Wednesday

13 May 2026 Vol 19
We’re feeling cynical about xAI’s big deal with Anthropic

We’re feeling cynical about xAI’s big deal with Anthropic

Anthropic and xAI announced a big partnership this week, with Anthropic buying all the compute capacity at xAI’s Colossus 1…
Writers are fleeing the Substack Tax

Writers are fleeing the Substack Tax

Substack, the once buzzy newsletter platform, is losing a new swath of writers to rival platforms most people haven’t heard…
The hottest place for startups to strike a deal? The F1 paddock

The hottest place for startups to strike a deal? The F1 paddock

Over cold drinks in the Florida heat, this TechCrunch reporter watched from the paddock as founders and investors — the…
I used NotebookLM to explain my own project, and it was better than my notes

I used NotebookLM to explain my own project, and it was better than my notes

I’ve been working on a book for longer than I’d like to admit. The notes exist as chapter outlines, themes,…
The RAM crisis is not just a PC nerd problem anymore

The RAM crisis is not just a PC nerd problem anymore

I live in a privileged tech bubble. My PC costs more than my car, and said system sports 64GB of…
My passwords never leave my phone — this free app is how I manage all of them

My passwords never leave my phone — this free app is how I manage all of them

You may have hundreds of apps on your smartphone, but none of them is more important than your password manager.…
Netflix may have finally figured out games

Netflix may have finally figured out games

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Netflix,…
Could Contact-Tracing Apps Help With the Hantavirus? Not Really

Could Contact-Tracing Apps Help With the Hantavirus? Not Really

After three people died on a cruise ship struck by a hantavirus, authorities are actively tracking down 29 people who…
Do City Delivery Drones Make Sense? No One Knows, but They’re Flying Over NYC

Do City Delivery Drones Make Sense? No One Knows, but They’re Flying Over NYC

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a six-propeller flying vehicle with a nearly eight-foot wingspan. For the next year,…
How Handheld Translators Work and Why They’re Handy for Travel

How Handheld Translators Work and Why They’re Handy for Travel

Earbud-based translators are the next game changer. These are over-ear devices that come in a pair—one for you, one for…