Daily Tech News Digest – 2026-07-09

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

BBC Technology

• Porn site company fined £630,000 over failed age checks
  Ofcom has fined a slew of sites it says are failing to prevent children accessing their adult content.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:29:31 GMT

TechRadar Tech

• Got ChatGPT’s new voice mode? Here's how to check — and 5 things you should try first
  All ChatGPT users are getting access to the new AI voice model, and there's plenty you can do with it.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:13:16 +0000
• Nextcloud leaks 367K records — European cloud giant exposes staff and clients in major breach
  A misconfigured cloud database spills secrets, but Nextcloud was quick to remedy.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:10:00 +0000
• Russia drops controversial VPN tax following technical delays and widespread backlash
  Russian officials have officially scrapped a heavily criticized plan to tax international mobile data, removing a looming financial penalty for residents relying on VPNs to bypass state censorship.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:04:46 +0000
• This shapeshifting Dreo fan can be a pedestal fan, a desktop fan or an air circulator — I made full use of its extensive customization options in the recent heatwave
  The Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S is one versatile fan.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:58:07 +0000
• Analysts say that 'digital is just too lucrative' for Sony and that PlayStation 'will not reverse' its decision to end physical disc production even in the face of fans cancelling PS Plus subscriptions
  Sony plans to end physical disc production in 2028, but despite pushback from fans, analysts suggest the PlayStation company won't reverse its decision.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:36:30 +0000
• 'Samsung's first true PCIe 5.0 drive is the best there is:' 2TB 9100 Pro SSD gets a huge price cut at Amazon
  The 2TB Samsung 9100 Pro delivers some of the fastest read and write speeds available from any consumer PCIe 5.0 SSD, and Amazon just cut the price.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:35:00 +0000
• China warns users of alleged 'security backdoor vulnerabilities' in Anthropic's Claude Code, tells users to uninstall for sfaety reasons
  China has accused Claude Code of spying on enterprises and tracking user locations – Anthropic asserts it's a security necessity.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:25:00 +0000
• Steam Deck too expensive? The Lenovo Legion Go S is back to its lowest-ever price on Amazon
  If you're priced out of the Steam Deck or sick of waiting for stock updates, this record-low price for the Lenovo Legion Go S makes it an excellent alternative.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:17:39 +0000
• 'As good as it gets': You won't want to miss this Geekom A8 mini PC deal for office work, content creation, and 4K video editing
  The diminutive desktop, with 16GB of DDR5 and a 1TB SSD gets big price cut at Amazon
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:02:42 +0000
• The AI security paradox: Why are organizations trusting what they can’t fully see?
  Businesses are racing to adopt and operationalize AI, but many are deploying the technology faster than they can govern it.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:56:52 +0000
• AI work slop: What is it & how can UK businesses protect themselves?
  This article explores the impact of AI work slop on UK businesses and how it can be prevented.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:39:53 +0000
• Razer wants the Seiren V3 Pro to be the ultimate gaming mic, but you probably don’t need it
  The Razer Seiren V3 Pro comes loaded with features for demanding users, but you’ve got to pay for the privilege.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:37:25 +0000
• The makers of New Vegas are working on a new Fallout game
  Obsidian Entertainment is reportedly working on a new Fallout game after scrapping plans for Avowed 2 amid Xbox's restructuring strategy.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:25:08 +0000
• Shadow AI is creeping in to healthcare - leaders need to recognize the risk before it’s too late
  While AI is useful, unauthorized tools pose a risk to patient care.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:22:19 +0000
• Don't buy a new work PC right now — memory crunch and price rises lead to global shipments falling for the first time in two years
  Global PC shipments are down as memory price hikes affect manufacturers globally – Apple even uncharacteristically rose prices mid-term.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:20:00 +0000
• 'Not for everyone': Sony announces its most premium wired earbuds yet, but their ideal use case is nothing if not niche
  The Sony IER-M500 are wired earbuds it's true, but for most people, the brand's cheaper options will be the best buy.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:17:36 +0000
• Netflix free trials might be making a comeback — but not for users in the two of the best streaming service's biggest markets
  After a six-year absence, Netflix is reportedly looking into the return of its free trial scheme.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000
• ‘Lies about driver support’: Valve now lets you install Windows 11 on a Steam Machine, but many people don’t want to be fooled twice
  Valve has released official drivers so you can put Windows 11 on the Steam Machine, but some users are worried they'll see a repeat of the Steam Deck’s disappointing support.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:59:25 +0000
• AI agents aren’t the end of SaaS – they’re driving its next phase of growth
  AI agents won’t replace SaaS, they’ll fuel its evolution into the enterprise execution layer.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:57:18 +0000
• Microsoft is moving to annual price adjustments for its commercial cloud services — could more bill shock be on the way?
  Microsoft wants to provide greater billing certainty by reviewing foreign exchange rates once per year, not twice.
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:35:00 +0000

Ars Technica Technology

• Payloads used to dictate the terms of launch. That's finally changing.
  "The Starship Pez dispenser demonstrates very smart industrial design and scale."
  Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:00:26 +0000
• Suspecting AI cheating, Ivy League prof ordered an in-person final; scores fell 50%
  AI cheating leads to "a failed society," professor says.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 21:42:44 +0000
• Lawsuit: Man used Grok to make 7K sex images of stepdaughter, then shot himself
  More young girls sue X over Grok CSAM; X accused of shielding child predators.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:56:37 +0000
• Judge rejects Kalshi attempt to override New York state gambling laws
  Kalshi tried to ignore gambling laws on its prediction market, NY governor says.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:14:02 +0000
• Google pays $250K for Linux vulnerability allowing guest VM escapes
  Both vulnerabilities allow untrusted users to gain root privileges.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:01:19 +0000
• Aussie gov't tells volunteers to throw out thousands of functioning test routers
  But the devices could "easily be reflashed."
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:10:16 +0000
• TikTok users don't have as much agency over their FYPs as they think
  The "not interested" feature is your friend, but users must intentionally and constantly curate their FYPs
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:00:49 +0000
• US seeks cheaper hunter-killer drones after Iran destroys $1B worth of Reapers
  US military drone losses in Iran war spur Pentagon call for cheap replacements.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:44:54 +0000
• Miami-based City Labs achieves a first for commercial nuclear power in space
  "The BOHR mission serves as a pathfinder for future nuclear-powered spacecraft."
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:26:44 +0000
• Google updates Android Bench with new LLMs, but Gemini still lags behind
  Android Bench is evolving, and developers can help guide that process.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:39:48 +0000
• Two teens learn the hard way not to do toy gun drive-bys from a Waymo
  The robotaxi stopped, called 911, and waited for the San Mateo Police to show up.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:40:44 +0000
• Ocean rift zone saw spreading happen in a sudden burst
  The crust expands at mid-ocean rifts. But how?
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:09:38 +0000
• US rare earths flow to Asia as domestic demand is slow to emerge
  Miners backed by Trump admin sell to Japan, South Korea despite push to develop domestic supply chain.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:26:10 +0000
• Blue Origin, for the first time, is expected to raise private capital
  The company is raising $10 billion, leading to a valuation of $130 billion.
  Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:47:35 +0000

— Auto-generated digest