Friday, June 12, 2026

Technology News and More-Friday Edition...

Technology News and More...



SpaceX officially prices shares at $135 in the largest IPO ever
TechCrunch / 11h
Wits its official share pricing announcement, SpaceX's IPO has begun.




Senators introduce bipartisan bill to fight government censorship
Engadget / 38min
Senators Cruz and Wyden have introduced the JAWBONE Act to fight government censorship while arguing over who's censoring who.






I'm a seasoned camper, and my #1 tip is to choose your kit wisely — here's what I'd pack
Latest from TechRadar / 1h
The wrong gear can turn any camping trip into a nightmare; these picks will keep you comfortable, dry, and free to enjoy the great outdoors.





Cheaper, faster, and culturally aware, Avataar’s video AI is built for India’s scale
TechCrunch / 2h
Avataar AI's distilled video model is priced at $0.005 for every second of generation





SpaceX IPO in Hours. Going to the Moon, $200+
Next Big Future / 2h
SpaceX IPO is hours away. They will open up trading about about 11pm-noon EST. What else will be happening to SpaceX trading, unlock of share, index buying. What will matter more? The technology unlocks. SpaceX Starship working in as little as two months and delivering live V3 satellites. Sign up to talk to Brian Wang ... Read more





It's not just you — nearly half of us wish we could just click our fingers and make generative AI disappear
Latest from TechRadar / 2h
New data reveals nearly half of British adults would get rid of generative AI entirely – younger citizens unexpectedly lead the opposition.





Equal AI raises $30M to screen calls so Indians don’t have to
TechCrunch / 3h
Equal AI said that its AI-powered call assistant now has over a million monthly active users.





How to watch USA vs. Paraguay online for free
Mashable / 3h
TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN , an Official Tournament Supporter of the event. The USA is the last host nation to start its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, and it's probably got the toughest matchup. Mexico battled it out with South Africa in the opening game, Ca





Hate giving blood? Samsung’s latest VR demo will help you meditate while donating — and it’s given me some ideas
Latest from TechRadar / 4h
Samsung’s XR headset might help you relax the next time you give blood, thanks to VR meditation.





Here are 21 new features in iOS 27 that Apple didn't have time to mention during its WWDC 2026 keynote
Latest from TechRadar / 4h
iOS 27 is going to bring more updates than you might think when it starts rolling out in a few months.





NYT Strands hints, answers for June 12, 2026


Mashable / 5h
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're good with essays. Strands , the New York Times ' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer





NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 12, 2026
Mashable / 5h
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you like animals. Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips





Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 12, 2026
Mashable / 5h
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like taking things apart. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Con





NYT Pips hints, answers for June 12, 2026
Mashable / 5h
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit. Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you co





Theker just raised $85M to build the factory robot that doesn’t specialize in anything
TechCrunch / 5h
Unlike humanoid robots designed around a fixed form — think Boston Dynamics — Theker's machines are built to be reconfigured.





Apple’s Camera Chief Thinks AI Can Give You Superpowers
Wired / 6h
The generative features in iOS 27’s new Photos app will add fake pixels to some of your shots, but Apple’s Jon McCormack says the company isn’t using AI “for the sake of AI.”





Jeff Bezos’s Prometheus raises $12B to build an ‘artificial general engineer’ for the physical world
TechCrunch / 6h
The new round values the physical AI startup that aims to automate heavy engineering and drug design at $41 billion.





GoPro Mission 1 Pro Review: The Best GoPro, Just Not the Best Camera
Gizmodo / 7h
GoPro promised us a "cinematic camera system." The Mission 1 Pro is just a better action camera.





Nearly all security bosses are worried about AI safety — with a third saying they still rely on manually reviewing code before launch
Latest from TechRadar / 7h
Security leaders increasingly worry that AI-generated code introduces risks, while many organizations still depend heavily on manual reviews.





'We want the player to kind of get lost in the world and 'force' them to have fun' — Control Resonant lead level designer teases new 'dungeons' and encourages players to explore the open world and engage in side content
Latest from TechRadar / 7h
Remedy Entertainment wants players to discover and engage in side content in Control Resonant's open environment alongside the main story.





Why You Might Already Own SpaceX Shares, Siri’s AI Makeover, and Knicks Owner’s Surveillance Machine
Wired / 7h
Today on Uncanny Valley, we take an early look at the SpaceX IPO and why you might find yourself among the investors without even realizing it.





How scammers use "scraped New York Times content" to trick security scanners — and exploit "free" Google Cloud links to flood your inbox
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Researchers uncovered a global phishing network using Google Cloud redirects and copied news content across thousands of coordinated servers.





India's 'blue gold' starts a new drinks industry
BBC News / 8h
Agave plants grow wild in India and new distillers are using them to create a spirits industry.





How to watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 5 online — stream the final season from anywhere
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
The long-running story of Kanan Stark is coming to an end — here's how to watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 5.





NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, June 12 (game #831)
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.





NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, June 12 (game #1097)
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.





Quordle hints and answers for Friday, June 12 (game #1600)
Latest from TechRadar / 8h
Looking for Quordle clues? We can help. Plus get the answers to Quordle today and past solutions.





How to Watch South Korea vs Czechia Free ? 2026 World Cup Live Stream
Gizmodo / 8h
South Korea vs Czechia closes opening day in Group A tonight, and the free live stream sits on a UK channel. Here is the quickest way to watch from anywhere.





[LAST CHANCE] Chase Sapphire Reserve 150,000 Point Bonus
View from the Wing / 8h
Chase Sapphire Reserve’s 150,000-point initial bonus ends June 15, with strong travel and dining earning, Sapphire Lounge access, and credits that can outweigh the fee.





Researchers are developing textiles that can produce drinking water from the air
Engadget / 8h
How very Dune.





The ‘Creepshow’ Video Game Is Coming Sooner Than You Think
Gizmodo / 9h
The video game adaptation of Shudder's horror anthology series was announced back in 2022.





Elon Musk shares anti-immigrant posts before SpaceX IPO
Mashable / 9h
Elon Musk , CEO of SpaceX and one of the loudest voices of the internet, made numerous X posts Wednesday and Thursday in support of deporting immigrants from the United Kingdom, perhaps under violent conditions. His comments and reposts, shared on the eve of SpaceX's initial public offering , channeled outrage over a knife attack against an Irish man in Belfast on Monday evening. A 30-year-old Su





The Death of Robin Hood review: Hugh Jackman leads a bleak, brutal, and boring re-imagining of the outlaw
Mashable / 9h
It's impossible to watch The Death of Robin Hood and not think of Logan. Both films star Hugh Jackman, and both mar his leading-man good looks with old age makeup, scars, and mangy facial hair. In each, he plays an anti-hero whose legend is one of noble heroism but whose reality is a trail of senseless carnage. And in both, his withered humanity is revived by protecting an orphaned girl. In this





United 'exploring' Eurobusiness-style rows for its new Airbus A321XLRs
The Points Guy Articles / 9h
United Airlines might outfit its newest planes with a seating setup that's far more common on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The Chicago-based carrier said it's exploring blocking the middle seats on some rows of its brand-new Airbus A321XLRs — United's all-new, single-aisle jets that can fly to Europe. The arrangement would essentially give some economy passengers some extra elbow room wi





Quote of the day by Mark Zuckerberg: 'Metaverse isn't a thing a company builds. It's the next chapter of the internet overall' — a prediction that hit wide of the mark
Latest from TechRadar / 9h
The Meta CEO's pandemic-era predictions on the future of technology failed to materilaize





MSI’s special edition Titan 18HX gaming laptop is incredibly over the top — and I’m obsessed
Latest from TechRadar / 9h
You’d have to be a dragon fanatic, a maximalist, or a big MSI fan to love the special edition Titan 18HX, so it’s a good thing I’m all three





AI has finally reached The Rock and 'after taking a hard look at it,' he's got an 'extraordinary f-ing workout' and might be rethinking his Presidential aspirations
Latest from TechRadar / 9h
Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson finally found AI, and it's already given him a great workout and thoughts on a possible second (or is it third?) career.





‘Hands Off Our NHS’: Anti-Palantir Protests Break Out in UK Over Deal With National Health Service
Wired / 10h
Crowding the gates of a major health care conference, protesters called for Palantir to be booted out of the UK’s National Health Service over privacy concerns and political grievances.





Serve the Punch Now: ‘Widow’s Bay’ Will Return for Season 2
Gizmodo / 10h
Ahead of the season one finale, Apple TV has renewed its horror comedy starring Matthew Rhys, Kate O'Flynn, and Stephen Root.





SpaceX IPO: How Our Reporters Assess the Sky-High Valuation and Potential Economic Impact
NYT > Technology / 10h
Two Times tech reporters and their editor talk about assessing the sky-high valuation of the rocket and satellite maker, the potential economic impact of its public debut and the role of the world’s richest man in it all.





Overwatch's latest hero will throw a bike at your head
Engadget / 10h
Shion arrives when Season 3 starts on June 16.





SpaceX is Already an AI Leader – AI Cloud Revenue Leader in 2027
Next Big Future / 10h
Why Analysts Are Getting SpaceX Wrong – Most analysts are feeling one part of the elephant understand space but not AI or understand neither – S1 (300-page F1) only covers through Q1 last year, predates the AI revenue pivot – Many still exclude the new AI contract revenue from 2026 projections – JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, ... Read more





Meet the OpenAI Engineer Leading ChatGPT's Biggest Transformation Yet
Wired / 10h
Thibault Sottiaux helped make AI coding one of OpenAI’s fastest-growing businesses. Now he’s overseeing a sweeping overhaul of ChatGPT.





Waymo Is Rolling Out a ‘Premier’ Subscription Plan as It Makes a Nationwide Case for Robotaxis
Gizmodo / 10h
Like robotaxis, the subscription is probably going to need some tweaking before it's ready for primetime.





The great AI Irony: China cracks down on Western models while US companies flock to DeepSeek
Latest from TechRadar / 10h
China is taking a hard-hitting approach to foreign AI and chipmakers, even as Western nations continue to embrace DeepSeek as a cheaper alternative





Splish, splash then take a nap at these 16 best US hotels with water parks
The Points Guy Articles / 10h
There are plenty of family-friendly destinations with water parks, but it's even better when you can hit the wave pool without leaving your hotel. That's why we rounded up the best U.S. hotels with water parks for your next family vacation . With few exceptions, water park access is included in your stay, making these 16 water park hotels so much more than just a place to sleep (though you may ne





Dazzle Your Dinner Guests With an Authentic ‘Beetlejuice’ Shrimp Hand
Gizmodo / 10h
Outbursts of 'Day-O' are not guaranteed, but you'll up your chances if you win this memorable Tim Burton movie prop from an upcoming Planet Hollywood auction.





How to watch South Korea vs Czechia: Free Streams & TV Channels online from anywhere for FIFA World Cup 2026
Latest from TechRadar / 10h
Here's how to watch South Korea vs Czechia for free online and from anywhere in Group A of the FIFA World Cup 2026.





9 underrated Android features you're probably not using enough
How-To Geek / 10h
Your Android phone is filled with a wealth of features meant to make your life easier and more efficient. However, many of these highly helpful tools often go unnoticed, staying hidden in plain sight, but if you knew how much more convenient your phone could be, you’d be shocked.





British Airways Put Up Flight Attendants In London Hotels. Now The U.K. Demands $7.8 Million In Tax
View from the Wing / 10h
British Airways is fighting a U.K. tax demand over London hotel rooms provided to flight attendants between back-to-back trips. The dispute turns on whether the rooms were necessary operational rest or taxable lodging near the crew’s normal base. The U.K. governmnet argues flight attendants should have just gone home.





Massive Effigy of Elon Musk Raised Over Times Square to Protest Grok
Wired / 10h
Activists raised a 40-foot-tall inflatable Elon Musk in Manhattan to draw attention to the risk he allegedly poses to investors.





Inflatable Elon Musk Appears in Times Square, Begs to be Popped like the AI Bubble
Gizmodo / 10h
Grok, is this real?





A US Army Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz — an uncrewed drone boat made history by saving its crew
Latest from TechRadar / 10h
A US Navy drone boat rescued two Apache helicopter crew members near the Strait of Hormuz in a historic first.





Bill Gates Offers Bizarre Excuse About Epstein
Futurism / 10h
In 2011 — three years after Jeffrey Epstein plead guilty to charges of soliciting prostitution of a minor — Microsoft founder Bill Gates started communicating with him extensively. The disgraced billionaire and philanthropist is being grilled by investigators from Congress’ House Oversight Committee this week over his ties to the deceased sex criminal, with lawmakers trying to figure out how far





Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden try to fight censorship with bipartisan JAWBONE Act
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
US Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today introduced the JAWBONE Act, a proposed law that could fuel lawsuits against federal officials who try to coerce broadcasters or tech platforms into restricting speech. The Justice Against Weaponized Bureaucratic Overreach to Networked Expression Act would prohibit federal agencies and employees from coercing or trying to coerce broadcast





AcuRite admits new app falls short, delays old app’s May shutdown to fix problems
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Smart weather-monitoring device vendor AcuRite has delayed plans to force users onto a new companion app. The transition from My AcuRite to AcuRite NOW, which AcuRite previously set for May 30, “has raised serious questions and concerns among many long-time users,” AcuRite’s VP of product development, Jeff Bovee, told Ars Technica. AcuRite, whose devices include weather stations, rain gauges, and





SpaceX Sets Milestone With World’s Largest I.P.O., Furthering Musk’s Power
NYT > Technology / 11h
Elon Musk’s rocket company said it would sell more than 555 million shares at $135 a share in its blockbuster initial public offering, which is set to begin trading on Friday.





All of Apples iPads are on sale ahead of Prime Day, but were waiting for bigger savings
Mashable / 11h
Best early Prime Day iPad deals Best iPad deal Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, 128GB, WiFi) $299.99 (Save $49.01) Best iPad Air deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, 128GB, WiFi) $559 (Save $40) Best iPad Pro deal Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M5, 256GB, WiFi) $936.50 (Save $62.50) Is your summer travel booked? If you're getting ready to jet set or hit the road but don't want to lug your laptop around, then it




Get a monitor mount for under $20 with this exclusive discount code
Mashable / 11h
An advertiser paid for editorial consideration of this deal. Our editorial experts vetted the deal using their independent expertise. Because we determined that the deal will save money for the consumer, we wrote the content. TL;DR: Mashable readers can get the HUANUO FlowLift Pro Monitor Arm for $15.89 after clipping the Amazon coupon and applying code OFORSXRF . Opens in a new window Credit: HU





How to watch Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina online for free
Mashable / 11h
TL;DR: Live stream Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . The 2026 FIFA World Cup is starting with a number of huge matchups, including Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina. All eyes will be on hosts Canada as they look to secure a positive result against a team that beat





Oracle warns of security bug that hackers abused to breach 100+ companies
TechCrunch / 11h
The tech giant warned of a security flaw that a cybercrime gang said it's exploiting as part of a mass-hacking campaign. Google said it notified more than 100 organizations that had potentially vulnerable servers.





How to Share Your Amazon Prime Membership With Anyone
Lifehacker / 11h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Prime Day is almost here, and to make the most of the big sale, you need to be an Amazon Prime member . This typically costs $139 per year or $14.99 per month, and comes with a lot of perks , like faster shipping on many items and access to Prime Video streaming. Amazon used to let you share all those membership benefits with a limited number of p





America’s Solar Just Hit a Critical Milestone That Won’t Make Trump Happy
Gizmodo / 11h
Despite the Trump administration's efforts to revitalize domestic coal power, renewables continue to set new records.





‘The Fast and the Furious’ Is Returning to Theaters for Its 25th Anniversary
Gizmodo / 11h
Experience the first film in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise on the big screen this summer.





5 new shows to watch this weekend across Netflix, Hulu, and more (June 12-14)
How-To Geek / 11h
Most of the shows that premiered last week, including Apple TV's Cape Fear , were new to their respective streaming services . This week, three returning shows highlight the top shows to watch this weekend. Two of the returning shows will conclude after their fifth seasons. The other show, streaming on Netflix, has not been renewed just yet.





SpaceX SPV investors won’t know their true holdings until post-IPO lock-ups lift
TechCrunch / 11h
After SpaceX makes its public debut, lower-tier SPV investors face hidden fees, lengthy payout delays, and the risk of outright fraud.





3 genuinely useful Excel projects to try this weekend (June 12-14)
How-To Geek / 12h
A quiet afternoon is the perfect excuse to build practical Excel tools that organize your hobbies, bills, and budget. These three guided projects show how a handful of formulas, tables, and formatting rules can transform a blank worksheet into practical tools that fit around your lifestyle.





Google Antigravity 2.0 replaced the IDE behind a chatbot—but you can get it back
How-To Geek / 12h
Working in a developer environment shouldn't feel like talking to a chatbot. When Google released Antigravity 2.0, it replaced the entire workspace with a chat-first window that hides your file tree, strips out the terminal panels, and boots you straight into an agent dashboard most developers never asked for. This is not the interface I ditched VS Code for , and it bothers me.





Grok Is Still Hosting Sexualized Deepfakes of Famous Women
Wired / 12h
A WIRED investigation found dozens of “nudified” deepfake images and videos on Grok's website, including nonconsensual depictions of celebrities and at least one prominent US politician.





Bluesky launches group chats, as company shifts focus to community features
TechCrunch / 12h
Bluesky's latest feature is group chats, arriving amid a shift in focus on building features for smaller communities.





Are your hybrid meetings doing more harm than good? New survey finds many of us 'forget' about remote colleagues
Latest from TechRadar / 12h
New study reveals hybrid meetings can isolate remote workers due to outdated technology and meeting fatigue.





New Antibiotic Found in Dirt Targets Superbugs in a Way ‘Never Been Seen Before’
Gizmodo / 12h
Researchers tested their newly discovered peptide against one common antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Only about one in every hundred million survived to pass on genetic resistance.





Arris Surfboard isn't the best modem anymore—and the multi-gig upgrade I use instead
How-To Geek / 12h
For years, the Arris Surfboard has been the default pick for modems—the one you bought to ditch your ISP's rental fee and never think about again. And it definitely earned that reputation. The Surfboard lineup, especially the SB8200 and S33 , has been rock solid for a lot of people.





Is It a Super El NiƱo Year? It Could Turn the World’s Weather Upside Down
Wired / 12h
From a wet winter in the Southwest to fewer Atlantic hurricanes, this is what to expect as a potential super El NiƱo takes shape.





Teardown of Trump Phone Reveals Incredibly Embarrassing Secret
Futurism / 12h
Ever since it was announced, tech journalists wondered whether president Donald Trump’s “Trump Mobile” smartphone would ever see the light of day. The gaudy-looking golden smartphone, dubbed Trump Mobile T1, finally landed in the hands of a larger pool of tech reviewers this week — and as it turns out, suspicions that it was a shoddily-repackaged phone by Chinese manufacturer HTC were entirely wa





Deezer Claims Its New Tool Can Detect AI Music on Most Major Streaming Services
Lifehacker / 12h
AI is everywhere right now—even in places you don't expect. You might be jamming to a new song on Spotify or YouTube, only to later learn that the track was "composed" entirely by bots (save for an initial human-generated prompt). Some might argue that AI music has its place, but if you're like me, you want to devote your attention to art created by real people, who have taken the time to hone a





The Best Books, Movies, Video Games, and Podcasts to Check Out After Watching ‘Shōgun’
Lifehacker / 12h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. FX’s Shōgun combines lush historical drama, complex political gamesmanship, and a deep dive into the intricacies of 16th-century Japanese culture and history to create wildly addictive TV. Despite being initially conceived as a single mini-series adapting James Clavell’s 1975 novel, it was so popular that two more seasons have been greenlit. I f y





AI Learned How the Universe Works—and That Created an Unexpected Problem for Physicists
Gizmodo / 12h
When it comes to physics, AI seems to be as bound by prior biases as human scientists.





I hope these 4 Galaxy S26 Ultra software features make their way to the Galaxy A57 and more affordable Samsung phones soon
Latest from TechRadar / 12h
I've used the Samsung Galaxy A57 and S26 Ultra — here are four features of the latter that I hope come to the former soon.





Why I ditched paid productivity apps for this free open-source alternative
How-To Geek / 12h
Are you frustrated with free productivity apps offering bare-bones functionality? Or annoyed by paying a monthly fee for apps that fail to make you any more productive? Well, say hello to Super Productivity—a free app boasting powerful features that’ll put premium alternatives to shame!





These are the 5 safest car brands in 2026 according to Consumer Reports
How-To Geek / 12h
Safety has become one of the biggest battlegrounds in the automotive industry, with automakers packing their vehicles full of advanced driver-assistance systems and crash-protection technology. However, not every brand delivers the same level of protection across its lineup, making brand-wide consistency just as important as the safety credentials of any single model.





Pixar’s Kitty Adventure ‘Gatto’ Looks Purrfectly Delightful
Gizmodo / 12h
'Luca' director Enrico Casarosa returns with another Italy-set tale, hitting theaters March 5, 2027.





After nearly breaking, NASA's Deep Space Network "worked well" on Artemis II
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
NASA pushed its Deep Space Network beyond its limits during the Artemis I mission nearly four years ago. The global array of deep space communications antennas couldn't keep up with the routine demands of 40 robotic science missions and the extraordinary surge required by NASA's Orion space capsule as it flew around the Moon. The experience in late 2022 reduced or delayed downlinks from several h





F1 teams spend millions on their simulators—what makes them different?
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Among the ways Formula 1 has changed in the 21st century has been its adoption of driver-in-the-loop simulators . It all started in the early 2000s, probably at McLaren, maybe at Toyota or Ferrari; F1 teams