SandboxAQ has signed a definitive agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce's CHIPS R&D Office for a $500 million award to develop critical semiconductor materials and chemistries. The funding will support research across PFAS-free chemicals, catalysts, rare earth-free magnets, and alternative battery systems using SandboxAQ's AI-driven ReAQT platform and Large Quantitative Models. The program aims to reduce reliance on foreign-controlled supply chains and advance domestic manufacturing and commercialization of critical semiconductor materials.

The Samsung Galaxy XR is now available for pre-order in the UK, with a July 8 release date. The headset, which has received updates to enhance its standalone experience, features a Snapdragon XR+ Gen 2 chip, 4K micro-OLED screen, and up to 2.5 hours of battery life. The device will be priced at £1,699 and will be available at various Samsung experience events across the UK. The Galaxy XR is a tethered experience, designed to work in [...]

Atom Computing and Nu Quantum have signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate neutral-atom quantum computers with photonic networking hardware. The collaboration will focus on photonic network switches, qubit-photon entanglement technologies, and distributed fault-tolerant computing architectures to support utility-scale quantum computing. The partnership combines Atom Computing's expertise in neutral-atom quantum computing with Nu Quantum's quantum networking technology to advance scalable, modular quantum computing systems. The companies aim to build the hardware essential to scaling neutral atom quantum [...]

Microsoft released Windows 11 Patch Tuesday updates, KB5094126 and KB5093998, along with dynamic updates. However, users have reported various issues, including problems with OneDrive and Dropbox access, BitLocker recovery lockouts, and blue screens. Microsoft has acknowledged a bug affecting third-party applications' ability to launch Microsoft Office apps or open Office documents after installing the updates. The issue impacts Windows 11 and Windows 10, and Microsoft is working on a resolution. A workaround is available for affected users, [...]

Ninja Theory's upcoming PS5 action adventure game, Senua, may not be released due to Microsoft's decision to offload or shut down the developer. The game was announced at the Xbox Showcase on June 7, but Microsoft had already decided to let Ninja Theory go before the event. The studio was reportedly allowed to reveal Senua to attract a buyer, with the promise of a new game intended to draw investor interest. If Ninja Theory is shut down, [...]

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids for 4,800MWh of firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) capacity supported by co-located energy storage systems. The tender, designated FDRE-IX, seeks developers capable of delivering assured renewable electricity during peak demand periods. Projects must be connected to the interstate transmission system (ISTS) and meet specific requirements, including a minimum contracted capacity of 50MW and a maximum of 600MW. Bid submissions will close on 20 July 2026.

Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corp. has achieved "world-class performance" in a complex wire-plugging task with a global Tier 1 automotive supplier, resulting in a 99.5%+ task success rate at a cycle time of 2.54 seconds. The milestone reflects the company's evolved strategy to deploy its physical AI on existing and next-generation industrial robots. Sanctuary AI's proof of concept involved a plug-insertion task requiring manipulation of materials on a conveyor, matching the production line's throughput speed and meeting industrial

Google has released Wear OS 7, an update for eligible Pixel Watch models, featuring improved battery life, real-time experiences, and enhanced device integration. The update includes Live Updates, allowing users to receive constant updates without needing to open apps, and improved connectivity with other Google devices. Gemini Intelligence capabilities, such as Create My Widget and multi-step app automation, will be added to select Wear OS 7 devices later this year. The update aims to make smartwatches more [...]

The UK government plans to roll back its electric vehicle (EV) mandate, which currently requires 80% of new passenger vehicles sold in the country to be battery electric by 2030. The move follows a consultation on the 2030 target, which could see the percentage reduced to between 50 and 70%. Automakers and trade unions have been lobbying to water down the mandate, citing concerns about costs and job losses, but industry sources argue that the concerns are [...]

Apple Music has released a massive playlist inspired by the Apple TV+ series "Widow's Bay." The "Patricia's Sunset Cocktails Playlist" features 811 songs with a total runtime of 60 hours and 32 minutes, making it nearly 10 times longer than the show's first season. The playlist spans decades of music, including pop, rock, dance, and new wave, and is available on the US version of Apple Music.

The Planet Crafter, a surprise hit 2022 open world game, is finally coming to the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 21, 2026. Originally launched in early access on PC, the game will allow up to eight players to play together via PS Plus in co-op mode. Players can also choose to play solo. The game's console price has not been revealed, but it is available for wishlist on the PS Store. The Planet Crafter has [...]

Uber plans to launch a premium robotaxi service in Houston by mid-2027, marking the second U.S. market under its partnership with EV maker Lucid and autonomous vehicle startup Nuro. The service will eventually expand to "dozens of cities" in the coming years, with Uber going head-to-head with rival Waymo in San Francisco and Houston. The robotaxi program will feature Lucid Gravity SUVs equipped with Nuro's self-driving system, with a combined engineering fleet of 100 autonomous vehicles testing [...]