255 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Jay Peters

Jay Peters

Senior Reporter

Senior Reporter

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    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    1Password has a new, handy way to share Wi-Fi passwords.

    1Password can now automatically generate scannable QR codes for Wi-Fi credentials, as reported by 9to5Mac, meaning you can easily get your friends connected to your network without revealing your punny Wi-Fi password.

    I had to make a new entry for my Wi-Fi network in my 1Password account to get the QR code to show up.

    A screenshot of a Wi-Fi QR code in 1Password.
    Not a bad network name, though I’ve seen it before.
    Image: 1Password
    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    Journalist database Muck Rack is dealing with fake writers, too.

    The platform unverified profiles for two seemingly-fake iLounge writers that appear to be publishing AI-written content after we reached out for comment.

    Muck Rack is also “developing a model that will identify and detect signs that are commonly found in fake authorship so we can flag potential AI writers to users,” spokesperson Linda Zebian tells The Verge.

    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    Amazon just signed a big podcast deal.

    The tech giant and comedian Dax Shepard agreed to an $80 million deal for his Armchair Expert podcast, The Wall Street Journal reports. Spotify had landed the show as an exclusive in 2021 before allowing it to be on other platforms last year.

    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    The only gift you’ll need for Christmas.

    If you’re a fan of Hallmark’s Christmas movies, that is: the company is launching a streaming service, Hallmark Plus, in mid-September, Deadline reports.

    The service, which will cost $80 per year, will feature shows like Finding Mr. Christmas, a reality show where 10 men will compete to earn a role in a 2024 Hallmark holiday movie.

    Redbox’s disc rentals are overRedbox’s disc rentals are over
    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    Dota 2 has a new fighting minigame: Sleet Fighter II.

    Dota 2 players can try it for free, Dot Esports reports. Sure, Sleet Fighter II doesn’t seem quite as polished as Riot Games’ forthcoming 2XKO, but for Dota 2 fans, I imagine this is a fun treat.

    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    Google Fi has a new feature to help protect against SIM swaps.

    With Number Lock, you can’t transfer your phone number to a new phone or port your number over to another carrier, Google says.

    If you have Google Fi, it’s probably worth setting this up — SIM swapping attacks can be pretty bad!

    Jay Peters
    Jay Peters
    Metaverse expert Matthew Ball published a long interview with Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.

    As summarized by Ball:

    In the interview, we discuss the three “epochs” in Meta’s Metaverse strategy, what it will take for total VR / MR headset sales to cross 100 million annually, his the specs of his dream headset, Meta’s spending on Reality Labs, whether and when developers might get access to the Quest’s raw camera feed, the many inventions required to ship optical AR glasses, the role of AI, and more.