Jul 03, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
As AI becomes pervasive in smartphones, many users seek devices free from built-in artificial intelligence. This guide highlights four Android phones that either lack AI features entirely or allow easy disabling, from the affordable Samsung Galaxy A17 to the modular Fairphone 6. Each phone remains within its software support lifecycle, offering a balance of performance and privacy.
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Jul 03, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Paramount Skydance claims Netflix is waging a 'scorched-earth campaign' to undermine its proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. In a letter to the DOJ, Paramount's chief legal officer accused Netflix of trying to turn labor unions and stakeholders against the deal. The merger, which would combine two major media companies, faces scrutiny over job losses and debt, but Paramount insists it will boost content production and opportunities for workers.
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Jul 03, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
A day after WIRED reported that Meta had embedded facial recognition software into its smart glasses app, the company removed it. The feature, internally called NameTag, was never activated but included code to create faceprints and store unrecognized faces. Meta claims it was purely exploratory, but critics say the move shows Big Tech’s disregard for privacy without legal enforcement.
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Jul 03, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Conde Nast has updated its user agreement and privacy policy specifically for ArsTechnica.com. The amendment replaces Section VI(2)(B) with a new clause granting the company a broad, royalty-free license to use user-posted content in connection with the service or its promotion. This change raises important questions about user control over their contributions. The new policy retains user ownership but gives Conde Nast extensive rights to copy, modify, and distribute content without compensation.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is publishing a technical series on program obfuscation, calling it the most powerful idea in cryptography despite being far from practical. Indistinguishability obfuscation (iO) could act as a trustless trusted third party when paired with a blockchain, but current implementations are too slow for any real use. The article explores the potential of iO and its current limitations.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
A roundup of the last trading day of Q2: Bitcoin falls to $58k, Trump reveals massive crypto earnings, and market sentiment turns bearish. Key facts from across the crypto landscape.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Roughly $16.69 billion has been lost to crypto hacks, with about 40% tied to stolen private keys rather than blockchain or smart contract flaws. Security experts say most losses stem from key-management and operational failures. The industry is turning to multi-party computation, account abstraction, and stronger built-in security practices to reduce reliance on single private keys and make attacks harder to execute.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Ripple has proposed a new XRPL Lending Protocol that enables institutions to borrow against tokenized assets while keeping credit decisions off-chain. The system uses Single Asset Vaults and automates loan mechanics on the XRP Ledger base layer. Currently live only on testnet, it requires validator approval to go live. Aimed at institutional use, it competes with protocols like Aave and Compound.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Bitcoin remains stuck near $60,000 while U.S. stocks rally, led by the Nasdaq’s 2% gain. Strategy (MSTR) unveils a Digital Credit Capital Framework to address liquidity concerns, sending its shares and preferred stock higher. Meanwhile, on-chain data shows long-term holders moving coins to exchanges, a pattern that has preceded past selloffs. Other developments include Securitize SPAC gains, Tom Lee attributing crypto weakness to quarter-end window dressing, and bitcoin heading for its worst month since June 2022.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Lil Nas X has shared a candid update on his mental health, revealing a bipolar diagnosis and time spent in rehab. The artist says he now feels 'less fear' and is creating freely again. He also addressed his 2025 arrest and dismissed charges after entering a mental health program.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
Ahn Hyo-Seop has had a breakout year with roles in K-dramas, the Oscar-winning film 'KPop Demon Hunters', and appearances at the Oscars and Met Gala. Now he debuts as a solo artist with Khalid on 'Something Special', a collaboration that fulfills his deep musical yearning. The actor-singer opens up about the emotional journey behind the song and his plans for more music.
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Jul 02, 2026Twila Rosenbaum
This week's Uncharted chart sees guitar prodigy Sungha Jung re-enter at No. 12 with his Maroon 5 cover. Dubstep pioneer Skream debuts at No. 33 following a new EP. Mashup artist Girl Talk, French rockers Shaka Ponk, and post-metal band Rosetta also make moves.
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