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Perplexity is abandoning plans to put ads in its AI search product as the industry looks for sustainable business models that won’t hurt user trust. The changes are part of a larger strategic shift for the company, which has long focused on disrupting Google Search’s business.”Google is changing to be like Perplexity more than Perplexity is trying to take on Google,” said a Perplexity executive at a press briefing on Tuesday. Executives spoke to the press on the condition of anonymity.Instead of chasing mass adoption, Perplexity will lean into its subscription business, with a focus on becoming the most accurate…

This funding is designed to support the acceleration of financial resilience across Africa by expanding Affinity’s financial education initiatives and increasing access to fair, digital financial services for underserved communities. Affinity Africa,  Ghana’s leading digital banking platform, has joined forces, for the second time, with the Cisco Foundation  and FINCA Ventures  through a program aimed at advancing financial resilience across Africa. This funding is designed to support the acceleration of financial resilience across Africa by expanding Affinity’s financial education initiatives and increasing access to fair, digital financial services for underserved communities. The collaboration focuses on empowering women, informal workers, and those…

GoogleIf you’re shopping for a new budget Pixel, you’ve already seen the news: the Google Pixel 10a officially launched on February 18. And while new phone releases usually bring big upgrades, this one’s changes are…slight. That’s why I’m breaking down Google Pixel 10a vs Pixel 9a today.If you already own the Google Pixel 9a, you might be staring at the spec sheet wondering where the big leap is. You’re not imagining it; this year’s update is incremental.Still, subtle doesn’t mean identical. Buyers deserve clarity before spending $499, whether they’re upgrading or buying fresh. If you’re after a Pixel 10a review,…

Earlier this month, Samsung released the fourth beta of One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S25 family, and today the fifth beta is out to those who enrolled their devices in the beta program. The new firmware ends in ZZAN and includes the February 5, 2026 security patch level. It also comes with an updated version of Bixby. The rollout is currently taking place in the US, UK, India, Germany, and Korea. The new build is about 546-553MB in size. Samsung is now putting the finishing touches on One UI 8.5, which is expected to launch alongside the Galaxy S26…

Today, the Tayrona semisubmersible sits on a strip of grass at the ARC Bolívar naval base in Cartagena. It’s exposed to the elements; rain has streaked its paint. To one side lies an older, bulkier narco sub seized a decade ago, a blue cylinder with a clumsy profile. The Tayrona’s hull looks lower, leaner, and more refined. Up close, it is also unmistakably handmade. The hull is a dull gray-blue, the fiberglass rough in places, with scrapes and dents from the tow that brought it into port. It has no identifying marks on the exterior—nothing that would tie it to…

The platform addresses critical pain points for agencies, including identifying where brands are mentioned—or missing—in AI-generated answers, translating AI visibility into actionable workflows, and providing scalable reporting across multiple clients. Wellows  has officially launched the Wellows AI Search Visibility Platform, designed to help agencies and startups understand and manage how their brands appear across AI-powered search and answer engines. As AI-driven answer experiences become a primary gateway for discovery, businesses face new challenges in tracking brand mentions and performance in AI-generated content. The platform addresses critical pain points for agencies, including identifying where brands are mentioned—or missing—in AI-generated answers, translating…

Image Credit: Henry T. Casey, CNN UnderscoredOver the years, I went through my fair share of budget phones. I get why people complain about entry models. The processor drags. The camera misses. And the software… tests your patience. My Samsung Galaxy J8 gave me a hard time on the software side. I put up with slow speed and rough photos—my vacation shots still hurt to see. Apps wouldn’t open. The phone would freeze. It would restart on its own.Related: Apple’s March 4 event is mysterious—but should we be excited?Things look different now. Brands step up their game. With Google showing…

We’re taking a look at vivo’s new V70 series. Earlier, we gave you our impressions of the V70 Elite, so now, let’s unbox the vivo V70. Our unit is the Alpine Grey model, and it comes with a 90W charger, a USB-C to USB-A cable, and a simple silicone case. Unboxing the vivo V70 The Alpine Grey model is a curious shade. Depending on the lighting, it appears a light brown color or a diluted rose shade. In reality, it has a light grey back panel and a slightly darker grey frame. The phone feels nicely compact…

LANL: AI Accelerates Elucidation of Nuclear Forces with Explosive Neutron Star Data Feb. 19, 2026 — A research team is using astrophysical explosions to understand the mysterious forces at work in some of the smallest building blocks in nature: atomic nuclei. In new research published in Nature Communications, the team uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to decipher the data from astrophysical observations to better understand how neutrons and protons interact in dense matter at the quantum level. Credit: Ezume Images/Shutterstock “This research represents the first time in the field that we’ve been able to robustly connect the macroscopic and…

The new capabilities are included with paid Zoom Workplace accounts or available through a standalone plan, while free users can access them with monthly usage limits. Zoom  has announced a major evolution of its AI Companion, positioning it as a workplace collaborator rather than a simple assistant. With the unveiling of new agentic AI capabilities such as My notes and Personal workflows, the company is shifting from reactive task support to proactive intelligence. These features, currently in beta and expected to be generally available later this month, are designed to anticipate user needs, automate complex workflows, and improve how teams…