Daily Tech News Digest – 2026-07-02

Top tech headlines from BBC Technology, TechRadar and Ars Technica in the last 24 hours.

BBC Technology

• Google must pay €4.1bn fine for using Android to 'block' rivals
  A Google spokesperson said the judgement "fails to recognise" the firm's "significant investment to ensure Android remains open."
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:46:11 GMT
• Don't expect connected car apps to save your stolen car, experts say
  Kia told the BBC UK law prevented its location tracking function being used to live track vehicles.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:31:43 GMT
• PlayStation will stop releasing games on discs in 2028
  The firm said future games would still be sold in shops, but they would come with a digital code only.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:40:58 GMT
• Wonka Netflix show faces backlash for AI-generated Gene Wilder voice
  The actor, who died in 2016, appears in the Netflix show with the consent of his estate.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:01:06 GMT

TechRadar Tech

• Who needs a MacBook Air? This $550 HP OmniBook 3 deal packs AI features and up to 32 hours of battery life
  This HP AI laptop is perfect for students and remote or hybrid professionals, and it's just $550 at Amazon.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:15:47 +0000
• Bosgame VTI-490 review: This mini PC packs in more power than expected and handled network editing like a workstation
  The VTI-490's cyberpunk design hints at a gaming mini PC, but its performance is more like that of a creative workstation.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:10:59 +0000
• Amazon reveals it used more energy than New Zealand in 2025 as its carbon footprint rises 16%
  AWS has more data centers than before, hence the rise in emissions, but supply chain emissions are still a major problem.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:05:00 +0000
• Hasselblad fans can now ditch Adobe for good — as Capture One support makes its cameras much more appealing for pros
  For commercial and professional photographers, the partnership between these two Scandinavian-based companies had to happen.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000
• WhatsApp should freeze username rollout as it could ‘increase cybercrimes’, says India — but Meta claims impersonation isn’t an issue
  The great WhatsApp username rush is on, but there may be problems with scammers and impersonations.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:46:31 +0000
• With another heatwave coming, I'm tracking the best deals on big-name fans — here are the quiet, bedroom-ready models I'd buy before they go out of stock
  The temperature is set to soar again, so make sure you're ready by grabbing one of these quiet, effective fans for a bargain price.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:41:54 +0000
• Analysts say Sony's digital-only plan 'almost certainly guarantees that the PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest' and won't have a disc drive
  Following Sony's announcement halting the production of physical games within the next two years, analysts have determined that the PS6 will launch in 2028.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:40:50 +0000
• Samsung revives its best Galaxy S26 Ultra deal ever for 4th of July — get a record-beating $350 discount without a trade
  This deal originally popped up last week, but it's back again for Samsung's massive 4th of July sale today.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:33:42 +0000
• New iPad Pro tipped for launch in 2027 — but it’s shrouded in price hike and chip confusion
  The next iPad Pro is tipped to land in early 2027, but this might be a minor refresh with a very high price.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:22:33 +0000
• ‘I’m returning mine’: The new Google Home Speaker is off to bad start as users complain of delayed responses — but Google says a solution is on the way
  The new Google Home Speaker is already facing its share of early issues, but the company says a fix is on the way.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:19:36 +0000
• 'The best Mac ever': Boost your Mac mini's storage and connectivity with Ugreen's secret weapon — the M4 Dock & Stand is under $55 at Amazon right now
  Boost your Apple Mac mini's storage and connectivity — Ugreen's Dock & Stand with SSD enclosure is currently 39% off at Amazon.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:10:58 +0000
• I tried Nano Banana 2 Lite, Google's new 4-second AI image generator, and it changes how you use AI art
  Nano Banana 2 Lite makes AI images dramatically faster and changes the creative process.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:07:04 +0000
• Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD review: One of the simplest and cheapest hardware-encrypted drive for protecting files I've ever tested
  Designed for mobile phones and laptops, this secure, portable SSD features an ingenious NFC lock that can be activated via a dedicated app. This app ensures that access to the drive's contents can be authorised only by those with the right key; other…
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:06:27 +0000
• Mythos shows why AI governance must catch up to the speed of risk discovery
  AI is accelerating risk discovery, forcing businesses to confront governance gaps before exposures multiply further.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:59:02 +0000
• 7 new horror movies on Netflix, Prime Video, Shudder, and more in July 2026
  July is packed full of great horror movies — here are seven recommendations to keep you entertained this month.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:48:23 +0000
• Keep running low on storage and don't know why? Mysterious Windows 11 file that ate tons of drive space is fixed in latest update
  If your drive space has been mysteriously disappearing of late, the problem could be Capability Access Manager.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:45:09 +0000
• ‘Something has gone completely wrong’: Palantir CEO Alex Karp slams OpenAI, says AI industry is "effing insane"
  Palantir CEO Alex Karp hits out at Anthropic and OpenAI in heated interview.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:40:00 +0000
• Don't pay silly prices for DDR5 memory — Newegg's 4th of July sale is packed with unmissable RAM deals right now
  Newegg's July 4 sale cuts prices on DDR5 memory kits from Corsair, G.Skill, TeamGroup, and V-color.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:37:30 +0000
• Exclusive: Blood Message developer says latest trailer's glowing reception gives them 'confidence' — 'We are very excited to see that they love this story'
  The Blood Message team appreciates the warm reception to the game so far.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:30:00 +0000
• What is the fastest laptop under $1000 right now? The MSI Katana 15 with a Core i7-14650HX and RTX 5050
  MSI's Katana 15 delivers i7-14650HX, RTX 5050, 16GB DDR5, and a 144Hz display in a sub-$1000 laptop.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:09:24 +0000

Ars Technica Technology

• Google’s AI buildout drove 37% increase in electricity use in 2025
  Google tries balancing AI data center emissions with clean energy efforts.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:15:49 +0000
• Editorial: It's time to step up and have your say for science
  Your comments on a dangerous rule putting politicals in charge of science can matter.
  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:00:27 +0000
• T-Mobile moving tens of thousands of virtual machines off VMware amid lawsuit
  T-Mobile wants Broadcom to keep supporting its VMware perpetual licenses.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 21:21:21 +0000
• NASA chief praises progress Blue Origin is making after launch failure
  "We've got time into 2027 before we're getting nervous."
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:57:36 +0000
• US home battery installations hit record high on rising electricity costs
  Record home battery installations unlock options for grids—and AI data centers.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:11:15 +0000
• Superworms could replace beetles for cleaning skeletal remains
  An optimal ratio of 10-15 grams of larvae per gram of specimen minimized cleaning time with no bone damage.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:59:21 +0000
• Sony announces end of PlayStation discs, parts of digital store in the same day
  “We will own nothing, it's truly sad.”
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:41:49 +0000
• A good little EV you won't be able to buy soon: The Volvo EX30 Cross Country
  Tariffs and anti-China policies killed this little Volvo in the United States.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:24:04 +0000
• Ithaca's king defies the gods in final The Odyssey trailer
  "You gods don't speak in ways we understand."
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:58:30 +0000
• After spooking Trump into safety testing, Anthropic AI models get global release
  US lifts curbs on Anthropic’s advanced Fable and Mythos models.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:44:18 +0000
• NASA inspector general suggests Boeing's Starliner will now be a decade late
  Starliner's certification may be delayed to 2027, 10 years later than Boeing's original schedule.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:11:39 +0000
• A space history mystery: What happened to the Viking arm used 50 years ago?
  A timely tale about a 50-year-old robotic arm...
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:20:34 +0000
• UK likely to intervene in Paramount takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery
  The acquisition was approved without concessions by the Department of Justice in June.
  Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:24:39 +0000

— Auto-generated digest