Bedrock Robotics announced a $600 million Series C round that values the company at $4.1 billion. The funding will accelerate deployment of its autonomous excavators amid a skilled-operator shortage.
Key points
Valuation: $4.1 billion after Series C funding.
Funding amount: $600 million raised in the round.
Focus: autonomous excavators to address operator shortage.
Operator shortage: five-year training needed; >40% of workers expected to retire in five years.
Sources
Steam Frame announced with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, $1,059 price
Steam Frame announced with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, 16GB RAM, and pricing at $1,059 for 256GB storage. It weighs 440 g and uses a 21.6 Wh battery. The headset offers 110° field of view and 72-120 Hz refresh rates.
Key points
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage at $1,059
Weight 440 g, battery 21.6 Wh located on rear strap
Sources
Dutch government to cut 16 percent of workforce as part of AI efficiency push
Dutch government to cut 16% of its workforce, aiming to eliminate 25,000 full-time jobs by 2035. The plan targets €900M in savings by 2027 and €3.5B by 2035, using AI to boost productivity. Police and defense are excluded from the cuts.
Key points
25,000 full-time jobs slated for removal by 2035.
Savings goal of €900 million by 2027, rising to €3.5 billion by 2035.
Sources
iPhone Duo display issue – small number units cracked inner screen
Apple says a small number of iPhone Duo units have cracked inner screens and advises owners to contact AppleCare for replacement. Reports describe a bright line from the center to the right side of the display.
Key points
Issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units.
Users experiencing the issue should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Sources
Fitbit Edge – $179.99 tracker with week-long battery
Fitbit Edge launches at $179.99, offering a lightweight band with a small display and about a week of battery life. It adds automatic activity tracking, a physical side button, and works on iOS and Android.
Key points
Price: $179.99
Battery life: about a week on a charge, reduced to about a day and a half with always-on display enabled
Sources
The RealReal updates bot defense to limit AI agents
The RealReal updated its bot defense, making it harder for AI agents to log in, add items to cart, and check out. Previously, Meta’s Muse could repeatedly re-add listings after a 20-minute hold, blocking other shoppers for hours.
Key points
Bot defense now makes it much more difficult for all agents to log in, add items to cart, and check out.
Muse could continuously re-add The RealReal listings after the 20-minute hold expired, effectively blocking other shoppers for hours.
Sources
Cloudflare AEO dashboard shows AI bot access
Cloudflare AEO dashboard shows AI bot access and citation and mention rates by LLM for $20 a month. It is a new visibility tool for AI traffic.
Key points
Dashboard shows AI bot access.
Dashboard shows citation and mention rates by LLM.
Service priced at $20 a month.
Sources
- Original post
- searchengineland.com - Linked in the post
Motherly shifts to vertical video, podcasts, WhatsApp groups
Motherly is shifting its business toward vertical video, podcasts, WhatsApp group chats, and events. The publisher aims to offset declining search traffic by building a highly engaged community around socially native, fact-based reporting.
Key points
Shift toward vertical video, podcasts, WhatsApp group chats, and events
Goal to offset declining search traffic by building a highly engaged community around socially native, fact-based reporting
Sources
- Original post
- adweek.it - Linked in the post