Ukraine's military robot surge aims to offset drone risks to humans
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/ukraines-military-robot-surge-aims-to-offset-drone-risks-to-humans/Ukraine is replacing more soldiers with robots in the battlefield kill zone.
Latest Headlines
Sony killing features for antenna, set-top box users of Bravia smart TVs in May
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/sony-killing-features-for-antenna-set-top-box-users-of-bravia-smart-tvs-in-may/Some 2023 and 2024 models are also affected.
Americans ask AI for health care. Hospitals think the answer is more chatbots.
https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/04/americans-ask-ai-for-health-care-hospitals-think-the-answer-is-more-chatbots/Do you trust AI chatbots for health advice? What about one in your patient portal?
Two-year-old Surface PCs get $300 price hikes as sub-$1,000 models go away
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/two-year-old-surface-pcs-get-300-price-hikes-as-sub-1000-models-go-away/"Paying more for the same stuff" is the story of consumer technology in 2026.
Apple chooses Amazon satellites for iPhone, years after rejecting Starlink offer
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/amazon-to-merge-with-globalstar-become-iphones-primary-satellite-provider/Amazon announces $11.6B merger with Globalstar and satellite deal with Apple.
UK gov's Mythos AI tests help separate cybersecurity threat from hype
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/uk-govs-mythos-ai-tests-help-separate-cybersecurity-threat-from-hype/New model is the first AI system to complete a difficult multistep infiltration challenge.
Google introduces "Skills" in Chrome to make Gemini prompts instantly reusable
https://arstechnica.com/google/2026/04/google-introduces-skills-in-chrome-to-make-gemini-prompts-instantly-reusable/You can save custom prompts you find useful or grab a premade Skill from Google's library.
Physicists think they've resolved the proton size puzzle
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/04/physicists-think-theyve-resolved-the-proton-size-puzzle/"We believe this is the final nail in the coffin of the proton radius puzzle."
NASA chose the right crew to launch a new era of human space exploration
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/04/rockets-and-spaceships-are-cool-but-the-humanity-of-artemis-ii-resonated-most/"It's a special thing to be human, and it's a special thing to be on planet Earth."
Google will begin punishing sites for back button hijacking in June
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/websites-that-hijack-your-back-button-must-stop-by-june-15-or-face-googles-wrath/Google says it could penalize back button hijacking by demoting websites in search ranking.
IONNA Rechargeries are coming to more than 350 Circle K stations
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/04/circle-k-partners-with-ionna-to-upgrade-its-ev-charging-experience/The OEM-backed charging network offers 400 kW NACS and CCS DC fast chargers.
Retro Rewind re-creates the glorious drudgery of working a '90s video store
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/04/retro-rewind-re-creates-the-glorious-drudgery-of-working-a-90s-video-store/What the nostalgic throwback lacks in complexity it makes up for in repetitive charm.
Measles takes a plane to Idaho, which has worst vaccination rate in US
https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/04/airport-measles-case-reported-in-idaho-state-with-lowest-vaccination-rate/In the 2024-2025 school year, only 78.5% of kindergartners had measles vaccination.
Google shoehorned Rust into Pixel 10 modem to make legacy code safer
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/google-shoehorned-rust-into-pixel-10-modem-to-make-legacy-code-safer/Cellular modems are complex black boxes of legacy code, but Google is making them safer with Rust.
NZXT agrees to let customers keep their rental PCs in class-action settlement
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/nzxt-agrees-to-3-45-million-settlement-over-controversial-rental-pc-program/NZXT will forgive up to $5,000 in debt for customers of the Flex program.
Your tech support company runs scams. Stop—or disguise with more fraud?
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/your-tech-support-company-runs-scams-stop-or-disguise-with-more-fraud/Fake it till you make it.
Sunrise on the Reaping teaser brings us a Second Quarter Quell
https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/04/sunrise-on-the-reaping-teaser-brings-us-a-second-quarter-quell/"You have no idea what's in store for you. Twice the number of tributes, twice the glory."
IBM folds to Trump anti-DEI push, admits no misconduct but pays $17M penalty
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/ibm-folds-to-trump-anti-dei-push-admits-no-misconduct-but-pays-17m-penalty/IBM is first firm to pay penalty under Trump's "Civil Rights Fraud Initiative."
Slate Auto raises $650 million as production gets closer and closer
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/04/slate-auto-raises-650-million-as-production-gets-closer-and-closer/The Slate Truck will start in the "mid-$20,000s" when it goes on sale in late 2026.
Meta spins up AI version of Mark Zuckerberg to engage with employees
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/meta-spins-up-ai-version-of-mark-zuckerberg-to-engage-with-employees/The Meta chief is personally involved in training and testing his animated AI.
Anthropic's rise is giving some OpenAI investors second thoughts
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/anthropics-rise-is-giving-some-openai-investors-second-thoughts/One investor who has backed both companies told the FT that justifying OpenAI's recent round required assuming an IPO valuation of $1.2 trillion or more — making Anthropic's current $380 billion valuation look like the relative bargain.
AI data center startup Fluidstack in talks for $1B round at $18B valuation months after hitting $7.5B, says report
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/ai-datacenter-startup-fluidstack-in-talks-for-1b-round-at-18b-valuation-months-after-hitting-7-5b-says-report/Fundraising is reportedly flowing for Fluidstack after it secured a $50 billion deal to build data centers for Anthropic.
Someone planted backdoors in dozens of WordPress plug-ins used in thousands of websites
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/someone-planted-backdoors-in-dozens-of-wordpress-plugins-used-in-thousands-of-websites/Dozens of WordPress plug-ins were allegedly hijacked to push malware after they were sold to a new corporate owner.
Anthropic co-founder confirms the company briefed the Trump administration on Mythos
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/anthropic-co-founder-confirms-the-company-briefed-the-trump-administration-on-mythos/In an interview at the Semafor World Economy summit this week, Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark explained why the company was still engaged with the U.S. government while simultaneously suing them.
London gets closer to its first robotaxi service as Waymo begins testing
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/london-gets-closer-to-its-first-robotaxi-service-as-waymo-begins-testing/Waymo's commercial service will eventually follow testing if the U.K. government approves.
YouTube livestreams will now hold back ads during peak engagement to protect the vibe
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/youtube-livestreams-will-now-hold-back-ads-during-peak-engagement-to-protect-the-vibe/Until now, the only way to avoid seeing ads was by paying for a YouTube Premium subscription.
Max Hodak's Science Corp. is preparing to place its first sensor in a human brain
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/max-hodaks-science-corp-is-preparing-to-place-its-first-sensor-in-a-human-brain/The device could help address multiple neurological conditions if it proves successful. One early use could be delivering gentle electrical stimulation to damaged brain or spinal cord cells to encourage healing.
Google adds AI Skills to Chrome to help you save favorite workflows
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/google-adds-ai-skills-to-chrome-to-help-you-save-favorite-workflows/Google is adding "Skills" to Chrome, letting users save and reuse AI prompts across websites. The feature builds on Gemini's browser integration.
How the rewards app Freecash scammed its way to the top of the app stores
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/how-the-rewards-app-freecash-scammed-its-way-to-the-top-of-the-app-stores/Freecash was removed from Apple's App Store after TechCrunch reached out for comment.
Financial risk management platform Pillar raises $20M seed in round led by a16z
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/financial-risk-management-platform-pillar-raises-20m-seed-in-round-led-by-a16z/Pillar hopes to offer sophisticated, institutional-grade tools to small and medium-sized enterprises. "Our goal is to make hedging as accessible and ubiquitous as payments or accounting software," he said.
In just a couple weeks, StrictlyVC San Francisco brings leaders from TDK Ventures, Replit, and more together
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/join-the-first-strictlyvc-of-2026-in-sf-with-leaders-from-tdk-ventures-and-replits-co-founder/The first StrictlyVC of the year will be coming to San Francisco before you know it. There are still a few tickets available to join us and our stacked speaker lineup April 30, so register today!
Google brings its Gemini Personal Intelligence feature to India
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/google-brings-its-gemini-personal-intelligence-feature-to-india/The feature lets users connect Google accounts like Gmail and Photos to get personalized answers.
Adobe fixes PDF zero-day security bug that hackers have exploited for months
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/adobe-fixes-pdf-zero-day-security-bug-that-hackers-have-exploited-for-months/It's not clear how many people were compromised by this hacking campaign, but a security researcher said the hackers were targeting victims since at least November 2025.
Tesla adds ‘streaks,' other stats to track how often drivers use Full Self-Driving software
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/tesla-adds-streaks-and-other-stats-to-track-how-often-drivers-use-full-self-driving-software/Tesla has also made it easy to subscribe to the advanced driver assistance system.
Instacart acquires Instaleap to expand its enterprise platform internationally
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/instacart-acquires-instaleap-to-expand-its-enterprise-platform-internationally/The acquisition will allow the company to expand its business into international markets without needing to launch a delivery network in those regions.
How vibe-coding app Anything is rebuilding after getting booted from the App Store twice
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/how-vibe-coding-app-anything-is-rebuilding-after-getting-booted-from-the-app-store-twice/Anything is planning to launch a desktop companion app to aid mobile app development after its App Store removal.
Amazon to buy Globalstar for $11.57B in bid to flesh out its satellite biz
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/amazon-to-buy-globalstar-for-11-57b-in-bid-to-flesh-out-its-satellite-biz/Amazon on Tuesday agreed to buy satellite company Globalstar, known for powering Apple's "Emergency SOS" feature, for $11.57 billion in cash.
Lucid Motors names new CEO, lands more money from Uber and Saudis
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/lucid-motors-names-new-ceo-lands-more-money-from-uber-and-saudis/The search for a new CEO, which lasted over a year following the sudden resignation of Peter Rawlinson, is finally over.
Inertia moves to commercialize one of the world's most elaborate science experiments
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/14/inertia-moves-to-commercialize-one-of-the-worlds-most-elaborate-science-experiments/Inertia has signed three agreements with the Lawrence Livermore National Lab, paving the way for the company to bring its pioneering fusion reactor to market.
An Amazon warehouse worker died on the job at Oregon facility
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/13/an-amazon-warehouse-worker-died-on-the-job-at-oregon-facility/Though Amazon has faced issues with warehouse safety, the company said that the death was not work related.
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Godzilla Minus Zero stomps through New York in first teaser trailer
https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/912025/godzilla-minus-zero-teaser-trailer*insert Godzilla screeching sound* Here's the very first look at the next big kaiju feature. Godzilla Minus Zero will continue the story of 2023's Godzilla Minus One, which returned the franchise to the more grounded tone established in the original film, and while the new teaser trailer doesn't sho
Microsoft's finally giving up on its massive Surface Hub touchscreen displays
https://www.theverge.com/tech/912114/microsoft-surface-hub-displays-discontinuedMicrosoft is reportedly ending production of its Surface Hub 3 collaborative office display and canceling plans for a Surface Hub 4, according to Windows Central. The extra-large digital whiteboard that included its own built-in PC was originally announced in 2015 ahead of the launch of Windows 10 a
The FCC just saved Netgear from its router ban for no obvious reason
https://www.theverge.com/tech/911888/netgear-router-ban-conditional-approvalThe United States' foreign router ban didn't make a whole lot of sense, and today may not change that. The FCC has just granted Netgear a conditional approval to import its future consumer routers, cable modems, and cable gateways into the US through October 1st, 2027 - even though the company build
Dozens of 4K Blu-rays are included in Amazon's three for $33 sale
https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/911806/4k-bluray-movie-three-for-33-amazon-deal-saleAmazon has switched on its semi-regular three for $33 sale for a large batch of 4K Blu-ray movies. As usual, there are too many to list individually, though it's a comprehensive mix of old and new flicks that should keep physical media fans scrolling for a minute. The steps to get in on the deal [&#
Prime Video is bundling Apple TV Plus and Peacock for a limited time
https://www.theverge.com/streaming/911793/amazon-prime-video-apple-tv-plus-peacock-bundleAmazon is offering Prime Video subscribers a way to get Apple TV Plus and Peacock Premium Plus at a discount. With a new bundle, subscribers can access all content from both services directly through Prime Video. The bundle includes both streaming services for $19.99 per month, as opposed to the tot
Privacy advocates want Google to stop handing consumer data over to ICE
https://www.theverge.com/news/911789/eff-google-giving-data-ice-california-new-yorkThe Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is asking the attorneys general of California and New York to investigate Google for deceptive trade practices, saying the tech giant fails to notify users before handing over their data to law enforcement agencies like ICE. "For nearly a decade, Google has p
The attacks on Sam Altman are a warning for the AI world
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/911778/ai-violence-sam-altman-homeBefore allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's home, the 20-year-old accused attacker wrote about his fear that the AI race would cause humans to go extinct, the San Francisco Chronicle found. Two days later, Altman's home appeared to be targeted a second time, according to
Elon Musk grilled by senator over X Money plans
https://www.theverge.com/policy/911702/elon-musk-x-money-senator-warrenElon Musk is facing questions about his upcoming payments platform, X Money, and whether it will allow users to safely perform transactions. In a letter to Musk on Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) writes that X Money could pose a risk to "consumers, our national security, and the stability of t
You can grab LG's B5 OLED TV for over 50 percent off right now
https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/911719/lg-b5-oled-tv-48-55-inch-best-buy-deal-saleIf you're looking to get OLED picture quality without spending a couple thousand dollars, LG's 48-inch B5 OLED TV is on sale for $599.99 ($700 off) at Best Buy, which is one of the best prices we've seen on the budget-friendly TV. You can also buy the 55-inch model from Amazon, Best Buy, and LG [&
Leaked images reveal a dual-lens pro version of DJI's next Osmo Pocket camera
https://www.theverge.com/tech/911674/dji-osmo-pocket-4-pro-leak-rumor-dual-cameraReliable leaker Igor Bogdanov shared an image on X yesterday of an unseen person holding two versions of a handheld stabilized camera, including one that's rumored to be a pro version of the DJI Osmo Pocket 4. The company is expected to announce the latest version of its baby steadicam on April 16th