Google Gemini can now create AI-generated bedtime stories

Google Gemini can now create AI-generated bedtime stories

Google rolled out a new tool within its Gemini AI chatbot that lets you create an illustrated story by simply describing it. The feature, called “Storybook,” generates 10-page stories, each with a short paragraph of text that Gemini can read aloud, along with an accompanying illustration. You can customize your story by asking Gemini to…

OpenAI releases a free GPT model that can run on your laptop

OpenAI releases a free GPT model that can run on your laptop

OpenAI is releasing a new open-weight model dubbed GPT-OSS that can be downloaded for free, be customized, and even run on a laptop. The model comes in two variants: 120-billion-parameter and 20-billion-parameter versions. The bigger version can run on a single Nvidia GPU and performs similarly to OpenAI’s existing o4-mini model, while the smaller version…

Sony’s noise-canceling WH-1000XM6 are discounted to their Prime Day low

Sony’s noise-canceling WH-1000XM6 are discounted to their Prime Day low

With back-to-school season in full swing, it feels like we’re stumbling on great deals for students every day. From Kindles to MacBooks, many of our favorite gadgets are currently receiving a discount — including Sony’s latest noise-canceling headphones, the WH-1000XM6. Right now, you can pick them up at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for around…

This retro camcorder upgrades Super 8 film cameras with modern conveniences

This retro camcorder upgrades Super 8 film cameras with modern conveniences

The CS-8 looks straight out of the ‘70s, but captures footage to an SD card, not film. | Image: Camp Snap Camp Snap, a brand known for its budget-friendly screen-free digital cameras, has announced its first video camera. The new Camp Snap CS-8’s design was inspired by the Super 8mm film cameras released by companies…

ChatGPT will ‘better detect’ mental distress after reports of it feeding people’s delusions

ChatGPT will ‘better detect’ mental distress after reports of it feeding people’s delusions

OpenAI, which is expected to launch its GPT-5 AI model this week, is making updates to ChatGPT that it says will improve the AI chatbot’s ability to detect mental or emotional distress. To do this, OpenAI is working with experts and advisory groups to improve ChatGPT’s response in these situations, allowing it to present “evidence-based…

Cloudflare says Perplexity’s AI bots are ‘stealth crawling’ blocked sites

Cloudflare says Perplexity’s AI bots are ‘stealth crawling’ blocked sites

The AI search startup Perplexity is allegedly skirting restrictions meant to stop its AI web crawlers from accessing certain websites, according to a report from Cloudflare. In the report, Cloudflare claims that when Perplexity encounters a block, the startup will conceal its crawling identity “in an attempt to circumvent the website’s preferences.” The report only…

One of the biggest newsletter platforms now syndicates to Bluesky and Mastodon

One of the biggest newsletter platforms now syndicates to Bluesky and Mastodon

Newsletter company Ghost now lets publishers syndicate their posts across social platforms like Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon.  With Ghost’s free social web syndication feature, which is built on top of the ActivityPub protocol, “just as people can visit your Ghost website in any browser, subscribe with any feed reader, or receive newsletters in any email…

Rivian calls Ohio’s ban on direct car sales ‘irrational in the extreme’ in new lawsuit

Rivian calls Ohio’s ban on direct car sales ‘irrational in the extreme’ in new lawsuit

Rivian is suing Ohio’s Department of Motor Vehicles over the state’s ban on car companies bypassing dealerships to sell cars directly to consumers. In the federal lawsuit, the electric vehicle company calls the ban “irrational in the extreme,” arguing that it decreases competition and reduces consumer choice. Rivian also notes that Tesla is allowed to…

Brendan Carr declares victory over the First Amendment

Brendan Carr declares victory over the First Amendment

On Monday, the Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a complaint against Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr. The filing, sent to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel at the DC Court of Appeals, alleges that Carr had repeatedly broken basic principles of conduct as a licensed attorney, including by leveraging his power to control media…