Welcome back to your daily memorandum talking tech, business, AI, markets, and more. 🗞️

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

📰 People magazine accuses Google of profiting off unlicensed content.
⌚ Apple Watch adds FDA-cleared hypertension detection feature.
🎮 Virtual Boy classics return to Switch with new headset kits.
🏚️ Keith Rabois pushes 85% job cuts at Opendoor for turnaround.
🌍 NATO activates ‘Eastern Sentry’ to deter Russian provocations.

TECHNOLOGY

• All of the iPhone 17 models compared

  • iPhone 17 lineup includes four models: 17, Air, Pro, Pro Max, all preorder September 12, released September 19.

  • Base and Air have similar display tech and cameras; Pro models add telephoto lens, better battery, vapor cooling.

  • Pro Max offers biggest screen, storage up to 2TB, while Air is ultra-thin design with lighter weight.

• Apple Watch hypertension feature cleared by the FDA

  • New feature uses optical heart sensor over 30 days to detect hypertension signals; launching watchOS 26 next week.

  • Supported on Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2, Ultra 3, and later models in 150+ countries.

  • FDA clearance means watches can warn users about blood pressure risk even without medical-grade cuff readings.

• Virtual Boy games come to Nintendo Switch Online

  • 14 Virtual Boy classics like Mario Tennis, Tetris, Jack Bros will roll out February 17, 2026 on Switch Online.

  • Two headset accessories: premium plastic version and cardboard ‘Labo’ style, required to view 3D games properly.

  • Games playable on both Switch and Switch 2 using Expansion Pack membership, restoring rare titles to modern hardware.

BUSINESS

• Opendoor chairman Keith Rabois targets 85% workforce reduction

  • Keith Rabois says Opendoor is ‘bloated,’ with 1,400 staff but only 200 needed, pledging radical downsizing.

  • Remote work and diversity-equity-inclusion initiatives came under fire, cited as causes of broken culture.

  • New CEO Kaz Nejatian appointed; investors cheered stock surge amid hopes for aggressive performance turnaround.

• Why the Oracle-OpenAI $300B deal surprised Wall Street

  • The size of the compute contract shocked analysts used to smaller cloud deals and incremental infrastructure deals.

  • It reveals OpenAI’s huge compute appetite and Oracle’s resurgence as key AI infrastructure provider.

  • The deal diversifies risk for OpenAI against reliance on other providers and boosts Oracle’s growth profile.

• People CEO accuses Google of stealing content, calls company “bad actor”

  • People magazine CEO claims Google regularly features content without permission or compensation, calling the practice theft.

  • Accusation adds to ongoing disputes over AI’s usage of third-party material without adequate credits or licensing.

  • Legal, ethical, and business pressures likely to mount as media companies fight perceived unfair tech platform behavior.

MARKETS

WORLD

• NATO launches ‘Eastern Sentry’ after drones breach Polish airspace

  • NATO launched ‘Eastern Sentry’ after Russian drones violated Polish airspace, deploying jets, frigates, and new air defenses.

  • The operation spans Poland, Baltics, and Romania, aiming to deter Russian incursions and reinforce eastern border security.

  • Leaders stress the move highlights alliance unity and signals readiness against escalating Russian provocations near NATO territory.

• Nepal gets first female PM after deadly unrest

  • Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki appointed interim prime minister following deadly protests against corruption and nepotism.

  • Her appointment came after the resignation of Nepal’s former PM and the dissolution of parliament amid turmoil.

  • Karki pledged accountability for protest deaths, reforms to restore trust, and elections scheduled for early 2026.

• Prince Harry visits Kyiv, pledges support for wounded soldiers

  • Prince Harry made a surprise visit to Kyiv, meeting war amputees and reinforcing Invictus Games rehabilitation efforts.

  • He praised Ukrainians’ resilience, highlighted veterans’ needs, and encouraged international backing for humanitarian programs.

  • The trip underscored Ukraine’s human costs and drew global attention to recovery challenges facing wounded service members.

CONTENT

• Getting customers from LLMs in 24hr

  • Cody Schneider explains ‘AI Search,’ where LLMs reference scraped Google pages, producing smaller volume but highly qualified leads.

  • Businesses in SaaS and local services benefit most, with conversion rates often reaching 10–40% from AI search.

  • Winning strategy is surfacing brands on frequently scraped listicles, delivering results in 24 hours versus months for SEO.

• The man who made a billion off blueberries

  • Entrepreneur built a blueberry empire starting with small acreage, scaling via efficient logistics, branding, and farming techniques.

  • Focus on consistent quality, cold chain innovation, and leveraging export markets drove massive revenue growth in produce business.

  • His journey illustrates importance of niche specialization and reinvesting profits to dominate what most regard commodity sectors.

• ‘AI is the best writing tool I’ve ever used.’

  • Jimmy Soni praises AI writing tools for refining style, cutting editing time, and elevating clarity in his essays.

  • He argues AI empowers writers by offering suggestions, vocabulary options, and structural guidance without replacing creative control.

  • Soni cautions against overreliance, emphasizing that human judgment, voice, and critical thinking still differentiate meaningful writing.

FUTURISM

• Microsoft slips unscathed through EU competition probe after promising to unbundle Teams

  • Microsoft will offer Office 365 and Microsoft 365 without Teams at discount, changing bundling practice for seven years.

  • It must enable interoperability, open APIs, and allow Teams data export to satisfy regulators.

  • EU accepts its legally binding commitments, avoiding a massive fine over antitrust concerns.

• The AI Doomers Are Losing the Argument

  • As AI products proliferate, critics who warn of apocalyptic risk are losing dominance in public debate.

  • Safety and superintelligence research are trailing behind deployment demands and incentive structures remain misaligned.

  • Advocates argue it’s preferable to build governance frameworks around real issues, not hypothetical worst-case scenarios.

• World’s first AI minister will eliminate corruption, says Albania Prime Minister

  • Albania appointed ‘Diella,’ a virtual AI ‘minister,’ to lead public procurement and prevent corruption in tenders.

  • The AI minister is expected to enforce transparency, reduce human bias, and streamline contract evaluations.

  • Some critics question legal status and oversight of this virtual role in government operations.

• Guidde — create how-to video guides fast with AI

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EXTRAS

• Microsoft slips unscathed through EU competition probe after promising to unbundle Teams

  • Microsoft will allow customers to remove Teams from Office Software Suite, offering discounted Office versions without bundled Teams.

  • It must support data export, open APIs, and interoperability for Teams users to satisfy EU regulators’ competition requirements.

  • With these conditions, Microsoft avoided charges or fines in this major antitrust review over software bundling.

• The AI Doomers Are Losing the Argument

  • Public discourse is shifting from apocalyptic AI fears toward more nuanced concerns about safety, ethics, and practical risks.

  • Critics once warning of runaway AI now face pushback from technologists focused on regulation, fairness, and deployment impacts.

  • The narrative is evolving, with evidence suggesting fear-based messaging may undermine trust more than inspire caution.

• World’s first AI minister will eliminate corruption, says Albania’s PM

  • Albania announced creation of a virtual AI ‘minister’ to oversee public procurement and root out corruption in contracts.

  • The AI role will evaluate bid fairness and evaluate tenders with transparency to reduce human bias and favoritism.

  • Some experts question accountability, oversight, and legal authority of this novel AI position in governance.

AND MORE

• Nasdaq hits record high close as traders prepare for upcoming Fed policy meeting.

• Asian markets surge on hopes of U.S. rate cuts, lifting stocks globally.

• Gold holds near record highs as signs of labor market weakness boost rate cut bets.

• U.S. dollar edges up on positioning trades even as outlook remains negative.

• Solve complex ML challenges quickly with AI Devvvs, connecting you to top-tier specialists ready to deliver real results.*

• United Nations overwhelmingly backs a two-state solution declaration condemning Hamas aggression.

• Oil prices rise after port disruption in Russia, but U.S. demand concerns limit gains.

• Global stocks inch up while yields and the dollar rise ahead of Fed meeting.