Author: Frank Salvato

Google has confirmed it will remove support for two long-standing Gmail features beginning January 2026: the ability for Gmail to fetch mail from third-party accounts using the POP3 protocol, and the “Gmailify” service that applied Gmail’s advanced inbox features (such as spam protection, inbox categorization, and enhanced notifications) to external accounts. The change means that Gmail on the web will no longer automatically pull emails from other mail services (like Outlook, Yahoo, or ISP mail) into a single unified inbox via POP3, and linked accounts using Gmailify will stop receiving Gmail’s organizational benefits. Instead, Google recommends using IMAP connections in…

Tech industry veterans Biz Stone (Twitter co-founder) and Evan Sharp (Pinterest co-founder) have raised fresh funding to develop Tangle, a new social platform designed as an antidote to what they describe as the “terrible devastation” wrought by traditional social networks. Backed with a reported $29 million in seed financing led by Spark Capital, Tangle launched in an invite-only mode in late 2025 and encourages users to share daily intentions rather than endlessly scroll algorithmic feeds. The app aims to foster real-world connections, meaningful planning, and mindful engagement with technology. Its founders argue this model could help reshape how people use…

LG has officially revived its ultra-thin Wallpaper OLED TV at CES 2026 with the OLED evo W6, a 9 mm-class television that marries minimalist design with cutting-edge display performance. The W6 is engineered to sit flush against a wall and leverages True Wireless connectivity through a Zero Connect Box that can transmit video signals up to 10 meters away while offloading all I/O connections, leaving only a power cable at the panel itself. According to The Verge’s hands-on report, the new model includes Hyper Radiant Color Technology for improved brightness, color accuracy, and black levels, plus Brightness Booster Ultra—expected to…

Samsung Electronics has announced an ambitious strategy to integrate artificial intelligence throughout its full lineup of devices and services by 2026, positioning the tech giant to leverage its vertically integrated hardware and semiconductor strengths across consumer electronics and AI infrastructure. In a recent New Year address, Device eXperience (DX) head TM Roh emphasized an “organic” AI rollout designed to enhance user experience and transform work processes company-wide, while the Device Solutions (DS) division highlights its comprehensive AI semiconductor capabilities as a competitive edge. Industry coverage also notes Samsung’s plans to showcase this AI ecosystem at CES 2026 and broaden AI…

In the wake of sensational reports circulating online that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured by U.S. forces, major media outlets have grappled with differentiating verified news from manipulated content across social platforms. The Verge reports that the New York Times carefully vetted a photo President Trump posted of Maduro in what appeared to be U.S. custody but could not independently verify its authenticity, noting odd cropping and AI-detection uncertainty in the image before publishing it in context of Trump’s Truth Social post. In parallel, Wired and other outlets documented a flood of disinformation across TikTok, Instagram, and X,…

A noticeable shift in public sentiment toward artificial intelligence is emerging in early 2026, as evidence of “AI fatigue” and broader backlash against over-hyped, low-value, or intrusive AI applications mounts across industries. Recent reporting highlights how the flood of AI tools and constant hype is creating confusion, diminishing user enthusiasm, and prompting skepticism about the technology’s real value in everyday life. This trend is not isolated: consumers are openly criticizing major tech initiatives (such as AI-driven product features or forced integrations), banks report customer dissatisfaction with automated experiences in favor of human interaction, and online audiences are reacting negatively to…

A broad new patchwork of internet and technology regulations is taking effect across the United States in 2026, as states move quickly to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), data privacy, right-to-repair, social media usage by minors, and consumer protections at a time when federal policy has lagged and even threatened to preempt state authority. California’s comprehensive AI transparency and safety laws, including SB 53’s mandated disclosures, are now active alongside Colorado and Washington’s expansive right-to-repair rules and protections against cryptocurrency ATM fraud. Other states are introducing age-appropriate design standards, mandatory age verification in app stores, and social media time limits for…

Two former U.S. cybersecurity professionals, Ryan Clifford Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Tyler Martin of Texas, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to use the ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware to extort American companies, turning their technical expertise against victims and facing up to 20 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for March 12, 2026. The pair admitted to leveraging their industry knowledge to deploy ransomware against multiple U.S. organizations, including a Florida medical device company that paid over $1.2 million in Bitcoin, plus other attempted extortion efforts across states like Maryland, California, and Virginia. According to reports from multiple outlets, Goldberg and…

UK firms are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to drive productivity and long-term growth, with surveys showing around a third planning to invest in AI tools in 2026 and many prioritising worker training and digital capabilities, even as a persistent shortage of skilled talent threatens adoption and rollout. According to recent data, 33 % of British businesses intend to scale up AI investment next year while 35 % plan to invest in workforce training, reflecting a strategic shift toward technology-enabled growth amid competitive pressures and tight labour markets. However, companies large and small are struggling to find and retain AI…

Rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States is spotlighting vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging electrical grid as data center demand outpaces power generation and transmission capacity; industry groups warn that regulatory roadblocks, insufficient transmission expansion, and grid reliability risks could undermine U.S. technological leadership and threaten energy affordability if planning and investment don’t accelerate. Source reports highlight that America’s largest grid, the PJM Interconnection, is struggling to meet skyrocketing electricity demand from data centers and AI workloads, driving projected rate increases and stressing supply chains; meanwhile, the Solar Energy Industries Association cautions that unstable permitting and an…