73 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Richard Lawler

Richard Lawler

Senior News Editor

Senior News Editor

    More From Richard Lawler

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    An OpenAI outage is holding up emails for logging or setting up ChatGPT accounts.

    According to OpenAI’s status page, this issue has been going on for a few hours, even though user reports stretch back even further:

    Some users may not receive verification emails for login or signup with username and password.

    The most recent update note says that new users can still sign up using a Google, Microsoft, or Apple account, and when we tried logging in, after a few failed attempts, it stopped attempting to verify by email and logged in successfully.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Amazon goes into heavy detail about its new packaging.

    When it launched a new lineup of Kindles this fall, Amazon also mentioned a new packaging design with more recycled fiber content, less ink, and tactile-marked QR codes for instructions instead of paper.

    Amazon also points to removing more plastic from packaging and cutting weight overall to reduce emissions, which can still be a problem, especially near warehouses.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Apple’s iOS 18.3 public beta is now available.

    The developer beta of iOS 18.3 (and associated updates for software on iPads, Macs, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro) just launched, and now they’re available in the public beta too.

    However, you may not have much to try, as the only noticeable changes we’ve heard about include Genmoji in macOS Sequoia 15.3 and hints of robot vacuum support in Apple Home.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    This isn’t the Sega Saturn mini, but it should be.

    Sega already dismissed the idea of a retro mini Saturn this year, but Time Extension points out an unexpected collaboration with Onkyo in Japan.

    The CP-TWS01A buds go on sale Thursday with their Saturn-styled charging case and entry-level specs for about $100 US, while a CD-ROM-themed wireless charging pad is another $29.

    Image of Sega Saturn-styled earbuds and charging case, as well as a CD-looking wireless charging pad.
    CP-TWS01A Sega Saturn earbuds
    Image: Sega
    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Substack partners with Bari Weiss to launch an ‘enterprise offering’ website builder.

    This expansion is described as capable of supporting a “fully-fledged media business, encompassing rich design, advanced websites, deep analytics, automated marketing features,” plus newsletters, podcasts, videos, etc.

    Substack’s “ideal partner for this initiative” is Weiss’ The Free Press, which, surprisingly, has been described as “a publication that has spread misinformation on transgender youth and amplified harmful anti-trans rhetoric.”

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Nima Momeni convicted of murdering Cash App founder Bob Lee.

    Cash App creator and former Square CTO Bob Lee died in April 2023 after being stabbed under the Bay Bridge in San Francisco.

    Now, after a two-month trial, the New York Times, KRON4, and ABC7 Bay Area report that the jury deliberated for a week before finding Momeni, a tech consultant, guilty of second-degree murder.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Ozy Media co-founder Carlos Watson sentenced after the “$40 million conference call gone wrong.”

    Three years ago, I was surprised to find out Ozy Media existed, much less that its COO was caught impersonating a YouTube exec while trying to secure a $40 million investment from Goldman Sachs.

    Now, its CEO has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison after being convicted over the summer on fraud and identity theft charges.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Apple releases iOS 18.3 developer beta and tests Genmoji in macOS Sequoia.

    Now that iOS 18.2 and Apple’s associated software updates with Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT are widely available, it’s followed up with a new round of developer betas released Monday afternoon.

    iOS / iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3 are all available now. The listed release notes are sparse, but 9to5Mac reports that macOS 15.3 adds Genmoji.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Federal appeals court won’t stop the TikTok ban from taking effect on January 19th.

    The same three judges who ruled last week that a TikTok divest-or-ban law is Constitutional ruled against the company again today and declined to temporarily pause it from taking effect on January 19th.

    In response, TikTok said again that it’s taking the case to the Supreme Court.

    Upon considering the motions for a preliminary injunction of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, Pub. L. No. 118-50, div. H, the response from the Government and the replies from the petitioners, it is ORDERED   that the motions be denied. At the request of the parties, this court expedited its consideration of the case “to ensure that there is adequate time before the Act’s prohibitions take effect to request emergency relief from the Supreme Court.”
    Screenshot: TikTok Inc. v. Merrick Garland (24-1113)
    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Starbucks’ mobile ordering system is broken.

    Sorry for anyone planning a quick coffee break. The Starbucks apps and website are not taking online orders due to some (presumably not Crowdstrike-related this time) outage.

    There’s no word on when it might get fixed, but DownDetector shows reports starting around 11AM ET.

    Starbucks Mobile app notice reading “Mobile ordering is currently unavailable. Please visit one of our stores and place your order with a barista.”
    Inconvenient.
    Screenshot: Starbucks app