Techmeme
August 12, 2026, 5:55 PM

Top News

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.
Max Buondonno / The Shortcut:
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
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 …
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.
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.
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
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% …
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 …
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.
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 …

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More News

Bernard Condon / Associated Press:
Chris Metinko / Axios:

Earlier Picks

Prakhar Srivastava / Reuters:
Paula Doenecke / Bloomberg:
Kate Knibbs / Wired:
Dwarkesh Patel / Dwarkesh Podcast:
Juro Osawa / The Information: