Daily Tech News Digest – 2026-07-15

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

BBC Technology

• Midnight social media curfew proposed for UK teens aged 16 and 17
  The government says it will improve teenagers' lives but campaigners call it a "missed opportunity".
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:24:29 GMT
• Tech Life
  Surgeons remotely control two human-like robots in an operating theatre.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:00:00 GMT

TechRadar Tech

• Microsoft just released its biggest Patch Tuesday ever, with a mammoth 622 fixes including three dangerous zero-days
  Microsoft shipped three times more fixes than usual in its latest Patch Tuesday update.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:05:00 +0000
• Are the Philips Hue Essential bulbs actually any good? Here's what you need to know about the smart light brand's budget range
  They're certainly cheaper, but are the affordable Philips Hue Essential lights a false economy? Here's our take.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:57:21 +0000
• Microsoft deletes man’s hacked OneDrive with 25 years of photos and games — as 'irreversible' action prompts him to bemoan ‘I relied on Microsoft to keep that safe’
  A OneDrive user’s account was deleted after it got hacked, losing 25 years’ worth of their photos and games.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:46:00 +0000
• New Windows 11 update is a big one — these are my top 4 features, including the ability to pause updates indefinitely
  Pausing updates for longer is a vital ability in certain situations, and I'm glad to see Microsoft finally acknowledging this.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:26:10 +0000
• 'Ineffective and useless': the UK government is proposing a midnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, but there's an easy loophole
  On top of the complete ban on social media for under-16s, older teens will have restrictions put on their apps.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:19:42 +0000
• Hold up, Mint Mobile is currently selling the Google Pixel 10 for just $150 — and you don't even need to trade in
  Mint Mobile's just listed yet another record-breaking deal on an Android flagship — this time it's the Google Pixel 10.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:19:40 +0000
• "The difference between launching now and launching never": How vibe coding is turning small business ideas into functional apps in record time
  Could vibe coding help small businesses overcome bottlenecks in app development?
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:17:39 +0000
• Why AI recommendations are becoming ecommerce’s most valuable source of traffic
  New data suggests visitors referred by AI tools are converting at significantly higher rates than those arriving through traditional search.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:37:02 +0000
• Why transaction data may be the missing link to AI ROI
  Hidden signals in purchasing data can help forecast cash flow more accurately, giving leaders a clearer path to AI ROI.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:35:43 +0000
• What is the release date for Rick and Morty season 9 episode 9 on Adult Swim, HBO Max, and Hulu?
  This week, Morty and Summer are off to summer camp. But when is Rick and Morty season 9 episode 9 coming to a streaming platform near you?
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:35:27 +0000
• New York becomes the first US state to ban hyperscaler data centers, says it will 'lead the way in creating the strongest standards in the nation for data center development'
  50MW+ data centers in New York State affected by a new one-year moratorium as the state assesses the damages.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:20:00 +0000
• The gap between AI potential and AI reality Is a leadership problem
  Most companies are investing in AI tools when they should be investing in people.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:00:26 +0000
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis seems like the glow-up the gaming icon needed — but I’ve not seen enough yet
  Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis looks and feels the part of a reinterpreted classic — but I need to see more before I’m fully convinced.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:51:05 +0000
• First VPN administrators sanctioned by US Treasury over ransomware attacks
  Following a massive Europol takedown in May, the US Treasury has officially sanctioned the administrators behind First VPN, a service favored by ransomware groups to hide their tracks.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:39:52 +0000
• The Mandalorian and Grogu's digital release date has been revealed — but I won't be able to see the new Star Wars movie on Disney+ just yet
  The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to hit digital stories later this month.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:30:00 +0000
• 'SMBs need to move from disconnected pilots to true alignment': Study finds European firms are getting more out of AI than other markets
  European businesses are proving better at real-world AI deployments – North American SMBs are stuck in the planning phases.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:23:54 +0000
• White House launches 'Gold Eagle' cybersecurity clearinghouse to share and patch AI-discovered software flaws
  'Gold Eagle' scheme looks to centralize vulnerability identification and remediation for maximum efficiency.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:07:37 +0000
• The network perimeter is dead. Now what?
  Perimeter security is failing as attackers exploit vulnerable edge devices.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:48:40 +0000
• The Disney settlement is a story about two layers of infrastructure that no longer line up
  For privacy leaders trying to decide what to do on Monday morning, the most useful lessons from the Disney settlement are technical.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:08:04 +0000
• 'Could blow Sony's Pro IEMs out the water': Sivga's new wired earbuds look beautiful and are packed full of drivers to turn buyers' heads
  The Sivga Lyrebird combine four drivers in a svelte wooden package, one-upping Sony's recent Pro-grade IEMs.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Ars Technica Technology

• A most improbable astronaut just went to space
  "I pretty much, at that point in time, gave up on being an astronaut."
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:30:07 +0000
• How hard is it to build orbital data centers, actually?
  "The ISS radiators are expensive and heavy. We're focused on making them cheap and light."
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:00:09 +0000
• Sotheby's big T. rex auction raises concerns hype and wealth are upending science
  Private buyers are increasingly outbidding museums for fossils.
  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:30:39 +0000
• Microsoft’s Secure Boot has been broken for a decade and no one noticed until now
  Old and forgotten "shims" Microsoft failed to revoke have made Secure Boot bypasses simple.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:20:48 +0000
• Trump admin puts Americans in Congo on "do-not-board" list, barring return
  Citizens must now spend 21 days in a third country before they are allowed to come home.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:09:31 +0000
• Lawsuit claims Meta's layoff decisions were made by AI, not humans
  Meta denies using AI to terminate workers with disabilities and medical problems.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:05:53 +0000
• Probe into explosive diarrheal cases points to Taco Bell and bad lettuce
  Federal officials have not confirmed a source yet—and there may be multiple sources.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:00:02 +0000
• US military sent explosive drone boats into combat for the first time
  US military’s drone boats struck an Iranian naval port as war heats up again.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:00:01 +0000
• These painted e-tattoos could be the future of wearable biosensors
  Conductive ink is painted directly onto the skin in colorful custom designs, drying into working electrodes.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:31:58 +0000
• Google revamps image search for its 25th anniversary with more images and more AI
  The new Google image search will use your "unique interests" to create an always-updated gallery.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 16:28:14 +0000
• New York bans data center construction for a year, rattling AI industry
  New York’s data center moratorium may become the blueprint for anti-AI movement.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:06:28 +0000
• Boomers, not Gen Z, are the generation cutting back most on alcohol
  New research overturns assumption that abstinent younger drinkers are behind weak demand.
  Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:19:16 +0000

— Auto-generated digest