Business & Technology
Xbox Union Demands Transparency Ahead of Expected Layoffs
The Communications Workers of America union representing Xbox employees is calling for good-faith bargaining and transparency as Microsoft reportedly prepares mass layoffs in July, confirmed by internal memos and media reports.
Engadget · 29 Jun, 22:38
Sony's next-gen PlayStation will go 'beyond the living room'
Sony hinted in a Q&A with investors that the next-generation PlayStation will offer an experience beyond the living room, possibly with a handheld device, and indicated that hardware will not be sold at significant losses, suggesting a high price.
The Verge · 29 Jun, 22:37
World Bank opens new Madrid office to boost private investment in emerging markets
The World Bank Group has announced the opening of an office in Madrid aimed at strengthening cooperation with Spain and mobilizing private capital for development projects in Latin America, Africa, and other emerging markets.
Euronews Business · 29 Jun, 22:36
M3 iPad Air at $499: A Good Deal
The 128GB M3 iPad Air with Wi-Fi and 5G is now available for $499 at Best Buy, offering strong value under $500 amid recent Apple price increases.
The Verge · 29 Jun, 21:37
Anthropic and California Gov. Newsom strike deal for discounted Claude access in state government
Under the agreement, all California state agencies and local governments can use Anthropic's AI chatbot Claude at a reduced price, with training and support included, to help employees draft documents and analyze information.
TechCrunch · 29 Jun, 21:37
Anthropic and Gov. Newsom forge deal allowing California government to use Claude at half price
California state agencies will be able to use Anthropic's AI chatbot Claude at a discounted rate under an agreement between the company and Governor Gavin Newsom.
TechCrunch AI · 29 Jun, 21:36
Why You Shouldn't Plug a Power Strip into a Smart Plug
Smart plugs are designed for single devices; plugging a power strip into one risks overloading and fire.
Engadget · 29 Jun, 21:36
EU sets October deadline for 'tangible' results with China
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said the EU aims to achieve concrete outcomes in dialogue with China by October to address the growing trade deficit.
Euronews Business · 29 Jun, 20:38
Cursor launches mobile app for guiding your coding agent on the go
Despite its pending $60 billion acquisition by SpaceX, Cursor has released an iOS app that lets developers direct coding agents from their phones, following similar moves by Anthropic and OpenAI.
TechCrunch · 29 Jun, 20:37
EU and China launch new dialogue to head off trade war
The European Union and China agreed on Monday to establish a new high-level consultation mechanism to address growing commercial tensions and the EU's mounting trade deficit with Beijing.
Politico Europe · 29 Jun, 20:36
LG StanbyME 2 Max: A 32-inch Touchscreen Display for $1,300
LG has unveiled the StanbyME 2 Max, a standalone 32-inch 4K touchscreen display with a 4.5-hour battery life.
Engadget · 29 Jun, 20:36
Study: Half of Social Media Child Safety Features Fail to Work
Researchers from NYU and Northeastern University found that at least half of child safety features on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube do not deliver on their promises. Testing 86 features, each platform had a failure rate exceeding 50%.
Engadget · 29 Jun, 19:37
US petrol prices ease despite ongoing uncertainties with Iran
US gas prices have dropped to an average of $3.86 per gallon but remain above pre-conflict levels. Hopes for peace talks keep prices in check, but uncertainty over a ceasefire prevents further declines.
Al Jazeera · 29 Jun, 19:37
F1 Austrian GP: Russell wins, Verstappen fights back
George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen with Red Bull upgrades proved competitive, and Ferrari faltered.
Ars Technica · 29 Jun, 19:37
TIDAL Cracks Down on AI Music by Cutting Off Monetization
Music streaming service TIDAL announced that as of July 15, 2026, fully AI-generated music will be blocked from earning money on its platform and will be tagged with an AI badge.
TechCrunch AI · 29 Jun, 19:37
TIDAL cuts off monetization for fully AI-generated music
Music streaming service TIDAL introduces a new policy preventing fully AI-generated music from earning money, tagging such tracks with an 'AI' badge.
TechCrunch · 29 Jun, 19:36
Italian startup Archimede raises €1.5 million for remote infrastructure monitoring
Italian DeepTech startup Archimede has closed a €1.5 million Seed round to develop its modular system for monitoring critical infrastructure in off-grid locations.
EU-Startups · 29 Jun, 18:37
Xgimi launches camera-free smart glasses MemoMind One with green display
Chinese projector maker Xgimi enters the smart glasses market with the MemoMind One, which lacks cameras for privacy and uses a green micro-LED display. The glasses offer notification display, AI assistant, translation, and teleprompter, but rely heavily on a companion app and have limitations in sunlight and audio privacy.
The Verge · 29 Jun, 18:37
How to remove Gemini from your Android phone and switch back to Google Assistant
Android users unhappy with Gemini can easily revert to Google Assistant. This article outlines the steps for standard and branded Android devices.
Engadget · 29 Jun, 18:36
Spain’s Openchip lands €115 million SETT investment to strengthen Europe’s semiconductor capabilities
Barcelona-based scale-up Openchip, specializing in high-performance, energy-efficient chips, has secured a €115 million investment from SETT to accelerate AI and high-performance computing chip design.
EU-Startups · 29 Jun, 17:37
CERN shuts down Large Hadron Collider for four years; Latvian scientists involved in upgrades
CERN has halted all experiments at the Large Hadron Collider for a four-year maintenance and upgrade period. Latvian researchers contribute to the development of a sensor for one of the detectors.
LSM · 29 Jun, 17:36
Pocket raises $11M in bet on rising demand for AI note-taking devices
Pocket, a startup selling a credit card-sized puck for recording and transcribing conversations, has raised $11 million from Accel, Y Combinator, and ElevenLabs CEO.
TechCrunch · 29 Jun, 16:37
OLED Burn-In: Still a Concern in 2026?
OLED screens offer superior picture quality but are susceptible to burn-in due to uneven pixel wear. While permanent image retention is rare with modern content, preventive measures remain important.
Engadget · 29 Jun, 16:36
UK pubs sell 5.5m extra pints during World Cup group stage
England's World Cup group matches boosted UK pub sales by 5.5 million extra pints, with the Panama game alone serving 8.6 million pints.
The Guardian World · 29 Jun, 15:37
Agreement Reached to Ensure eID Card Users Keep Qualified e-Signature
Due to an EU regulation, over 346,000 eID card holders in Latvia will face changes to their qualified e-signature by the end of 2026. An agreement has been reached to introduce a remote qualified e-signature solution to ensure service continuity.
LV portāls · 29 Jun, 15:36
Digmatix Acquires Companies in Czech Republic and Romania, Expanding into Central Europe
Latvia-based technology group Digmatix has acquired Czech company LLP CRM and Romanian company ELIAN SOLUTIONS, entering two new markets and strengthening its Microsoft business applications expertise.
Dienas Bizness · 29 Jun, 14:37
Comcast to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into separate media company
US media group Comcast plans to spin off its media operations, including Sky and NBCUniversal, into a new publicly listed company. The restructuring will take a year, leaving investors with shares in both Comcast and the new entity.
The Guardian World · 29 Jun, 14:37
Czech cybersecurity startup Wultra raises €6.8 million to support Europe’s digital identity wallet rollout
Prague-based Wultra has secured €6.8 million in Series A funding to scale its post-quantum authentication and digital identity platform, aiming to accelerate the deployment of the European Digital Identity Wallet.
EU-Startups · 29 Jun, 14:36
Comcast is splitting in two
Comcast has announced plans to split into two publicly traded companies, spinning off its NBCUniversal and Sky broadcasting arms.
The Verge · 29 Jun, 14:36
Russian truckers warn clients of rate hikes of at least 10% amid fuel crisis
Russian trucking companies have begun warning clients of rate increases of at least 10% starting July 1 due to the fuel crisis and supply disruptions.
Meduza · 29 Jun, 14:36
London-based Gaussion raises €24.5 million to advance battery intelligence technology
Gaussion, a London deep tech company developing energy intelligence for battery packs, has closed a €24.5 million funding round, bringing total funding to over €38 million.
EU-Startups · 29 Jun, 13:36
Mārtiņš Čakste retains position as head of Latvenergo
The council of AS 'Latvenergo' has approved a new five-year term for chairman Mārtiņš Čakste and board member Dmitrijs Juskovecs starting January 3, 2027.
LSM · 29 Jun, 13:36
Osney Capital closes oversubscribed €69 million debut fund for UK cyber startups
UK venture capital firm Osney Capital has closed its first fund at €69 million, oversubscribed, to back early-stage UK cybersecurity companies, with support from the British Business Bank and NSSIF.
EU-Startups · 29 Jun, 12:37
Lidl Begins Territory Development Works in Torņakalns
Lidl Latvia has started demolition works on its 16,359 square meter property in Torņakalns, Riga, to prepare for future development.
Dienas Bizness · 29 Jun, 12:36
DJI Osmo Pocket 4P promises 17 stops of dynamic range
DJI has revealed new specs for the Osmo Pocket 4P, including 17 stops of dynamic range, a new D-Log2 mode, and a white color option.
Engadget · 29 Jun, 11:37
British Business Bank Portfolio Surpasses 50 Companies After €695 Million Scale-Up Push
The British Business Bank announced its direct equity portfolio has exceeded 50 high-growth companies, with over €695 million invested in UK science and tech scale-ups. The pace of investment has more than doubled in the past nine months compared to the previous four years.
EU-Startups · 29 Jun, 11:36