Business & Technology
Retailers without digital wallet support are losing Gen Z shoppers
A new study finds Gen Z shoppers are the most likely to abandon an online cart when their preferred digital wallet isn't offered at checkout, costing retailers significant sales. Digital wallet use is rising fast, especially among younger generations.
Engadget · 4 Oct, 01:23
Vote count delayed on election day as Latvia's electoral commission checks voter data
Several hours after polling stations closed, vote counting in Latvia had still not begun due to ongoing verification of data in the online voter register. The electoral commission convened a meeting to decide on next steps.
Dienas Bizness · 4 Oct, 00:26
Unsealed court filing suggests ICE is compiling protester dossiers in Palantir database
Newly unsealed court documents indicate Department of Homeland Security agents may be building files on people who observe or protest ICE operations, stored in a Palantir-built database. Plaintiffs' lawyers say the practice chills free speech.
Engadget · 3 Oct, 23:21
Dienas Bizness Publisher Secures Recovery Fund Support for Digital Overhaul
Latvian publisher "Dienas bizness" has signed a contract with the Central Finance and Contracting Agency for Recovery Fund support to digitize its Dienas Bizness and Dienas Žurnāli publications through new CRM, mobile and Smart TV applications.
Dienas Bizness · 3 Oct, 23:20
Nvidia Hikes Price of 7-Year-Old Shield TV Pro by $100, Blames AI-Driven Costs
Nvidia is raising the price of its long-running Shield TV Pro streaming box to $299.99 starting October 2, a $100 increase, citing industry-wide jumps in memory and component costs tied to the AI boom.
Wired · 3 Oct, 21:23
Enthusiasts finally crack the original PlayStation 2 security chip
More than 25 years after the original PlayStation 2 launched, a group of enthusiasts has managed to extract the firmware from its SPC970 security chip, closing the last unexplored part of the console. The breakthrough could eventually support fuller emulation and new mod-chip hardware.
Engadget · 3 Oct, 21:22
Voter poll: United List wins Saeima election decisively
An election-day voter poll shows United List winning Latvia's parliamentary election by a wide margin, with five more parties projected to clear the 5% threshold. Official results are due overnight from the Central Election Commission.
Dienas Bizness · 3 Oct, 20:22
Why Windows 11 always seems to be using so much RAM
Windows 11 often shows most of a PC's memory in use even with few apps open, but this is usually by design rather than a problem, since the system fills spare RAM to speed things up. High memory use only signals trouble if it comes with slowdowns, crashes, or low-memory warnings.
Engadget · 3 Oct, 19:24
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Study: Former East Germany's Economy Still Trails the West
A study by the German Economic Institute (IW) finds that more than 30 years after German reunification, the former East Germany's economy still lags behind that of the former West Germany, though the gap has been slowly narrowing in recent years.
TVNET · 3 Oct, 19:21
Home generator for €200 or €10,000 — which one do you actually need?
Rising interest in backup generators after storms and power outages has experts stressing that choosing the right capacity, maintaining the unit, and installing it safely matter more than price alone. Basic models start around €200, while powerful professional units can cost €10,000 or more.
iAuto.lv · 3 Oct, 18:26
Google Docs still lacks dark mode on the web — here's how to work around it
While Google Docs has offered dark mode on mobile since 2020, the web version still doesn't support it natively. Users can rely on an experimental Chrome flag or browser extensions instead.
Engadget · 3 Oct, 18:25
Splice CEO: AI-written emails are killing real conversations
Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava explains in an interview why she avoids AI-generated documents and pushbutton AI music, stressing the need to keep humans at the center of creative work.
The Verge · 3 Oct, 18:25
Jack Dorsey's Bitchat app vanishes from Indian app stores after government order
Bitchat, the offline messaging app created by Jack Dorsey, has been removed from Apple's and Google's app stores in India following a government order. The move comes as India faces a new wave of protests over voter roll changes.
TechCrunch · 3 Oct, 18:23
IEA: 325 million barrels of emergency oil already released, 75 million still pending
The International Energy Agency says member states have released 325 million barrels of the 400 million barrels of strategic oil reserves pledged in March, as the G7 moves to speed up additional releases amid diesel supply concerns.
Euronews · 3 Oct, 17:24
AI assistants are moving into your text messages
A growing number of AI agents are now accessible directly through text messaging apps rather than standalone software, letting users manage calendars, make bookings and complete tasks on their behalf.
TechCrunch · 3 Oct, 17:24
Text-message AI agents are becoming the new personal assistant
A growing number of startups let users text an AI agent like an ordinary contact to handle scheduling, research and everyday errands, with Instinct drawing the most attention after reaching a $10 billion valuation.
TechCrunch AI · 3 Oct, 17:22
How to tell when your Apple Pencil tip needs replacing
Apple Pencil tips wear down over time and typically need replacing every two years, sooner for heavy users, with both official and third-party replacements available.
Engadget · 3 Oct, 17:22
One of the cheapest ways to bring Dolby Atmos sound into your living room
Built-in TV speakers rarely deliver true Dolby Atmos immersion, but an affordable soundbar under $200 can offer a noticeable upgrade without a major investment.
Engadget · 3 Oct, 16:26
Researchers Uncover How Meta's Muse AI Builds Detailed Profiles of Users' Friends and Family
Security researchers have extracted internal instructions from Meta's viral AI assistant Muse, revealing it automatically builds detailed pages on users' family, friends and colleagues. Meta says the transparency was intentional.
Wired · 3 Oct, 15:28
3D video glasses finally make 3D movies worth the hassle
New-generation video glasses from Xreal, Meta and Apple give each eye its own full screen, delivering a far better 3D experience than old cinema polarized glasses. Major tech companies are now convincing Hollywood to stream their 3D film catalogs.
The Verge · 3 Oct, 15:27
Record diesel prices squeeze US Midwest corn belt farmers during harvest
Soaring diesel prices across the Midwest are driving up harvest costs for corn and soybean farmers, truckers and school districts, with analysts citing refinery disruptions and a depleted strategic reserve.
The Guardian World · 3 Oct, 15:25
Electricity exchange price in Baltics drops to around 7 cents per kWh
Average electricity exchange prices in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland fell during the week of September 28 to October 4, with Estonia's price dropping 31% from the previous week.
ERR (rus) · 3 Oct, 15:24
Is a Nintendo 3DS still worth buying in 2026?
Following a price increase for the Nintendo Switch 2, some gamers are reconsidering the older Nintendo 3DS, which comes with notable trade-offs. Whether it's worth it depends on whether a buyer wants nostalgia or modern online features.
Engadget · 3 Oct, 15:21
NYT Addresses Reader Questions on Canada's Plan to Draw Closer to the EU
The New York Times published a Q&A in which its Canada bureau chief answered reader questions about the Canadian prime minister's plan to build closer ties with the European Union.
The New York Times · 3 Oct, 13:25
Testing mosquito repellents: what actually works and what doesn't
A Wired reviewer spent years testing devices and products meant to fight mosquitoes, finding that vapor-based repellents outperform traps and bait stations. Results varied significantly depending on device type and local conditions.
Wired · 3 Oct, 13:25
China launches anti-dumping probe into EU chemical days before Beijing trade talks
China opened an anti-dumping investigation into EU-made p-nitrotoluene on Saturday, just a week before the EU's trade commissioner travels to Beijing for talks aimed at easing trade tensions.
Euronews · 3 Oct, 13:22
UK urged to respond as Polymarket allows bets on HSBC and Lloyds collapse
Prediction market Polymarket has taken in over $77,000 in bets on whether major banks including HSBC and Lloyds could fail this year, prompting the UK's financial regulator to consult with international counterparts over the risks.
The Guardian World · 3 Oct, 11:22
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Fuel prices mostly rise in Baltic capitals, except for diesel in Riga
Fuel prices in Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn mostly increased last week, according to data compiled by the LETA news agency. The one exception was diesel in Riga, where retailers have begun reflecting a recent excise tax cut.
Apollo.lv · 3 Oct, 11:20
WhatsApp introduces new optional parental controls for teenagers
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has rolled out optional parental control tools for teen accounts, while keeping messages and calls protected by end-to-end encryption.
2 avoti · 3 Oct, 09:30
Heavy rains in Kurzeme may leave part of the harvest unpicked
Persistent autumn rains in the Kurzeme region of Latvia are making vegetable harvesting difficult, with farmers warning part of the crop may be left in the fields. They expect this to affect local vegetable prices.
LSM (rus) · 3 Oct, 09:22
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Trump: US will not ban diesel fuel exports
US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will not impose a ban on diesel fuel exports, while praising European countries' decision to release fuel from their own reserves.
TVNET · 3 Oct, 08:21
US arrests tech CEO over alleged $300M Nvidia chip smuggling scheme to China
The US Department of Justice has arrested Earthmade Computer CEO Greg Lui, accusing him of using fraudulent paperwork to route export-controlled Nvidia chips worth over $300 million into China. The case renews scrutiny of Nvidia's own compliance gaps in catching such smuggling schemes.
Ars Technica · 3 Oct, 07:26
White House gets tech leaders to sign AI safety pledge as consumer AI economics stay shaky
Major tech CEOs signed an AI safety pledge at the White House as President Trump renamed AI as 'Super Intelligence' by executive order, while a TechCrunch podcast notes the industry's real money still comes from enterprise, not consumers.
TechCrunch AI · 3 Oct, 06:28
Apple Tightens Full-Disk Access After Meta AI Assistant Controversy
Apple has announced changes to macOS privacy settings aimed at preventing third-party developers from misusing permissions to read users' message histories. The move follows a dispute over Meta's AI assistant Muse accessing a user's Apple Messages conversations.
Ars Technica · 3 Oct, 06:24
Study: Since the 2008 crisis, US growth and carbon emissions have decoupled
An analysis of US data finds that since the 2008 financial crisis, the economy has kept growing while carbon emissions have trended gradually downward, undercutting the assumption that growth requires rising emissions.
Ars Technica · 3 Oct, 05:27
Senator Sanders introduces bill to bar federal agencies from using Flock license plate cameras
US Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation that would prohibit federal agencies from using automatic license plate readers, including systems from Flock. The bill would also impose financial penalties on states and localities that continue using the technology.
TechCrunch · 3 Oct, 05:24