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Amazon Echo Dot Max review: Alexa gets room to stretch

PCWorld

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. I spent two months with the Echo Dot Max after many years with the Echo Dot. Here's who should trade up, and who should stand pat. Built for Alexa+ and packed with smart features, the Amazon Echo Dot Max makes for a solid smart-home foundation, but that doesn't mean every Echo Dot owner should automatically move up to it. The first wave of "made for Alexa+" devices has arrived, and among them is Amazon's flagship Echo speaker--the Echo Dot Max, the successor to the earlier, fourth-generation Amazon Echo speaker.


Everyone wants AI sovereignty. No one can truly have it.

MIT Technology Review

No one can truly have it. The world is too interconnected for nations to go it alone. Governments plan to pour $1.3 trillion into AI infrastructure by 2030 to invest in "sovereign AI," with the premise being that countries should be in control of their own AI capabilities. The funds include financing for domestic data centers, locally trained models, independent supply chains, and national talent pipelines. This is a response to real shocks: covid-era supply chain breakdowns, rising geopolitical tensions, and the war in Ukraine. But the pursuit of absolute autonomy is running into reality.


The Download: Trump at Davos, and AI scientists

MIT Technology Review

Plus: why it's so hard to achieve AI sovereignty. At Davos this year Trump is dominating all the side conversations. There are lots of little jokes. The US president is due to speak here today, amid threats of seizing Greenland and fears that he's about to permanently fracture the NATO alliance. Read Mat's story to find out more . This subscriber-only story appeared first in The Debrief, Mat's weekly newsletter about the biggest stories in tech.


US, Russia envoys meet in Davos as Ukraine reconstruction plan postponed

Al Jazeera

Could Ukraine hold a presidential election right now? Will Europe use frozen Russian assets to fund war? How can Ukraine rebuild China ties? 'Ukraine is running out of men, money and time' Envoys for United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have met at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, amid reports that the signing of a $800bn "prosperity plan" was postponed due to tensions over Greenland . Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday said Moscow would not comment on talks in Davos, but stressed the importance for Russia of receiving information on discussions between the US, European leaders and Ukraine.


Level Lock Pro Review (2026): Smart but Stylish

WIRED

You'd never guess this lock is smart by looking at it, and that's my favorite part. No bulk or screen; looks like a regular lock from both sides of the door. Impressive design with the battery hidden inside the lock bolt. App is beautiful and easy to use. Best with accessories that need to be purchased separately.


AI's growing thirst for water is becoming a public health risk

Al Jazeera

AI's growing thirst for water is becoming a public health risk "Bubble" is probably the word most associated with "AI" right now, though we are slowly understanding that it is not just an economic time bomb; it also carries significant public health risks. Beyond the release of pollutants, the massive need for clean water by AI data centres can reduce sanitation and exacerbate gastrointestinal illness in nearby communities, placing additional strain on local health infrastructure. AI's energy consumption is massive and increasingly water-dependent Generative AI is artificial intelligence that is able to generate new text, photos, code and more, and it has already infiltrated the lives of most people around the globe. ChatGPT alone is reported to receive around one billion queries in a single day, pointing to huge demand at the individual level. This, however, is only the tip of the iceberg.


AI 'reveals' what it thinks about people in towns across the UK - and claims residents in Middlesbrough are the most stupid while those in Grimsby are the least sexy

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Cause of death revealed for chess grandmaster who died'unexpectedly' at age 29 Savannah Guthrie in total'PANIC': Today co-workers' brutal true thoughts about her revealed while she's on sick leave... leaving her asking the same humiliating question'The woman is your average mother after too many vinos': Hilarious'drunk' Victoria Beckham dancing videos go viral as fans point out how'happy' Nicola Peltz looks to be with her Palm Beach's old money elite expose the outrageously dirty secret of newbie Netflix reality stars... and name'tackiest' most hated influencer, as turf war explodes America accuses Britain of'letting us down' by giving away Chagos islands as Reeves takes a jab at Trump in Davos America's spirits industry hit again as two iconic brands shut down . Kate and William's second honeymoon era! Subtle gestures on latest engagement that show couple are more in love than ever Inside dramatic FBI raid on Jake Paul's $8million Calabasas mansion: His own mom reveals explosive never-before-told full story Trump warns Iran the whole country will be'blown up' if he is assassinated David and Victoria Beckham'will only speak to son Brooklyn again if he SPLITS from wife Nicola Peltz' Tommy Lee Jones's daughter was pregnant three months before her shock death, court documents reveal Blake Lively's'greatest friend ever' Taylor Swift calls Justin Baldoni a'b****' in juicy texts, explosive court papers claim I suffered EIGHT miscarriages... then I made a simple diet swap and got pregnant with twins at 43 AI'reveals' what it thinks about people in towns across the UK - and claims residents in Middlesbrough are the most stupid while those in Grimsby are the least sexy READ MORE: Is AI making us STUPID? Daily Mail's Wellness Explained examines A damning study asked ChatGPT its opinions on towns and cities across the UK - revealing the bias built in to the popular AI model. Researchers from the University of Oxford questioned ChatGPT on a range of attributes across the UK - including intelligence, racism, sexiness, and style. When asked which UK towns and cities are the most intelligent, ChatGPT claims that Cambridge tops the list.


Pro-AI Super PACs Are Already All In on the Midterms

WIRED

Silicon Valley's battle against AI regulation is already shaping the next US election cycle. Silicon Valley is already pouring tens of millions of dollars into the midterm elections taking place across the US in 2026, as the tech industry's war over AI regulation moves decisively into American politics. Technology executives, investors, and companies tied to the AI boom are funding a new network of AI-focused super PACS, which is poised to make AI a major issue in this year's state and federal elections races. The election spending marks a sharp escalation of the AI regulation debate that has divided Silicon Valley for years. In the absence of federal action, state lawmakers in New York, California, and Colorado have passed laws in the past year requiring large AI developers to disclose safety practices and assess risks such as algorithmic discrimination.


All anyone wants to talk about at Davos is AI and Donald Trump

MIT Technology Review

While AI is all over the stages, Trump is dominating the side conversations. I've been here for two days now, attending meetings, speaking on panels, and basically trying to talk to anyone I can. And as far as I can tell, the only things anyone wants to talk about are AI and Trump. Davos is physically defined by the Congress Center, where the official WEF sessions take place, and the Promenade, a street running through the center of the town lined with various "houses"--mostly retailers that are temporarily converted into meeting hubs for various corporate or national sponsors. So there is a Ukraine House, a Brazil House, Saudi House, and yes, a USA House (more on that tomorrow). There are a handful of media houses from the likes of CNBC and the .


TR-49 review – inventive narrative deduction game steeped in the strangest of wartime secrets

The Guardian

The UK game developer's latest is a database mystery constructed from an archive of fictional books. According to the tantalising lore of this mystery game, two engineers created a machine that feeds on the most esoteric books: treatises on quantum computing, meditations on dark matter, pulp sci-fi novels and more. In the mid-2010s, when the game is set, Britain finds itself again engulfed by war, this time with itself. The arcane tool may hold the key to victory. You play as budding codebreaker Abbi, a straight-talking northerner who is sifting through the machine now moved to a crypt beneath Manchester Cathedral.