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Meta Revives Facebook's Classic "Poke" Feature for a New Generation

Meta Revives Facebook's Classic "Poke" Feature for a New Generation

Meta is bringing back Facebook's original "poke" feature, adding it to user, making it easier to find on profiles and creating a dedicated page to track poke activity. The move includes emoji indicators that change with the number of pokes exchanged. The company says the feature, once a novelty in the early days of Facebook, has seen a resurgence after being highlighted in the search bar, and it fits Meta's broader effort to reintroduce "OG" Facebook experiences and attract younger users.

Big Tech Joins White House Push for AI Education in Schools

Big Tech Joins White House Push for AI Education in Schools

The White House convened leading technology and AI companies to discuss a new initiative aimed at integrating artificial intelligence education into U.S. schools. Companies including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic pledged support through tools, training and incentives for teachers and students. The event, hosted by former First Lady Melania Trump, also drew criticism for its lack of educator input and the apparent exclusion of Elon Musk.

Apple Unveils iOS 26 with Liquid Glass Design and New AI Features

Apple Unveils iOS 26 with Liquid Glass Design and New AI Features

Apple announced iOS 26, introducing a translucent "Liquid Glass" aesthetic across the lock and a redesign of core apps. The update adds Hold Assist for phone calls, live translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages, and new spam‑filtering tools. Visual Intelligence lets users search for objects captured on screen, while Photos tabs return for easier browsing. iPadOS 26 receives multitasking windows and the same visual overhaul. AirPods gain studio‑quality recording and remote camera control. Siri remains on hold, but Apple hints at future AI integration. The rollout targets iPhones released from 2019 onward.

TCL Unveils QM9K TVs Featuring Integrated Gemini on Google TV

TCL Unveils QM9K TVs Featuring Integrated Gemini on Google TV

TCL announced its new QM9K series of QD mini LED televisions, the first in the industry to embed Gemini, Google’s AI feature, directly into Google TV. The TVs use a mmWave sensor that detects viewers and enables hands‑free interaction with Gemini through the standard “Hey Google” prompt. The series boasts a Zero Border WHVA panel with up to 6,500 nits peak brightness, 6,000 precise dimming zones, and Bang & Olufsen audio. Ranging from 65 to 98 inches, the QM9K models will be sold at Best Buy and select regional retailers later this month.

Roborock Unveils New Robot Lawn Mowers and Vacuum Lineup at IFA

Roborock Unveils New Robot Lawn Mowers and Vacuum Lineup at IFA

Roborock introduced three robot lawn mowers—RockMow Z1, S1, and RockNeo Q1—featuring advanced navigation, steep‑slope capability, and edge‑cutting technology. The company also expanded its vacuum portfolio with the H60 Hub stick vacuums, the steam‑powered F25 Ultra wet‑dry vacuum, and the ultra‑thin Qrevo Curv 2 Pro robot vacuum, all equipped with AI mapping, auto‑emptying docks, and high suction power. Pricing ranges from the low $300s for stick vacuums to $799 for the F25 Ultra, signaling Roborock’s aggressive push into both outdoor and indoor cleaning solutions.

Warner Bros. Discovery Sues AI Image Generator Midjourney Over Copyright Infringement

Warner Bros. Discovery Sues AI Image Generator Midjourney Over Copyright Infringement

Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI image‑generation platform Midjourney, alleging that the service allows users to create images featuring protected characters such as Batman, Scooby‑Doo and Bugs Bunny. The complaint asserts that Midjourney knowingly offered a tool that facilitates large‑scale piracy, even after briefly restricting the animation of certain characters. The suit follows similar actions by Disney and Universal, and it highlights ongoing legal battles over how AI systems use copyrighted material for training and content creation.

AI and DJs Weigh In on the World’s Catchiest Songs

AI and DJs Weigh In on the World’s Catchiest Songs

A recent look at what makes a song stick in listeners’ heads pulls together a museum’s recognition study, the song lists of AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot, and the on‑the‑ground insights of New Jersey DJ Mark Pomeroy and Atlanta DJ Sloan Lee. The museum survey ranked pop hits by how quickly people identified them, while AI models produced overlapping but varied top‑ten lists. DJs, seasoned in live events, stress emotional connection, beats per minute and TikTok trends as key drivers of catchiness. Together, these perspectives map a shifting but recognizable set of earworms that span decades and genres.

Eufy Unveils Marswalker Shell Enabling Robot Vacuums to Climb Stairs

Eufy Unveils Marswalker Shell Enabling Robot Vacuums to Climb Stairs

Eufy introduced the Marswalker, a tracked platform that can autonomously carry compatible robot vacuums up and down stairs without human help. The shell works with Eufy's Omni S2 vacuum, which features an aromatherapy system and advanced navigation. While the Marswalker does not clean staircases itself, it provides a solution for multilevel homes by transporting the vacuum between floors, recognizing various stair configurations and returning to its dock for charging and emptying. The innovation could reshape the robot‑vacuum market, offering a first‑of‑its‑kind stair‑climbing capability.

Retailers Embrace Agentic AI to Blend Physical and Digital Shopping Experiences

Retailers Embrace Agentic AI to Blend Physical and Digital Shopping Experiences

Retail leaders are integrating agentic AI into both online and brick‑and‑mortar channels to enhance customer service, streamline supply chains, and personalize product discovery. A recent Brunswick survey of over 5,000 consumers revealed mixed emotions—half nervous, half excited—yet a clear preference for human interaction when possible. Retailers are balancing rapid AI advances, highlighted by breakthroughs over the past 18 months, with the need for authenticity, transparency, and ethical use, especially as virtual influencers and AI avatars become commonplace. The industry’s success hinges on pairing technology with a human‑centric approach.

Retail Turns to Agentic AI While Tackling Security Risks

Retail Turns to Agentic AI While Tackling Security Risks

Retail operators are adopting agentic AI systems that can reason, decide, and act on real‑world tasks such as inventory management, returns processing, and promotional updates. These autonomous agents promise faster decisions and tighter integration across storefront and back‑office tools. At the same time, industry leaders warn that the same capabilities can expose retailers to prompt manipulation, tool misuse, data leakage, and automation drift. Experts recommend a lifecycle approach that includes clear boundaries, threat modeling, hardened prompts, sandboxed execution, and continuous monitoring to reap the benefits while keeping operations secure.

Nvidia’s Data‑Center Sales Lean Heavily on Three Unnamed Customers

Nvidia’s Data‑Center Sales Lean Heavily on Three Unnamed Customers

Nvidia’s latest earnings reveal that more than half of its data‑center revenue comes from just three undisclosed clients. The company reported roughly 53% of data‑center sales tied to these customers, amounting to billions of dollars. Industry observers speculate the trio could include Elon Musk’s xAI, an OpenAI‑Oracle partnership, and Meta, though Nvidia has not confirmed any identities. Analysts warn that such concentration creates a structural vulnerability: a shift by any of the three could leave a sizable gap in Nvidia’s financials. Geopolitical factors and recent chip restrictions add further uncertainty to the outlook.

Senior Engineers Embrace AI Coding Tools While Maintaining Oversight, Survey Shows

Senior Engineers Embrace AI Coding Tools While Maintaining Oversight, Survey Shows

A Fastly survey finds that over 70% of senior developers say AI‑assisted coding makes their jobs more enjoyable and speeds delivery, though they spend extra effort reviewing machine‑generated code. Only a small share of junior programmers rely heavily on AI, preferring hand‑crafted solutions. The study also reveals generational gaps in energy‑impact awareness, with about 80% of older coders considering power costs versus roughly half of younger developers. Senior engineers, who balance testing, architecture, and mentoring, view AI as a way to recapture the “fun dopamine hit” of programming while staying cautious about broader automation consequences.