Technology

Sourdough Sidekick gadget automates starter feeding for home bakers

The Sourdough Sidekick is a new kitchen device co-developed with King Arthur Baking Company designed to simplify sourdough bread-making. The gadget targets what many bakers find tedious: maintaining and feeding a sourdough starter. It automatically dispenses flour and water to the starter on a set schedule, timed to align with when the user plans to bake. This allows bakers to focus on hands-on steps like kneading, shaping, and baking rather than monitoring their starter. As a single-purpose appliance, its value depends on how frequently a buyer bakes sourdough.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

How Keurig Transformed Office Coffee — Then Sparked a Backlash

Keurig revolutionized workplace coffee by introducing single-cup brewing machines that allowed users to make fresh coffee on demand. Before the invention, office coffee was widely considered stale and poorly prepared. K-Cups and Keurig machines rapidly spread across US offices before making their way into millions of homes. However, the brand's explosive growth brought unintended consequences that went far beyond what its creators had anticipated. The Verge's Version History podcast explores the full arc of Keurig's rise and its complicated legacy.

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TechnologyTechCrunch ·

Bending Spoons: The Quiet Tech Giant Behind AOL, Vimeo and a Billion Users

Bending Spoons is an Italian technology company that has quietly built a vast portfolio of well-known digital products and services. The firm owns major platforms including AOL and Vimeo, despite maintaining a low public profile. Its products have collectively reached over one billion users worldwide, underscoring its significant but underrecognized scale. The company has recently gone public, bringing renewed attention to its operations and holdings. Despite its size and reach, Bending Spoons remains largely unfamiliar to mainstream audiences outside the tech industry.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

Vizio's $398 Mini LED Quantum TV is the best budget smart-optional TV available

Vizio has launched a 65-inch Mini LED Quantum TV priced at $398, making it the most affordable quantum-dot television currently on the market. The set was developed following Walmart's acquisition of Vizio in 2024, marking a notable return for the brand. Quantum-dot technology in the display enables higher brightness and more accurate color reproduction at a budget price point. While Vizio OS is available on the device, reviewers note the TV functions exceptionally well without relying on the smart platform, effectively making it an outstanding option for users who prefer a simpler viewing experience.

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TechnologyTechCrunch ·

AI Boom Drives Nearly 90 New Unicorn Startups in 2025 So Far

The artificial intelligence investment surge has fueled a sharp rise in unicorn startups in 2025. Nearly 90 new companies have crossed the $1 billion valuation mark so far this year. The trend reflects growing investor enthusiasm centered largely around AI-driven ventures. New unicorns are being minted at an accelerating monthly pace as funding activity intensifies. The data, compiled by TechCrunch, highlights how AI is reshaping the global startup funding landscape.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

Xbox Struggles Despite Strong Summer Game Fest Showcase

Microsoft closed out Summer Game Fest with a well-received showcase featuring major titles like Halo, Gears of War: E-Day, and Fable, along with surprise announcements. Despite the positive reception, Xbox finds itself in a difficult position within a broader video game industry downturn. The showcase evoked nostalgia for the E3 era, when the gaming industry was considered healthier. Analysts and observers have noted that strong event appearances have not been enough to mask deeper structural challenges facing the Xbox brand.

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TechnologyArs Technica ·

Chemical accident injuries surge 50% as US safety rule rollbacks proposed

Chemical accidents resulting in injuries or deaths have risen by nearly 50 percent in recent years across the United States. The increase coincides with the Trump administration's proposals to weaken existing chemical safety regulations. Critics argue that loosening these rules could further endanger workers and communities near industrial facilities. The regulatory rollbacks have drawn concern from safety advocates who point to the rising accident statistics as evidence that stronger, not weaker, oversight is needed.

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TechnologyArs Technica ·

Study suggests cosmic impacts melted Earth's earliest crust 4 billion years ago

New research proposes that massive asteroid bombardments during the Hadean eon may have played a significant role in melting Earth's first crust. Scientists have long attributed the extreme heat of early Earth primarily to internal geological processes, but this study challenges that assumption. The findings suggest that impacts from space contributed substantially to the intense thermal conditions of the planet's earliest period. This reexamination of the Hadean era could reshape our understanding of how Earth's surface and geological history first formed.

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TechnologyNYT Technology ·

Meta's Threads Reaches 500 Million Users, Evolving Away from X's Model

Meta's Threads social platform has grown to 500 million users, establishing itself as a major player in the social media landscape. The platform was originally launched by Meta as a direct competitor to Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter. Despite its initial positioning, Threads has since evolved in a direction that more closely resembles Reddit than X. The platform's rapid user growth marks a significant milestone in Meta's push to expand its social media portfolio.

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TechnologyTechCrunch ·

Google Ad Imagines Founding Fathers Drafting Declaration Using AI Tools

Google has released a new commercial marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The advertisement poses a hypothetical scenario in which the Founding Fathers had access to Google Workspace. The ad imagines how AI-powered tools might have assisted in drafting the historic document. The commercial ties the milestone anniversary to Google's push to promote its suite of AI-integrated productivity tools.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

NASA sends rescue spacecraft to boost Swift Observatory's decaying orbit

NASA's Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is at risk of re-entering Earth's atmosphere as early as this year after recent solar storms pushed its orbit dangerously low. To prevent its destruction, NASA partnered with Katalyst Space Technologies to mount a rescue mission. The company's Link spacecraft launched on Friday with the objective of intercepting Swift, which lacks any onboard propulsion system. Link aims to raise Swift's current altitude of approximately 224 miles by around 150 miles to restore its original orbit. The mission presents significant technical challenges, as Link must match Swift's speed and use a three-armed mechanism to physically boost the unpowered satellite.

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TechnologyTechCrunch ·

Midjourney demands Hollywood studios disclose their own AI usage in court

AI image-generation company Midjourney is locked in an ongoing legal battle with three major Hollywood studios. As part of the dispute, Midjourney is now pushing to force the studios to reveal details about how they themselves use artificial intelligence. The move appears to be a strategic legal maneuver within the broader litigation. The demand seeks to shine a light on the studios' internal AI practices amid the wider industry debate over AI use in creative fields.

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TechnologyArs Technica ·

Supergirl Film Review: Decent but Not Enough to Stand Out in Crowded Market

The Supergirl movie has underperformed at the box office, but critics suggest the film is better than its financial results imply. The movie is described as a reasonably good superhero film, though it falls short of being truly exceptional. Reviewers argue that in today's oversaturated superhero landscape, a merely good film is not sufficient to attract audiences. The film needed to deliver a standout, great experience to compete effectively in the current market.

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TechnologyTechCrunch ·

Alibaba Reportedly Bans Staff from Using Anthropic's Claude Code Tool

Alibaba has reportedly prohibited its employees from using Claude Code, the AI coding assistant developed by Anthropic. The Chinese tech giant is said to have classified the tool as high-risk software. The move signals growing internal restrictions at major tech firms around the use of rival AI products. The ban reflects broader concerns among large technology companies about data security and competitive sensitivity when employees use external AI tools.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

US Energy Dept removes 6,000 conservation pages amid record heatwave

The US Department of Energy deleted approximately 6,000 web pages related to energy conservation, according to reports. The removals occurred as a historic heatwave swept across the United States, straining power grids nationwide. The timing followed political backlash from Republican lawmakers against New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who had urged residents to set air conditioners to 78 degrees to ease grid pressure. Prominent Republicans including Ted Cruz, Nikki Haley, and Representative Nancy Mace criticized the conservation request, framing it in politically charged terms. The deletion of federal energy efficiency resources during an extreme heat event has drawn scrutiny over the administration's approach to energy policy.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

Matic Robot Vacuum Price Rises $250 to $1,495 Starting September 9

Matic will increase the price of its robot vacuum from $1,245 to $1,495 on September 9th, citing a tenfold rise in costs for memory and other components. The company told The Verge that the $250 hike reflects these growing manufacturing expenses. To soften the increase, direct buyers will receive a free one-year supply of replacement bags, valued at $96, with free shipping. Matic has also extended its return policy from 60 days to six months. Customers considering a purchase may benefit from acting before the price change takes effect.

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TechnologyTechCrunch ·

Mistral AI: The Open-Source Challenger Taking On OpenAI

Mistral AI is a French artificial intelligence company founded in 2023 that develops and offers open-source AI models. The company was built with the stated mission of making frontier AI accessible to everyone. Since its founding, Mistral AI has successfully raised significant funding to support its growth and development. It is widely regarded as a notable competitor to leading AI firms such as OpenAI.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

Flatbush Zombies' Erick the Architect drops disco-reggae single after Apple WWDC appearance

Erick the Architect, founding member and lead producer of hip-hop group Flatbush Zombies, has released a new single titled 'No Doubt (I'm In Love).' The track marks a notable shift in style, blending disco and reggae influences away from the group's typically darker sound. It was produced by Yeti Beats and Federico Vindver. The release follows a high-profile appearance by Erick at Apple's WWDC event, where he performed a rap about apps after Tim Cook's keynote presentation. The rapper has an extensive career that includes collaborations with artists such as Joey Badass, RZA, James Blake, and punk band Trash Talk.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

Epomaker RT98 Review: A Mechanical Keyboard With a Movable Number Pad

The Epomaker RT98 is a budget-friendly mechanical keyboard that features a modular number pad which can be repositioned to either side of the board. The keyboard also includes a retro design, a CRT-style screen, and VIA compatibility for custom key remapping. It aims to satisfy both number pad enthusiasts and those who prefer a cleaner desk layout by offering flexibility without sacrificing functionality. However, the board comes with certain quirks and tradeoffs typical of many mechanical keyboards in its price range. The Verge awarded it a score of 7, calling it a clever compromise for users looking to customize their setup.

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TechnologyThe Verge ·

Ikko MindOne Pro: A Clever Compact Phone Concept That Fails in Execution

The Ikko MindOne Pro is a small, near-square smartphone with a flip-up camera that doubles as a selfie shooter and can be propped as a stand. It also supports a Clicks-style keyboard accessory that adds a magnetic ring and a headphone jack. Despite its innovative design, the phone ultimately disappoints across multiple use cases. The reviewer tested it as a regular phone, a minimalist device, and with the keyboard attachment, but none of the configurations proved satisfying.

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