Robots are a crowd-pleasing example of American innovation and global technological leadership. The latest press release of Boston Dynamics' executing the'Ghost Rabona' soccer kick highlights the increasingly natural movements of humanoids ( 1). At the other end of the spectrum, academic researchers are redefining the limits of miniaturization and building robots at the micrometer scale ( 2). Private and government funding propel foundational research forward, leading to breakthroughs in both hardware and software across U.S. labs and corporations ( 3, 4). Such progress reaffirms the U.S. as an intellectual and innovative powerhouse, a reputation that carries large geopolitical weight.

Battery installations hit a new record in the US in the second quarter of 2026. In total, 20.2 gigawatt-hours of new capacity came online, according to a new report. That's enough to supply the daily electricity needs of about 700,000 homes. The surge is putting the country on a trajectory to see 71 gigawatt-hours of batteries installed in 2026, a 20% increase over last year. This growth is being driven by a combination of cheaper batteries and an urgent need for more energy storage capacity as renewables such as solar and onshore wind power are added to the grid.

PCWorld reports that Microsoft has changed how Windows 11 handles updates, now bundling drivers and firmware together with monthly security patches. This means users will likely only need to restart their PC once a month during the regular Patch Tuesday cycle, reducing interruptions. The change applies to versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1, though critical Microsoft Defender security fixes may still trigger immediate restarts when necessary. Microsoft now bundles updates for drivers, the .NET Framework, and firmware together with the regular security updates that go out on Patch Tuesday every month. This consolidation brings one huge advantage to Windows users: your Windows 11 PC now only needs to be restarted once a month to remain up-to-date and secure.

I installed Aura Glass, opting for the full Monty of features. I did find a noticeable hit on performance; however, I was running GNOME as a virtual machine with only 3 GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores. Give it at least twice the amount of RAM and cores, and you'll hardly notice it (which is impressive, given how much blur it adds).

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 asked Canonical if Ubuntu on Windows will outgrow native installs as rumored - it's a no There's some confusion about Ubuntu's popularity on Windows Subsystem for Linux, so I asked Canonical's Jon Seager directly. Linux on WSL is popular for enterprises and AI developers. WSL helps programmers work across Windows and Linux. There have been reports that Ubuntu on Windows may one day outgrow native Ubuntu installs. I interviewed Jon Seager, Ubuntu Linux parent company Canonical's VP of engineering, and he told me, No, not really, only that the growth rate is faster!

U.S. military bases lack sensor systems and counter-drone defenses to stop attack drone swarms, a senior commander warns as the Pentagon pursues laser and microwave weapons.

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 The Linux desktop's popularity is growing fast, and there are a few reasons why. The Linux desktop continues to grow in popularity. AI is a big reason why more people are turning to Linux. Web traffic analysis site StatCounter recently showed that desktop Linux had reached an all-time high of 10.65% in the North American desktop market . Many people, even many Linux fans, dismissed this proportion as fake news.

Fire rages after drone strikes Libya's largest oil refinery Firefighters in Libya are battling a massive blaze at the Zawiya refinery following a drone attack, with the country's national oil company warning it may declare a force majeure and shut down operations if attacks continue. Libya's Ambulance and Emergency Service said in a statement on Tuesday there were no "serious injuries" from the fire, with most patients treated for smoke inhalation. It is located about 40km (25 miles) west of the capital, Tripoli. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) said in a statement on Facebook that the fire broke out on Monday evening at tank number 402-T, belonging to the Brega Oil Company. It said the tank, which contained about 4.5 million litres (1.2 million gallons) of gasoline, was "directly targeted, resulting in a severe fire before the tank completely collapsed".

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 One method is easier, but the other gets you faster, more reliable performance. Affinity is an image editor that's, unofficially, come to Linux. You can install it either via AppImage or a script. Both installations have their issues, but it's worth doing. One of the loudest cries centered around the Linux OS for years has been the need for Photoshop.

Pentagon officials are weighing whether to disperse U.S. military bases in the Gulf after Iranian missile and drone attacks exposed vulnerabilities at major Middle East installations.