Ars Live: Ross Scott discusses the Stop Killing Games movement
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/08/ars-live-ross-scott-discusses-the-stop-killing-games-movement/Our discussion takes place live on August 11 at 3 pm ET.
Latest Headlines
With new open models, Meta pitches another reboot of its struggling AI strategy
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/08/with-new-open-models-meta-pitches-another-reboot-of-its-struggling-ai-strategy/Meta has been trailing competitors. Zuckerberg thinks he's found a way forward.
Trump signs bonkers order that cuts vaccines, promotes ones that don't exist
https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/08/trump-signs-bonkers-order-that-cuts-vaccines-promotes-ones-that-dont-exist/Trump falsely claimed the MMR vaccine is "quite lethal" and linked shots to autism.
Developer Cold Iron Studios shuts down cloud version of $60 game with no refunds
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/players-lose-access-to-aliens-fireteam-elite-on-nintendo-switch-without-refunds/A reminder of the perils of digital ownership.
Amazon backs power plant that may become top source of US climate pollution
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/Amazon announces first off-the-grid data center in race to reap AI profits.
Zuckerberg's superyacht ignored emergency channel, failed to aid stranded boat
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/zuckerbergs-super-yacht-stood-by-while-stranded-boaters-looked-for-help/Zuckerberg's superyacht and support ship were slow to heed Coast Guard call.
Has Ford got cheap car fever? A $25K crossover is supposedly on the way.
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/08/has-ford-got-cheap-car-fever-allegedly-a-25k-crossover-is-on-the-way/Ford dealers were told about the new Escape-sized model; one of them spilled the beans.
Taylor Farms recalls jalapeño products for Salmonella amid Cyclospora outbreak
https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/08/taylor-farms-recalls-jalapeno-products-for-salmonella-amid-cyclospora-outbreak/Recall of jalapeño products spans 26 states, major retailers, a variety of foods.
Valve slowly expands SteamOS support on non-Valve hardware
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/08/valve-slowly-expands-steamos-support-on-non-valve-hardware/New update includes improvements for the Intel-based MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ among others.
Following Epic loss, Google has started hosting rival app stores in the Play Store
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/third-party-app-stores-are-rolling-out-in-google-play-but-theres-only-one-right-now/Aptoide has become the first app store distributed inside Google Play under a judge's order.
One of China's workhorse rockets just exploded in flight
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/08/one-of-chinas-workhorse-rockets-just-exploded-in-flight/If the failure involved the YF-100 engine, there are broader concerns for China's space program.
Dogs can tell if you're scared or sad
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/dogs-can-tell-if-youre-scared-or-sad/fMRI scans show happiness, fear, anger, and sadness have distinct brain activity patterns in doggy brains.
2026 Subaru Outback review: Great interior, refined drive, divisive looks
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/08/2026-subaru-outback-limited-review-boxy-outside-almost-premium-inside/The newest Outback sticks to the script; that's no bad thing if you like Outbacks.
A researcher bought noreply.net. Companies started sending him secrets.
https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/08/a-researcher-bought-noreply-net-companies-started-sending-him-secrets/Companies treat some email domains as digital trash cans, despite the risks.
Peer review is overwhelmed—can it survive in the AI era?
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/peer-review-is-overwhelmed-can-it-survive-in-the-ai-era/As research and AI-assisted papers surge, volunteer reviewers struggle to keep up.
Mount Toba eruption doesn't seem like it could nearly kill our species
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/mount-toba-eruption-doesnt-seem-like-it-could-nearly-kill-our-species/The massive Toba eruption seems to have had little climate impact.
The first self-driving vehicle on Mars has proven to be a smashing success
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/08/the-first-self-driving-vehicle-on-mars-has-proven-to-be-a-smashing-success/About 90 percent of the distance driven by Perseverance has been autonomous.
DeepMind's hurricane breakthrough has surprised weather scientists
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/deepminds-hurricane-model-bought-forecasters-an-extra-day/Open source WeatherNext model can make accurate predictions with lower-resolution weather data.
Europe's free satellite service just made it easier to track wildfires
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/europes-free-satellite-service-just-made-it-easier-to-track-wildfires/Copernicus Browser adds wildfire visualization amid record wildfire season.
Flesh-eating screwworms feast on humans in Mexico; human cases top 500
https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/08/flesh-eating-screwworms-feast-on-humans-in-mexico-human-cases-top-500/Six deaths reported among screwworm cases, one directly attributed to the flies.
OpenAI reportedly completed a $7 billion employee tender offer
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/openai-reportedly-completed-a-7-billion-employee-tender-offer/San Francisco's housing market is in trouble again.
As AI-led attacks multiply, OpenAI launches a new cyber model
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/as-ai-led-attacks-multiply-openai-launches-a-new-cyber-model/OpenAI is expanding its AI cybersecurity defense program Daybreak, and rolling out a new cyber-trained AI model with it.
Jeff Bezos might finally get his hands on a sports team
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/jeff-bezos-might-finally-get-his-hands-on-a-sports-team/Jeff Bezos is reportedly close to buying his first stake in a sports team: the U.K.'s famed Liverpool Football Club.
Now Rippling is counter-suing tiny startup Runlayer
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/now-rippling-is-counter-suing-tiny-startup-runlayer/This lawsuit follows one filed last month by Runlayer that accused Rippling of stealing its product ideas. It's a seller- and buyer-beware market warning.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has now spent $100 million to fight the billionaire tax
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/google-co-founder-sergey-brin-has-now-spent-100-million-to-fight-the-billionaire-tax/California's Prop 40 would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of the state's billionaires.
Mark Zuckerberg's AI manifesto is exactly why people don't like AI
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/mark-zuckerbergs-ai-manifesto-is-exactly-why-people-dont-like-ai/On Monday, Mark Zuckerberg published a 6,500-word manifesto about personal AI, largely about the possibilities for the "personal superintelligence" systems Meta AI is building.
Tech industry is buzzing after a Claude agent hacked into a gym
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/tech-industry-is-buzzing-after-a-claude-agent-hacked-into-a-gym/An OpenClaw agent hacked into a gym's reservation system to bump its human boss higher on a class' waitlist. And the tech industry took notice.
Aptoide becomes the first rival app store to return to Google Play in the US
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/aptoide-becomes-the-first-rival-app-store-to-return-to-google-play-in-the-us/Aptoide has brought its games store back to Google Play after more than a decade, as court-ordered changes open Android to competing app stores.
Social media platforms still facing thousands of user addiction lawsuits after failed appeals
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/social-media-platforms-still-facing-thousands-of-user-addiction-lawsuits-after-failed-appeals/Platforms like Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and Google are facing a long road of litigation.
YouTube now requires creators to have twice as many watch hours to start earning money
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/youtube-now-requires-creators-to-have-twice-as-many-watch-hours-to-start-earning-money/Creators who want to start earning on the platform will need at least 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Clicks' Power Keyboard brings BlackBerry-style typing to any phone — with some compromises
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/clicks-power-keyboard-brings-blackberry-style-typing-to-any-phone-with-some-compromises/Clicks' $99 Power Keyboard brings a customizable, slide-out physical keyboard to MagSafe and Qi2 smartphones, but its added heft can make larger phones awkward to use.
Meta's new Glimmer AI model offers a hint at Zuckerberg's personal intelligence vision
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/metas-new-glimmer-ai-model-offers-a-hint-at-zuckerbergs-personal-intelligence-vision/Meta's new open-weight Muse Glimmer model offers a glimpse of Mark Zuckerberg's personal superintelligence vision, as well as the emerging divide between AI users can own and access.
Sila lands $1.4B Pentagon loan as militaries demand more batteries
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/sila-lands-1-4b-pentagon-loan-as-militaries-demand-more-batteries/Battery materials startup Sila will use a $1.4 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Defense to scale production at its factory in Washington state.
Archer buys former rival Wisk Aero
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/archer-buys-former-rival-wisk-aero/The two companies were once embroiled in a trade secret theft lawsuit. Now, Wisk is being absorbed into Archer.
A data breach at shipping giant Ceva Logistics is rippling across banks, retailers, Steam gamers, and beyond
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/a-data-breach-at-shipping-giant-ceva-logistics-is-rippling-across-banks-retailers-steam-gamers-and-beyond/Companies that rely on Ceva Logistics for shipping their physical goods to customers say their personal data was taken during a recent cyberattack.
Signed up for Klaviyo? Dozens of advertisers may have seen your password
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/signed-up-for-klaviyo-dozens-of-advertisers-may-have-seen-your-password/A bug in the tech giant's website the logo of US marketing automation company Klaviyo Inc. is seen displayed on a smartphone in front of an abstract background on a computer screen..
Discovered Materials is playing AI whack-a-mole to hunt cooler chips
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/discovered-materials-is-playing-ai-whack-a-mole-to-hunt-cooler-chips/Discovered Materials raised $9 million to fund the hunt for more novel materials to build more efficient chips.
Google Play adds Venmo as a payment option
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/google-play-adds-venmo-as-a-payment-option/The ability to add Venmo to Google Play comes as people are spending more money on apps and games.
Embattled hedge fund Situational Awareness invests $400M in chip startup Source Foundry
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/09/embattled-hedge-fund-situational-awareness-invests-400m-in-chip-startup-source-foundry/The AI-focused hedge fund is still making some big bets.
Anthropic is turning Claude Code's auto mode on by default
https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/09/anthropic-is-turning-claude-codes-auto-mode-on-by-default/Programming with Claude Code will soon require even less human oversight.
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Mark Zuckerberg doesn't understand how to live
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/977623/mark-zuckerberg-ai-manifesto-dim-visionRecently, a man I was rock climbing with told me about how he'd used AI to make a motivational poster for himself, which he'd hung on his bedroom wall: a bear, walking a slackline over a canyon, holding a sign that said, "Do cool shit." I made what I hoped was a polite noise. What […]
Anker's travel charger works in almost any country and is down to $20
https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/977626/anker-nano-travel-adapter-summer-travel-tech-deal-saleIf you've got international travel coming up, an adapter is essential for keeping your phone, earbuds, power banks, and other gadgets charged. Anker's Nano Travel Adapter is one of our picks from our guide to the best gadgets for summer travel because it can charge up to five devices at once, yet it
Bluesky now lets you hide reposts from that annoying person you follow
https://www.theverge.com/tech/977581/bluesky-hide-reposts-user-post-count-threadsBluesky has added a new feature that lets you hide reposts from a specific person in your feeds. The tool might be helpful if you want to stop seeing reposts from that one person who clogs up your feed with reposts of things you don't care about. If you follow me, I may be that […]
Costco's great Switch 2 console bundle includes over $100 in free stuff
https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/977489/costco-switch-2-microsd-express-switch-online-expansion-deal-saleThe cost of the Nintendo Switch 2 is going up by $50 on September 1st, 2026, resulting in a $499.99 price tag for just the console. We're just weeks away, but Costco is offering a fantastic $499.99 bundle for its members that includes a Nintendo Switch 2, a 256GB microSD Express card (usually $59),
What to expect from Google's 2026 Pixel hardware launch event
https://www.theverge.com/tech/977448/made-by-google-2026-pixel-hardware-launch-eventIt's that time of year: On Wednesday, Google is set to host its annual Made by Google hardware launch event for Pixel gadgets. Google itself has already teased new slab-style and foldable Pixel smartphones, but leaks also indicate that the company could announce updated watches, a new color for fami
YouTube is making it harder to earn money on YouTube
https://www.theverge.com/streaming/977474/youtube-partner-program-new-requirementsStarting February 1st, 2027, creators who want to monetize their channel through YouTube's Partner Program (YPP) will need at least 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. That's a sizeable jump from YouTu
Four takeaways from Mark Zuckerberg's massive AI manifesto
https://www.theverge.com/tech/977395/meta-mark-zuckerberg-superintelligent-ai-rambleMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has a lot to say about the idealized future he now envisions for humanity co-existing with artificial intelligence - his latest essay spans more than 6,500 words on the matter. The lengthy manifesto Zuckerberg published on Monday, titled "The Future is for Everyone," broadly
Apple will stream Friday Night Baseball live in Vision Pro
https://www.theverge.com/tech/977199/apple-will-stream-friday-night-baseball-live-in-vision-proStarting on Friday, August 28th, Apple will begin streaming Friday Night Baseball in immersive video on Apple Vision Pro. The stream will feature commentary from various analysts and reporters, and live graphics will be anchored around the viewers space during the game. After the games conclude, rep
Keychron's wireless Hall effect keyboard is back to its lowest price
https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/977300/keychron-hall-effect-sony-inzone-headsets-gaming-laptop-deal-saleGetting a keyboard with customizable Hall effect sensors is more affordable than it used to be, and you don't need to compromise on quality to get a good deal. Keychron's aluminum-clad K2 HE with a 75-percent layout is down to $103.99 (was $130) at Amazon, which matches the lowest price we've seen o
What happens to Bose when headphones become AI?
https://www.theverge.com/podcast/975732/bose-ceo-lila-snyder-ai-wearables-licensing-headphones-audioToday, I'm talking with Lila Snyder, who is the CEO of Bose. You certainly know Bose — it's one of the most famous brands in all of consumer tech. The company started 60 years ago selling speakers to consumers, and its focus on research and development has led it to be a leader in both […]