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π‘ Get your daily fix of innovation, gadgets, AI, cybersecurity, and the tech shaping tomorrow. Technology Daily keeps you in the loop with smart, snappy updatesβperfect for busy founders, engineers, and curious minds alike.
Welcome to Technology Daily, your go-to source for the latest in tech news. I'm your host, and today is June 20th, 2026. We've got a packed show for you today, covering everything from space missions and AI controversies to gaming, gadgets, and some genuinely alarming uses of facial recognition technology. Let's dive right in.
First up, let's talk space. NASA has selected Relativity Space, the rocket company led by former Google executive Eric Schmidt, to launch its Aeolus payload to Mars in 2028. Under this new public-private partnership, Relativity Space will handle the spacecraft, rocket, and cruise operations. The mission aims to deliver the first integrated, daily, global view of Martian winds, temperatures, dust, and clouds. That kind of atmospheric data could be a game-changer for planning future crewed missions to the red planet, helping engineers design safer entry and landing systems. It's a big vote of confidence in the commercial space sector, and a significant milestone for Relativity Space.
Staying on the topic of space ambitions, there's an intriguing story gaining traction about SpaceX's plans to build AI data centers in orbit. As artificial intelligence drives unprecedented demand for computing power here on Earth, the idea of orbital data centers that could tap into abundant solar energy and sidestep many environmental challenges sounds appealing. But experts are quick to point out the enormous hurdles involved, including cooling systems, radiation exposure, maintenance in orbit, and the ever-growing problem of space debris. Fascinating concept, but we're likely still a long way from making it practical.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, NASA has asked Northrop Grumman to halt work on the lunar HALO habitation module, a component of the Gateway space station program. The agency says affected employees are being reassigned across other programs. This adds to growing uncertainty around some of NASA's longer-term lunar ambitions.
Now, let's move to one of the bigger tech controversies of the week. The UK government has announced it will use facial recognition technology to scan asylum seekers' faces for age verification, and here's the kicker: officials are pushing ahead even after their own tests revealed the technology makes life-altering errors. Critics are rightly alarmed that a flawed system is being used in high-stakes situations involving vulnerable people. This raises serious questions about the responsible deployment of AI in government processes, and it's a conversation that isn't going away anytime soon.
On a related note, Norway is taking a very different approach to AI and young people. The country is imposing broad restrictions on AI use for elementary school children, with reports indicating a near-total ban in schools for younger kids. It's a bold stance, and one that will likely fuel debate across Europe and beyond about how to appropriately integrate, or limit, AI tools in education.
Here in the corporate world, Amazon is under scrutiny after three of its software engineers say they're being investigated by the company following their public testimony against the expansion of AI data centers in Seattle. The engineers spoke at city hearings and are now accusing Amazon of threatening their livelihoods in retaliation. They've filed a complaint with Seattle's civil rights office, alleging illegal retaliation for expressing personal political beliefs. It's a story that cuts right to the heart of worker rights in the tech industry, and we'll be watching how it develops.
Speaking of Amazon, there's also news on the entertainment front. Amazon MGM has dropped the Sam Altman biopic titled Artificial, directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Andrew Garfield as the OpenAI CEO. The film covers the dramatic five days in 2023 when Altman was fired and then reinstated. Amazon says they believe the film will be better served by a different studio. No word yet on where it might land, but given the cast and director, expect it to find a home somewhere.
Now let's talk smartphones. Nothing's budget brand, CMF, has confirmed it won't be releasing a new phone this year, and the reason is something analysts are calling RAMageddon. RAM prices have surged dramatically, with Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis stating bluntly that they simply cannot build a phone that feels like a genuine step forward at a price point that makes sense for the CMF brand. Nothing CEO Carl Pei echoed this, noting that memory costs for their Phone 4A doubled during development. It's a stark reminder of how supply chain pressures can ripple through the entire consumer tech landscape.
Staying with cars, automakers are increasingly moving away from Android Auto, even as consumers continue to love it. The tension here is real: car manufacturers want to control the in-car experience, gather their own data, and reduce dependence on Google's ecosystem. Drivers, on the other hand, want the familiar interface they already use on their phones. It's shaping up to be one of the defining battles in the automotive tech space over the next few years.
On the AI assistant front, Wired has published a hands-on with the new Siri AI, describing it as conversational, omnipresent, and, crucially, actually helpful. That's quite a shift from the Siri of old. Meanwhile, macOS 27 is introducing a feature that lets you build Shortcuts just by typing what you want to happen, making automation far more accessible to everyday users.
In gaming news, there's a fascinating Early Access title generating buzz called Moves of the Diamond Hand. Created by musician and game designer Cosmo D, it's a dice-based RPG with a jazzy, noir aesthetic that looks like a gritty 2000s-era immersive sim. Reviewers are calling it one of the most creative roleplaying games in years, though its storyline won't be fully resolved until 2027. If you're into weird, experimental games, this one is apparently worth jumping into now. You can find it on PC, macOS, and Steam Deck.
Steam Next Fest is also underway, with a wave of indie game demos available, including a Virtual Boy-inspired shooter that's turning heads. If you haven't dipped into the Next Fest demos yet, now's a great time.
On the security front, Microsoft has discovered a new lightweight piece of malware called Crypto Clipper, designed to steal cryptocurrency. It spreads via USB drives and communicates through the Tor network, making it particularly tricky to trace. If you're storing or transacting crypto, this is a timely reminder to keep your security hygiene sharp.
Hackers are also claiming to have leaked data stolen from Madison Square Garden, according to Wired's weekly security roundup. The same report notes that gay bars in San Francisco are experimenting with face scanners, France has moved to exit its contract with data analytics firm Palantir, and Apple is reportedly planning changes to its private email service.
Apple also patched a high-severity eavesdropping vulnerability in Beats Studio Buds this week, a flaw that had actually been disclosed a full twelve months ago and affects multiple headphone manufacturers. Better late than never, but a twelve-month window is a long time for a vulnerability of that severity to remain unpatched.
In smart home news, Philips Hue has launched its first wired wall modules. These devices fit behind existing wall switches and, for the first time, bring non-smart lights into the Hue ecosystem without requiring bulb replacements. They've also announced new Play table and floor lamps and upgraded candle bulbs with Matter-over-Thread compatibility. The wall modules are currently Europe-only, with no US launch date confirmed.
On a lighter scientific note, researchers have figured out how to brew espresso using ultrasonic waves, and they don't need hot water to do it. The result is reportedly comparable to conventional espresso, and the process uses seventy-five percent less energy. Could this be the future of your morning coffee routine? Maybe not just yet, but it's a genuinely cool piece of applied science.
And finally, in the world of astrophysics, scientists studying a distant galaxy nicknamed Shadow Blaster were expecting to find a supermassive black hole powering its high-energy neutrino emissions. Instead, they found something unexpected: extreme star formation. The discovery suggests that dust-filled starburst galaxies could account for a significant fraction of the universe's high-energy neutrinos. Separately, researchers looking into Einstein's so-called biggest blunder, the cosmological constant, may have found a new explanation rooted in quantum gravity, suggesting that the very shape of spacetime might be protecting the universe from runaway expansion. Science is never short of surprises.
That wraps up today's edition of Technology Daily. There's a lot happening across every corner of the tech world right now, from the cosmos to your kitchen counter. Thanks so much for listening. Stay curious, stay informed, and we'll see you tomorrow.