Lego’s Smart Brick is here, and it transforms these new Star Wars sets

Lego’s new Smart Brick is a pretty big deal. It packs a miniature computer, a microphone, and NFC tech into a classic 2×4 Lego brick, which can power all sorts of new experiences with select sets. It has so much promise that we awarded it “best in show” at CES 2026, and now, eight Star

Soundcore’s Space 2 are an evolution of its budget headphones

We finally have an update to the Soundcore Space One that launched two and a half years ago. At MWC 2026, Soundcore has announced the Space 2, which will be available in the US on April 21st in three colors – linen white, jet black, and seafoam green – for $129.99. That’s $30 more than

Honor claims its Robot Phone will launch later this year

Honor has revealed more details of its so-called Robot Phone at MWC 2026, and finally showed a working unit in action alongside a dancing humanoid robot. Specs are still thin on the ground, but the company has confirmed it plans to release the phone in the second half of this year – though I’ve been

Resident Evil Requiem leans too much on the series’ past

Resident Evil turns 30 this year. The series is full of history – the new Resident Evil Requiem is technically the ninth mainline game, but there are a bunch of spinoffs, remakes, movies, and even a TV show – which can make it fun to follow for fans. But it’s also intimidating for people like

How MLB can make baseball relevant on a fast-changing internet

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the contemporary attention economy, follow Mia Sato. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started “KING BASEBALL, monarch of the American sport world, is sick,”

Meta won’t let morality get in the way of a product launch

There’s never been a better time to add facial recognition to everything! The public at large is gradually becoming numb to our Palantirized surveillance state, and American communities are responding to the militarization of federal law enforcement with their own increasingly intricate webs of sousveillance. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses are sleek, unobtrusive wearables with front-facing

Honor’s Magic V6 is the first foldable with an IP69 rating

For the third year running, Honor has announced what it says is the world’s thinnest book-style folding phone. For the second year, it’s combined that with the biggest battery in any foldable too. This year, for its third and final trick, the company went ahead and made sure it was the first foldable with an

Polymarket defends its decision to allow betting on war as ‘invaluable’

Polymarket has been allowing people to bet on when the US would strike Iran next. Obviously, now that it’s actually happened and people have died, the prediction betting market is feeling some pressure. The site has been at the center of controversy before, including suspicions of insider trading on the Super Bowl halftime show and

The Rubin Observatory’s alert system sent 800,000 pings on its first night

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s automated alert system is online and already bombarding astronomers with things to look at in the night sky. The system went live publicly on Tuesday, February 24th, and on the first night dropped some 800,000 alerts about asteroids, supernovas, and feasting black holes. And that number is only expected to

You can still grab great deals on Bose headphones and Astro Bot this weekend

Welcome to the weekend, friends! While the rest of our team was checking out Samsung’s forthcoming Galaxy S26 lineup and prepping for Apple’s “special experience” next week, we’ve been sifting through Woot’s “Video Games for All” sale and a truly weird slate of deals that, frankly, don’t have a throughline. (Some of us have also

Bitcoin traders eye Iran reactions as oil sparks US 5% inflation forecast

Bitcoin avoided a fresh breakdown around major geopolitical events in the Middle East, with BTC price targets now including $74,000 next.

Here’s what happened in crypto today

Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and crypto regulation.

Tokenized gold leads ‘100% of weekend price discovery’ while CME futures are closed

Tokenized gold markets like PAXG and XAUt now handle nearly all gold price discovery when CME futures shut for the weekend.

US military used Anthropic in Iran strike despite ban order by Trump: WSJ

The US military reportedly relied on Anthropic’s Claude AI for intelligence analysis and targeting during an Iran strike hours after Trump ordered a ban on the company’s systems.

6 Polymarket traders net $1M on US-Iran strike, spark insider fears: Report

The newly created Polymarket wallets placed bets on the timing of a US strike against Iran, buying shares hours before the first explosions were reported in Tehran.

Bitcoin recovers to $68K following death of Iranian Supreme Leader

Donald Trump described Ayatollah Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in history,” on Truth Social.

Ethereum smart accounts are finally coming ‘within a year’ — Vitalik Buterin

Removing intermediaries with account abstraction is a “core principle of non-ugly cypherpunk Ethereum,” said Buterin.

Anthropic CEO responds to Pentagon order prohibiting military use

The company was the first to deploy its AI models on classified US military cloud networks, according to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.

Ether’s 60% down from its 2025 high, but TradFi keeps betting on ETH: Here’s why

Ethereum’s dominant total value locked and widespread adoption by traditional finance institutions confirm its role as the base of global onchain finance. Will Ether price follow?

Bitcoin bottom fractal calls for 130% rally, but is the model valid in 2026?

A rare Bitcoin bottom signal from 2023 has flashed again, but the 2026 macroeconomic backdrop calls its validity into question. Can BTC price defy the odds?

Crypto treasury companies likely to consolidate in 2026: Crypto exec

Declining crypto prices mean that many digital asset treasuries are either underwater or trading at a discount to their net asset value.

Buying Bitcoin? Hold for at least three years to avoid losses, data says

Traders who bought Bitcoin three to five years ago are still up around 90% on average, even after the latest correction.

11 US senators request federal probe into Binance’s sanctions compliance

Lawmakers urge US regulators to review Binance’s AML and sanctions controls after reports of Iran-linked transactions and potential evasion risks.

Why institutions still prefer Ethereum despite faster blockchains

TPS breakthroughs get engineers excited, but TradFi is looking at Ethereum because that’s where the liquidity is, says Kevin Lepsoe of ETHGas.

Tether froze $4.2B in tokens tied to illicit activity in 3 years: Report

Tether blocked billions in USDt tied to scams and laundering cases as authorities increasingly rely on stablecoin issuers to halt suspicious funds.

Bitcoin price drops to $63K as US, Israel bomb Iran

Bitcoin faced geopolitical instability alone as a weekend move on Iran saw traditional markets closed, with key support still holding.

OpenAI wins defense contract hours after government ditches Anthropic

OpenAI will deploy its AI models on Pentagon classified networks after the US government ordered agencies to stop using rival Anthropic over national security concerns.

Mt. Gox’s former CEO floats hard fork to recover 80K hacked Bitcoin

Mark Karpelès said it has been 12 years since the start of Mt. Gox’s bankruptcy proceedings and “this is probably the last sore point on this whole case.”

Morgan Stanley applies for OCC bank charter to custody crypto

The Wall Street banking giant has been accelerating its foray into crypto, filing to launch Bitcoin, Ether and Solana ETFs in January.

Crypto VC Paradigm expands into AI, robotics with $1.5B fund: WSJ

Paradigm’s Matt Huang previously said developments in AI were “too interesting to ignore” and that both AI and crypto will have plenty of overlap.

What Happens if Iran Shuts Down the Strait of Hormuz?

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most sensitive pressure points in the global economy. Conflict in Iran could put it at risk indefinitely.

Recteq Flagship 1600 Review: An Upgraded Smoker

The Recteq Flagship 1600 pellet smoker asks a little more of you, but rewards you with deeply smoked flavor.

Video Doorbell Advice and Settings for Opting Out of the Surveillance State

Video doorbells are handy, but they’re a threat to privacy. I spoke to experts about why you might ditch your doorbell, and how to safeguard your video.

Best Laser Printers I’ve Tried (2026): Brother, HP, and More

Looking for fast printing at a relatively affordable cost? You probably want a laser printer.

Make the Most of Chrome’s Toolbar by Customizing It to Your Liking

There are plenty of ways to customize Chrome to make it easier to navigate the web, manage your tasks, and make your workflow more efficient.

The Piracy Problem Streaming Platforms Can’t Solve

In parts of the Middle East and North Africa, a patchwork of sanctions, payment failures, and licensing gaps pushes people into piracy networks.

X Is Drowning in Disinformation Following US and Israeli Attack on Iran

WIRED has reviewed hundreds of posts on X that promote misleading claims about the locations and scale of the attack.

NASA Is Making Big Changes to Speed Up the Artemis Program

America’s journey back to the moon has run into a few missteps. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman is banking on a new approach.

Hacked Prayer App Sends ‘Surrender’ Messages to Iranians Amid Israeli and US Strikes

As Israeli airstrikes hit Tehran this morning, Iranians received mysterious push notifications saying that “help is on the way,” promising amnesty if they surrender.

This Is the System That Intercepted Iran’s Missiles Over the UAE

As Iranian missiles targeted US-linked sites across the Gulf, the UAE’s missile shield was activated in real time.

Review: Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Leitzphone Pack Leica Magic Into a Flagship Phone

The latest Xiaomi flagship is a beast and comes in a specially co-designed Leica edition that’s picture-perfect.

14 Best Travel Toiletry Bags, Tested Over Many Miles (2026)

Our team evaluated a ton of toiletry bags to find the best storage, organization, and design options for all your essentials.

The Best MicroSD Cards for Your Camera, Switch, and More

Everything you need to know about memory cards for cameras, video game systems, and more.

The Best Laptop Cooling Pad and Why You Should Buy One

Most laptop cooling pads are useless, but if you get the right one, it can make a huge impact on how long your gaming laptop lasts.

Area Man Accidentally Hacks 6,700 Camera-Enabled Robot Vacuums

Plus: The top US cyber agency falls into shambles, AI models develop an upsetting penchant for nuclear weapons, and more.

EveryPlate’s Meal Kit Offers Affordable Vegetarian Options

HelloFresh’s budget subsidiary surprised me with its basic but tasty vegetarian meal selection.

Which Water Filter Pitchers Filter PFAS? How to Check

Checking up on the claims of water filter makers can be a discomfiting maze. Here’s how to verify independent water filter certifications.

This Ruroc Helmet Ruined My Ski Holiday

Branded intimidating and scary, this full-face Ruroc headgear for the slopes made me a pariah on the piste.

US and Israel Launch Strikes Against Iran

US president Donald Trump said a “major combat operation” against Iran had begun as he called for the country’s government to be overthrown.

Anthropic Hits Back After US Military Labels It a ‘Supply Chain Risk’

Anthropic says it would be “legally unsound” for the Pentagon to blacklist its technology after talks over military use of its artificial intelligence models broke down.

Quantum tech beats Russian satellite jamming in new arms race

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OpenAI lands record $110 billion investment backed by Nvidia, Amazon, and SoftBank

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Problematic TikTok use correlates with social anxiety and daily cognitive errors

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Meta won’t let morality get in the way of a product launch

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Goodbye, Tesla-style giant touchscreens: cars return to physical buttons

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Sam Altman reveals OpenAI “agreement” with DOD as Anthropic phases out

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Polish Train Maker Is Suing the Hackers Who Exposed Its Anti-Repair Tricks

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Scientists made AI agents ruder — and they performed better at complex reasoning tasks

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Claude hits No. 1 on App Store as ChatGPT users defect in show of support for Anthropic’s Pentagon stance

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Creepy ‘Marathon’ AI Enemies Are Mimicking Player Prox Chat

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Sam Altman Answers Questions on X.com About Pentagon Deal, Threats to Anthropic

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Lawmakers Demand DHS Define ‘Domestic Terrorist’ As It Uses Vast Array of Surveillance Tools | Rep. Bennie G. Thompson and other Democrats made the demand in a letter to DHS Kristi Noem. “Your actions are abhorrent, blatantly unconstitutional, and corrosive to the functioning of a peaceful society.”

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Warning: Facebook Ads for Free Windows 11 Upgrade Will Infect PCs With Malware

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WA lawmakers advancing bill restricting employers from microchipping workers

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DeepSeek to release long-awaited AI model in new challenge to US rivals

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Meet the Enshittificator, a man whose job is making your apps worse

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Polymarket defends its decision to allow betting on war as ‘invaluable’ / Everything is gambling now, even human suffering.

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We don’t have to have unsupervised killer robots | AI companies could stand together to draw red lines on military AI — why aren’t they?

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A new US military task force just used its cheap Shahed lookalike drones for the first time to strike Iran

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Anthropic’s Claude hits No. 2 on Apple’s top free apps list after Pentagon rejection

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