - just like kids saying "theez nuts" or whatever. > You may argue that these people aren't of such import, but I would beg to differI'm not a US citizen, but lets face it - there is some irony in seeing some scientists fleeing for abroad offers, some probably deported, and having influencers or glorified strippers benefiting from some ill-thought program.> These people shape the culture that the young people around you consume.Do you have kids? People don't give 2 f** about Hollywood or their "stars". We have our own clowns here, and 15 minutes of fame doesn't require being predated on by some director (thankfully). My daughter couldn't name a single actor even if she wanted to - because movies are (mostly) dead, and series are a commodity. And I'm not saying this as some weirdo who doesn't own a TV or something - we have Disney, SkyShowTime, HBO, Amazon, etc. Its just "kids dont care about that anymore".> They create the memes of six-seven-ification So, do you know what that means exactly? Just asking, because from the tone of your response, you seem to have no idea of the meaning - just like kids saying "theez nuts" or whatever. I'm not a US citizen, but lets face it - there is some irony in seeing some scientists fleeing for abroad offers, some probably deported, and having influencers or glorified strippers benefiting from some ill-thought program.> These people shape the culture that the young people around you consume.Do you have kids? People don't give 2 f** about Hollywood or their "stars". We have our own clowns here, and 15 minutes of fame doesn't require being predated on by some director (thankfully). My daughter couldn't name a single actor even if she wanted to - because movies are (mostly) dead, and series are a commodity. And I'm not saying this as some weirdo who doesn't own a TV or something - we have Disney, SkyShowTime, HBO, Amazon, etc. Its just "kids dont care about that anymore".> They create the memes of six-seven-ification So, do you know what that means exactly? Just asking, because from the tone of your response, you seem to have no idea of the meaning - just like kids saying "theez nuts" or whatever. People don't give 2 f** about Hollywood or their "stars". We have our own clowns here, and 15 minutes of fame doesn't require being predated on by some director (thankfully). My daughter couldn't name a single actor even if she wanted to - because movies are (mostly) dead, and series are a commodity. And I'm not saying this as some weirdo who doesn't own a TV or something - we have Disney, SkyShowTime, HBO, Amazon, etc. Its just "kids dont care about that anymore".> They create the memes of six-seven-ification So, do you know what that means exactly? Just asking, because from the tone of your response, you seem to have no idea of the meaning - just like kids saying "theez nuts" or whatever. People don't give 2 f** about Hollywood or their "stars". We have our own clowns here, and 15 minutes of fame doesn't require being predated on by some director (thankfully). My daughter couldn't name a single actor even if she wanted to - because movies are (mostly) dead, and series are a commodity. And I'm not saying this as some weirdo who doesn't own a TV or something - we have Disney, SkyShowTime, HBO, Amazon, etc. Its just "kids dont care about that anymore".> They create the memes of six-seven-ification So, do you know what that means exactly? Just asking, because from the tone of your response, you seem to have no idea of the meaning - just like kids saying "theez nuts" or whatever. > They create the memes of six-seven-ification So, do you know what that means exactly? Just asking, because from the tone of your response, you seem to have no idea of the meaning - just like kids saying "theez nuts" or whatever. People get attached to specific OF stars and the medium inherently requires remote work. So it's an inherently global labour force that protectionism won't help. American OF models won't magically make more money if you ban immigration unless you also ban cultural imports.The government isn't displacing local talent by importing OF models and gets tax dollars for essentially doing nothing. Those tax dollars pay for schools/hospitals/etc.OF also skews towards young, unmarried women, which balances the gender surplus of unmarried men that generally tries to immigrate. Since they're young, they also have more productivity before drawing on benefits like Medicare or Social Security.By any objective standard OF models are the ideal migrant. The government isn't displacing local talent by importing OF models and gets tax dollars for essentially doing nothing. Those tax dollars pay for schools/hospitals/etc.OF also skews towards young, unmarried women, which balances the gender surplus of unmarried men that generally tries to immigrate. Since they're young, they also have more productivity before drawing on benefits like Medicare or Social Security.By any objective standard OF models are the ideal migrant. OF also skews towards young, unmarried women, which balances the gender surplus of unmarried men that generally tries to immigrate. Since they're young, they also have more productivity before drawing on benefits like Medicare or Social Security.By any objective standard OF models are the ideal migrant. By any objective standard OF models are the ideal migrant. It's only exploitation if this suspension of disbelief is artificially prolonged in nefarious way, with a self-reinforcing fantasy so the person loses touch with the reality and spends increasingly unhealthy amounts of time in a fantasy, or otherwise get conditioned and start to exhibit addiction-like behaviors that aren't in their best long-term interests.That happens (every entertainment industry has its whales), but saying it's the norm (rather than a pathological extremity) is sort of stigmatizing. That happens (every entertainment industry has its whales), but saying it's the norm (rather than a pathological extremity) is sort of stigmatizing. Consent does not bless immoral acts or neutralize damage. Reading bad books isn't good for your mind either. But literary fiction at least has the potential to be good. Porn addiction is extremely widespread and afflicts mostly young men. Porn's ubiquity and the easy with which it can be accessed has created a situation that did not exist before, and from a young age. And not only is it addictive, but it does real psychological damage to these consumers, creating what some call "porn brain". Reading bad books isn't good for your mind either. But literary fiction at least has the potential to be good. Porn addiction is extremely widespread and afflicts mostly young men. Porn's ubiquity and the easy with which it can be accessed has created a situation that did not exist before, and from a young age. And not only is it addictive, but it does real psychological damage to these consumers, creating what some call "porn brain". Porn addiction is extremely widespread and afflicts mostly young men. Porn's ubiquity and the easy with which it can be accessed has created a situation that did not exist before, and from a young age. And not only is it addictive, but it does real psychological damage to these consumers, creating what some call "porn brain". It is an incredibly twisted and deranging vice. You can make all the moral judgments you like, but the fact is: They're making money either way, and then spending that money in their local communities. They can spend that money (and pay taxes on it) in the US or not.It's no different economically than a musician or an actor doing the same. It's no different economically than a musician or an actor doing the same. And society has been feeding on itself since we moved past hunter gatherers. But at the same time, the immigration system historically penalized anyone who engages in prostitution and actively denied entry to people found to be engaged in it. There is an explicit question about this in all immigration forms. Which is why it's surprising that O-1 visas are being awarded to OnlyFans models. I hate to be that person, but the fact that so many people on HN think OF is prostitution is revealing of the site's demographics (i.e. older). It is, as some may put it, boomer thinking.You're misunderstanding what these people - esports athletes, successful streamers, influencers, OF models etc - actually do. It's the way they reflect back to their audience and allow them to become a part of their performance.It's kind of like the place where everyone knows your name? These are digital third places and the content (whether it be neon blue bunny hopping characters or a graphic video of someone having sex) is a mechanism for bonding / a part of the activity. Kind of like the alcohol at the pub, I suppose.That's where real influence comes from in this age.If you think OF is prostitution, you're fundamentally misunderstanding what will drive power and culture in this century. You're misunderstanding what these people - esports athletes, successful streamers, influencers, OF models etc - actually do. It's the way they reflect back to their audience and allow them to become a part of their performance.It's kind of like the place where everyone knows your name? These are digital third places and the content (whether it be neon blue bunny hopping characters or a graphic video of someone having sex) is a mechanism for bonding / a part of the activity. Kind of like the alcohol at the pub, I suppose.That's where real influence comes from in this age.If you think OF is prostitution, you're fundamentally misunderstanding what will drive power and culture in this century. It's the way they reflect back to their audience and allow them to become a part of their performance.It's kind of like the place where everyone knows your name? These are digital third places and the content (whether it be neon blue bunny hopping characters or a graphic video of someone having sex) is a mechanism for bonding / a part of the activity. Kind of like the alcohol at the pub, I suppose.That's where real influence comes from in this age.If you think OF is prostitution, you're fundamentally misunderstanding what will drive power and culture in this century. It's kind of like the place where everyone knows your name? These are digital third places and the content (whether it be neon blue bunny hopping characters or a graphic video of someone having sex) is a mechanism for bonding / a part of the activity. Kind of like the alcohol at the pub, I suppose.That's where real influence comes from in this age.If you think OF is prostitution, you're fundamentally misunderstanding what will drive power and culture in this century. That's where real influence comes from in this age.If you think OF is prostitution, you're fundamentally misunderstanding what will drive power and culture in this century. "My default strategy was this: I would invite the man in, we'd sit down and talk for a while. I'd establish physical contact in the conversation by touching his hand when laughing at a joke, or crossing my leg so it bumped into his. I would become increasingly charmed, utterly fascinated by his life, and I asked him to explain to me concepts I already knew (remember, they like you smart in order to validate their identity as a man who likes smart women, and they still love teaching you things). Well it's not non-existent either, there are a fair number of onlyfans models (and also general actors in the field of pornography who do the same) who do escorting on the side. It's consumerist rubbish that encourages a vapid, thoughtless, and illiterate consumption of shallow material. Any gimmick will do just to make a buck.Let us not relativize culture. If you relativize it, then your argument falls apart anyway. It involves learning from, developing, deepening, refining, and correcting what came before. We are following Plato's description of social decline perfectly. Perhaps aesthetically, it is fitting that Trump is the poster boy of this abuse of O-1 visas, but he is at best an emanation and a catalyst of broader and deeper social and cultural processes. If you relativize it, then your argument falls apart anyway. It involves learning from, developing, deepening, refining, and correcting what came before. We are following Plato's description of social decline perfectly. Perhaps aesthetically, it is fitting that Trump is the poster boy of this abuse of O-1 visas, but he is at best an emanation and a catalyst of broader and deeper social and cultural processes. We are following Plato's description of social decline perfectly. Perhaps aesthetically, it is fitting that Trump is the poster boy of this abuse of O-1 visas, but he is at best an emanation and a catalyst of broader and deeper social and cultural processes. Given the amount of unemployed Software Engineers, it makes sense to reduce H1-Bs in that category.Companies can still hire exceptional people from overseas using this O-1 visa. Companies can still hire exceptional people from overseas using this O-1 visa. (But even for professionals, it's a very gameable metric. There is a whole industry that helps getting published material and appearances for O-1 applications.) > My whole thing is being the funny Jewish girl with big boobs. > Evidence of a record of major commercial or critically acclaimed successes in the performing arts, as shown by box office receipts or record, cassette, compact disk, or video sales> Evidence of having commanded a high salary or other significantly high remuneration for services in relation to othersA high earning OF model ticks both of those boxes pretty easily. We don't want to put dollar amounts on it to only attract movie stars because other professions don't pay as well would be blocked out and an explicit filter on (heh) explicit O1 visas would be a content based restriction that would (or at least imo should) be a 1A infringement. [0]https://www.pathlawgroup.com/o1b-visa-requirements/[0] IMO a 1A restriction to who can come to the country is defacto a restriction on speech in the country. We don't want to put dollar amounts on it to only attract movie stars because other professions don't pay as well would be blocked out and an explicit filter on (heh) explicit O1 visas would be a content based restriction that would (or at least imo should) be a 1A infringement. [0]https://www.pathlawgroup.com/o1b-visa-requirements/[0] IMO a 1A restriction to who can come to the country is defacto a restriction on speech in the country. We don't want to put dollar amounts on it to only attract movie stars because other professions don't pay as well would be blocked out and an explicit filter on (heh) explicit O1 visas would be a content based restriction that would (or at least imo should) be a 1A infringement. [0]https://www.pathlawgroup.com/o1b-visa-requirements/[0] IMO a 1A restriction to who can come to the country is defacto a restriction on speech in the country. https://www.pathlawgroup.com/o1b-visa-requirements/[0] IMO a 1A restriction to who can come to the country is defacto a restriction on speech in the country. [0] IMO a 1A restriction to who can come to the country is defacto a restriction on speech in the country. And so, suddenly, we find ourselves mired between traditionalist discomfort and pragmatic acceptance, an unglamorous terminus for earlier dreams of Human synthesis. >extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business or athletics > The O-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements Me dumping oil on the ground -> bad.megacorp paying some engineers to make up a number for just how much oil is ok to dump on the ground and paying for government permission -> goodDiddy flying hoes around -> badOF models paying the .gov to fly around -> good(I'm joking here, but not nearly as much as I wish I was) megacorp paying some engineers to make up a number for just how much oil is ok to dump on the ground and paying for government permission -> goodDiddy flying hoes around -> badOF models paying the .gov to fly around -> good(I'm joking here, but not nearly as much as I wish I was)

Dozens of ICE Vehicles in Minnesota Lack ‘Necessary' Lights and Sirens

Source: {'href': 'https://www.wired.com', 'title': 'WIRED'} Published: 2026-01-13 16:45:00

More than two dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles on the ground in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area “currently lack the necessary emergency lights and sirens” required to be “compliant with law enforcement requirements,” according to a contract justification published in a federal register on Tuesday. “These vehicles were deployed prior to being permanently retrofitted and currently lack the necessary emergency lights and sirens required for operational use,” the document says. HSI's most recent public handbook for agents conducting “emergency driving”—defined as driving during “official duties,” like low- or high-risk pursuits, that may require breaking speed limits or violating certain traffic laws—appears to have been published in 2012. The handbook adds that if an HSI officer is emergency driving but their vehicle does not have lights or sirens, they “must terminate” their participation in a law enforcement operation, and an officer from another law enforcement agency that does have lights and sirens should take over. This HSI officer ”may continue to assist in a backup role, if necessary.” The handbook does not specify the exact number or location of lights that have to be on an emergency vehicle, but it says that officers are responsible for reviewing any state statutes for emergency lights and sirens where they operate. Minnesota state law requires law enforcement and emergency drivers to “sound an audible signal by siren” and have at least one red light on the front of the vehicle, among other stipulations. ICE did not immediately respond to WIRED's request for comment. According to Whelen's website, the ATLAS kit includes several items that are also sold separately by the company, including lightheads and lightbars, as well as a siren amplifier and speaker. The listing comes six days after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in her car in Minneapolis, sparking massive protests and an influx of right-wing influencers trying to capitalize on the chaos. In sworn testimony that Ross gave in federal court last December, in connection to an incident in which he was injured while attempting to arrest an individual named Roberto Carlos Muñoz-Guatemala for possible deportation, he made several mentions of his unmarked vehicle, which he used to trail Muñoz-Guatemala prior to the incident. Updated 12:10 pm ET, January 13, 2026, to amend details regarding Ross' and Medellin's December testimony. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.

Jony Ive and Sam Altman's First AI Gadget May Try to Kill AirPods

Source: {'href': 'https://gizmodo.com', 'title': 'Gizmodo'} Published: 2026-01-13 16:20:55

If you've ever looked at a pair of AirPods and thought, “I really wish these were behind my ears and not in them,” then Jony Ive and Sam Altman might be here to save the day. Reports from a supply chain leaker, Smart Pikachu, who has previously shared information on rumored unreleased Apple products, indicate that an anticipated AI gadget from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple head of design, Jony Ive, has AirPods in its crosshairs. Hearing fresh detail on Openai "To-go" hardware project from last report. On manufacturing, Foxconn has been told to prepare for total 5 devices by Q4 2028. From there, I assume they can do stuff like play audio or place calls. If there was one thing I'd bet all the AirPods in the world on, it's that Sweetpea centers on an AI voice assistant powered by ChatGPT. Using microphones and a voice assistant, these not-earbuds could make calls, play audio, or maybe even control stuff on your phone. If that sounds a lot like what you can already do with wireless earbuds as they exist right now, well… that's because it is. “[the] main processor target is 2nm smart phone style chip (exynos most favored). Good idea or not, Smart Pikachu says that Sweetpea could be the first AI gadget we see from Altman and Ive's collaboration, with a projected release around September. After Sweetpea, we could see even wackier hardware that may include a “home-style device,” as the leaker puts it, or—and I'm not making this up—a pen? I guess, of the products potentially in the pipeline for Altman and Ive, Sweetpea sounds the most useful, but if I'm being honest, these little earpieces are going to have to do more than just dupe AirPods' best features to make an impact. The fact of the matter is that people like wireless earbuds—not only is the form factor familiar, proven, and cheap to make, but they also allow for stuff like active noise cancellation (ANC), which is a must-have if you live in a crowded city like me or if you ever fly on an airplane. Clearly, there's something in Sweetpea that we're not seeing yet, though. Whether anyone wants that type of hardware is another question entirely. Just like wireless earbuds, people also like their phones, and if you want to see how the whole unseating the phone with AI train is chugging along, I'd point you to the heaping wreck that is Humane and its failed Ai Pin. Either way, it looks like we'll have more premium AI gadgets to ogle soon enough—that is, if the tandem ever manages to get its computers—ya know—computing. 2026 is the year AI companies want to handle your health.

Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams Accused of Crypto Pump and Dump With NYC Token

Source: {'href': 'https://gizmodo.com', 'title': 'Gizmodo'} Published: 2026-01-13 15:40:20

On Monday, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who just left office following the election of Zohran Mamdani, promoted the launch of a new NYC Token memecoin on the Solana blockchain via a press conference, social media, and interviews. “We know cities can run better, and by using this New York City Token, we're going to continue to invest in making our city a safer city,” said Adams during his press event. Adams added that funds raised through the token offering would be used to build a non-profit organization, where the former mayor would initially refrain from taking a salary. According to blockchain observers, the NYC Token launch was successful in terms of generating funds, as movements of cryptocurrency on the Solana network indicate that at least $2.5 million worth of the token was liquidated into Circle's USDC stablecoin by entities involved with the original launch. This followed a common pump-and-dump pattern seen in many of the meme coins launched on Solana over the past couple of years, which occurred less than an hour after the coin went live. As a result of the price action and blockchain activity following the NYC Token launch, Adams has been accused of operating a pump-and-dump scam, which is extremely common with these sorts of crypto coins and is often referred to as a rug pull. This all happened in a little over an hour. In a statement posted on X, the NYC Token team wrote: Adams notably embraced Bitcoin and crypto during his mayoral campaign, and quickly became referred to as the “Bitcoin Mayor” after his election win. In fact, NYC Token is not the first cryptocurrency Adams has been involved with, as he helped launch New York City Coin during his time in office. This was a separate token that was released on top of the Stacks blockchain and was supposedly going to be used to fund various government services via investments made in the NYC-focused coin. He launched a $NYC memecoin just 30 minutes ago, and has removed its liquidity after promoting it on his personal social media, claiming to be the NYC token https://t.co/4s20jOTKEN pic.twitter.com/pFAG7l0XMq A large number of entertainers, politicians, and other celebrities have been caught up in various memecoin schemes over the past couple of years, with everyone from Argentine President Javier Milei to the “Hawk Tuah” girl getting involved. Of course, U.S. President Trump also launched his own memecoin around the time of his inauguration, which is just one of his many dubious and allegedly corrupt activities in the crypto space. Celebrities' social media accounts have also been hacked to promote these types of coins. Of course, some have questioned whether some of these “hacks” were simply a way for celebrities to promote outright scams without much blowback. While bitcoin and stablecoins have clearly found product-market fit, the vast majority of alternative crypto tokens that promised various alternative technical innovations are still mostly seen as dubious. In other words, it's a casino, albeit one that is likely even more rigged than traditional markets or gambling venues. Follow along with Gizmodo as we check out all the latest gadget announcements from the year's biggest, most-packed tech event, CES 2026. If you have a better idea for fixing education, violence, and antisemitism, I'd like to hear it. New York's rat czar is leaving her position.

Microsoft Has a Plan to Keep Its Data Centers From Raising Your Electric Bill

Source: {'href': 'https://www.wired.com', 'title': 'WIRED'} Published: 2026-01-13 14:48:00

Microsoft said on Tuesday that it would be taking a series of steps toward becoming a “good neighbor” in communities where it is building data centers—including promising to ask public utilities to set higher electricity rates for data centers. Speaking onstage at an event in Great Falls, Virginia, Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith directly referenced a growing national pushback to data centers, describing it as creating “a moment in time when we need to listen, and we need to address these concerns head-on.” “When I visit communities around the country, people have questions—pointed questions. They even have concerns,” Smith said, as a slide showed headlines from various news outlets about opposition to data centers. “They are the type of questions that we need to heed … We are at a moment of time when people have a lot on their mind. They wonder what this big data center will mean to their water supply. The announcement follows a post from President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Monday in which he pledged that his administration would work with “major American Technology Companies,” including Microsoft, to make sure that data centers don't inflate customer utility bills. “Data Centers are key to that boom, and keeping Americans FREE and SECURE but, the big Technology Companies who build them must ‘pay their own way. These price hikes are due to a variety of factors, including the costs of repairing and maintaining the country's aging electric grid. As technology companies and utilities are predicting a massive new need for energy from the nationwide data center build-out, the Energy Information Administration projects that electric bills will keep increasing through 2026. Concerns around data centers and electricity bills played a key role in several local and state midterm elections last year, while research released last fall shows that local opposition to data centers skyrocketed in the second quarter of 2025, leading to billions of dollars in projects stalled or canceled. The political divide against data centers appears to be bipartisan. In recent months, influential former Trump strategist Steve Bannon has begun speaking against the energy and water costs of data centers on his War Room podcast, part of a larger pushback from some MAGA figureheads against the AI build-out in the US. It removed a variety of environmental protections for data centers, including water protections, expedited the review of chemicals involved in their use, and encouraged their development on federal land. Microsoft, which has around 100 data centers planned or under construction across the country, has met with some local pushback to some of its projects. In October, the company canceled plans for a data center in Wisconsin due to local opposition; the group leading the charge against that project warned of a potential “5 to 15 percent rate hike to subsidize cheap power.” The company revealed last week that it was also behind a proposed project in Michigan, which was put on hold in December following concerns from community members. Hundreds of residents attended a planning commission meeting for the project Monday night, with many telling local media they were there to express opposition. In December, White House AI czar David Sacks shared a tweet from Andy Masley, the head of an effective altruist organization in Washington, DC, whose Substack posts casting doubt on the environmental impacts of AI have gained popularity. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.

Apple launches ‘Creator Studio' bundle of apps for $12.99 per month

Source: {'href': 'https://techcrunch.com', 'title': 'TechCrunch'} Published: 2026-01-13 14:40:19

Apple is launching a new Creator Studio subscription bundle that offers access to six creative apps as well as premium content in iWork apps, the company announced on Tuesday. It also includes premium content for Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. Later, the bundle will include Freeform for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. As part of Tuesday's announcement, Apple revealed that these creative apps are launching new features. Final Cut Pro on Mac and iPad is getting Transcript Search to find soundbites, Visual Search to find exact moments by describing them, and Beat Detection. There are also new features coming to Logic Pro, such as Synth Player, Chord ID, a new sound library, natural language search, and more. Apple Creator Studio also brings access to MainStage, which turns Macs into an instrument, voice processor, or guitar rig. Pixelmator Pro, a company Apple bought in 2024, is also coming to iPad for the first time, bringing its editing tools to more creators. It includes full Apple Pencil support alongside fast image editing. It also includes Compressor, which works with Final Cut Pro and Motion to customize output settings for distribution. “Apple Creator Studio is a great value that enables creators of all types to pursue their craft and grow their skills by providing easy access to the most powerful and intuitive tools for video editing, music making, creative imaging, and visual productivity — all leveled up with advanced intelligent tools to augment and accelerate workflows,” said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, in a press release. In Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, a Creator Studio subscription unlocks a new “Content Hub” where users can find high-quality photos, graphics, and illustrations. Apple Creator Studio gives users access to beta features in Keynote, including tools to generate presentation drafts from text outlines, create presenter notes from existing slides, and quickly clean up layouts and object placement. The tech giant notes that Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage will continue to be available as one-time purchases on the Mac App Store, while free versions of Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and Freeform will remain available. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup. Google announces a new protocol to facilitate commerce using AI agents I met a lot of weird robots at CES — here are the most memorable Yes, LinkedIn banned AI agent startup Artisan, but now it's back

Nvidia fires back at rumors it will require upfront payment from clients for H200 orders — company says that it ‘would never require customers to pay for products that they do not receive'

Source: {'href': 'https://www.tomshardware.com', 'title': "Tom's Hardware"} Published: 2026-01-13 13:42:44

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Nvidia has refuted the rumor that it would require full advanced payment for H200 orders from its Chinese customers. The AI chip maker stated that it will not ask its clients to completely pay for an item that it has yet to receive. “We do not require upfront payment and would never require customers to pay for products that they do not receive,” an Nvidia spokesperson said in an email to Tom's Hardware. According to that report, one source claimed that Nvidia had previously required advanced payments from Chinese clients, sometimes only a deposit instead of a full upfront payment. The article claims that because it's unclear whether Beijing will allow its tech companies to purchase Nvidia H200 GPUs, the company has been "particularly strict" in enforcing these conditions to reduce financial risk. Even though China-based tech giants like Alibaba and ByteDance are reportedly ready to order over 200,000 of these chips each, the H200 is a last-generation chip that has since been superseded by the Blackwell family. Aside from that, Nvidia has already announced the succeeding Vera Rubin architecture, which is miles ahead in performance and efficiency over the previous-generation GPUs. As such, companies that have no restrictions will likely only want to purchase the latest available technology as they spend billions of dollars on AI infrastructure to gain an advantage over their competitors. Furthermore, those chips would have taken up the production capacity of Nvidia's contracted fabs, which it could have instead used for building GB200 or even newer chips that will sell for a much higher margin. The AI chip maker is likely able to easily do this because it reportedly still has over 80,000 H200 chips available in existing stock, reducing its exposure to vacillating political decisions. Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher.

Deepgram raises $130M at $1.3B valuation and buys a YC AI startup

Source: {'href': 'https://techcrunch.com', 'title': 'TechCrunch'} Published: 2026-01-13 13:30:00

As a result, model providers have seen increased business, along with investor interest. On the back of this demand, today, Deepgram said that it has raised $130 million in a Series C round led by AVP at a $1.3 billion valuation. The round also saw existing investors such as Alkeon, In-Q-Tel, Madrona, Tiger, Wing, and Y Combinator put in more money. Plus, new investors like Alumni Ventures, Columbia University, Princeville Capital, Twilio, and SAP joined the round. The company has raised over $215 million in funding to date. Elizabeth de Saint-Aignan, a partner at AVP, told TechCrunch that when the fund was talking to enterprises about how they were using AI, voice came up frequently, and it started looking into companies working in this area. When we chatted with them more, we realized a lot of voice AI tech was powered by Deepgram, and that's what led us to them [Deepgram],” de Saint-Aignan said. She noted that voice AI could help in making customers' interactions with enterprises more pleasant while reducing costs for companies, and Deepgram could play a central part in it. It noted that more than 1,300 organizations use its voice AI products and models, including meeting notetaker Granola, voice agent startup Vapi, and Twilio. “In the last year, voice AI has gone mainstream, and there is more potential pull. And that is why we felt it could be a good time to raise,” he said. It is also focusing on catering to restaurants through voice AI. To that end, it has acquired Y Combinator-backed OfOne, which built a voice AI-powered solution for quick-service restaurants. The startup claims that it has more than 93% accuracy in receiving orders. Voice AI has had its challenges in the restaurant space. Last year, Taco Bell withdrew its voice AI experiment after a person ordered 18,000 water cups. “I am excited about this [voice AI-driven food ordering] because food ordering might be the first positive interaction more than 300 million Americans have with voice AI. But when you can order your food using natural conversation, people would think the technology is ready,” Stephenson said. There seems to be investor interest in the sector, as OfOne's acquisition news comes after Presto, which serves brands like Carl's Jr., picked up $10 million in new funding. With this growth rate, model and API providers will look to be multibillion-dollar companies by becoming a core component for enterprises and startups developing voice solutions. Google announces a new protocol to facilitate commerce using AI agents I met a lot of weird robots at CES — here are the most memorable Yes, LinkedIn banned AI agent startup Artisan, but now it's back

For Under $100, Atonemo's Streamplayer Makes Old Speakers New Again

Source: {'href': 'https://www.wired.com', 'title': 'WIRED'} Published: 2026-01-13 11:30:00

The Hi-Fi industry seems to be in a state of constant, somewhat unnecessary evolution; if Guglielmo Marconi was inventing the radio today it would almost certainly come in five different colorways, dripped out over a few years as though they were new products. But what about the millions of old analogue amplifiers and passive speakers that still sound great? The Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf speakers you bought 20 years ago remain phenomenal, they're just not as smart. New Swedish startup Atonemo would like to change that with their small, unassuming Streamplayer. Measuring a matchbox-sized 1.97 x 2.76 x 0.73 inches, the Streamplayer is a very simple device designed to give streaming capabilities to any existing speaker. It supports AirPlay 2, has Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, and can offer playback in a respectable 24-bit/192 kHz high resolution. There's no display, a single clicky button, and output options are via one 3.5mm jack either as analog or optical S/PDIF. Power comes via USB-C, and once you've synched everything up with the Atonemo app, linked it to your Wi-Fi, and plugged the supplied 3.5mm jack into an amplifier or active speaker, you can then stream audio to it from pretty much any platform. It took me three minutes to turn a verging-on-vintage Vita Audio R1 Mk1 (what is now Ruark Audio) into a Tidal streaming delight. The app is mercifully stripped back, and the software feels nimble, and is a whole lot more responsive than using Sonos. Despite having access to more hi-fi kit than is strictly healthy, I still struggle with the quality vs. convenience of it all: There's a $45 Echo Spot in my kitchen, but I have a $1,400 Audiolab M-DAC+ headphone amp in the office. The Streamplayer does its best to straddle both these worlds. The team at Atonemo has chosen an integrated DAC from Realtek's SoC (system-on-chip) range. This chip is a mass-market option, but can still handle 24-bit / 192 kHz resolution. It's a world away from high-end standalone DAC chips (like ESS, Cirrus Logic or AKM) but at $99, to expect audiophile levels of DSP (digital signal processing) would be a bit much. Plugged into my father's 20-year-old Arcam amplifier, powering a pair of equally vintage Mordaunt Short floorstanding speakers, the Streamplayer works smoothly. It did require a 3.5mm to RCA cable (more in this below) but dad's box of old cables is a tech treasure trove. On first listen I was impressed by the ease of it all, and switching between Qobuz and Spotify Lossless certainly didn't offend. Rick Danko's bass lines soared and the layering of the instruments was wonderfully pronounced via CD, while they were noticeably subdued when streaming. Atonemo makes a big deal over being able to power “all” legacy speakers. Included in the box is a single 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio jack, giving the ability to plug into active speakers, old radios, cassette players, boomboxes, and anything with a 3.5mm aux-in port. I think including a couple of cable options would have been a good idea, especially at launch, just to avoid any friction points with first-time installation, as not everyone has a box of old cables as comprehensive as my Dad. Atonemo isn't the only option when it comes to breathing new life into older hi-fi components. The WiiM Mini Music Streamer ($89) is cheaper, offers AirPlay/Chromecast/Spotify Connect streaming capabilities and a XX DAC. And for a further boost in audio quality plus one of the finest hi-res streaming multiroom platforms, the $379 Bluesound Node nano streamer is hard to ignore. There are also plenty of basic Bluetooth dongles available too if audio quality, or the ability to enjoy multi-room audio, isn't important to you. But what Atonemo has done well is remove any technical barriers to use. The app is incredibly simple—in a good way—with no bloat, or pretence it is doing anything other than facilitating streaming between your old speakers and a modern streaming platform. Yes, it could (and probably should) squeeze in a better DAC, and a more comprehensive collection of cables, but these are deliberate omissions, not glaring mistakes. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.

Iran Is Hunting Down Starlink Users to Stop Protest Videos from Going Global

Source: {'href': 'https://news.ycombinator.com', 'title': 'Hacker News'} Published: 2026-01-13 05:55:55

Iran shuts down Starlink internet for first time (191 points, 2 days ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46575224Iran is likely jamming Starlink (135 points, yesterday, 273 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46573384 Iran is likely jamming Starlink (135 points, yesterday, 273 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46573384 The perpetual struggles everywhere: rich vs. poor, and open vs. traditional. using BLE) that can handle multiple connects/disconnects seamlessly2. Elon should work on that "starlink <-> wireless mesh-network" part (eg. Asynchronous (you don't know when and where you will get Internet/local network connectivity) mesh (there is no gov infrastructure to be trusted) networking in presence of malicious (gov operated) and unreliable (destroyed by gov) nodes is probably among hardest problems known to computer science. Every single commercial mobile satellite system, other than VSAT needs to tell the network where it is in order to function. The cult of personality around this nerd is amazing That said, the technical problem is hard regardless. Moving helps but you are broadcasting position whenever active. Military SATCOM (MUOS, AEHF) uses frequency hopping, directional antennas, burst transmissions, techniques Starlink was not architected for.The mesh idea has a bandwidth mismatch problem too. BLE tops out around 1 Mbps; Starlink pushes 100+. You would want 802.11s or a MANET protocol, but then you just have a cluster of RF emitters pointing back at the terminal anyway. The mesh idea has a bandwidth mismatch problem too. BLE tops out around 1 Mbps; Starlink pushes 100+. You would want 802.11s or a MANET protocol, but then you just have a cluster of RF emitters pointing back at the terminal anyway. on tech side, I'm not wireless-guy, so I'm giving ble as an example ('something like ble') not as some prescriptionbtw, maybe elon could add those SATCOM features to starlink? or would some software update do?) btw, maybe elon could add those SATCOM features to starlink? or would some software update do?)