Business & Technology
Genesis unveils new flagship GV90 — an electric SUV nearly 5.3 metres long
Hyundai's luxury brand Genesis has presented its new electric flagship GV90, offered in a standard version and a lavish Neolun trim packed with advanced technology and comfort features.
iAuto.lv · 21 Aug, 04:59
Europe weighs boosting Ariane 6 production as subsidies remain a sticking point
The European Space Agency expects ministers to decide by year's end whether to scale up Ariane 6 rocket production, even as each launch still requires tens of millions of euros in government support.
Ars Technica · 21 Aug, 04:03
HyperX debuts its first open-back gaming headset, the Cloud Alpha Air
HyperX has released its first open-back gaming headset, the $150 Cloud Alpha Air, designed to retain strong bass despite the airier soundstage typical of open-back designs. The launch also includes new color options for existing headsets and a new lightweight mouse.
Engadget · 21 Aug, 04:02
AI data startup Micro1 grows gross run rate fivefold to $500M in eight months
Data-labeling startup Micro1 has grown its gross annual run rate from $100 million to $500 million in eight months, fueled by surging demand for AI training data. It still trails rivals Mercor and Handshake, but its growth shows room for multiple players in the market.
TechCrunch AI · 21 Aug, 04:01
Nevada approves up to 8,000 robotaxis from Tesla, Uber and Waymo
The Nevada Transportation Authority has unanimously approved permits letting Tesla, Uber and Waymo run commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, including Las Vegas, allowing up to 8,000 autonomous vehicles on the road within a year.
TechCrunch · 21 Aug, 03:59
ChatGPT can now connect to Apple Messages and send texts on your behalf
OpenAI has launched a new Apple Messages plug-in for ChatGPT, letting users link their Messages inbox to the chatbot to sort, analyze and even send texts. The feature raises new privacy questions.
TechCrunch AI · 21 Aug, 03:02
GitHub: monthly commits doubled in four months, overwhelming server capacity
GitHub says Monday's outage, which knocked out several services for more than seven hours, was caused by a capacity failure rather than a code or configuration error, after monthly commits doubled from 1.4 billion to 2.9 billion since April.
Engadget · 21 Aug, 03:01
Google Pixel 11: A Modest Step Forward
Google's new Pixel 11 keeps last year's screen but adds a faster Tensor G6 chip and a more comfortable one-handed feel. Changes overall are incremental.
Wired · 21 Aug, 02:59
Founder who raised $1B tells VCs what investors really want to see
Puzzle founder and CEO Sasha Orloff shares in a new podcast episode what venture capital investors actually look for from startup founders during fundraising. He stresses the importance of understanding your company's financial reality before pitching investors.
TechCrunch · 21 Aug, 02:58
"Global Gateway": EU strategy opens a path to new markets for Latvian businesses
Representatives of Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs explain how the EU's "Global Gateway" initiative can help Latvian small and medium-sized enterprises expand beyond traditional European markets.
TVNET · 21 Aug, 02:01
OpenAI starts closing the gap with Anthropic among business users
New data from expense platform Ramp shows OpenAI narrowing Anthropic's lead among US business customers in recent months, even as Anthropic remains ahead overall.
TechCrunch · 21 Aug, 01:59
Dave Bautista steps in as new Kratos for Amazon's God of War series
Actor Dave Bautista will now play Kratos in Prime Video's God of War adaptation after original lead Ryan Hurst suffered an on-set injury. The series already has a two-season order.
Engadget · 21 Aug, 01:59
Fastest Known Star in the Galaxy Could Help Reveal a Black Hole's Spin
Astronomers have identified S301, the fastest known star in the Milky Way, orbiting close to the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at speeds up to 25,000 km/s.
Wired · 21 Aug, 01:06
Google Discover to let users customize their feed with an AI chatbot
Google is rolling out a new feature that lets users shape their Discover feed by describing their preferences to an AI chatbot. The tool arrives in the Google app within the coming days.
The Verge · 21 Aug, 00:59
Riot Games to end active development of League of Legends fighting game 2XKO
Riot Games says it will stop active development of its free-to-play fighting game 2XKO by the end of 2026 after failing to retain enough players for long-term sustainability. Servers will remain online afterward, and Riot is unlocking all characters and refunding player spending.
The Verge · 21 Aug, 00:07
US Insurers War-Game Chinese Cyberattack on Water Supply
US insurance industry executives ran a closed-door simulation of a Chinese-linked cyberattack knocking out 5,000 water utilities at once, tied to the Volt Typhoon hacking group that has spent three years embedding itself in American infrastructure.
Wired · 21 Aug, 00:06
Can data centers really be cooled with human urine?
A tongue-in-cheek Liquid Death ad featuring former NFL star Jason Kelce jokes about using urine to cool AI data centers, and it turns out there's a real practice behind the gag: recycled wastewater. Experts say raw urine wouldn't work, but treated water is already easing the industry's massive water demands.
TechCrunch · 20 Aug, 23:59
Expert: Recent Cyberattacks Expose Long-Known but Unfixed Vulnerabilities
Cybersecurity commentator Ieva Ilvesa says recent high-profile cyberattacks in Latvia reveal years of unaddressed security flaws, and recommends the state form two separate teams — one to handle fallout, one to build risk-based defenses.
Delfi · 20 Aug, 23:04
Google launches embeddable button letting readers highlight favorite news sources
Google is giving publishers a new tool — an embeddable "Preferred Sources" button that lets readers flag a site to appear more often in Search, Discover and AI features. The move comes as AI-driven search continues to erode traffic to news websites.
TechCrunch AI · 20 Aug, 23:03
Fuel prices above $4 a gallon squeeze US shoppers as Walmart growth slows
With US gasoline prices holding above $4 per gallon, consumers are rethinking their spending, a shift that has also weighed on retail giant Walmart's sales growth.
Al Jazeera · 20 Aug, 23:02
US senators press TikTok over hidden test that delayed a safety feature
Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal are demanding TikTok explain why it withheld an algorithm safety feature from millions of users in 2021 to measure its effect on engagement. The letter follows reports that a teen who died by suicide was part of that test group.
Engadget · 20 Aug, 23:00
Genesis GV90 debuts with hidden B-pillar coach doors and a roof airbag
Genesis, Hyundai's luxury brand, has unveiled the GV90, its first full-size three-row electric SUV for the US market, packed with unconventional design features. The vehicle replaces the traditional B-pillar with a new safety structure and adds a long list of unusual comfort features.
The Verge · 20 Aug, 22:59
Mark Zuckerberg buys Irish castle worth up to $35 million
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has purchased the 19th-century Strancally Castle in Ireland for an estimated $23-35 million. The estate sits near Meta's international headquarters in Dublin.
TechCrunch · 20 Aug, 22:59
Gamescom's Opening Night Live kicks off August 25
Gamescom 2026 will open with the Opening Night Live showcase on August 25, hosted by Geoff Keighley and featuring new looks at Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, Gears of War: E-Day and a Witcher 3 expansion. The event will be livestreamed online.
Engadget · 20 Aug, 22:01
Silicon Valley Doesn't Get Why the Public Distrusts AI
New polling shows a large share of Americans are wary of artificial intelligence, while industry leaders publicly disagree over what's fueling the backlash.
Wired · 20 Aug, 22:00
Mark Zuckerberg buys castle estate in Ireland
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have purchased Strancally Castle and its 440-acre estate in Ireland, a deal reportedly worth tens of millions of euros.
The Verge · 20 Aug, 22:00
xAI's Grok chatbot glitches, sends nonsensical replies to some users
Several Grok Lite users have reported the chatbot producing strings of nonsensical text instead of coherent answers. xAI has not officially commented, though the Grok account on X described it as a rare, temporary generation glitch.
TechCrunch · 20 Aug, 21:05
xAI's Grok chatbot glitching out with gibberish replies for some users
A number of Grok users have reported receiving nonsensical, word-salad responses from the chatbot since Wednesday. xAI has not officially explained the glitch, though its Grok account on X acknowledged it as a temporary generation issue.
TechCrunch AI · 20 Aug, 21:05
Recent Windows 11 update triggers game crashes and other glitches
A mandatory Windows 11 security update released on August 11 has caused game crashes, login errors and other system issues for some users. Microsoft has opened an investigation but has not yet announced a fix.
Engadget · 20 Aug, 21:04
Australian regulator says Roblox still hasn't fixed child safety risks
Australia's eSafety regulator found that adults can still contact children on Roblox without parental consent, despite the platform's new safety measures. Roblox says it will add further protections.
The Verge · 20 Aug, 21:01
Drought in Europe pushes up costs and stokes inflation risks
Low water levels on rivers such as the Rhine are raising shipping and energy costs, while economists warn that weather extremes are increasingly influencing eurozone inflation.
Deutsche Welle · 20 Aug, 20:05
Expense management firm Ramp rolls out its own AI model routing tool
Corporate expense platform Ramp launched an AI model routing service called Router on Wednesday, letting users switch between large language models through a single API. The service is currently US-only and free through the end of 2026.
TechCrunch · 20 Aug, 20:01
Ramp launches its own AI model router called Router
Expense management platform Ramp has unveiled Router, a new service that lets users switch between multiple large language models through a single API. It's currently available only in the US and free through the end of 2026.
TechCrunch AI · 20 Aug, 20:00
Riga municipal police explain unmarked car parked under bridge
After readers questioned why an unmarked police car was stationed under a Riga bridge, city police explained it stopped there due to a tyre malfunction, not for covert speed enforcement. The incident occurred on 16 July on Krasta iela.
iAuto.lv · 20 Aug, 20:00
Belgian creative-learning platform Artwod raises €1.1 million to build creators' marketplace
Antwerp-based Artwod, a guided learning and community platform for visual artists, has closed a €1.1 million seed round to launch a creators' marketplace and deepen community engagement.
EU-Startups · 20 Aug, 19:05
Tesla's Robotaxi fleet in Austin may finally be driving fully unsupervised
Data from a crowdsourced tracking app suggests Tesla's entire Robotaxi fleet in Austin is now operating without human safety monitors, just weeks before the Cybercab's planned launch.
Engadget · 20 Aug, 19:01