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February 20, 2025, 5:55 AM
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| Tom Warren / The Verge: |
Microsoft unveils the Majorana 1, its first quantum processor that uses Majorana particles instead of electrons, with the potential to fit a million qubits — Microsoft has spent 17 years researching a new material and architecture for quantum computing.
More: Microsoft Azure, Microsoft on YouTube, Nature, Silicon Republic, Livemint, Tech Monitor, Microsoft, The Guardian, Business Today, eeNews Europe, Microsoft on YouTube, Proactive, Business Standard, Hindustan Times, New York Times, Verdict, EE Times, The National, CNBC, Decrypt, WebProNews, Digital Trends, SC Media, Defense One, BetaNews, The Post-Quantum World on YouTube, SiliconANGLE, YourStory.com, Wall Street Journal, Quartz, Maginative, The Hill, Forbes, The Register, Microsoft, and Constellation Research
Bluesky: @quinnypig.com and @graemesmith
Mastodon: @mathewi@journa.host, @Jason_W_Karpf@mastodon.social, @jschauma@mstdn.social, and @johncarlosbaez@mathstodon.xyz
X: @satyanadella, @ijustine, @tomwarren, @iancutress, @0xlac, @basedbeffjezos, @bdsams, @gillverd, @iohk_charles, @fxshaw, @peteratmsr, @satyanadella, @tomwarren, @jezcorden, @yusuf_i_mehdi, @basedbeffjezos, @preskill, @thomasgwong, @morningbrew, @6a6763, @bradsmi, @aubreystrobel, @konstanthacker, @elonmusk, @fxshaw, @ccatalini, @konstanthacker, @dr_chetan_nayak, @stockmktnewz, @jaguaranalytics, @konstanthacker, @aureliensacaze, @microsoft, @elliotthetrainr, and @satyanadella
LinkedIn: Hadi Partovi, Bruno Couillard, Rick Barnes, Mikael Ekman, Ramon Aguado, Ben Blaiszik, Maciej Malinowski, Dr. Renata Jovanovic, Bela Bauer, John Preskill, Christian Dickel, Chetan Nayak, Krysta Svore, and Zulfi Alam
Forums: r/technology, r/hardware, r/Futurology, r/technology, r/Physics, and r/accelerate
| Financial Times: |
Microsoft says it has harnessed a new state of matter using particles called Majorana fermions, a significant breakthrough to create workable topological qubits — US tech giant says it has harnessed a new state of matter to create the basic building blocks of a quantum machine
More: MIT Technology Review, The New Stack, Nature, arXiv.org, Hindustan Times, Microsoft, Business Standard, Business News Australia, and RetailWire. Bluesky: @chicagomike
| Dwarkesh Patel / Dwarkesh Podcast: |
Q&A with Satya Nadella on Microsoft's AGI plan, the quantum breakthrough with Majorana 1, how Muse will change gaming, AI's legal barriers, AI safety, and more — AGI is not the real benchmark: 10% economic growth is — Satya Nadella on: — Why he doesn't believe in AGI but does believe in 10% economic growth,| Ben Schoon / 9to5Google: |
Google is removing Gemini support from the main Google app on iOS, pushing users to download the standalone Gemini app that launched in November 2024 — Google is informing iOS users that it will be removing Gemini support from the main Google app as it pushes users over to the full Gemini app.
More: TechCrunch, Android Central, Benzinga, BitcoinWorld, MacTrast, Lawyer Monthly, Android Police, Business Today, MakeUseOf, Cryptopolitan, HotHardware, Digital Trends, MobileSyrup, BGR, TechRadar, Digital Trends, and MacRumors. Mastodon: @glenngabe@mas.to
| Adamya Sharma / Android Authority: |
Google is bringing Circle to Search-like visual searches to its Chrome and Google iOS apps, without the Circle to Search branding, as a Google Lens feature — The feature will work within the Chrome and Google iOS apps via Lens. — • — • — • — TL;DR
More: The Keyword, Tech Advisor, 9to5Google, The Indian Express, Engadget, Android Central, Digit, GSMArena.com, Android Headlines, Trusted Reviews, How-To Geek, MakeUseOf, The Irish Sun, Pocket-lint, Tom's Guide, Android Central, BGR, Cult of Mac, CNET, TechRadar, PCMag, Search Engine Journal, Android Police, PhoneArena, iPhone in Canada Blog, MacRumors, TechCrunch, and The Verge
Mastodon: @glenngabe@mas.to. X: @googlechrome, @richontech, @google, and @newsfromgoogle. LinkedIn: Max Christoff
| Chance Miller / 9to5Mac: |
Apple unveils the $599+ iPhone 16e with a 6.1" display, A18, 48MP camera, Apple Intelligence, the C1 cellular modem, USB-C, and no MagSafe, shipping February 28 — Apple has officially taken the wraps off of the all-new iPhone 16e. The device features an all-new design paired with the A18 chip inside …
More: Apple on YouTube, Apple, MacRumors, Moneycontrol, The Verge, MacRumors, Engadget, Ars Technica, MacRumors, CNBC, KnowTechie, Android Headlines, Stuff, MacTrast, designboom, International Business Times, TechRadar, Forbes, The Verge, ANI News, Bloomberg, Brian Tong on YouTube, Digital Trends, Gulf Business, Business Today, IGN, zollotech on YouTube, Techsponential, Brandon Butch on YouTube, PhoneArena, Redmond Pie, mjtsai.com, Six Colors, OS X Daily, Press Start, Philip Elmer‑DeWitt, Washington Post, 9to5Mac, MacStories, MacRumors, TechCrunch, TechRadar, 9to5Toys, 9to5Mac, and MacRumors
Bluesky: @dompreston.com. Mastodon: @corbin@toot.community. Threads: @davidimel, @joannastern, and @davidimel
X: @markgurman, @varunkrish, @munster_gene, @aaronp613, @tim_cook, @film_girl, @aaronp613, @deedydas, @shishirshelke1, @aaronp613, @film_girl, @aaronp613, @gregorymcfadden, @microsoftvapple, @maxwinebach, @willguyatt, @dylanmcd8, @caro_milanesi, @parkerortolani, @mgsiegler, @joannastern, @film_girl, @joannastern, @film_girl, @parkerortolani, @firstadopter, @markgurman, @dylanmcd8, @zollotech, @maxwinebach, @markgurman, @mkbhd, @aaronp613, @zollotech, and @maxwinebach. LinkedIn: Raffaele Cetrulo
Forums: r/iPhone13Mini, r/business, r/apple, r/iPhone16ProMax, r/iPhone16Pro, r/iPhoneXR, r/hardware, r/LinusTechTips, r/gadgets, r/apple, r/apple, r/hackernews, r/iPhoneSE, r/technology, r/apple, and r/iphone
| Zac Hall / 9to5Mac: |
More: Wall Street Journal, Telecoms Tech News, MacRumors, The Verge, Radio Free Mobile, TechRadar, The Information, The Overspill, DigiTimes, 9to5Mac, PhoneArena, and Cult of Mac
Bluesky: @stevekovach. X: @maxwinebach, @markgurman, @tailosivetech, @vadimyuryev, @benbajarin, @dylanmcd8, @basicappleguy, @wongmjane, and @benbajarin
| Tom Warren / The Verge: |
Microsoft announces Muse AI, a first-of-its-kind generative AI model that can generate a game environment based on visuals, players' controller actions, or both — Microsoft Research and Xbox game studio Ninja Theory have partnered to create a new AI model for gaming.
More: Xbox Wire, Nature, Microsoft Research, Xbox on YouTube, Wired, Aftermath, Bloomberg, Ars Technica, WinBuzzer, Reuters, The Register, VentureBeat, Microsoft, Android Headlines, Beebom, TechSpot, TweakTown, PC Gamer, Neowin, Stevivor, and Engadget
Bluesky: @tomwarren.co.uk. Mastodon: @mads@fedi.mvpgame.dev. X: @xboxwire, @satyanadella, @mustafasuleyman, @tomwarren, @alacremeox, @protosphinx, @coreybrickley, @yacinemtb, @tomwarren, @reach_vb, @natureportfolio, @lukasschaefer96, @katjahofmann, @teknium1, @peteratmsr, @rowancheung, @theturingpost, @msftresearch, @wario64, @rowancheung, @azed_ai, @peteratmsr, @howfxr, @knoebelbroet, @rowancheung, and @rowancheung
Forums: r/technews, r/singularity, r/gaming, r/xbox, r/Games, and r/xbox
| Andy Chalk / PC Gamer: |
Valve releases a Team Fortress 2 SDK with the game's client and server code, letting users build new Team Fortress 2-based games licensed for non-commercial use — Valve has also released major updates to all Source-engine multiplayer games adding 64-bit support, scalable HUDS, “and a lot of other improvements.”
More: TF2 Official Blog, Ars Technica, Eurogamer.net, Game Rant, Neowin, GameSpot, OC3D, ReadWrite, Engadget, Digital Trends, Destructoid, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, GamesRadar, and TechSpot
Bluesky: @steinmakesgames. X: @jonsyishere, @ultr4nima, @heyitscookie, @ultr4nima, @xradicald, @phisnom, @4g_b4nny, @teamfortress, @ultr4nima, @micahtischler, @skyminslash, @steamdb, @shoun1c, and @interneth0f
Forums: r/Chivalry2, r/gaming, r/pcmasterrace, r/Steam, r/Games, r/pcgaming, r/TwoBestFriendsPlay, r/tf2, Slashdot, and Ars OpenForum
| Jon Keegan / Sherwood News: |
Perplexity open sources R1 1776, a version of the DeepSeek R1 model that Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas says was “post-trained to remove the China censorship” — But shortly after its release, attention turned to how compliant the model was with Chinese censorship laws.
More: Perplexity. Bluesky: @edzitron.com. X: @bill_drexel, @perplexity_ai, @localghost, @nathanbenaich, @aravsrinivas, @perplexity_ai, @perplexity_ai, and @aravsrinivas. LinkedIn: Ipek Ceylan
Forums: Hacker News, r/LocalLLM, and r/perplexity_ai
| Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch: |
Global Witness: ahead of German elections, TikTok's and X's For You feeds showed a substantial far-right bias; 78% of TikTok's recommendations supported the AfD — Recommendation algorithms operated by social media giants TikTok and X have shown evidence of substantial far-right political bias …
LinkedIn: linkedin.com
| Lawrence Bonk / Engadget: |
Twitch rolls out changes to its violation enforcement system, including letting minor infractions expire after 90 days and serious ones in one or two years — Depending on severity, this will take 90 days to two years. — Twitch has rolled out a number of changes to its violation enforcement system.
More: Twitch Safety Center, The Verge, Game Rant, Tech Times, Dexerto, and Dexerto
| Suzanne Vranica / Wall Street Journal: |
Sources: top X executives hinted to Interpublic and other ad firms that not spending on X could lead to legal woes, due to X's lawsuit against some advertisers — Interpublic recently signed an advertising agreement with the platform; other agencies are also in negotiations
Bluesky: @pppgrifter, @wikisteff, @chronotope.aramzs.xyz, @whetmoser.com, @mediaevan, and @baymama
| Angus Whitley / Bloomberg: |
Australia eSafety Commissioner study: social media platforms likely have ~1.3M under-13 Australian users, suggesting a lack of preparation for the under-16 ban — - Study indicates over 1 million underage social media users — Findings show lack of preparation for Australia's under-16 ban| Kim Zetter / Wired: |
Source: 19-year-old Edward Coristine and Kyle Schutt, both DOGE engineers, are now on staff at the CISA; Coristine was briefly an intern for Neuralink — DOGE technologists Edward Coristine—the 19-year-old known online as “Big Balls”—and Kyle Schutt are now listed as staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
More: Nextgov/FCW. Bluesky: @kimzetter, @kimzetter, and @couts
X: @watermanreports and @erratarob
Forums: r/espionage, r/craftofintelligence, and r/politics
| David Jeans / Forbes: |
Clearview AI co-founder and President Hoan Ton-That resigns, after stepping back as CEO in December 2024, and says he will continue serving as a board member — Hoan Ton-That left Clearview after the company struggled to secure big federal government contracts.| The Block: |
Ethereum transaction fees' seven-day moving average fell to $0.77 on February 15, a 70% week-over-week drop from $2.57 and the lowest since July 2020 — - The record-low Ethereum fees signal weak demand amid onchain volume decline. — The following is an excerpt from The Block's Data and Insights newsletter.
Forums: r/ethtrader
| Axios: |
Sources: NIST plans to cut 497 people, including 74 postdocs and most staff at its Chips for America program; the AI Safety Institute faces an uncertain future — Exit Content Preview … - The cuts come at a time when the U.S. is looking to lead in AI development and stave off competition from China.
More: Bloomberg and The Register
Bluesky: @osetinstitute.org, @heatherashleyboyer, and @eguango
X: @ericgeller, @ashleyrgold, @hamandcheese, @alecstapp, @jakewilkns, @stuartbuck1, @deanwball, and @ericgeller
Forums: r/technology and r/fednews
| Reuters: |
Russian search and ad giant Yandex reports 2024 revenue up 37% YoY to a record ~$12.3B and expects 2025 revenue up 30%+, after splitting from Nebius Group — Russian internet firm Yandex reported annual revenues above 1 trillion roubles ($11.22 billion) for the first time on Thursday …
More: The Moscow Times and Tech in Asia
| Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai / TechCrunch: |
Filings: US Army soldier Cameron John Wagenius pleads guilty to hacking AT&T and Verizon and stealing a massive trove of phone records from the telcos in 2024 — Cameron John Wagenius pleaded guilty to hacking AT&T and Verizon and stealing a massive trove of phone records from the companies … | Romain Dillet / TechCrunch: |
Paris-based Spore.Bio, which has developed a pre-trained deep learning algorithm to speed up microbiology testing, raised a $23M Series A led by Singular — Recalls in the food and beverage industry due to contamination incidents can have catastrophic effects.| Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch: |
Uber ditches commissions in favor of daily fees for auto-rickshaw drivers in India in response to increased competition from local rivals Rapido and Namma Yatri — Uber is moving away from its commission-based model for three-wheeled motorized rickshaw drivers in India in response …
More: NDTV, TechIssuesToday.com, Times of India, PC-Tablet India, CNBC-TV18, Moneycontrol, India Today, Reuters, and The Indian Express
X: @indiantechguide, @nikhilkumarks, @vivekmadani, @refsrc, and @tim_clif
| Romain Dillet / TechCrunch: |
Mistral's Le Chat app tops 1M downloads in just 14 days, quickly reaching the App Store's top free downloads spot in France; ChatGPT hit 500K in just six days — A couple of weeks after the initial release of Mistral's AI assistant, Le Chat, the company told Le Parisien that it has reached one million downloads.| Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch: |
Sanas, whose tech changes call center workers' accents in real time using AI, raised a $65M Series B at a $500M+ valuation led by Quadrille and Teleperformance — The demand for voice and speech recognition technologies is massive — and growing. An analysis by market research firm Markets … | Tim Bradshaw / Financial Times: |
An interview with Accel's Harry Nelis, who led early investments in Zepz and Kayak, on how the European startup industry has changed, the AI boom, and more — The venture capital group's long-serving partner reflects on how the continent's start-up industry has evolved and discusses the AI boomSponsor Posts
Subquadratic:
SubQ Snap 1.1: the first long-context decision model for real enterprise work — Tied for #1 on the AA Decision Index, Snap is a multimodal model with a 384k-token context window for fast reasoning and agentic decisions.
SubQ Snap 1.1: the first long-context decision model for real enterprise work — Tied for #1 on the AA Decision Index, Snap is a multimodal model with a 384k-token context window for fast reasoning and agentic decisions.
Command Line:
GitHub Universe 2026: Highlights from the developer's developer conference — Copilot Fusion was the belle of the ball, but the hero at the heart of the two-day event was the developer community.
GitHub Universe 2026: Highlights from the developer's developer conference — Copilot Fusion was the belle of the ball, but the hero at the heart of the two-day event was the developer community.
Zoho:
Introducing the new Zoho Analytics: Agentic analytics for every business — We're excited to announce the launch of the new Zoho Analytics! This release marks a major shift for the product …
Introducing the new Zoho Analytics: Agentic analytics for every business — We're excited to announce the launch of the new Zoho Analytics! This release marks a major shift for the product …
IDrive:
Protecting your Cloud Applications Data — Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Salesforce data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.
Protecting your Cloud Applications Data — Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Salesforce data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.Featured Podcasts
Big Technology Podcast:
Big Tech's Ugly Week, Getting Rich At Anthropic, AI Costs Plunge
The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators.
Subscribe to Big Technology Podcast.
Machine Gods:
OpenAI's Latest Discoveries Spark a Backlash + Help! My Kid Hates AI
The official podcast of the singularity, from Casey Newton and Kevin Roose. Twice-weekly news, analysis, and interviews with the people who are building the future.
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The Upstarts Podcast:
The Accidental YC Founder Solving AI's GPU Crisis | SF Compute's Evan Conrad
Veteran tech reporter Alex Konrad sits down with breakout entrepreneurs taking on the status quo to shake up their fields in AI, design, nuclear energy, space, and more.
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Cheeky Pint:
Why Sam Altman is against a single superintelligence
Stripe cofounder John Collison interviews founders, builders, and leaders over a pint.
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Great Chat:
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A podcast mostly about tech. Brought to you weekly by Angela Du, Sally Shin, Mac Bohannon, Helen Min, and Ashley Mayer.
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Sources:
Tobi Lütke on the AI agent revolution and future of Shopify
Candid conversations with the leaders shaping what's next in AI and the broader tech industry. Hosted by Alex Heath, who has covered Silicon Valley for more than a decade.
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