Daily Tech News Digest – 2026-08-20

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

BBC Technology

• UK business hit by 'daylight robbery' 1500% price hike for invoicing software
  Richard Haldenby says his average monthly bill for Harvest had risen from $130 (£95.50) to $2,110.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:44:04 GMT
• 81,000 warning letters sent to crypto holders in HMRC tax crackdown
  According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request the number of letters sent has almost tripled since 2024.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:14:46 GMT
• Monzo says issue with card payments and transfers now resolved
  The digital bank said all of its services were now "back up and running"
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:04:16 GMT

TechRadar Tech

• Claude hit me with a usage limit, so I moved the entire conversation to ChatGPT — this free browser extension made it ridiculously easy
  I used the free ThreadPort extension to give ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini the same conversation
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:17:26 +0000
• Scientists develop next-gen zinc-iodine batteries with 60,000+ cycles that charge in 3 minutes — and they won't catch fire either
  Progress is being made in developing sustainable, fast-charging, long-lasting zinc-iodine batteries.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:09:54 +0000
• Amazon just gave users a valuable upgrade — Alexa+ is now free to use on Fire TV devices as well as Hisense and Panasonic models, and you don’t need Prime
  Amazon just made Alexa+ free to use on Fire TV devices, and you don't need a Prime membership.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:07:05 +0000
• Whoop opens its blood-testing service to non-Whoop owners — Garmin, Apple and Oura fans can now use $150 diagnostics test that now includes early cancer screening
  Whoop’s Advanced Labs blood-testing service no longer requires a Whoop membership, opening access to Apple and Garmin users.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:06:03 +0000
• All your EPL Matchday 1 streaming options – and don’t forget the early FPL GW1 deadline time
  US and UK streaming schedules for the opening weekend of the Premier League
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:55:55 +0000
• Over 9 million facial recognition images leaked in major breach at reverse image search and identity verification service
  ClarityCheck locks down huge database after being notified about the spill.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:05:00 +0000
• How AI is transforming the role of test engineers
  From test engineer to quality orchestrator: human oversight in AI-enabled test automation
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:53:28 +0000
• The price and release date for Xbox's 25th anniversary translucent 'OG green' controller have leaked ahead of Gamescom
  The price and release date for Microsoft's 25th anniversary Xbox Wireless Controller have reportedly leaked online ahead of Gamescom 2026.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:43:40 +0000
• Google Messages RCS isn’t working for some users, but a weird VPN trick might fix it
  RCS isn't working for some Google Messages users, but an old VPN trick has reemerged as a potential solution.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:29:50 +0000
• AI can answer, but can it lead?
  AI can enhance leadership communication, but authenticity, cultural awareness, judgement and trust must remain fundamentally human.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:13:39 +0000
• Get up to 40% off waterproof jackets from Rab, Patagonia, Arc'teryx and more — here are my top recommendations for rainy weather season
  Contrary to what it might feel like, this sunshine isn't going to last forever.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:01:29 +0000
• Before approving the next AI budget, check the network
  UK boards must assess connectivity, resilience and visibility before scaling their AI investments.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:01:26 +0000
• Furious isn't just the best show on Hulu and Disney+ right now — its use of behind-the-scenes tech and AI is changing the game for disabled actors
  Steve Way is easily the breakout start of new Hulu and Disney+ show Furious — but his behind-the-scenes prep has completely changed my mind about the use of AI.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000
• How to stream Premier League 2026/27 free with trial offers
  How to stream Premier League 2026/27 free with trial offers from anywhere in the world.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000
• How to watch BMW Championship 2026: Free Live Streams, TV Channels & Preview
  All the ways to watch BMW Championship 2026 live streams for free from anywhere, as the planet's best golfers head to St Louis in the FedExCup Playoffs.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000
• Why AI-powered marketing is the new secret weapon for customer trust
  As AI takes a bigger role in marketing, customer trust becomes the ultimate competitive advantage.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:52:23 +0000
• How to watch Ludwig season 2 for *FREE* – stream the David Mitchell puzzle detective show from anywhere, Episodes 1-3 out now
  The delightfully brain-teasing detective comedy with David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin is back — here's how to watch Ludwig season 2 free from anywhere.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0000
• Why your best-interviewing AI candidate may not be your best AI hire
  Why confident AI job candidates may lack real-world competence.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:38:11 +0000
• I review coffee machines for a living and my hands-down favourite model is 49% off — and I can't recommend it highly enough
  Coffee machines come in all shapes and sizes, from a variety of brands. This Philips coffee maker is one of my favourites, and it's now down to an incredibly low price.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:23:23 +0000
• ChatGPT has started dropping unexpected f-bombs — and I think I’ve found the reason why
  I noticed that ChatGPT seems to be swearing a lot more lately, and other people have noticed it too. So, what's really going on?
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:05:38 +0000

Ars Technica Technology

• NASA calls off mission to rescue Swift gamma-ray observatory
  Without a rescue, NASA's Swift Observatory is expected to reenter the atmosphere later this year.
  Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:18:48 +0000
• Amazon aims for delivery drones to reach 500 US neighborhoods by end of 2026
  US residents face trade-offs as delivery drone services such as Prime Air expand.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 22:02:38 +0000
• Framework responds to complaints that BIOS update bricks Ryzen 7040 laptops
  Framework says it's replacing some out-of-warranty AMD mainboards.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:21:59 +0000
• Flight attendants freaked out that Google is buying tons of Spirit employee data
  Bankrupt Spirit accused of selling out workers in massive data sale to Google.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:04:41 +0000
• FCC abolishes gigabit speed goal, suggesting it is unfair to slower technologies
  FCC decides 1Gbps is too fast, standard must be "technologically neutral."
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:45:19 +0000
• The floodgates are open after another Chinese company lands a reusable rocket
  "We will put the booster back into service for another flight as soon as possible."
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:41:02 +0000
• A fantastical journey unfolds in gorgeous Wildwood trailer
  "I will tear apart this forest and bring back what it took from me."
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:06:06 +0000
• mRNA cancer vaccine succeeded in Phase 3 melanoma trial, Moderna and Merck say
  The vaccine reportedly thwarted the cancer's return and spread.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:53:56 +0000
• Google Pixel 11 series review: Is the magic fading?
  Google's new Pixels make some compromises but still manage to be good phones.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:11:30 +0000
• Scientists find closest star to the Milky Way's central black hole
  Star, moving at 8% the speed of light, may let us measure the black hole's rotation.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:56:56 +0000
• Meta ran ads for an app promising to nudify female politicians
  One ad featured a pornographic video with deepfake closely resembling a US politician.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:45:29 +0000
• Trump expected to pick conservative policy wonk Heidi Overton to lead FDA
  She opposes abortion, is wary of peptides, supports limiting vaccines, vexes MAHA.
  Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:54:36 +0000

— Auto-generated digest