Uber’s $1.25 billion Rivian robotaxi investment, Adobe Firefly’s new ability to train image models on your own artwork, and Bluesky securing a $100 million Series B after its CEO transition.

Uber to invest $1.25 billion in Rivian as part of new robotaxi deal

https://www.theverge.com/transportation/897105/uber-rivian-robotaxi-investment-deal

Adobe’s AI image generator can now be trained on your own art

https://www.theverge.com/tech/897243/adobe-firefly-ai-custom-models-image-public-beta

Bluesky announces $100M Series B after CEO transition | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/bluesky-announces-100m-series-b-after-ceo-transition/

Polymarket continues its partnership spree with a Major League Baseball deal | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/polymarket-continues-its-partnership-spree-with-a-major-league-baseball-deal/

Meta rolls out new AI content enforcement systems while reducing reliance on third-party vendors | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/meta-rolls-out-new-ai-content-enforcement-systems-while-reducing-reliance-on-third-party-vendors/

A new hacking tool threatening hundreds of millions of iPhones, Apple seeding iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 release candidates, and the Defense Department calling Anthropic an unacceptable national security risk.

Hundreds of Millions of iPhones Can Be Hacked With a New Tool Found in the Wild
https://www.wired.com/story/hundreds-of-millions-of-iphones-can-be-hacked-with-a-new-tool-found-in-the-wild/

Apple Seeds iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 Release Candidates
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/18/apple-seeds-ios-26-4-release-candidate/

DOD says Anthropic’s ‘red lines’ make it an ‘unacceptable risk to national security’ | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/dod-says-anthropics-red-lines-make-it-an-unacceptable-risk-to-national-security/

FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, director confirms | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/fbi-is-buying-location-data-to-track-us-citizens-kash-patel-wyden/

Facebook launches a new monetization program to attract popular creators from TikTok, YouTube | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/facebook-launches-a-new-monetization-program-to-attract-popular-creators-from-tiktok-youtube/

Google expanding Personal Intelligence to all US users, Amazon adding new 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options across the US, and OpenAI launching GPT-5.4 mini and nano with near-flagship performance at lower cost.

Encyclopedia Britannica suing OpenAI over alleged ChatGPT memorization, Apple unveiling AirPods Max 2 with an H2 chip and upgraded noise canceling, and major tech companies joining forces in a new pledge to fight global scams.

Encyclopedia Britannica is suing OpenAI for allegedly ‘memorizing’ its content with ChatGPT
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/895372/encyclopedia-britannica-openai-lawsuit

Apple unveils AirPods Max 2 with H2 chip, upgraded noise canceling, and more - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/16/apple-unveils-airpods-max-2-with-h2-chip-live-translation-more/

Apple acquires MotionVFX, maker of popular Final Cut Pro plugins and more - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/16/apple-acquires-motionvfx-maker-of-popular-final-cut-pro-plugins-and-more/

Elon Musk's xAI faces child porn lawsuit from minors Grok allegedly undressed | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/16/elon-musks-xai-faces-child-porn-lawsuit-from-minors-grok-allegedly-undressed/

Exclusive: Big Tech companies sign pledge to work together to stop global scams
https://www.axios.com/2026/03/16/tech-companies-scam-accord-google-meta-amazon

Adobe’s $75M cancellation fee settlement, Amazon Prime Video’s ad-free 4K price hike, and Spotify’s new Taste Profile controls headline this episode as we unpack the biggest shifts in digital media, alongside the FBI’s Steam malware probe and iFixit’s praise for the MacBook Neo’s repair-friendly battery.

Adobe will pay $75 million to settle US cancellation fee lawsuit
https://www.theverge.com/tech/894555/adobe-75-million-doj-settlement-subscriptions

Amazon Prime Video nearly doubles the price to go ad-free and stream 4K video
https://www.theverge.com/tech/894466/amazon-prime-video-ultra-ad-free-price-hike

Spotify will let you edit your Taste Profile to control your recommendations | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/13/spotify-will-let-you-edit-your-taste-profile-to-control-your-recommendations/

The FBI is investigating malware hidden inside games hosted on Steam | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/13/valve-steam-malware-games-fbi/

iFixit Teardown: MacBook Neo Has Most Accessible Mac Battery in Over a Decade
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/13/ifixit-macbook-neo-teardown/

Google Maps’ new AI-powered Ask Maps and immersive navigation upgrades, Rivian’s R2 launch and what $57,990 buys drivers, and Microsoft’s Copilot Health connecting medical records and wearables into one AI assistant.

Google Maps is getting an AI 'Ask Maps' feature and upgraded 'immersive' navigation | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/12/google-maps-is-getting-an-ai-ask-maps-feature-and-upgraded-immersive-navigation/

Rivian R2 launch: Here's what $57,990 gets you | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/12/rivian-r2-launch-heres-what-57990-gets-you/

Microsoft’s Copilot Health can connect to your medical records and wearables
https://www.theverge.com/tech/893594/microsoft-copilot-health-launch

Disney+ is rolling out its TikTok-like 'Verts' short-form video feed | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/12/disney-is-rolling-out-its-tiktok-like-verts-short-form-video-feed/

Tinder tries to lure people back to online dating with IRL events, virtual speed dating | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/12/tinder-tries-to-lure-people-back-to-online-dating-with-irl-events-virtual-speed-dating/

Meta’s new scam detection tools across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger, TikTok’s Apple Music integration for full in-app song playback, and Apple’s rumored iPhone Fold with iPad-style multitasking—plus a quick look at AltStore PAL joining the fediverse and WhatsApp’s new parent-linked accounts for pre-teens.

Meta rolls out new scam detection tools to Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/11/meta-rolls-out-new-scam-detection-tools-to-facebook-whatsapp-and-messenger/

TikTok now lets Apple Music subscribers play full songs without leaving the app | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/11/tiktok-now-lets-apple-music-subscribers-play-full-songs-without-leaving-the-app/

Alternative app store AltStore PAL joins the fediverse | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/11/alternative-app-store-altstore-pal-joins-the-fediverse/

WhatsApp is launching parent-linked accounts for pre-teens | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/11/whatsapp-is-launching-parent-linked-accounts-for-pre-teens/

iPhone Fold to Feature iPad-Style Multitasking and Layouts
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/11/iphone-fold-ipad-style-multitasking/

Apple’s MacBook Neo review as an accessible new Mac, Google expanding Gemini across Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and YouTube widening its AI deepfake detection tools as the industry grapples with more powerful AI platforms.

MacBook Neo: Can It Handle Pro Apps?
https://youtu.be/d-VOt9559Gk?si=ZNVdvD42ZTuPAiHq

I used the MacBook Neo for 72 hours
https://youtu.be/Mo6o8RKn7jE?si=bPQzUhLsny0I2wnc

MacBook Neo review: the Mac for the masses
https://www.theverge.com/tech/891741/apple-macbook-neo-a18-pro-review

Google’s Gemini AI is getting a bigger role across Docs, Sheets, and Slides
https://www.theverge.com/tech/890996/google-workspace-gemini-ai-docs-sheets-drive

Meta acquires Moltbook, the Reddit-like network for AI agents
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/892178/meta-moltbook-acquisition-ai-agents

YouTube is expanding its AI deepfake detection tool to politicians and journalists
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/891678/youtube-is-expanding-its-ai-deepfake-detection-tool-to-politicians-and-journalists

Sonos just launched Play, a new $299 portable speaker
https://www.theverge.com/tech/891755/sonos-announces-play-era-100-sl-speakers

Anthropic’s lawsuit against the Department of Defense over a supply-chain-risk designation, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber’s departure, and OpenAI’s acquisition of Promptfoo to bolster AI agent security.

Anthropic Sues Department of Defense Over Supply-Chain-Risk Designation
https://www.wired.com/story/anthropic-sues-department-of-defense-over-supply-chain-risk-designation/

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Is Stepping Down
https://www.wired.com/story/bluesky-ceo-jay-graber-is-stepping-down/

Live Nation settles government antitrust suit — and dodges a breakup
https://www.theverge.com/policy/891379/live-nation-antitrust-settlement-ticketmaster

Apple's Smart Home Hub Won't Launch Until September as Siri Remains Unfinished
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/09/apple-smart-home-hub-september/

OpenAI acquires Promptfoo to secure its AI agents | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/09/openai-acquires-promptfoo-to-secure-its-ai-agents/

Nintendo’s lawsuit over Trump-era tariffs, the growing list of countries banning social media for children, and Anthropic’s Claude uncovering 22 Firefox vulnerabilities in two weeks.

Where things stand with the Department of War \ Anthropic

https://www.anthropic.com/news/where-stand-department-war

Nintendo is suing the US government for a refund of Trump’s illegal tariffs

https://www.theverge.com/games/890861/nintendo-lawsuit-tariffs-donald-trump

These are the countries moving to ban social media for children | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/06/social-media-ban-children-countries-list/

The Future of Iran’s Internet Is More Uncertain Than Ever

https://www.wired.com/story/the-future-of-irans-internet-is-more-uncertain-than-ever/

Anthropic's Claude found 22 vulnerabilities in Firefox over two weeks | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/06/anthropics-claude-found-22-vulnerabilities-in-firefox-over-two-weeks/