• Google Photos can now turn you into a meme

    January 23, 2026

    In Big Tech’s never-ending quest to increase AI adoption, Google has unveiled a meme generator. The new Google Photos feature, Me Meme, lets you create personalized memes starring a synthetic version of you. Google describes Me Meme as “a simple way to explore with your photos and create content that’s ready to share with friends and family.” You can choose from a variety of templates or “upload your own funny picture” to use in their place. The feature isn’t live for everyone yet, so you may not yet have access to it. (A Google representative told TechCrunch that the feature…

  • Waymo probed by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal school bus behavior

    January 23, 2026

    The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis have been spotted illegally passing stopped school buses numerous times in at least two states. The NTSB is specifically focusing on the more-than-20 incidences that have occurred in Austin, Texas, it said in a post on X on Friday. “Investigators will travel to Austin to gather information on a series of incidents in which the automated vehicles failed to stop for loading or unloading students,” the NTSB said in a statement to TechCrunch. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, and the safety board will…

  • Increasing EV competition not a concern for “unique” Polestar brand

    January 23, 2026

    The theme of the past 12 months has been the never-ending onslaught of new electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia, but Polestar is confident it can cement a place in the local market despite its niche status. Polestar – owned by China’s Geely and therefore a sister brand to Volvo, Zeekr, and Lotus – has struggled to penetrate global markets since its 2017 launch. It’s by no means the only brand to have adopted an EV-only strategy globally, but it’s consistently and comprehensively outpaced by brands like Tesla, while also grappling with the rapid growth of China’s EV industry as a…

  • Retro handheld maker Anbernic has a new gamepad with a screen and heart rate sensor

    January 23, 2026

    File this one under “Things that make you go, ‘Hmmm…'” Retro handheld maker Anbernic is launching a new controller with a screen. But unlike Nintendo’s Wii U controller, there’s no second-screen gaming capability here. Instead, the display is designed to “make customization intuitive and effortless.” Oh, and the controller also has a heart rate sensor. Because, hey, if you’re going weird, I say fully commit! The Anbernic RG G01 has a 2.5-inch HD display that the company describes as an “HD smart screen.” The idea is to remap buttons, program macros and change other settings without requiring software on a…

  • What to know about Netflix’s landmark acquisition of Warner Bros 

    January 23, 2026

    ​If you thought 2025 couldn’t get any crazier, the streaming world had one more surprise up its sleeve before the year ended.  Netflix, already the largest streaming platform with over 325 million subscribers, took a bold step by acquiring Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, as well as HBO, HBO Max, and other assets. The deal, announced in early December, will bring together some of the most legendary franchises, such as Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and DC Comics properties, among others, all under one roof. ​The scale of this megadeal has stunned industry observers. It’s not only historic in…

  • Apple will begin showing more App Store ads starting in March

    January 23, 2026

    More ads are coming to App Store search results starting in March, Apple shared on an advertising help page. The company first said that it would increase the number of App Store ads last month, and this new rollout of search ads will begin on Tuesday, March 3, according to a developer email viewed by MacRumors. “Search is the way most people find and download apps on the App Store, with nearly 65 percent of downloads happening directly after a search,” Apple says. “To help give advertisers more opportunities to drive downloads from search results, Apple Ads will introduce additional…

  • Meta pauses teen access to AI characters ahead of new version

    January 23, 2026

    Meta today said that it is pausing teens’ access to its AI characters globally across all its apps. The company mentioned that it is not abandoning its efforts but wants to develop an updated version of AI characters for teens, the company exclusively told TechCrunch. The move comes days before a case against Meta is set to go to trial in New Mexico, in which the company is accused of not making an effort to protect kids from sexual exploitation on its apps. Wired reported Thursday that Meta has sought to limit discovery related to social media’s impact on teen…

  • Meta is temporarily pulling teens’ access from its AI chatbot characters

    January 23, 2026

    Meta will no longer allow teens to chat with its AI chatbot characters in their present form. The company announced Friday that it will be “temporarily pausing teens’ access to existing AI characters globally.” The pause comes months after Meta added chatbot-focused parental controls following reports that some of Meta’s character chatbots had engaged in sexual conversations and other alarming interactions with teens. Reuters reported on an internal Meta policy document that said the chatbots were permitted to have “sensual” conversations with underage users, language Meta later said was “erroneous and inconsistent with our policies.” The company announced in August…

  • Google Photos’ latest feature lets you meme yourself

    January 23, 2026

    Google Photos will now let you make memes with your own images. On Thursday, Google introduced a new generative AI-powered feature called “Me Meme,” which will allow you to combine a photo template and an image of yourself to generate an image of the meme. The new addition, which will be first available to U.S.-based users, was originally spotted in development last October by the blog Android Authority. It was formally announced by Google via its Photos Community site on Thursday. According to Google, the feature is experimental, so generated images “may not perfectly match the original photo.” It suggests…

  • Get the 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card for 33 percent off right now

    January 23, 2026

    MicroSD Express cards are still a little hard to find, considering they’re pretty new and only really started becoming popular last year once the Switch 2 came out. These upgraded versions of microSD cards are the only ones compatible with the Switch 2 for expanding its storage, so if you’re already starting to feel the crunch on your console, it’s worth picking one up. Samsung’s P9 microSD Express card is on sale right now — you can grab the 512GB version of $80, which is 33 percent off and one of the best prices we’ve seen. Samsung Get it now…