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August 12, 2026, 5:00 PM
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| Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch: |
Google unveils the $899+ Pixel 11, $1,099+ 11 Pro, and $1,299+ 11 Pro XL, with a Tensor G6, new Gemini features, Magic Capture to pick the best frames, and more — For the last few years, Google's Pixel has been a showcase of new AI features, with few hardware changes from the previous year's devices.
More: The Verge, Gizmodo, ZDNET, 9to5Google, Google, XDA Developers, CNBC, ZDNET, Wccftech, CNET, SlashGear, Associated Press, Thurrott, Daring Fireball, CNN, Engadget, Trusted Reviews, Tech Advisor, Wired, Wired, 9to5Google, Mashable, PetaPixel, Android Authority, and The New Things
| Max Buondonno / The Shortcut: |
More: 9to5Google, The Verge, ZDNET, The Information, Marques Brownlee on YouTube, Chrome Unboxed, Tech Advisor, Mashable, ZDNET, The Independent, Fast Company, Nokiamob, Bloomberg, The Indian Express, BGR, The Economic Times, Android Authority, MobileSyrup, T3, Press Start, ZDNET, TechRadar, and AndroidGuys
X: @joannastern, @joannastern, and @alexmaxham
| xAI: |
SpaceXAI releases Grok 4.6, saying it matches GPT-5.6 Sol on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, and prices it at $2/1M input and $6/1M output tokens — Grok 4.6 builds on Grok 4.5 with a particular focus on long-running agents and more ambitious interactive and visual work. — Try for free
More: Artificial Analysis, The New Stack, Investor's Business Daily, RuntimeWire, CoinGape, VentureBeat, The Decoder, iPhone in Canada, Neowin, 9to5Mac, Dow Jones Newswires, iClarified, Wccftech, and Unite.AI
X: @spacexai, @kimmonismus, @elonmusk, @patrickmoorhead, @elonmusk, @synthwavedd, @theskory, @iterintellectus, @gavinsbaker, @cognition, @arena, @_nathancalvin, @spacexai, @elonmusk, @synthwavedd, @elonmusk, @artificialanlys, @mntruell, @mattshumer_, @chrisgpt, @bindureddy, @nvidia, @elonmusk, @emostaque, @eliebakouch, @elonmusk, @chetanp, @kimmonismus, and @mweinbach. Threads: @testingcatalog
Forums: Hacker News, r/grok, and r/SpaceXBets
| Jessica Conditt / Engadget: |
Google unveils the $1,899+ Pixel 11 Pro Fold, with a stronger hinge, inner and outer displays that are 20% brighter, Tensor G6 chip, and an updated 48MP camera — Fly like a (Tensor) G6. — The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the ultimate evolution in Google's latest line of mobile devices …
More: Google, ZDNET, 9to5Google, The Hindu, SlashGear, Android Central, Neowin, Trusted Reviews, Mashable, AndroidGuys, Times of India, TechCrunch, Digital Trends, RuntimeWire, GB News, Digit, Android Police, Android Authority, CNET, The Verge, and Phandroid
X: @chriswelch, @backlon, and @chriswelch
| Sam Rutherford / Engadget: |
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold hands-on: a letdown after Samsung released the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with few design changes, and it feels like Google is coasting this time — In a year when Samsung made two new flagship foldables, the latest Pixel Pro Fold feels like a letdown.
More: Android Authority, PCMag, Android Central, Pocket-lint, ZDNET, TechRadar, Trusted Reviews, Yahoo Finance, T3, and Engadget
X: @alexmaxham and @lanceulanoff
| Victoria Song / The Verge: |
Google unveils the $399 Pixel Watch 5 with a satin pyrite case finish, offline Gemini, proactive AI suggestions, better GPS maps, and insulin resistance trends — The $399 Google Pixel Watch 5 isn't about the hardware. Sure, there's a new satin pyrite case finish, a few new strap colors, and a Steph Curry Special Edition.
More: Google, TechCrunch, Thurrott, DC Rainmaker on YouTube, Daring Fireball, Mashable, Neowin, 9to5Google, Engadget, The Sun Malaysia, Gizmodo, DC Rainmaker, ZDNET, Digit, AndroidGuys, GSMArena.com, Gadgets & Wearables, Phandroid, The Independent, DC Rainmaker, Android Police, How-To Geek, and CNET
| Will Sattelberg / 9to5Google: |
More: Google, Neowin, Android Central, Android Authority, Redmond Pie, SoundGuys, and Digital Trends. Forums: r/pixelbuds
| Samantha Kelly / Bloomberg: |
| Wall Street Journal: |
The NYC Council sent letters to Polymarket, Kalshi, Coinbase, and Gemini Titan as it investigates alleged deceptive marketing practices and targeting minors — Probe targets the marketing practices of four prediction markets with operations in the city — The New York City Council … | Dominic Preston / The Verge: |
Google plans to launch the $29 Pixel Tag on November 11, with a four-pack priced at $99, matching AirTag 2's pricing, offering UWB, Find Hub support, and more — The $29 tracker combines UWB with Bluetooth channel sounding. … More than two years after launching its own device-tracking network …
More: Google, CNET, MacRumors, Thurrott, Android Police, SlashGear, Yanko Design, Neowin, The Independent, Android Authority, Tom's Guide, Phandroid, TechSpot, BGR, TechRadar, Android Central, ZDNET, Mashable, Engadget, T3, Chrome Unboxed, Gizmodo, Pocket-lint, and Droid Life
Forums: Slashdot and MacRumors Forums
| Reuters: |
Bank of America says it plans to deploy $250B by July 2027 to support US digital and infrastructure projects, including data centers and energy infrastructure — Bank of America (BAC.N) said on Wednesday it plans to deploy $250 billion by July 2027 to support U.S. digital and infrastructure projects … | Mike Wheatley / SiliconANGLE: |
Google DeepMind launches SL2T, a multilingual sign-language-to-text model debuting on the Pixel 11 in Gboard and Live Transcribe, first for ASL to English text — Google DeepMind said today it wants to bring the artificial intelligence revolution to the estimated 70 million people across …
More: Google DeepMind, Digital Trends, and Mashable
X: @googledeepmind, @russellquantum, @ai_for_success, @googledeepmind, @googledeepmind, and @googledeepmind. LinkedIn: Alexander Hauerslev Jensen. Forums: r/accelerate
| Mark Gurman / Bloomberg: |
Sources: Apple hired Nate Gatten, an American Airlines exec with GOP ties, as government affairs VP, seeking someone who could align with Trump administration — Apple Inc. hired Nate Gatten as its new head of government affairs, tapping a longtime American Airlines Group Inc. executive … | Bloomberg: |
Tencent reports Q2 revenue up 11% YoY to ~$30.4B, above ~$30B est., driven by surging WeChat advertising and resilient game spending, and net income of ~$8.3B — Tencent Holdings Ltd. more than doubled spending on AI projects and computing to about $7.8 billion last quarter … | Kenrick Cai / Reuters: |
Sources detail moves behind Google's AI reshuffle; Sergey Brin urged key staff to go all in on Gemini, and some teams shifted from DeepMind to corporate Google — Google co-founder Sergey Brin in recent months has urged key AI staff to go all in on the company's Gemini model as parent Alphabet … | Jess Weatherbed / The Verge: |
Google says Android's AirDrop-like Quick Share will now let some devices exchange files and contact info when tapped together, starting with the Pixel 6 and up — The Quick Share update makes it easier to share contact info and files between Pixel devices, and soon, Samsung phones.
More: Google, SQ Magazine, Android Authority, Phandroid, 9to5Google, and Engadget
| Michael J. de la Merced / New York Times: |
Thrive Capital's Thrive Holdings, which acquires traditional service businesses and adds AI, raised $2B from SoftBank, D1, and others at a $12B valuation — The company, Thrive Holdings, acquires businesses to infuse them with artificial intelligence and drew interest from backers like SoftBank.
More: TechCrunch, Pulse 2.0, and Front Office Sports
X: @samaysham, @joshuakushner, and @thriveholdings
| Ben Dummett / Wall Street Journal: |
Stockholm-based AI coding startup Lovable raised $400M at a $13.3B valuation, up from $6.6B in December 2025, becoming one of Europe's most valuable startups — New funding round catapults AI company into the ranks of Europe's most valuable startups — Artificial-intelligence startup Lovable …
More: Lovable, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, Reuters, TechRepublic, Tech.eu, Tech Funding News, Silicon Republic, and FinSMEs
X: @the_luwii, @menloventures, @fabianhedin, @felixhhaas, @nklsmhs, @deedydas, and @antonosika. LinkedIn: Isabelle Bensimon
| Sherry Qin / Wall Street Journal: |
Foxconn reports Q2 revenue up 41% YoY to ~$78.4B, with cloud and networking products contributing 50%+ for the first time, and net profit up 35% YoY to ~$1.86B — Net profit for the three months ended June rose 35% from a year earlier — Foxconn Technology Group reported another strong quarter … | Rebecca Torrence / Bloomberg: |
Sources: AI coding startup Cognition is in early talks with investors to raise $1B+ at a $40B+ valuation, after raising $1B at a $26B valuation in May — Cognition AI is in early talks with investors for a new funding round that may boost the coding startup's valuation by more than 50% …
More: TechCrunch and Tech Funding News
| Tom Wilson / Financial Times: |
Researchers say suspected Chinese hackers used open-source AI agents to build an autonomous hacking tool that compromised Taiwanese government websites in July — AI agents ran simultaneous reconnaissance and break-ins in display of new phase of cyberwarfare.
More: Dream Security, Tom's Hardware, Security Affairs, CyberScoop, Breaking Defense, CNBC, PCMag, Insurance Business, Cyber Security News, and KnowBe4 Blog
X: @trajektoriepl and @michaelturton
Bluesky: @metacurity.com and @markriedl
Forums: r/technology and Slashdot
| Bernard Condon / Associated Press: |
Freedom of the Press Foundation and The Intercept sue Trump after Trump Media & Technology offered a subscription service for faster access to Trump's posts — President Donald Trump was sued in federal court Wednesday to stop him from making money off a new, paid service …
More: The Wrap, The Block, CNBC, Bloomberg, International Business Times, The Guardian, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Times, Quartz, Freedom of the Press …, UPI, ABC, BBC, Financial Times, The Hill, Bloomberg, CoinGape, Newser, TheDesk.net, The Intercept, Courthouse News Service, and NewsMax.com
| Damien Wilde / 9to5Google: |
Google is cutting the Google One AI Pro trial bundled with the Pixel 11 Pro and other handsets from 12 to six months and removes the free trial for the Pixel 11 — With the launch of the Pixel 9, Google offered fairly extensive 12-month free trials of the Google One AI Pro plan … | Juby Babu / Reuters: |
Cisco reports Q4 revenue up 18% YoY to $17.25B, vs. $16.82B est., AI infrastructure orders from hyperscalers worth $4B, forecasts FY 2027 revenue above est. — Cisco Systems (CSCO.O) forecast fiscal 2027 revenue above Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, signaling confidence that strong demand … | Reuters: |
Cerebras reports Q2 revenue up 74% YoY to $180M and raises its annual revenue and gross margin forecasts; CBRS drops 14%+ after hours — Cerebras Systems (CBRS.O) raised its annual revenue and gross margin forecasts on Wednesday, buoyed by robust demand for its chips from companies ramping up data-center capacity to power AI services.| Mistral AI Blog: |
Mistral says its platform will support third-party open models, starting with Z.ai's GLM-5.2, and run them on the same infrastructure as its own models — At Mistral, we believe every enterprise and country must be in control of the models it uses, choose where the intelligence runs …
X: @eliebakouch, @nikhilbhima, @mistralai, @mistralai, @noeflandre, @noctus91, @provablemat, @sophiamyang, @eliebakouch, and @maziyarpanahi
Forums: r/BuyFromEU and r/MistralAI
| Yueqi Yang / The Information: |
Sources: Kalshi is in advanced talks to raise $750M+ co-led by Sequoia Capital and Wellington Management at a $40B valuation; Kalshi was valued at $22B in May — Kalshi, the biggest prediction market, is in advanced talks to raise at least $750 million in a new financing round at a $40 billion valuation …
More: CryptoSlate
| Sharon LaFraniere / New York Times: |
Kalshi referred 32 possible insider traders to the CFTC in the three months through June; sources: CFTC has up to 20 ongoing probes using just Kalshi's evidence — The agency that polices the industry does not have the staffing, the legal tools or the will to broadly crack down on wagers that are easily manipulated, experts say.
More: Bitcoin News, CoinDesk, Barron's Online, and Bloomberg
| Prakhar Srivastava / Reuters: |
AI code review startup CodeRabbit raised a $143M Series C co-led by Atomico and Smash at a $1.5B valuation, after raising a $60M Series B in September 2025 — AI code review startup CodeRabbit said on Wednesday it had raised $143 million in a funding round that valued it at $1.5 billion.
More: Axios, The Economic Times, BMW BLOG, Mercury News, Ventureburn, SiliconANGLE, and Fidelity Investments
X: @coderabbitai, @harjotsgill, @coderabbitai, @coderabbitai, and @scalevp
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