Business & Technology
Scientists Use AI to Create New Viruses for the First Time
Researchers from Stanford University and the Arc Institute have used two specialized artificial intelligence models to create new viruses for the first time in history. Delfi columnist Māris Zanders notes that, like an axe, such technology can serve both good and harmful purposes.
Delfi · 17 Aug, 23:03
Glorious GMMK 3 mechanical keyboard on sale for $35
The compact 65-percent Glorious GMMK 3 mechanical keyboard is discounted to $34.99 at Woot using a coupon code, down from its usual $139.99 price.
The Verge · 17 Aug, 23:02
Reddit tests audio and video versions of posts
Reddit has launched a limited experiment letting users listen to or watch short-video versions of posts and comments instead of reading text. The feature is initially rolling out to a sample of posts in select communities.
Engadget · 17 Aug, 23:01
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Discounted passes end August 21
Discounted passes for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, offering savings of up to $300, are available only until August 21. The event runs October 13-15 in San Francisco.
TechCrunch · 17 Aug, 23:00
Sonos brings speaker controls back to the iPhone lock screen
Sonos has released an app update that uses Apple's Live Activities system to restore speaker controls on the iPhone lock screen, a feature that disappeared in 2023.
Engadget · 17 Aug, 22:02
Reddit begins testing new audio and video format similar to TikTok stories
Reddit has started testing a feature that lets users listen to or watch select posts in audio and video form. The initial trial covers only some English-language communities within Reddit's mobile apps.
TechCrunch · 17 Aug, 22:00
New EU packaging rules raise questions for small businesses
A new EU packaging regulation now requires businesses to register in every country where they sell goods. Some small entrepreneurs have paused foreign sales while awaiting clarification.
ERR (rus) · 17 Aug, 22:00
RSS reader Feedly blames week-long slowdown on a bug, not its AI shift
Feedly, the world's largest standalone RSS reader, has suffered over a week of technical problems including a severely slow web app, which the company says stems from a software bug rather than its pivot toward AI. Users have also complained about a broken iOS app and an unannounced shutdown of the classic mobile version.
TechCrunch · 17 Aug, 21:05
YouTube to change how it counts views, boosting the numbers
Starting August 24th, YouTube will count a view as soon as a video begins playing, matching the approach used by Instagram and TikTok. The change won't affect creator earnings or Partner Program eligibility.
The Verge · 17 Aug, 21:04
Why 4K Blu-ray Usually Beats 4K Streaming in Picture Quality
Although both 4K streams and Ultra HD Blu-ray discs can display the same resolution, discs typically deliver far more data per frame, giving them a quality edge. The key factor is bitrate and compression, not resolution itself.
Engadget · 17 Aug, 21:03
airBaltic bondholders back postponement of interest payments worth €27.5 million
Bondholders of Latvia's national airline airBaltic have agreed to defer two upcoming interest payments by adding them to the bonds' principal instead of paying cash. The move buys the airline extra flexibility while talks continue on a larger €225 million bridge financing package.
BNN · 17 Aug, 20:58
Amazon Is Destroying Rare Books to Train Its AI Models
An investigation by 404 Media has found that Amazon is buying rare books, cutting off their bindings, and scanning them to gather training data for its AI systems. The company confirmed it purchases books to improve its products and services.
TechCrunch · 17 Aug, 20:04
Amazon Is Destroying Rare Books to Feed AI Training Data
An investigation found that Amazon is buying up rare, out-of-print books, cutting off their spines, and scanning the text to train its AI language models. Such books are valuable because their content isn't available online and predates AI-generated text.
TechCrunch AI · 17 Aug, 20:04
Supreme teams up with Analogue for metallic red and gold Pocket handhelds
Analogue and Supreme have partnered to release two special metallic editions of the Analogue Pocket handheld, arriving as part of Supreme's fall/winter 2026 collection. The handhelds go on sale August 20th, though pricing has not yet been announced.
The Verge · 17 Aug, 20:03
Samsung may be developing an even wider foldable than the Galaxy Z Fold 8
South Korean outlet ETNews reports Samsung is working on a new foldable with a wider screen aspect ratio than the current Galaxy Z Fold 8, possibly launching in 2027.
Engadget · 17 Aug, 19:59
Uber and Zipline target one million daily drone deliveries by 2029
Uber and drone delivery company Zipline have announced a partnership aiming for one million Uber Eats drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029, with the first deliveries starting this year.
Engadget · 17 Aug, 19:01
China's economic slowdown appears to deepen in July, pressuring Beijing
China's industrial output and retail sales grew slower than expected in July, according to new official data, adding pressure on the government to introduce support measures.
The Guardian World · 17 Aug, 19:01
How to get better sound from your computer
Most computers and laptops ship with mediocre built-in speakers, but external gear and a few simple adjustments can significantly improve audio quality. Experts point to both hardware upgrades and software or habit changes.
Engadget · 17 Aug, 18:06
Legal AI debate follows a familiar pattern — more work, but not for lawyers
A new piece looks at how the generative AI debate seen in other industries is now playing out in the legal sector, suggesting AI will create more work — though not for lawyers themselves.
EU-Startups · 17 Aug, 18:03
WiiM's HomePod-style smart speaker gets a nearly $50 discount
WiiM is discounting its Sound and Sound Lite smart speakers, positioning them as an alternative to offerings from major tech companies. Both models are 15 percent off through the manufacturer and Amazon.
The Verge · 17 Aug, 18:03
WordPress.com launches free student plan to train future web creators
Automattic has introduced WordPress.com Education, a free plan letting teachers and students build full-featured websites at no cost. The program was previously piloted with 5,000 students across 27 countries.
TechCrunch · 17 Aug, 17:58
Bluetooth Classic vs. Bluetooth Low Energy: what's the difference?
Bluetooth technology, rooted in a frequency-hopping method patented in 1942, now comes in two forms — Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy — each built for different uses. Both standards have been developed since 1998 by the industry group Bluetooth SIG.
Engadget · 17 Aug, 17:04
airBaltic bondholders approve amendments to bond terms
Bondholders at an airBaltic general meeting approved amendments to the bond terms, giving the airline extra flexibility to implement its revised business plan and pursue interim financing. Flight operations continue unaffected.
Dienas Bizness · 17 Aug, 17:02
Lidl continues price cuts — shopping basket now €116 cheaper
Since December 2025, Lidl has gradually lowered regular prices on hundreds of products, cutting the cost of a selected shopping basket by €116. This week several chocolate and pasta products also became cheaper.
Jauns.lv · 17 Aug, 17:01
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airBaltic bondholders back capitalization of interest payments
Bondholders of airBaltic have voted on Monday in favor of capitalizing the next two interest payments on the airline's bonds, according to a stock exchange notice.
Apollo.lv · 17 Aug, 17:00
EU prepares digital eco-passports for clothing — is the textile industry ready?
Starting in 2027, the EU will gradually roll out digital product passports revealing goods' environmental footprint, but an expert warns supply chains aren't yet ready to reliably collect such data.
ERR (rus) · 17 Aug, 16:01
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Latvia's solar plants outproduce natural gas in electricity generation for the first time
Latvia's electricity output rose 20.9% over the first seven months of this year to 4,440 GWh, with solar power plants producing more electricity than natural gas-fired ones for the first time.
Apollo.lv · 17 Aug, 15:59
UK's SpaceAM raises Seed funding for AI-powered defence and space sensing tech
Gloucestershire-based SpaceAM has closed a Seed funding round to develop lightweight autonomous sensing systems for defence and space applications. The funding amount was not disclosed.
EU-Startups · 17 Aug, 15:59
Wired Names Seven Best Cheap Laptops to Buy in 2026
Tech outlet Wired has published its annual roundup of the best budget laptops for 2026, highlighting the upgradeable Framework Laptop 12 as its top pick alongside guidance on essential specs for cheap devices.
Wired · 17 Aug, 15:04
Exchange electricity price jumped to 4.4 cents per kWh last week
Between August 10 and 16, the average electricity price in Estonia's Nord Pool price zone nearly doubled to 4.38 cents per kilowatt-hour, while Latvia and Lithuania saw even higher prices.
ERR (rus) · 17 Aug, 15:02
Association: "K2 Ventum" wind farm landscape assessment based on fabricated visualizations
The association "Piekraste Rītdienai" strongly opposes the "K2 Ventum" wind farm in South Kurzeme municipality, citing about twenty objections including legal violations and risks to migratory birds. A final government decision has not yet been made.
Dienas Bizness · 17 Aug, 14:59
French taxpayers warned after personal data stolen in major hack
French authorities have warned taxpayers that their personal data was stolen in a large-scale cyberattack, France 24 reported on 17 August 2026.
France 24 · 17 Aug, 14:01
Anthropic details how Claude's invisible text watermarks will function
Anthropic has explained the mechanics behind a new system that will embed invisible watermarks in Claude's generated text to comply with EU AI transparency rules. The approach is based on Google's open-source SynthID-Text technology.
The Verge · 17 Aug, 14:00
Recipe Plus to invest up to €20 million in new pharmaceutical logistics centre in Riga
Latvian-owned pharmaceutical supply company AS Recipe Plus is building one of the most advanced pharmaceutical goods logistics centres in the Baltics in Riga, with investment reaching up to €20 million. The project aims to expand the company's logistics capacity and strengthen medicine supply resilience during crisis situations.
Dienas Bizness · 17 Aug, 13:58
Norway's Birdsview raises €3.7 million for concrete infrastructure inspection technology
Bergen-based startup Birdsview has raised €3.7 million to scale its concrete inspection technology that helps preserve infrastructure. The funding round was backed by several Nordic venture capital investors.
EU-Startups · 17 Aug, 13:04
Experts warn: car electronics contacts and sensors also need protection from moisture
A representative of Krown Latvia explains that in modern vehicles, protecting electrical contacts and sensors from moisture and salt is becoming as important as traditional rust protection.
Jauns.lv · 17 Aug, 12:58