Lightyear lands $23M to take on Robinhood 🚀
- Lightyear raises $23M to challenge Robinhood in Europe, using AI to help investors and aiming to grow its platform across 25 countries.
- The London-based startup, founded by former Wise executives, now manages over $1 billion in assets and will use the funding to expand its pan-European investment app, which lets users trade more than 5,000 stocks and ETFs.
- This move heats up Europe’s investing scene, giving everyday users a homegrown alternative as the competition with US-based apps like Robinhood ramps up.
Nikola Tesla’s legacy echoes in obscurity 🔌
- Nikola Tesla’s final words still echo as people revisit the story of a misunderstood inventor whose loneliness and heartbreak resonate with many even today.
- Despite pioneering advances like alternating current and many world-changing inventions, Tesla’s genius was sidelined by business rivals and a lack of financial backing, leaving him to die penniless and largely unrecognised.
- Tesla’s story highlights how innovators can be overlooked in their lifetimes and sparks fresh debate about the value societies place on science, creativity, and those who dare to imagine the future.
Tesla veteran says real products drive innovation 🚗
- Reviewing real products in-person, not mockups or slides, is the secret to keeping teams truly innovative, says former Tesla exec.
- Senior leaders at Tesla—and now GM—gather weekly to physically test and assess finished hardware and software, pushing for constant improvements over mere design concepts.
- This hands-on approach fuels rapid progress and better user experiences, proving critical for fast product cycles and competitive edge in tech and automotive industries.
iPadOS 26 breathes new life into old iPads 🧊
- The iPadOS 26 preview shows off a major update that makes even older iPads feel fresh, thanks to an overhauled design and highly flexible multitasking.
- Apple has introduced Mac-style window management, a new menu bar, and refreshed visuals, with features like “Liquid Glass,” improved Files, and a dedicated Preview app for PDFs.
- This broad compatibility and practical improvements mean longtime iPad owners can enjoy a more capable, modern device without needing to upgrade their hardware.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 gets bigger, but still falls short 📱
- The Galaxy Z Flip 7 review highlights bigger screens and better battery life, but notes the cameras and cover display features still lag behind.
- Samsung has boosted the Flip’s main display to 6.9 inches, widened the aspect ratio, enlarged the cover screen, and added a larger battery for longer use.
- Despite hardware upgrades and new AI features, the lack of camera improvements and limited use of the second screen mean it doesn’t truly push foldable phones forward.
Tesla and Samsung ink landmark chip deal 🤝
- Tesla and Samsung sign $16.5 billion chip deal to secure advanced semiconductors for future electric vehicles and autonomous tech.
- The decade-long agreement, confirmed by Elon Musk, will see Samsung provide critical chips supporting Tesla’s self-driving capabilities until 2033.
- This deal deepens cooperation between the EV and tech giants, positioning them to shape the next era of automotive innovation and chip leadership.
Tea app faces major data leak scandal 🔓
- The wildly popular Tea app suffered a major data breach, exposing tens of thousands of user selfies and photo IDs that were meant to keep women safe.
- Hackers accessed a legacy storage system containing about 72,000 images, including 13,000 sensitive verification photos and IDs, with some data even surfacing on public websites.
- The leak raises serious privacy concerns for users, highlighting lasting risks when apps fail to protect user data even after promising safety and anonymity.
Fantastic Four soars as MCU Phase 6 begins 🦸
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps opened huge, earning $218 million worldwide in its debut and giving Marvel Studios a much-needed box office win.
- The film, set in a 1960s-inspired alternate universe, features Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and sits alongside DC’s recent Superman as a major July superhero launch.
- Strong ticket sales and glowing reviews suggest superhero movies remain a big draw, signalling renewed audience enthusiasm as Marvel kicks off its next cinematic chapter.
Microsoft CEO defends strategy amid layoffs 🚀
- Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the company is ‘thriving’ despite cutting over 15,000 jobs and cancelling high-profile projects, pointing to record profits and ongoing investments.
- Microsoft’s major layoffs, including thousands from Xbox studios and the shelving of anticipated games, are part of a sweeping push to re-focus on artificial intelligence and streamline operations.
- This dramatic shift shows how big tech is prioritising AI growth and financial performance, but raises questions about workplace culture and the future of its gaming division.
Mario and Peach are “just good friends” 🍄
- Nintendo confirms Mario and Peach’s relationship is purely platonic, saying the pair “help each other out whenever they can.”
- The announcement, shared in the Nintendo Today app, contradicts decades of games and marketing that often suggested Mario and Peach were romantically involved.
- This shift not only rewrites a major part of Mario lore but also invites fans to view Nintendo’s mascots in a new light going forward.
aespa breaks records on global charts again 🌏
- aespa’s dominance in 2025 charts continues as the group achieved a record 534 entries and 20 No. 1 spots on Tencent Music’s mid-year report.
- Their latest hits, including “Dirty Work,” topped several Chinese music charts, earned Double Platinum, and secured aespa a place in the coveted “Best Group” category.
- This success cements aespa as a leading K-pop force, boosting their global influence and raising the bar for international chart achievements in 2025.
BLACKPINK’s local chart slump sparks speculation 🎤
- BLACKPINK’s latest comeback is drawing questions after their new single soared in global stadiums but landed softly in South Korea’s music charts.
- Despite packed-out shows across North America and Europe on their “DEADLINE” world tour, their song “JUMP” has struggled to catch on with Korean listeners compared to the group’s previous hits.
- The weak domestic response has fans and netizens debating whether this comeback could be their last as a group, raising fresh uncertainty over Blackpink’s future together.
