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Tag: Amazon

  • Here’s your first look at Kratos and Atreus in Amazon’s upcoming God of War TV adaptation

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    With the likes of  and  out of the way for a bit, Amazon has seized its opportunity to put the spotlight on the next big video game adaptation, its currently-in-production God of War show. Today we got our at Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson as Kratos and Atreus.

    The image released by Amazon shows the eponymous God of War standing next to a tree as he watches his son — who notably looks a bit younger than the video game version of 11-year-old Atreus we first met in 2018’s God of War — take aim with his bow. Exactly what they’re hunting is unclear, but we know that the developing relationship between father and son that was such a big part of the PS4 game is also going to be at the heart of the show.

    Whether Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios have nailed the looks of its central characters is a matter of opinion. Personally I think Hurst’s Kratos in particular looks a little bit off here, but there’s every chance it all comes together later in production. Or when we first hear him angrily exclaim “boy!”

    The Sons of Anarchy star was as Kratos back in January, and earlier this week we learned that Deadpool’s will play Baldur in the Amazon show. The rest of the cast includes Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Max Parker and Heimfall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri and Danny Woodburn as Brok.

    No release date has been announced yet, but a second season of God of War has been confirmed.

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    Matt Tate

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  • Amazon shelves Blue Jay warehouse robot

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    Amazon made a lot of noise in October when it unveiled Blue Jay, a multi-armed warehouse robot built to speed up same-day deliveries. Just months later, the company quietly ended the program.

    The robot’s core technology will live on in other projects. Still, Blue Jay itself is done.

    That sudden shift raises an important question. If one of the world’s most advanced logistics companies cannot make a high-profile robot work at scale, what does that say about the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in the real world?

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    Blue Jay was designed as a ceiling-mounted robot that could sort and handle multiple packages at once to speed up same-day delivery. (Amazon)

    What Blue Jay was supposed to do

    Blue Jay was not a simple conveyor belt upgrade. It was a ceiling-mounted system designed to recognize and sort multiple packages at once. Using AI-powered perception models, the robot could:

    • Identify packages in motion
    • Coordinate several arms at the same time
    • Manipulate items with speed and precision

    Amazon said it developed the system in under a year. That pace alone was impressive. The goal was clear: move more packages faster while reducing strain on workers in same-day fulfillment centers. On paper, that sounds like a win for everyone.

    Why Blue Jay ran into trouble

    Despite the hype, Blue Jay faced steep engineering and cost challenges. First, the robot was mounted to the ceiling. That design required complex installation and tight integration into Amazon’s Local Vending Machine warehouses. Those facilities operate as massive, single structures with automation baked into the building itself.

    There was little room to reconfigure hardware once installed. That rigidity likely became a liability. In software, AI can pivot overnight with a code update. In the physical world, changing course means retooling steel beams, motors and entire layouts. That takes time and serious money. Several employees who worked on Blue Jay have already moved to other robotics projects.

    The company reportedly continues to experiment and improve its warehouse systems. The technology behind Blue Jay will, in fact, inform future designs. In other words, the robot failed. The ideas did not.

    WAYMO’S CHEAPER ROBOTAXI TECH COULD HELP EXPAND RIDES FAST

    Amazon Blue Jay robot handling a package

    Engineering complexity and high installation costs limited how easily Blue Jay could scale inside Amazon’s tightly integrated warehouse system. (Amazon)

    From LVM to Orbital: A strategic shift

    Amazon’s next move centers on a new warehouse architecture called Orbital. Unlike the older Local Vending Machine model, Orbital is modular. It can be built from smaller units and deployed faster in different layouts.

    That flexibility matters. Retail is fragmenting. Customers expect same-day delivery from urban hubs, local stores and even grocery locations. Orbital could allow Amazon to place micro-fulfillment centers behind retail stores, including Whole Foods locations. That would help it compete more directly with Walmart, which already has a strong grocery footprint.

    Alongside Orbital, Amazon is developing a new robotics system called Flex Cell. Unlike Blue Jay’s ceiling mount, Flex Cell is expected to sit on the floor.

    That small design change signals something bigger. Amazon appears to be moving from massive centralized automation to smaller, adaptable systems built for the unpredictable realities of local retail.

    What this means for your deliveries

    If you order from Amazon regularly, you might wonder whether this affects you. In the short term, probably not. Your packages will still show up. Same-day and next-day delivery remain core priorities. However, the long-term story is more interesting. Amazon’s robotics strategy shapes how fast your order arrives, how much you pay and how local warehouses operate in your community.

    If Orbital works, you could see:

    • Faster delivery from smaller neighborhood hubs
    • Better handling of chilled and perishable items
    • More automation in retail backrooms

    If it struggles, same-day expansion could slow or become more expensive. That tension reflects a broader truth about AI. Writing code is one thing. Teaching a robot to lift boxes in a real warehouse without breaking down is another.

    AI TRUCK SYSTEM MATCHES TOP HUMAN DRIVERS IN MASSIVE SAFETY SHOWDOWN WITH PERFECT SCORES

    A warehouse worker inspecting the Blue Jay robot

    After only a few months, Amazon discontinued the Blue Jay program while continuing to reuse parts of its underlying robotics technology. (Amazon)

    The gap between AI hype and hardware reality

    Blue Jay highlights a growing divide in the tech world. AI in software is moving at lightning speed. Chatbots, image tools and predictive systems evolve weekly.

    Hardware is different. Robots must deal with gravity, friction, heat and unpredictable human environments. Every mistake has a physical cost.

    Amazon’s course correction shows that even tech giants hit limits when translating AI breakthroughs into moving metal. That does not mean automation is slowing down. It means the path is bumpier than the headlines suggest.

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    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Amazon shelving Blue Jay is not a retreat from robotics. It is a recalibration. The company is betting that modular, flexible systems will win over massive, tightly integrated machines. That shift could define the next era of e-commerce logistics. For you, the promise remains the same: faster delivery, better availability and more local convenience. But behind that promise is a complicated dance between AI ambition and real-world constraints.

    If even Amazon struggles to make advanced robots work at scale, how much of the AI revolution is still more vision than reality? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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    Related Article

    Robots learn 1,000 tasks in one day from a single demo

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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  • Sam Altman Defends A.I. Energy Use With Human Comparison, Sparking Debate

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    Sam Altman challenged critics of A.I.’s water and electricity consumption. Photo by John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images

    Sam Altman is pushing back on mounting criticism over the environmental toll of A.I. The OpenAI chief has dismissed claims about A.I.’s water consumption as “fake” and drawn comparisons between the electricity required to power A.I. systems and the energy it takes to develop human intelligence.

    Figures suggesting that tools like ChatGPT consume multiple gallons of water per query are “totally insane” and have “no connection to reality,” Altman said in a Feb. 20 interview with The Indian Express on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Last year, Altman claimed that ChatGPT uses 0.000085 gallons of water per query—roughly one-fifteenth of a teaspoon—though he did not explain how he calculated that figure.

    A.I.’s water footprint largely stems from the need for evaporative cooling systems used to keep data center hardware from overheating. But Altman argued that companies like OpenAI are no longer directly managing such cooling processes. Many A.I. developers, he noted, are shifting toward cooling systems that recirculate liquid rather than continually drawing fresh supplies. Meanwhile, tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, Google and Amazon have pledged to replenish more water than they withdraw by 2030.

    Even so, data centers continue to drink up water at a rapid pace. Total A.I.-related water consumption for cooling reached 23.7 cubic kilometers in 2025, a 38 percent increase over 2020, and is expected to more than triple over the next 25 years, according to a January report from Xylem. Despite the industry’s pivot to alternative methods, the report found that 56 percent of data center capacity still relies on some form of evaporative cooling.

    Altman was more measured when it came to electricity usage. “What is fair, though, is the energy consumption,” he said. “We need to move towards nuclear, wind, and solar very quickly.”

    Last April, the International Energy Agency reported that data centers accounted for roughly 1.5 percent of global electricity consumption in 2024. Their power use is rising at a rate more than four times faster than overall electricity demand and is expected to more than double by 2030.

    In response, major tech companies are pursuing data center agreements tied to alternative energy sources, including nuclear power, to ease pressure on grids. Altman, who previously led Y Combinator, has personally invested in nuclear ventures such as Oklo, which is developing small-scale nuclear plants, and Helion, which aims to commercialize nuclear fusion.

    The OpenAI CEO also argued that critics overlook the energy required to develop human intelligence. “People talk about how much energy it takes to train an A.I. model relative to how much it costs a human to do one inference query,” he said. “But it also takes a lot of energy to train a human—it takes, like, 20 years of life and all the food you eat during that time before you get started.”

    A more appropriate comparison, he suggested, would measure the energy used by a fully trained A.I. model to answer a question against that used by a human doing the same task. “Probably A.I. has already caught up on an energy efficiency basis measured that way.”

    The remarks quickly sparked debate online over whether such comparisons are appropriate. “He’s saying a really big spreadsheet and a baby are morally equivalent,” wrote Matt Stoller, research director of the American Economic Liberties Project, in a post on X. Sridhar Vembu, founder and chief scientist of software firm Zoho Corporation, also took issue with the OpenAI chief’s statements. A.I. should “quietly recede into the background” instead of dominating our lives, said the billionaire on X. “I do not want to see a world where we equate a piece of technology to a human being.”

    Sam Altman Defends A.I. Energy Use With Human Comparison, Sparking Debate

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    Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

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  • The robotaxi price war has started. Here’s everything you need to know.

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    Right now, in several American cities, you can open an app, and a car with no driver pulls up and takes you wherever you want to go. No small talk. No wrong turns. No tip. No perfume covering up the cigarette smells.

    A driverless Waymo ride in San Francisco averages $8.17. A human Uber in the same city? $17.25. The robotaxi price war is here.

    CONGRESS MOVES TO SET NATIONAL RULES FOR SELF-DRIVING CARS, OVERRIDING STATES

    I live in Phoenix most of the time, and I see Waymos everywhere. At the grocery store. On the freeway. Sitting at red lights with nobody behind the wheel, just vibing. I still haven’t gotten in one. But I’m giving myself two weeks.

    If I survive, I’ll share the ride. Mostly kidding.

    A Waymo drives across Congress Avenue on 8th Street in front of the Capitol Building as rain arrives in the Austin area on Friday, Jan. 23, 2025 ahead of anticipated drops in temperature and freezing rain over the weekend.  (Sara Diggins/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)

    Who’s on the road?

    Waymo (owned by Google’s parent Alphabet) is the clear leader. It gave 15 million driverless rides in 2025, and today, it’s about 400,000 per week. Valued at $126 billion. Available in Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta and Miami. Coming in 2026: Dallas, Denver, DC, London, Tokyo and more.

    WOULD YOU BUY THE WORLD’S FIRST PERSONAL ROBOCAR?

    Tesla launched in Austin last June but is way behind. Roughly 31 cars. One tester took 42 trips, and every single one still had a safety monitor on board. So supervised.

    Zoox (owned by Amazon) is the wild card. Their pod has no steering wheel and drives in both directions. Rides are free in Vegas and San Francisco while they wait for approval to charge.

    cruise av

    A Cruise vehicle in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Wednesday Feb. 2, 2022. Cruise LLC, the self-driving car startup that is majority owned by General Motors Co., said its offering free rides to non-employees in San Francisco for the first time, a move that triggers another $1.35 billion from investor SoftBank Vision Fund. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

    How do these things ‘see’?

    Waymo uses cameras, lidar (laser radar that builds a 3D map around the car) and traditional radar. It works in total darkness and heavy rain. Tesla uses cameras only. Eight of them, no lidar. Cheaper, which is how they offer rides at $1.99 per kilometer. 

    Now, are they safe? 

    WAYMO UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AFTER CHILD STRUCK

    Tesla has reported seven crash incidents to regulators since launching. Waymo says it has 80% fewer injury crashes than human drivers. But NHTSA has logged 1,429 Waymo incidents since 2021, 117 injuries, two fatalities. Three software recalls, including one last December for passing stopped school buses. 

    A friend of mine took a Waymo, and it dropped her off a full mile from where she was going. No way to change it. No human to flag down. Just a robot car that said, “You have arrived.” 

    She had not. So yeah. I’m curious. But I’m also cautious.

    Tesla's robotaxi driving on the street in Texas

    A Tesla Inc. robotaxi on Oltorf Street in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, June 22, 2025. The launch of Tesla Inc.’s driverless taxi service Sunday is set to begin modestly, with a handful of vehicles in limited areas of the city.  (Tim Goessman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    Here’s where it gets spicy

    When a robotaxi gets confused, a human in a remote center sees through the car’s cameras and draws a path for it. At a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 4, Waymo admitted some of those helpers are in the Philippines. Senators were not amused. I wasn’t either.

    Your car sits parked 95% of the time. Robotaxis run 15+ hours a day. When a driverless ride costs less than gas and insurance, owning a car feels like a gym membership you never use.

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    Know someone who still thinks self-driving cars are science fiction? Forward this. They’re in for a ride.

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  • “Best Thing Ever!”: The TikTok-Famous $10 Tool That Preps Salads in Seconds

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    It’s ingenious!
    READ MORE…

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    Haley Lyndes

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  • ‘Cross’ Season 2 episodes list: release schedule, complete episode guide

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    “Cross” Season 2 is currently in full flow over on Prime Video.

    It’s definitely worth watching as well, even more than the first season. The crime thriller television series has an impressive 93% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, compared with “Cross” Season 1’s still reasonable 76%.

    In “Cross,” Aldis Hodge stars as Alex Cross, a Washington, D.C. police detective and forensic psychologist. Together with his partner, Detective John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), he’s tasked with taking down some of America’s most dangerous killers.

    Prime Video’s much-talked about TV show, based on the popular Alex Cross novel series written by James Patterson, premiered on Amazon Prime Video on Nov. 14, 2024. Its ratings led Prime Video to commission a second: that eight-episode second season premiered Feb. 11, 2026.

    Where to watch ‘Cross’ Season 2

    “Cross” Season 2 is exclusive to Prime Video, requiring a subscription to the platform in order to watch.

    ‘Cross’ Season 2 Release Date

    “Cross” Season 2 premiered with its first three episodes on Feb. 11, 2026.

    ‘Cross’ Season 2 Episodes List

    Here are the eight episodes of “Cross” Season 2 and when they air.

    • Episode 1 – “Harrow”
      Wednesday, Feb.11, 2026
    • Episode 2 – “Scatter”
      Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026
    • Episode 3 – “Feed”
      Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026
    • Episode 4 – “Episode #2.4”
      Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026
    • Episode 5 – “Episode #2.5”
      Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026
    • Episode 6 – “Episode #2.6”
      Wednesday, March 4, 2026
    • Episode 7 – “Episode #2.7”
      Wednesday, March 11th, 2026
    • Episode 8 – “Episode #2.8”
      Wednesday, March 18th, 2026

    ‘Cross’ Season 2 Episode Stream Times – Release Schedule by Time Zone

    Here is when new episodes of “Cross” Season 2 start streaming across all US time zones.

    • Pacific Time (PT): Wednesday, 12:00 a.m.
    • Mountain Time (MT): Wednesday, 1:00 a.m.
    • Central Time (CT): Wednesday, 2:00 a.m.
    • Eastern Time (ET): Wednesday, 3:00 a.m.
    • Atlantic Time (AT): Wednesday, 4:00 a.m.
    • Newfoundland Time (NT): Wednesday, 4:30 a.m. 

    ‘Cross’ Season 2 Cast

    Aldis Hodge stars as Alex Cross in “Cross” Season 2, alongside Isaiah Mustafa as Detective John Sampson.

    Here’s the full cast list for “Cross” Season 2:

    • Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross, a Washington, D.C. police detective and forensic psychologist
    • Isaiah Mustafa as Detective John Sampson, Alex’s Washington, D.C. Metro Police Department partner
    • Juanita Jennings as Regina “Nana Mama” Cross, Alex’s grandmother
    • Alona Tal as Kayla Craig, an FBI agent who helps Alex while secretly involved with Detective Sampson
    • Samantha Walkes as Elle Monteiro, Alex’s love interest and executive director of a nonprofit organization
    • Caleb Elijah as Damon Cross, Alex’s son
    • Melody Hurd as Janelle “Jannie” Cross, Alex’s daughter
    • Jennifer Wigmore as Chief April Anderson, Chief of Police, Washington, D.C. Metro Police Department
    • Ryan Eggold as Ed Ramsey , a powerful and wealthy man in Washington, D.C. with secrets
    • Eloise Mumford as Shannon Witmer, a woman Ed meets through a dating app
    • Jeanine Mason as Rebecca, a woman targeting billionaires tied to human trafficking
    • Wes Chatham as Donnie, Rebecca’s partner in crime
    • Johnny Ray Gill as Bobby Trey, a former cop who now works for Ed
    • Matthew Lillard as Lance Durand, billionaire CEO of Crestbrook Industries
    • Matt Baram as Detective Bill Hardy
    • Mercedes de la Zerda as Detective Amielynn Vega
    • Stacie Greenwell as Detective Shawna De Lackner
    • Dwain Murphy as Detective Akbar
    • Siobhan Murphy as Tania Hightower, a journalist covering the murder investigations
    • Jason Rogel as Chris Wu
    • Chaunteé Schuler Irving as Maria Cross, Alex’s deceased wife
    • Sharon Taylor as Lieutenant Oracene Massey, Alex’s direct superior
    • Karen Robinson as Miss Nancy
    • Michelle C. Bonilla as Clare

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  • Lawsuit against Amazon over suicides linked to chemical can go to trial, court rules

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    A lawsuit against Amazon alleging the retailer sold a chemical on its website that played a role in the suicides of several teenagers and adults can proceed to trial, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.

    In their complaint, four families whose loved ones died after consuming sodium nitrite allege that Amazon sold the compound despite being aware it could be used for suicide. 

    Sodium nitrite is an ingredient used in curing salt for meat preservation and metal refinishing and is typically sold at lower concentrations.

    The plaintiffs allege that those who died of sodium nitrite poisoning used Amazon’s e-commerce platform to buy versions of the chemical with 98% purity or higher. Amazon also didn’t adequately display warning labels for the sodium nitrite products sold on its site, according to the suit. 

    “Big Tech companies must be held accountable when their platforms facilitate predictable and preventable harm,” Naomi Leeds, lead partner at C.A. Goldberg, the law firm representing the families, said in a statement.

    C.A. Goldberg said it represents a total of 28 families with relatives who died after consuming sodium nitrite they bought on Amazon’s website.

    Amazon’s response

    In a statement to CBS News, an Amazon spokesperson said the company is committed to a “safe shopping experience” and that it requires sellers on its platform to abide by applicable laws. 

    “High-concentration sodium nitrite is not intended for direct consumption, and unfortunately, like many products, it can be misused,” the spokesperson said.

    Amazon said it began prohibiting sales of sodium nitrite in concentrations greater than 10% in November of last year.

    The court’s ruling on Thursday reverses an earlier decision by an appeals court that found Amazon could not be held liable for the deaths because they had died by suicide.

    Amazon’s “argument that plaintiffs may have misused the product does not eliminate Amazon’s duty,” the Washington Supreme Court justices wrote in Thursday’s ruling.

    While Amazon sells multiple brands of sodium nitrite on its website, the case centers on two products from chemical companies Loudwolf and HiMedia, according to the court ruling.

    Carrie Goldberg, the lead attorney in the case, alleged in a previous interview with CBS News that Amazon knew “as early as 2018” that minors were buying sodium nitrite on its website. She said usage of the chemical was discussed on an internet forum where people can discuss suicide methods. 

    Forum users advised people to go to the “jungle” — a purported code name for Amazon — to purchase sodium nitrite, Goldberg said.

    Companies like eBay, Walmart, and Etsy also formerly sold sodium nitrite on their sites, but removed it years ago when they realized people were using it for suicide, according to Goldberg.

    If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here. For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.

    Edited by

    Alain Sherter

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  • Man leaves specific instructions for Amazon driver. Now she’s demanding answers after her dog destroyed package: ‘Why bother giving us the option?’

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    Receiving an Amazon package should be exciting. After days (or hours) of waiting, the rush of dopamine rushes through the brain as soon as it arrives. However, those feelings can instantly transform into frustration if the package is damaged. It’s even worse when it’s because your dog ruined it since the driver failed to follow the instructions.

    Amazon Delivery Gone Awry

    The video starts with TikTok creator Kingsley (@kingsleyt24) unveiling his screen recording of the Amazon delivery screen. At the bottom, he circles the instructions box. “Please leave on trash or recycle bin, my dog will chew the package. Thank you,” he writes. Below the box is a disclaimer that reads in italics, “Your instructions help us deliver your package to your expectations and will be used when possible.”

    Next, the clip cuts to a recording of a man appearing to be an Amazon Flex driver due to his vest and walking from his parked car in the stormy night toward the front gates. Instead of placing the item on the garbage bins beside the entrance, he nonchalantly chucks it over the gate, which catches the attention of the Australian Kelpie the content creator warned about.

    The gnawed white sneakers and plastic packaging on the ground are evidence that Kingsley’s package didn’t arrive as expected. “Thanks Amazon,” he remarks in the text overlay, accompanied by a heart texting symbol.

    He continues his sarcasm in the caption, “Thank you for taking my delivery instructions into consideration Amazon.”

    Why Are Viewers Divided?

    Kingsley’s video amassed 2.9 million views, igniting debate in the comments section about who was at fault. Many blamed the driver for ignoring the written directions.

    “Amazon gives you the option to leave delivery instructions for a reason. If the drivers aren’t going to follow them, why bother giving us the option??” one viewer stated.

    “I’d be calling Amazon and reporting it. The delivery driver did not follow instructions,” another echoed.

    Even an alleged Amazon worker entered the chat, “I work as an [Amazon] delivery driver and I always follow the delivery instructions. The only thing that sucks is when the customer doesn’t update their delivery instructions. But this driver just genuinely didn’t care and that’s unacceptable.”

    Nevertheless, some still assigned the blame to the owner.

    “Why leave your dog outside if it eats packages? cant blame the driver,” one commenter said.

    “Why is your dog alone outside in bad weather?” a second noted.

    Has This Been A Problem Before?

    In response to the negative responses, Kingsley posted a follow-up clip of a separate incident. This time, a German Shepard stood outside the front gate as the sun started setting. Then, a regular Amazon driver approaches the gate where the trash cans are located, carrying two packages. When he arrives in front of the bins, the Australian Kelpie appears as the driver places the packages on top and snaps a photo as proof. Once he captured the photo, he walked away and the dogs started barking. The content creator posted it to prove this driver listened to his directions whereas the other one either didn’t see them or care to follow them.

    Amazon Flex Package Drop Off Process

    Flex drivers are independent contractors who drive their own vehicles to pick up and deliver Amazon packages. From there, the driver can notify the customer, who, in the option, asks to secure pets and turn on the lights if it’s dark, according to the company’s website. Upon arrival, they can access specific delivery information through the notes located at the bottom of the app and drop off the package. Like the disclaimer in the screen recording in Kingsley’s original video notes, customer directions may not be completely carried out as desired.

    @kingsleyt24 Thank you for taking my delivery instructions into consideration Amazon #amazon #hooray ♬ original sound kingsleyt24

    The Mary Sue reached out to Kingsley via TikTok comment and direct message as well as Amazon Flex via email.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

    Image of Melody Heald

    Melody Heald

    Melody Heald is a culture writer. Her work can be found in Glitter Magazine, BUST Magazine, The Daily Dot, and more. You can email her at: [email protected]

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    Melody Heald

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  • This “So Cute” Container Totally Prevents My Lunch Salads From Getting Soggy (So Smart!)

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    If you had told me six months ago that I’d be as keen on eating salads as I am now, I would not have believed you. I’ve had an aversion to uncooked leafy greens for pretty much my entire life — at least until recently. The moment of change occurred at a social dinner when someone put a Caesar salad in front of me, and I ate some to be polite. Since that moment, I haven’t been able to get enough. I now make salads at home regularly, but the first time I decided to make one for my office lunch I realized that doing so would be a challenge.

    Although I owned plenty of Tupperware containers, I figured that storing all of my salad ingredients in the same plastic box would result in a soggy, room-temperature mess by the early afternoon. I put the notion of bringing a salad to the office out of my head and resigned myself to the fact that I’d just have to continue eating them at home. Then, I came across the S’Well Stainless Steel Salad Bowl Kit. Not only is it made from the perfect material for keeping produce fresh, but it also has multiple components that make taking and eating salads on the go a breeze. And, it comes in a bunch of cute colors!

    What Is the S’well Stainless Steel Salad Bowl Kit?

    The first thing you’ll notice about this salad bowl is its fun design. It comes in two sizes and 14 prints and colors when you shop it on Amazon; I opted for the Teakwood print. More importantly, the bowl is made of thin, sturdy stainless steel and features a silicone and BPA-free plastic leakproof lid. When you lift the lid, you’re met with a shallow stainless steel tray and a 2-ounce dressing container, which has its own tight-fitting silicone lid. The tray is where your salad toppings go, which means you can keep them separated from the main salad base.

    Under the tray, you have the main compartment for your leafy greens or grains, and because the bowl has an impressive 64-ounce capacity, you don’t have to worry about not having space for enough food to keep you sated until your next meal. The salad kit is not microwaveable, but it is dishwasher-safe. At nearly 8 inches tall and 4.5 inches wide, the container is not exactly compact, but if you have a flexible lunch box, you might be able to make it fit inside.

    Why I Love the S’well Stainless Steel Salad Bowl Kit

    Although I still sometimes use plastic food storage containers, they’re not my favorite. They tend to absorb food colors and smells, and they usually warp over time. I don’t experience either of those problems with the S’well salad kit. Its stainless steel construction hasn’t acquired a single dent in the couple of months I’ve been using the bowl, and it releases food easily during washing. What I love the most, though, is that the stainless steel keeps lettuce cold and fresh all day, so my greens are never warm or wilting by the time lunch rolls around. Also, because my parents like to lecture me about the purported dangers of microplastics on a biweekly basis, I’ve become wary about eating out of plastic containers all the time. I do have slightly more peace of mind eating out of stainless steel, which is nice.

    As for the kit’s other components, the toppings tray is also a game-changer. I usually cook some plant-based “chicken” to throw on top of the lettuce, but the idea of packing steaming-hot protein onto greens and letting them sit together like that for hours is mildly revolting. Also, I’ve been loving pomegranate seeds on my salads lately, but those can also make the lettuce soggy, so it’s super convenient to be able to store those ingredients separately. Of course, the dressing container is also a huge help. It has the perfect capacity, and I’m saying this as someone who likes a decent amount of dressing — to the point where the salad is just shy of being drenched. I’ve found that both the dressing container’s lid and the main bowl’s lid slip into place seamlessly and don’t budge. I’ve taken the kit along during my subway commute a handful of times and have never had problems with leaking or spillage.

    Finally, I adore the look of this salad bowl kit. Most food storage containers aren’t particularly stylish, but the Teakwood print on this one makes it look so trendy. Since getting the kit, I’ve used it for meals beyond just salads. The size and material of the bowl make it great for storing a variety of foods, from pasta to a homemade Chipotle situation. I can’t recommend this kit enough, so be sure to select your favorite color and snag your own. 

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    Nikol Slatinska

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  • Amazon halts Blue Jay robotics project after less than six months | TechCrunch

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    Amazon has hundreds of thousands of robots in its warehouses, but that doesn’t mean all of its robotic initiatives are a success story.

    The ecommerce giant has halted its Blue Jay warehouse robotics project just months after unveiling the tech, as originally reported by Business Insider and confirmed by TechCrunch.

    Blue Jay, a multi-armed robot designed to sort and move packages, was unveiled in October for use in the company’s same-day delivery facilities. At the time, the company was testing the robots at a facility in South Carolina and said it took Amazon significantly less time to develop Blue Jay — only about a year— than it did to develop its other warehouse robots, a speed the company credited to advancements in AI.

    Amazon spokesperson Terrance Clark told TechCrunch that Blue Jay was launched as a prototype — although that was not made clear in the company’s original press release.

    The company plans to use Blue Jay’s core technology for other robotics “manipulation programs” with employees who worked on Blue Jay being moved to other projects.

    “We’re always experimenting with new ways to improve the customer experience and make work safer, more efficient, and more engaging for our employees,” Clark told TechCrunch over email. “In this case, we’re actually accelerating the use of the underlying technology developed for Blue Jay, and nearly all of the technologies are being carried over and will continue to support employees across our network.”

    Amazon also unveiled the Vulcan robot last year, which is used in the storage compartments of the company’s warehouses. Vulcan is a two-armed robot, with one arm meant to rearrange and move items in a compartment while the other is equipped with a camera and suction cups to grab goods. The Vulcan can allegedly “feel” the objects that it touches and was trained on data gathered from real-world interactions.

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    Amazon has been developing its internal robotics program since 2012 when it purchased Kiva Systems, a robotics company whose warehouse automation technology formed the foundation of Amazon’s fulfillment operations. It surpassed 1 million robots in its warehouses last July.

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  • I Dreaded Sweeping My Kitchen Floors — Then I Discovered This Find Makes It 100x Easier Than a Dust Pan

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    I’ve loved to cook since I was a kid, but one thing my parents can tell you is that I’ve never been particularly good at the cleaning-up part. One chore I routinely put off? Sweeping. 

    I don’t mind the actual sweeping itself; it’s the bending down to try to collect everything into the dustpan and still having some remnants left behind that I don’t like. Recently, though, I came across a product that solves this problem. And while I won’t tell you I suddenly love sweeping, the EyeVac Air has made it less of a hassle — and that’s a win in my book. 

    What You Should Know About the EyeVac Air 2-in-1 HEPA Air Purifier and Touchless Vacuum 

    EyeVac has made a name for itself with touchless and cordless vacuums. The EyeVac Air is one of three touchless vacuums the brand offers. The appliance has an opening at the bottom to directly sweep crumbs, dust, hair, and dirt into, and it will instantly vacuum it up — no bending down or trips to the trash can required. You can set it to automatic or manual. In manual mode, it will vacuum when you press the activate button; in automatic mode, it will vacuum anytime its infrared sensor is triggered.

    Plus, the EyeVac Air also has a built-in air purifier. In fact, it’s the only one of the three touchless vacuums from the brand that does. The brand states it can snatch 99.7% of pollutants from the air — something that makes me feel better while I’m sweeping up the dust from my floor. And yes, the vacuum and the air purifier can run at the same time. 

    The EyeVac Air is the most expensive of the three models at $249. And while I believe it’s worth it, the EyeVac Home is $169 if you’re wanting something a little more affordable and don’t need the air purifier feature. 

    My Honest Review of the EyeVac Air 2-in-1 HEPA Air Purifier and Touchless Vacuum 

    Initially, I wasn’t sure what I’d think of this appliance. Could the EyeVac Air truly make me not dread sweeping? The answer is yes, it actually has improved my kitchen-sweeping experience. 

    I like the automatic mode best. The motion sensor at the bottom is pretty sensitive, so as soon as my broom came close, it immediately started vacuuming. And when I moved the EyeVac Air after I was done, there weren’t any crumbs or spots of dust left behind like I would typically have with a dustpan. Plus, the compartment that collects all the yucky stuff is super easy to remove, dump out, and put back — something I find isn’t true on every standard vacuum.

    The air purifier component is a cool addition to this appliance, especially while I’m sweeping. While it won’t replace the dedicated air purifier in my living room, which gives me a read on the air quality, it is just as quiet as my other unit. 

    The EyeVac Air comes in four sleek colorways. And though it is on the pricey side, it has changed my attitude toward sweeping. I actually kind of look forward to it now, and that feels like progress. 

    Will you be grabbing this for your kitchen? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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    Micki Wagner

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  • Audible moves away from audio-only model with ‘Read & Listen’ feature – Tech Digest

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    Audible has launched “Read & Listen,” a feature that embeds “immersion reading” directly into its application.

    This update moves away from a strictly audio-only model, allowing users to follow along with synchronized, highlighted text that stays in lockstep with the narrator’s voice.

    While the ability to switch between Kindle and Audible formats has been available through Whispersync for years, this integration unites both experiences within a single interface.

    Users can now toggle between “Listen” and “Read & Listen” modes without switching apps. As the narration plays, the corresponding on-screen text is highlighted in real-time, creating a unified sensory experience between sight and sound.

    Audible’s Chief Product Officer, Andy Tsao, notes that the move aims to provide a way to “read with your eyes too,” effectively treating audio and text as equal partners.

    Beyond convenience, company research suggests that combining auditory and visual stimuli improves cognitive retention and focus. Audible reports that users who simultaneously read and listen consume nearly twice as much content per month as audio-only subscribers.

    These benefits make the tool especially relevant for students, language learners and individuals with different learning needs, claims Audible. The feature is available at launch for hundreds of thousands of titles in English, German, Spanish, Italian and French.

    To use the tool, users must own both the audiobook and the corresponding eBook. To simplify this, Audible has added a “Read & Listen” library filter that automatically identifies matching pairs in a user’s collection.

    While the feature is currently rolling out to US customers, it is scheduled to arrive in the UK, Australia, and Germany in the coming months.


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  • Amazon’s Ring decides maybe partnering with a police surveillance firm is a bad idea after wide revulsion at Super Bowl ad | Fortune

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    Amazon’s smart doorbell maker Ring has terminated a partnership with police surveillance tech company Flock Safety.

    The announcement follows a backlash that erupted after a 30-second Ring ad that aired during the Super Bowl featuring a lost dog that is found through a network of cameras, sparking fears of a dystopian surveillance society.

    But that feature, called Search Party, was not related to Flock. And Ring’s announcement doesn’t cite the ad as a reason for the “joint decision” for the cancellation.

    Ring and Flock said last year they were planning on working together to give Ring camera owners the option to share their video footage in response to law enforcement requests made through a Ring feature known as Community Requests.

    “Following a comprehensive review, we determined the planned Flock Safety integration would require significantly more time and resources than anticipated,” Ring’s statement said.

    “The integration never launched, so no Ring customer videos were ever sent to Flock Safety.”

    Flock reiterated that it never received Ring customer videos — and that ending the planned integration was a mutual decision that allows both companies to “best serve their respective customers.” In a statement, Flock added that it “remains dedicated to supporting law enforcement agencies with tools that are fully configurable to local laws and policies.”

    Flock is one of the nation’s biggest operators of automated license-plate reading systems. Its cameras are mounted in thousands of communities across the U.S., capturing billions of photos of license plates each month. The company has faced public outcry amid the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement crackdown. But Flock maintains that it does not partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or contract out with any subagency of the Department of Homeland Security for direct access to its cameras. The company paused pilot programs with Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations last year.

    Still, Flock says it doesn’t own the data captured by its cameras, its customers do. So if a police department, for example, chooses to collaborate with a federal agency like ICE, “Flock has no ability to override that decision,” the company notes on its website.

    Beyond the Flock partnership, Amazon has faced other surveillance concerns over its Ring doorbell cameras.

    In the Super Bowl ad, a lost dog is found with Ring’s Search Party feature, which the company says can “reunite lost dogs with their families and track wildfires threatening your community.” The clip depicts the dog being tracked by cameras throughout a neighborhood using artificial intelligence.

    Viewers took to social media to criticize it for being sinister, leaving many wondering if it would be used to track humans and saying they would turn the feature off.

    The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that focus on civil liberties related to digital technology, said this week that Americans should feel unsettled over the potential loss of privacy.

    “Amazon Ring already integrates biometric identification, like face recognition, into its products via features like ‘Familiar Faces’ which depends on scanning the faces of those in sight of the camera and matching it against a list of pre-saved, pre-approved faces,” the Foundation wrote Tuesday. “It doesn’t take much to imagine Ring eventually combining these two features: face recognition and neighborhood searches.”

    Democratic Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts also urged Amazon to discontinue its “Familiar Faces” technology.

    In a published letter addressed to Amazon CEO Andrew Jassy, Markey wrote that the backlash to the Super Bowl commercial “confirmed public opposition to Ring’s constant monitoring and invasive image recognition algorithms.”

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  • Amazon ends Flock partnership after backlash over Super Bowl ad

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    Amazon’s Ring unit has ended its deal with security technology company Flock Safety after backlash over a Super Bowl commercial for the retail giant’s smart doorbell sparked concerns about unwanted surveillance. 

    The Ring Super Bowl ad portrayed a family’s search for their lost dog, with the manufacturer’s internet-enabled doorbell coming to the rescue by showing additional smart doorbells around the neighborhood scanning for the pet and using AI to identify the lost animal. 

    The service, called “Search Party,” wasn’t related to Flock, but Amazon last year said it planned to work with the company to give Ring owners the option of sharing video with law enforcement through Ring’s “Community Requests” service.

    Surveillance “nightmare”?

    While Search Party was framed in the Super Bowl ad as a helpful option for Ring doorbell owners, the spot sparked concerns from some critics that the tech could be used for nefarious purposes. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on civil liberties related to digital technology, declared that “no one … will be safer in Ring’s surveillance nightmare.”

    “[T]he company previewed future surveillance of our streets: a world where biometric identification could be unleashed from consumer devices to identify, track and locate anything — human, pet, and otherwise,” the group said in a Feb. 10 blog post.

    In a statement on Thursday, Ring said that it opted to end the partnership because integrating Flock’s technology “would require significantly more time and resources than anticipated.” The statement didn’t mention the Super Bowl commercial or cite it as a reason for ending the agreement. 

    Ring founder Jamie Siminoff told CBS News on Thursday that the company protects privacy. 

    “The backlash has been a little bit around this concept of, ‘Is this surveillance?’,” he said. “It’s actually not. It’s allowing your camera to be an intelligent assistant for you and then allowing you to be a great neighbor.”

    Smart doorbells in the spotlight

    The focus on Ring comes amid another high-profile use of a smart doorbell, with investigators in recent days saying they had recovered footage from a Google Nest camera outside the Arizona home of Nancy Guthrie — the missing mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie. 

    Investigators said they were able to extract “residual data” from the Google equipment, raising questions about how it was possible to retain the video. Officials had said the doorbell was disconnected, with no active subscription for storing video. 

    In its Thursday statement, Ring said its Community Requests feature remains “core” to its mission. The service is optional and voluntary, it added. 

    Community Requests was also used during the Brown University shooting in December, when the Providence Police Department used the service to ask for video footage, Ring noted.

    “Within hours, seven neighbors responded, sharing 168 videos that captured critical moments from the incident,” Ring said. “One video identified a new key witness, helping lead police to identify the suspect’s vehicle and solve the case.”

    Edited by

    Alain Sherter

    The Associated Press

    contributed to this report.

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  • Ring reverses police surveillance partnership after Super Bowl ad backlash – Tech Digest

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    In a striking strategic pivot, Amazon’s Ring has officially called off its planned partnership with police surveillance provider Flock Safety.

    The decision marks a sudden retreat from a collaboration that would have significantly expanded law enforcement access to private doorbell footage.

    While Ring officially claims the integration was scrapped because it required “significantly more time and resources than anticipated,” the move follows a week of intense public scrutiny and a high-profile marketing blunder.

    The primary catalyst for the backlash was a 30-second advertisement aired during the Super Bowl. The ad touted Ring’s “Search Party” feature, demonstrating how the company’s AI can “surveil” a neighbourhood to help locate a lost dog.

    While intended to showcase a helpful community tool, the imagery of a co-ordinated, AI-powered neighbourhood sweep struck a nerve. In today’s political climate, critics quickly voiced fears that technology designed to identify pets could effortlessly be repurposed to track humans, effectively turning suburban streets into a dragnet for state surveillance.

    Public anxiety was further heightened by Ring’s recent rollout of facial recognition capabilities. To many, the “Search Party” ad felt like a short leap toward a permanent surveillance infrastructure. This outcry led many users to begin disabling the feature entirely, signalling a breakdown in trust.

    The partnership with Flock Safety, a company best known for automatic licence plate readers and a centralized database used by agencies like ICE, only amplified these concerns, as it would have allowed police to bypass certain warrants by requesting footage directly through Ring’s platform.

    Ring had previously faced criticism for sharing videos with law enforcement without court orders, a practice it appeared to drop in 2024. The Flock alliance was seen by many as a quiet return to those police-friendly policies.

    By calling off the deal, Ring and Flock have avoided a deepening controversy, though the “Search Party” backlash highlights a growing tension between consumer convenience and the encroaching reality of neighbourhood surveillance. For now, Ring insists the decision was mutual and that no customer footage was ever shared with Flock.


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    Chris Price

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  • Amazon’s ‘Melania’ documentary stumbles in second weekend | TechCrunch

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    After a better-than-expected opening weekend in theaters, box office for Amazon’s “Melania” fell 67%, to an estimated $2.37 million, in its second weekend.

    The documentary about First Melania Trump has grossed a total of $13.5 million so far (almost all of that in the United States), which means it’s extremely unlikely the film — which Amazon spent $40 million to acquire and $35 million to market — will break even in theaters.

    Before “Melania”’s release, a former Amazon film executive asked how the price tag could be motivated by anything other than “currying favor” with the Trump administration or “an outright bribe.” 

    Moviegoing typically slows during Super Bowl weekend, but the weekend’s top film, “Send Help,” only declined 47%. And after placing third on the charts last weekend, “Melania” is ninth this time.

    Perhaps anticipating discussion about the film’s decline, Amazon released a statement from its head of domestic theatrical distribution Kevin Wilson, who said, “Together, theatrical and streaming represent two distinct value creating moments that amplify the film’s overall impact.”

    “Melania” received universally negative reviews from critics, but its 99% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes was so good that the site put out a statement insisting that the score was real.

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    Anthony Ha

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  • The final trailer for Project Hail Mary is here and it’s an emotional ride

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    Amazon MGM just released the final trailer for its upcoming film starring Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary, and it provides our first good look at his five-legged alien co-star, Rocky. The movie adapts a 2021 Andy Weir (The Martian) novel of the same name, and follows Dr. Ryland Grace, a scientist who wakes up on a spacecraft far from Earth with no recollection of how he got there or why, only to discover he’s on a seemingly impossible mission to stop an extinction event.

    If you’ve read the book, you already know we’re in for an emotional rollercoaster with this one, and the latest trailer aptly tugs at our heartstrings with a glimpse of the friendship that grows between Grace and an alien he meets after waking up — and the incredibly high stakes they’re facing. The movie will be released nationwide on March 20, but Amazon announced alongside this trailer that it’ll be offering tickets for early screenings in premium formats including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX and 70MM to Prime members. Those screenings will begin on March 16, and tickets go on sale February 20 through Fandango.

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    Cheyenne MacDonald

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  • Washington Post Publisher Steps Down Days After Painful Layoffs

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    Will Lewis arrived at The Washington Post as the storied paper was working to shed 240 employees, saying then that as a result of faulty financial projections, “We’re not in a place that we want to be in and we need to get to that place as fast as we can.” The British media exec had come to the US to be CEO and publisher of the Post, starting in January of 2024. “My plan is to arrive and for us to together craft an extremely exciting way forward. I can smell it. I can feel it. I know it,” Lewis said in his first meeting with the newspaper’s staff.

    Two years later, “exciting” might not be the word that Post staffers would use regarding the publication’s “way forward.” The 148-year-old paper, which since August of 2013 has been owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, laid off over 300 journalists last week, a move that killed off its sports and books section, and left its local and international teams diminished.

    And Saturday, Lewis was out too, sending a brief email to staff that reads “After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside. I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner.”

    “During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day,” he concluded.

    Will Lewis in 2023

    By Carlotta Cardana/Bloomberg/Getty Images.

    According to a statement from the Post, CFO Jeff D’Onofrio has taken over as acting publisher and CEO. “The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity. Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus,” Bezos said in a statement regarding the transition. “Jeff, along with [executive editor Matt Murray] and [opinion editor Adam O’Neal], are positioned to lead The Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter.”

    Lewis was not present on the Zoom during which Murray announced the layoffs Wednesday, Post staffers who were on the call tell Vanity Fair. He did, however, participate in meetings that day, during which he “gave no indication he was leaving,” The New York Times reports. He was spotted Thursday on the red carpet at the NFL Honors event in San Francisco, a pre-Super Bowl party attended by actor Tiffany Haddish, athlete Travis Kelce, and rap icon Too $hort, among others.

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    Eve Batey

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  • What’s the Difference Between SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon Leo, and Blue Origin’s TeraWave?

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    The satellite internet race is ramping up. In the years since SpaceX launched its first batch of Starlinks back in 2019, numerous competitors have entered the market, including two you’ve almost definitely heard about lately: Amazon Leo and Blue Origin’s newly announced TeraWave.

    Starlink, Amazon Leo, and TeraWave are far from the only players in this rapidly growing industry, but they stand out because of their massive financial backings and the ambitious strategic visions of their respective billionaire owners. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk oversees Starlink, while Jeff Bezos—through Amazon and Blue Origin—is developing Amazon Leo and TeraWave.

    Each of these brands has taken a unique approach to building the next generation of satellite internet technology. Understanding the differences between them is key to grasping how the future of global connectivity may unfold. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

    Vastly different scales of deployment

    The first thing to understand is that these networks came on the scene at different times, and their parent companies have chosen different deployment strategies. As a result, they are in various stages of development.

    Starlink is by far the most mature of the three. SpaceX was first to market with its satellite project, announcing it in 2015. Since the start of deployment in 2019, the company has rapidly built up the Starlink megaconstellation through hundreds of launches aboard its Falcon 9 rocket, with 9,555 Starlinks currently active and providing broadband internet to millions worldwide.

    Amazon unveiled plans to develop a competitor—called Project Kuiper at the time—about one month before SpaceX launched its first batch of operational Starlinks, “but was much slower to really ramp up and start production,” Kevin Bell, senior vice president of the Engineering and Technology Group (ETG) at The Aerospace Corporation, told Gizmodo. “Some of that was satellite driven, some of that was rocket driven,” Bell explained.

    While SpaceX’s approach to Starlink development prioritized rapid iteration and deployment, Amazon took its time finalizing the design of its satellites and conducted more extensive prototype testing. Because Amazon does not have its own rockets to support satellite deployment, it partners with launch providers—including SpaceX—to build its constellation.

    The company launched its first operational batch of satellites aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket in April 2025. The next launch, set for February 12, will bring the constellation (now called Amazon Leo) up to 212 satellites. Because it is still in the early days of scaling, the service has not yet launched commercially.

    Then there’s TeraWave, the newcomer. Blue Origin announced the project on January 21, setting a goal to begin deployment by the first quarter of 2027. The company will presumably use its New Glenn rocket to launch its satellites, but that has not yet been confirmed. According to the announcement, the TeraWave constellation will ultimately scale to 5,408 satellites situated in low-Earth orbit (where Starlink and Amazon Leo reside) and in medium-Earth orbit.

    That’s larger than Amazon Leo’s planned deployment of 3,236 satellites, but if Musk gets his way, Starlink will eclipse both of Bezos’s constellations. The Federal Communications Commission recently approved a SpaceX application to launch up to a million more Starlinks for the purpose of building an orbital data center.

    Serving unique markets

    Broadly speaking, the satellite internet industry serves two types of customers: enterprise and individual users. But according to Bell, these markets can be further divided into five core segments, namely direct to device, direct to consumer, high bandwidth (for business-scale users), backhaul (providing connectivity to underserved areas), and sovereign government.

    “While Starlink is really kind of spread across all of them, Amazon and TeraWave have chosen—at least initially—to position themselves towards the higher end,” Bell said.

    Starlink indeed serves a diverse array of users, from individuals to the American government. Its primary customer base, however, consists of people living in rural and remote areas who lack access to reliable, high-speed internet. Amazon Leo ultimately plans to target that market, but its initial phase of deployment will serve select enterprise, government, and telecommunications customers.

    TeraWave is unique in that it is not at all geared toward individual customers. This network will serve “tens of thousands” of enterprise, data center, and government users, according to Blue Origin.

    “One of the big differences there is that, typically, an enterprise would negotiate a service level agreement—so there is a requirement that the company be able to provide a certain level of speed, a certain level of capacity,” Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association, told Gizmodo.

    To meet that demand, Blue Origin will design TeraWave to deliver data speeds of up to 6 terabits per second anywhere on Earth. By comparison, Starlink and Amazon Leo offer speeds ranging from hundreds of megabits to around 1 gigabit per second, which is suitable for individuals and some enterprise customers but not tailored toward high-capacity backhaul or large-scale enterprise operations.

    As these networks grow, the satellite internet industry is undergoing a rapid transformation. Competition between them—and their many other competitors—will continue to drive innovation, bringing faster speeds, higher capacity, and broader coverage to users around the world.

    “Each generation of satellite that is being launched has greater speed and capacity than the prior generation,” Stroup said. “We’re just iterating much more quickly than ever before.”

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    Ellyn Lapointe

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  • Amazon joins AI arms race, shares plunge despite record-breaking plans – Tech Digest

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    Amazon has joined the global AI arms race. The tech giant announced it will invest a staggering $200 billion in artificial intelligence and infrastructure this year.

    This figure dwarfs the $125 billion Amazon spent in 2025. Despite this ambition though, investors were left rattled, sending shares down nearly 9% as the market weighed the cost of these massive bets.

    This move follows Google’s own record-breaking announcement, which we reported earlier today on Tech Digest. Google revealed a $185 billion spending plan as it fights to protect its search empire from ChatGPT.

    While Google is primarily focused on countering direct chatbot threats, Amazon’s $200 billion war chest is more diversified. It covers AI chips, robotics, and the Kuiper satellite network.

    The combined spending of Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft is now set to reach $650 billion this year. This “nuclear” investment level has prompted warnings from finance leaders.

    JPMorgan boss Jamie Dimon and the Governor of the Bank of England have both cautioned that the industry might be in a bubble.

    Nevertheless, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy remains undeterred. He told analysts that every customer experience will eventually be reinvented by AI. Like Google, Amazon is funding this transition through aggressive cost-cutting. The company recently laid off another 16,000 workers to help fuel its digital transformation.

    Both Amazon and Google are operating on the belief that under-investing is a bigger risk than over-spending. However, Wall Street is increasingly demanding a clear path to profitability. While Google’s revenue broke $400 billion to help soften the blow, Amazon’s stock hit suggests the market’s patience for unproven AI gambles is wearing thin.


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    Chris Price

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