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Zohran Mamdani's NYC Tech Team Is What DOGE Should Have Been

WIRED

The mayor of New York City has assembled a crew of Silicon Valley and United States Digital Service veterans to overhaul city services with better software. A go-kart track is an odd location to launch a tech initiative in the nation's biggest city. Yet last month there was New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, zipping around the 900-foot oval at Coney Island's Luna Park before stepping up to a podium to unveil a program called Public Interest Technology (PIT) Crews . PIT will consist of five "game-changing" teams that, Mamdani promised, will "raise the bar for what New Yorkers can expect from City Hall." Working closely with city agencies, these small groups of engineers and designers will strive to change the hidebound and confusing tenor of current city services by using state-of-art skills to rapidly whip up specialized apps that solve real problems.


The New Siri AI Is Great if You Do These Things First

Mashable

Look Up Say More Versus Creator Hub Switch Off Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Trending Now Safety Net In My Bag VidCon with Mashable Back to School Furtastic All Series A few simple setup steps can make Apple's upgraded Siri far more useful in everyday life. Apple's new Siri lives everywhere: What comes next? If you use the new Siri AI correctly, you might cut down how much you're on your phone. CNET's Bridget Carey explains how to set up your iPhone to get the most out of the new Siri, and how it's saved her sanity as a working parent. Apple has a two Siri problem.


A Chatbot-Free Childhood Will Be a Status Symbol

The Atlantic - Technology

AI is like ultra-processed food for developing brains. T he human brain has evolved to learn from specific instructors. When a child hears a gentle spoken word or a soothing lullaby from another person, when their cry is responded to, their brain lights up. Nurturing interactions, or what child-development experts call "serve and return" exchanges, help shape and strengthen the 1 million new neural connections taking place in a child's brain every single second. Every time a child cries or serves up a bid for attention and receives a caregiver's response, that back-and-forth helps build the circuits underlying their communication, learning, and emotional well-being.


Piping plover beats the odds after losing feet in fishing line

Popular Science

More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . At first glance, this adult male bird looks just like any other piping plover () scurrying around the beach. But he is missing some crucial body parts.


Get the most magical drone footage with 349 off the DJI Mavic 4 Pro

Mashable

Look Up Say More Versus Creator Hub Switch Off Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Trending Now Safety Net In My Bag VidCon with Mashable Back to School Furtastic All Series The Fly More Combo comes with extra batteries, a charging hub, and more. Christina Buff is a Nashville-based freelance writer for who covers shopping with a splash of entertainment. If you're ever wondering what streaming service you need to watch something (and the cheapest way to sign up for it), she's your girl. All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.


The Download: a censorship conspiracy theory and the first virus created by AI

MIT Technology Review

Plus: AI has designed new viruses from scratch for the first time. The theory claimed that, under the guise of combating disinformation, a sprawling constellation of government agencies, academics, civil society groups, and Big Tech platforms was suppressing conservative and populist speech online. What began as a relatively niche conspiracy theory from the far right was able to--and continues to--influence a wide range of actions by the second Trump administration. In myriad ways, the idea of the censorship-industrial complex, or CIC, explains the logic behind how the administration operates both at home and internationally. Over the past nine months, and Type Investigations have traced how the theory came to influence the country's most powerful individuals. We found that it took off in 2023, driven by a handful of individuals, with support from a close-knit group of right-wing organizations and media outlets--and an internet activist named Mike Benz at its center.


Scientists Used AI to Create 16 New Viruses

WIRED

The use of AI systems to create viruses opens up new possibilities for combating bacterial resistance. It also raises concerns about the pace at which technology is outstripping regulation. For the first time, an artificial intelligence system has created a series of previously unknown viruses capable of infecting and eliminating certain types of bacteria. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for combating bacterial resistance . However, it also raises concerns about the potential misuse of this technology to design biological weapons.


I compared Google's pricier Pixel 11 series to Samsung's Galaxy lineup - here's the better value now

ZDNet

I wore the world's first HDR10 smart glasses TCL's new E Ink tablet beats the Remarkable and Kindle Anker's new charger is one of the most unique I've ever seen I wore the world's first HDR10 smart glasses TCL's new E Ink tablet beats the Remarkable and Kindle Anker's new charger is one of the most unique I've ever seen I compared Google's pricier Pixel 11 series to Samsung's Galaxy lineup - here's the better value now The Pixel 11 may cost more, but Google's software advantage may make it worth it for you. Pixel 11 prices may rise by $100 or more across the series, challenging their reputation for value. Samsung often wins on hardware, while Pixel leads on software. Pixel Drops and early Android updates are the real value. Google's Pixel phones have, for quite some time, been premium enough to compete with Samsung's best phones, but they were usually a bit cheaper.


Inside the Race to Make AI Build Itself

TIME - Tech

Follow this section to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens. Follow this tag to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens. Follow this author to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens. Booth is a reporter at TIME.


Grand Theft Auto VI's next look is a Netflix exclusive

PCWorld

PCWorld reports that Rockstar Games will release an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI exclusively on Netflix, with the stream starting August 27th. This preview is significant as it may finally reveal actual gameplay footage for one of the most anticipated games in years. The trailer will appear on YouTube a few hours later, and GTA VI is expected to launch on consoles on November 19th, 2026. Rockstar Games, developer of, just announced that the third trailer for the game will be released exclusively on Netflix. More than just your typical trailer, this event is titled "Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look" and will be available to stream on Netflix starting Thursday, August 27th at 3:00 PM Eastern