• AI layoffs or ‘AI-washing’? | TechCrunch

    February 1, 2026

    How many of the companies with recent layoffs are truly adapting their workforces to the efficiencies and challenges of artificial intelligence? And how many of them were just using AI as an excuse to cover other problems? That’s the question posed by a New York Times article on the trend of “AI-washing,” where companies will cite AI as the reason for layoffs that might actually be caused by other factors, like over-hiring during the pandemic. AI was the stated reason for more than 50,000 layoffs in 2025, with Amazon and Pinterest among the tech companies who blamed the technology for…

  • Apex Legends won’t be playable on Nintendo Switch after its next season

    February 1, 2026

    Apex Legends developer Respawn said it’s ending Nintendo Switch support for the game this summer, with the release of Season 30. After that point, it’ll work with the Switch 2 and all other currently supported platforms, but not the original Switch. “Season 29 will be the final update for Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch,” the team wrote in a post on X. The change will take place on August 4, 2026, so Switch players still have several months left to enjoy Apex Legends on the console and make preparations for their shift to a different platform, if they plan to…

  • Kia Picanto safe for “many years” in Australia

    February 1, 2026

    Kia Australia says the pint-sized Picanto city car isn’t going anywhere, with the brand’s local product boss committing to the budget hatchback for years to come. Speaking with CarExpert, general manager for product planning at Kia Australia, Roland Rivero, said the local arm won’t follow its New Zealand colleagues in ditching the brand’s smallest model, reiterating its vital role in the Australian lineup. “Picanto will be with us for many years yet. That’s as much as I can say,” Mr Rivero said. “We love Picanto. It’s great for our brand, it’s a great entry point into Kia here in Australia.”…

  • Apple is already thinking about its second foldable iPhone, and it may be a clamshell

    February 1, 2026

    We may not have a concrete release date for the first foldable iPhone, but Apple may already be looking into a smaller device that will follow it up. According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple is exploring a “square, clamshell-style foldable phone,” with the caveat that this potential device is “far from guaranteed to reach the market” and only “under consideration” right now. If this eventually leads to a smaller foldable iPhone, that means Apple believes it can compete against existing options on the market, including Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Motorola’s revamped Razr foldable. Gurman’s report also signaled…

  • Australia-bound Geely EX2 was China’s best-selling car in 2025

    February 1, 2026

    The Geely EX2 electric vehicle (EV) – which is due for Australian release in the second half of this year – was officially China’s best-selling new vehicle in 2025, with 465,775 customer deliveries recorded in its first full calendar year on sale in its domestic market. The compact, rear-wheel drive electric hatch is similar in size to the BYD Dolphin and MG 4, and has been confirmed for Australian launch between July and December 2026. The EX2 will join the electric EX5 and plug-in hybrid Starray EM-I mid-size SUVs already offered here by Geely, with all three models based on…

  • Toyota claims global sales crown in 2025, stretching lead over Volkswagen

    February 1, 2026

    Is the pope Catholic? Does the sun fuse hydrogen? Did Toyota sell the most cars last year? The answer to those three questions is: yes, for a little while longer, and most definitely. For the sixth year running, Toyota is the world’s number one automaker, and the Toyota brand continues to be the most popular new car brand by several parsecs. Across its three car brands (Toyota, Lexus and Daihatsu) the Nagoya-based automaker sold 11,212,092 across the world last year. That’s an increase of 4.8 per cent over 2024, or an extra 516,168 vehicles. Factor in volume from the truck-only…

  • Apple’s online store now lets you build a new Mac exactly the way you want

    February 1, 2026

    Just like buying a new iPhone through Apple’s online store, you now select each spec of your new Mac device when purchasing through the website. As first spotted by MacWorld, Apple updated its online configuration tool for purchasing a Mac. Compared to the previous design that allowed you to pick between several prebuilt options, the new configurator lets you choose one spec after another instead. It’s not a major difference compared to choosing between preconfigured options, but interested buyers have more customization since they can select the color, display, chip, memory, storage and even power adapter. The updated page also…

  • Amazon’s ‘Melania’ documentary makes $7M on opening weekend

    February 1, 2026

    “Melania,” a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, is exceeding box office expectations, with Sunday estimates suggesting it will make $7.04 million on its opening weekend. The documentary is coming in third overall for the weekend, behind the Sam Raimi-directed thriller “Send Help” ($20 million) and “Iron Lung” ($17.8 million), a video game adaptation from YouTuber Mark Fischbach (better known as Markiplier). Amazon paid $40 million to acquire “Melania” and is reportedly spending $35 million to promote it. So even though the documentary is outperforming pre-release estimates predicting a $3 to $5 million opening weekend, it’s unlikely to make a…